Blog Purpose

Until now, I have used this blog as a place to exercise my own writing skills. Some are thought through, others are not. I write because it helps me think. Everything I write isn't set in stone and may very well change in the years to come. I also publish my thoughts because then it gives others the opportunity to criticise them if they don't like what I have said. Or, they may have a better way to clarify a thought.

I have noticed in blogging that people comment most where it isn't risky to publish their thoughts, or when something controversial has been written.

For example: If a blog site is promoting products that people enjoy, they will comment. On the other hand, if someone has a strong conviction about something, they will readily debate if a blog subject is in disagreement with their beliefs.

That being said, I have a question or two for you:

If you had a favorite blog, what would it be about?
What are subjects that you believe would meet a need, and people would actually read it?

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Also. I have tried something new. If notice that I haven't been writing on this blog very often please check out my new blog at www.acfeola.wordpress.com

I may try to write some in Swedish from time to time over there, so if you don't speak the language activate Google Translate on your computer. We will see how it goes.

Faith, Reason, and Israel

"The synagogue is worse than a brothel. The Jews are a bunch of criminals. I hate the synagogue and the Jews." -John Chrysostom

"...let the young and strong Jews and Jewesses be given the flail, the axe, the hoe, the spade, the distaff, and spindle, and let them earn their bread by the sweat of their noses as is enjoined upon Adam's children. We ought to drive the lazy bones out of our system." - Martin Luther (Concerning the Jews and Their Lives)

First, please forgive me for resurrecting these two quotes. Also, for any Jewish person who may read this blog, please forgive me and all Christians for any harm we have done to you throughout history. We have wronged you far too many times, and it was and has always been unreasonable. I posted these two quotes for a couple reasons. One, for Christians who may not know of them, and two that we may expose them as anti-Semitism.

What makes them so unreasonable? One could find numerous flaws and different angles as to why these statements lack reason. Among these flaws is that both men considered themselves Christians. Both men are still looked up to today in different camps of Christianity. In reality, their reasoning expresses the same hatred for Jesus Christ, who Himself is a Jew, and went to the synagogue. This is the core reason why Christian anti-Semitism is so unreasonable.

What I want to briefly explore in this post is what happens when a Christian departs from the scriptural, Jewish roots of his faith. At best, his faith will be unsound and without reason. At worst, it will be something that fuels anti-Semitism. Let me begin with my inspiration for this post.

Alan Dershowitz.


Who is Alan Dershowitz? He is considered America's most renowned criminal defense and civil liberties attorney. He is a Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. He is Jewish. He is one of my favorite authors.


His books have both influenced and challenged my thinking. Some of the books I have read include, but are not limited to: The Case For Israel, The Case For Peace, The Case Against Israel's Enemies, Why Terrorism Works, and Finding Jefferson: A Lost Letter, a Remarkable Discovery, and the First Amendment in an Age of Terrorism.


As a Christian, I would encourage everyone to read his books; especially his books that so eloquently exhort and explain why we should (and how we can) stand for Israel today. His stance is objective and truthful. Every book carefully documents his sources which can very easily be researched if you may question anything he has written. Personally, I know of few other authors that enable and teach me to effectively and soundly support Israel as Dershowitz does. For a more complete list click on the following link. http://www.alandershowitz.com/publications/books/

In Dershowitz's most recent book, The Case Against Israel's Enemies: Exposing Jimmy Carter And Others Who Stand In The Way Of Peace, Dershowitz seeks to do just as his book title suggests. Expose enemies of Israel. I might add, he does it with concise courtroom-like clarity. Chapter one, in particular, is what inspired this blog. As he goes down the list of Jimmy Carter's stance on Israel, he points out Carter's religious convictions as a factor to Carter's ideology. This caught my attention because I am a professing Christian. Dershowitz accuses Carter's "evangelical worldview" of leading him to believe "that Israel is deserving of punishment because Israeli Jews are not all strictly religious." (pg. 39) He quotes Carter as rebuking prime minister Golda Meir for Israel's largely secular society as follows: "Israel was punished whenever it's leaders turned away from devout worship of God." (pg. 39). Among other things, Dershowitz ends this particular paragraph with the following statement in regards to Carter, "His argument is grounded in faith, not reason." (pg. 39)


This quote challenged me. Dershowitz was right in the context of Carter. Of course, I have taken only a couple quotes from Carter that most Christians would agree with at first glance. However, if you put them in context of Carter's own book entitled Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid you will probably feel a whole different under tone. I encourage you to read the whole context in Dershowitz's book (which I have read), and Carter's book (which I have yet to read.)

What Dershowitz said sparked the following questions in my mind: Is it possible to have a reasonable Christian faith? Is it possible to be a Biblical Christian and anti-Semitic at the same time? How can someone who so passionately loves Holy Scripture become so unreasonable in their stance for Israel? More personally, is my faith unreasonable? Is my faith based only on emotion?

Is it reasonable when Christians, such as the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, decide to boycott Israeli academics? If reason is based on an emotional faith then I guess the answer would be yes. If reason was based on what the Scriptures say about Israel and the Jewish people then it would not be reasonable for a Christian to boycott Jewish people.

Is it reasonable when Christians of any background separate themselves from their Jewish roots? When someone like Jimmy Carter who has professed to being a "born-again" Christian, proceeds to compare Israel to apartheid South Africa, something has become unreasonable about his faith.


Anytime a Christian subtracts the obvious roots of their faith (Israel and the Jews), they will eventually lose the rich fruit of the whole tree that they have been graciously grafted into. Jews can explain their faith and calling without Christianity. Christians, however, cannot explain their faith without looking to Israel. Jesus (a Jew) actually states in the gospel of John, chapter four, that "salvation comes from the Jews." Everything we Christians hold dear came to us from the Jewish people.

Biblical faith is reasonable in its relationship to Israel. An emotionally driven faith, not rooted in the sound doctrine of the Scriptures will always lead to an unreasonable faith. An unreasonable faith translates into a misunderstanding of God's plan for Israel and our relationship with them. It will also result in action against Israel that lacks reason. A faith that is not rooted in Biblical truth will easily be swayed by tear jerking pictures of small Palestinian boys in front of tanks. Thus leading to cries of apartheid, occupation, or human rights violation. Not only by the secular media, but by the Church and so called Christians.

If a Christian were reasonable they would....


Know how to recognize age old anti-Semitism.


There was once a man named Haman. He was a leader under King Ahasuerus of the ancient Persian Empire. He didn't like the Jews because of a man named Mordecai. To accuse the Jews before the King he used the following verbage:


"There is a certain people..." (Esther 3:8) It would be reasonable for a Christian to realize that singling out the Jewish people for unjust criticism is the beginning of anti-Semitism and they should not take part in it. Nor should they support one who speaks such language. Rather, they should expose it lovingly and truthfully.


"Their laws are different from those of all other people..."(v.8). When the Jews are accused of being "different" in a negative slant, with no basis in truth, it would be reasonable to recognize the subtle reality of anti-Semitism.


"they do not observe the king's laws..."(v.8) Any time the Jews are the only one being accused of not abiding by laws (international law, human rights laws, etc...) it would be reasonable to believe that anti-Semitism is at the root of the motives.

"...let it be decreed that they be destroyed..."(Esther 3:9). When this language of annihilation is used of the Jewish people it is reasonable to believe that those who use it are anti-Semitic, and international criminals. It is also reasonable for them to be justly and swiftly judged by law. It would be unreasonable for a Christian to support in any way or fashion, a leadership that uses this language.

If a Christian were reasonable they would...

Know how to support Israel in a sound way.

Some Jews believe that Christians sometimes support Israel too much. I would agree that we have sometimes taken a goofy, super-spiritual approach to supporting Israel, and I would agree that there have been times that we have caused more harm than good. Without going into that, let me focus on a few reasonable, supportive attitudes we should have toward Israel and Jews.

There was once a Gentile girl by the name of Ruth. She made a few choices regarding the Jewish people. She was a Moabite, and her mother-in-law Naomi was Jewish. After Ruth's husband (Naomi's son) died she verbalized a commitment to Naomi and her people. The same decisions would be reasonable for us to make today. Our heart attitude should be the same. The following attitudes will lead to sound action.

"Entreat me not to leave you...wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge." (Ruth 1:16-18) Ruth realized where Naomi was going. She was moving back to Israel. It would be reasonable to believe that Ruth understood Naomi ought to live in her own land...Israel. It is unreasonable for a Christian, or anyone else for that matter, to believe that Israel is not the homeland of the Jews. Those who believe that they should be pushed out of their land, and into the sea, are evil and anti-Semitic. Israel belongs to the Jews and we should support them in their desire to live there in safety and peace. When Jews are resisted from immigrating back to their homeland the motives of those resisting should be questioned. This would be a reasonable response. Listen to some of Ruth's language toward Naomi and her people.

"...your people shall be my people..."(v.16) Ruth was willing to unite with Naomi and her people, the Jews. It is reasonable for a Christian to unite with and stand with Israel even if that means undergoing heavy amounts of criticism. Ruth's commitment was unwavering because it was based in love and truth. There was only one thing that would separate her from Naomi and her people. Death. Of course this could be very easily misinterpreted. However, it is reasonable for a Christian to risk his life to stand for the truth, and to stand for Israel (as well as other people). It is also reasonable to believe that when one does stand with and for Israel, they also will become the target of anti-Semitism and may suffer from the fall out of suicide bombings, rockets, and death threats. Ruth's declaration was one of peace and protection for both Jews and Gentiles.

"...your God, my God..."(v.16) It is reasonable for Christians to believe that their God, through Jesus Christ, is the God of Israel. Therefore it is also reasonable to believe that the Bible is a Jewish book and the beautiful message of the Bible is that God has graciously grafted Gentiles into the commonwealth of Israel and the Jewish people by faith. Biblically speaking, it is also reasonable to believe that the spiritual blessings of Abraham have come upon the Gentiles through belief in the Messiah of Israel and the Jews.

There are many other things that I could mention, but I will reserve that for another time. The bottom line is that it is unreasonable for a Christian, if he or she adheres to the Scriptures, to practice any type of thinking that would single out the Jewish people unjustly. It is unreasonable for a follower of Christ, if he or she believes the Scriptures, to be anti-Semitic, or support anti-Semites.

It is reasonable for a Christian to support Israel in a just and ethical way. Christian anti-Semitism has given the enemies of Israel far too much ammunition. What we believe must be able to withstand reasonable criticism. The Bible is reasonable. God's plan for Israel is reasonable. God's plan for Gentiles is reasonable. Miracles are reasonable. We must all take a look at ourselves in the mirror of truth and be honest about what we see. So many times we take a quick look and walk away, forgetting what we just saw. We must go back to the mirror of truth, take a thoughtful look, and make changes in our hearts where necessary. If we don't, in regards to Israel, the Jewish people may experience what Elie Wiesel did when he looked in the mirror after being rescued from Buchenwald. Read this portion of his story carefully, picture it, and may Christians in the times to come be part of the reason the Jewish people can look proudly and confidently at themselves in the mirror. May they also look at people like me and be able to honestly say, "There goes a true friend of Israel."

"Three days after the liberation of Buchenwald, I became very ill: some form of poisoning. I was transferred to a hospital and spent two weeks between life and death. One day when I was able to get up, I decided to look at myself in the mirror on the opposite wall. I had not seen myself since the ghetto. From the depths of the mirror, a corpse was contemplating me. The look in his eyes as he gazed at me has never left me." (Night. by Elie Wiesel pg.115)

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Are you being unreasonable, or are you becoming a modern day righteous among the Nations?

To Israel:

"May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels. For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, "Peace be within you." (Psalm 122:7-8)

The Doctrine Of Predestination

"Even if Hitler was elect, he will be in heaven. It doesn't matter what you do, just that you are elect."


That statement came from a fellow college freshman. We were in Jewelry making class. Working with fire and precious metals. It was the first time I had heard a person say such a thing. The doctrine of predestination was taboo where I came from. This was my first encounter with someone who believed it. To play with such a thought in the circle of Christians that I was in almost meant deception was setting in. What was I to do? At first I thought I should confront him as I would a Mormon or Jehovah's Witness. On the other hand, I knew enough to know that those who really believe in predestination get their belief from the same scriptures I read. Quickly, the fire of confrontation was quenched by my own mental faculties. That was when I entered the "danger zone" with the following thought: Maybe I should study the scriptures and let them speak for themselves before I confront this "heretic."
Depending on which conviction controls your conscience...at 16 I either decided to follow Christ by an act of my will, or by an act of God's will He decided it was time that I follow Him. Either I chose God, or He chose me. Ever wonder why some people are saved, and others not? Is it because they have willfully rejected God, or is it because God before time began...did not choose them?
Mark Driscoll says in his book, Religion Saves +Nine Other Misconceptions, in regards to the topic of predestination: "By predestination we are asking, is a person's eternal destiny chosen by God before their birth? Does God predestine people to heaven? Does God predestine people to hell?"(Chapter 7, pg 69). If I understand correctly, those who believe the doctrine of predestination believe that God chose some individuals for eternal life and He has chosen others for eternal death, and He did this long before time began.
Instead of delving into deep debate I would rather just examine the versus that a Calvinist would consider most important for the subject. From what I have studied, that would be Romans 9-11 and Ephesians 1. For a more thorough study I encourage you to read the book mentioned above. Driscoll dedicates a whole chapter to the subject as well as an appendix that lists many scriptures that we can study for ourselves. My thoughts that follow proceed verse by verse from Romans 9:1-11:36, and then verse by verse from Ephesians 1-2. Of course verses trigger other verses to memory, so there is some cross reference mixed in, as well as short summaries of many verses. To get the full context...read your Bible.

Romans 9

Paul begins by expressing great grief and sorrow. Such sorrow that he actually wishes that he "were accursed from Christ". What was causing such grief, or rather...who? The answer? His brethren. More specifically...Israelites. In order to understand the complete context of Romans 9-11 we can not just ask what the text is about, but also who it is about. God's plan for the Jewish people is what makes these chapters in Romans so rich with revelation of God's predestined plan for humanity. Subtracting Israel from our doctrinal beliefs will cause problems. An honest reading of the scriptures will reveal that God specifically chose (elected) the Jewish people to carry the Seed of the woman that would bring salvation to the whole world. In John 4 Jesus states that, "salvation comes from the Jews." Paul states that the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the law, the service of God, the promises, the fathers, and most importantly, the Christ came through the Jewish people. Why? Because God chose them. He did not choose anyone else for this task. Not all of the physical children of Abraham were chosen for the task of protecting and carrying the Seed of the women. Only those who would come through Isaac, the son of promise. Why did God choose them? When did it all start?
Abram. Did Abram come to God by an act of his will, or did God come to him first? Genesis 12 would reveal that the Lord initiated the first contact, and Abram did as God asked. However, we read in Genesis 15 that the promise was not activated until Abraham, "believed in the Lord." At that time, in the chapters that follow God established the covenant with Abraham's seed...Isaac. What was it that sealed God's decision to choose the seed of Abraham? Was it God's choice alone or did Abraham's will play a part also? Read Genesis 22. We see again that God initiated the first instructions to offer Isaac, but Abraham had to obey the instructions. It wasn't until Abraham was willing to kill his own son, that God was sure that Abraham and his seed were the right ones to carry out His predestined plan for all of humanity. It would seem that God's will was dependant on mans will.
Now we can understand why God elected Isaac as the primary carrier of the Seed of the women. Genesis 22 is arguably the clearest picture of the predestined Jewish Messiah in the old covenant. Now we can answer why Jacob was chosen, and not Esau. Jacob was in the line of Isaac, the seed of promise, Esau was not. Was God unrighteous then to "love Jacob, but hate Esau?" Nope. God was just. He was also just to harden Pharaoh (a Gentile) in order to continue His now predestined plan with chosen Israel. Why? Because now the Seed was in route to being manifested in the Messiah. It is indeed an interesting thought to think: God had to harden Gentiles in order to one day call Gentiles "My people." (Romans 9:24-26)
In verses 25-29 Paul refers to Old Testament versus about both Jews and Gentiles. He explains that the Gentiles will be called "My people." He also reminds us of a statement from Isaiah that a remnant will be saved out of Israel. Then he explains that the Gentiles will enjoy salvation by something called faith, and that Israel "stumbled at the stumbling stone" because they didn't seek Him by faith. Romans 9:33 ends by saying this: "Behold I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

Questions: Does "whoever believes" signify that salvation is available for anyone? If so, how? Would it be available to both Jew and Gentile by faith? A Calvinist might answer (correct me if I am wrong) that "anyone" is referring only to those who are elect or chosen by God. What do you think anyone or "whoever" means?

Up to this point we can conclude some things: Paul is writing about Israelites and Gentiles with a major focus on Israel. God is not unrighteous in any of His ways. God can do whatever He wants and man can't stop His predetermined plans. At the same time we should remember: The covenant with Isaac was not really finalized until Abraham obeyed. God is in control, but man's willingness to obey is a part of the plan. However, in the end it isn't about man's will...it is about God's desire to have mercy on mankind. The next two chapters reveal how His plan has and will unfold on this earth. That plan, which is predestined, is to bring mercy on all, but will all receive it?

Romans 10

The context continues in chapter 10 with Paul's "desire and prayer" for God to save Israel. Not to be too deep, but it is probably worth mentioning...Israel means Israel. When we as Gentiles read the words Israel or Jew it is far to common for us to spiritualize those words to mean something else. Israel means Israel. Jew means Jew. Gentile means Gentile. Paul (a Jew) understands the "zeal for God" that his brothers have. He explains that their zeal is a zeal of self-righteousness. This is when the will of man seeks to establish its own righteousness without submitting to God. Understanding that God gave Israel the law it should be obvious to us that they follow the law. Following the law preserved the Seed of the woman. How? It exposed the sinfulness of man, and as a result of this exposure man was continually pointed toward his need for salvation which came through Christ. Now, "Christ is the end of the law...to everyone who believes." The law is good, just, and holy...and all of it is fulfilled in Christ. However, no one is justified or saved by the law, or by living under the law. "The just shall live by faith." "Christ (a Jew) has redeemed us from the curse of the law, by becoming a curse for us." When the Messiah died on the cross the blessing of Abraham became available to the Gentiles by faith. The curse of the law is that "the man who does those things (of the law) shall (must) live by them." The problem is, none can live up to the law without the grace of the Lord Jesus. How is this grace received? Through faith. (Eph. 2:8-9)

Romans 10:8-15 clearly teaches that faith and belief is something found in our heart. Paul also says that "whoever believes", both Jew and Greek (Gentile) will experience the rich mercy of God. The message of the gospel must be preached and then it can be received by faith. Now, since this blog is about predestination we must ask again...Does whoever speak only of those whom God has chosen, or does it mean every individual on this earth? When it says, "there is no distinction between Jew and Greek" and that God will be rich towards whoever calls on Him from both groups...does that mean only the Jew and Greek that God has chosen? Or does it mean all people, both Jews and Gentiles? Does God choose who will believe, or does the one who chooses to believe in his/her heart experience saving grace?

Paul continues in verse 16 by admitting the fact that "not all have obeyed the gospel." Again we run into this dilemma that although everyone can call upon the Lord, everyone doesn't. Why? Is it because they willingly disobey or because God has not chosen them? The rest of the chapter again deals with Israel's disobedience and stubbornness to the Gospel and the Gentiles reception of it. So, this begs a couple questions in regards to predestination: Did God not choose Israel? Why do the Gentiles who "did not seek God" have God manifested to them? Paul answers this question in 10:19 when he explains that the purpose of Israel's disobedience was so that the gospel would spread to the Gentiles. When the Gentiles receive the gospel it will provoke Israel to jealousy. In the end we will see that God's plan was to have mercy on all. Therefore He hardens whom He needs to harden, and softens whom He needs to soften. At the same time an individual must decide to obey the gospel and can, after believing, decide to disobey and walk away for whatever reason. However, this in no way negates God's overall plan for Israel and the nations. Sometimes His ways are just past finding out!

Romans 11

What has God predestined His people (Israel/Jews) to? Disobedience or obedience? First, according to Paul, "God has not cast away His people." Who are His people? They are the Israelites, as Paul was Himself. God foreknew them and He can't cast them away because of the fathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). The church has not replaced Israel as God's people. The church is made up of both Jews and Gentiles (grafted into the true olive tree, by faith). Israel is still God's chosen people because of the everlasting covenants. Gentiles were excluded from this common-wealth until Christ died and made a way for all who believe. We see the manifestation of this begin in Acts 10 when Peter is at Cornelius's house.

Nevertheless, Romans 11:5-10 gives a few statements that would seem to support the Calvinist view of predestination. For example, God "reserved" about seven thousand Israelites for Himself during the time of Elijah. There is "a remnant according to the election of grace." And that "Israel has not obtained what it seeks, but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were hardened." It would seem that the context of these statements is in reference to Israel only and not Gentiles. Why did He choose some of them (Israel), but harden the others (Israel)? God did give them a "spirit of stupor", blindness, and deafness so that they would reject the gospel, but why? Yes, He predestined it to be that way...but why? Paul answers it in the verses that follow.

Think about this. God hardened the Gentiles of the old covenant. One example of this would be Pharaoh. During this time Israel carried and preserved the Seed of the woman. There was no hope for a Gentile under the old covenant. This all changed when the Messiah came and fulfilled the law. Then God hardened Israel in part and opened the heart of the Gentiles. Why?

Israel rejected the gospel because God blocked them from believing it in order that salvation could come to the Gentiles. When salvation started spreading to the Gentiles God's plan was to provoke His people to jealousy so that they would come back to Him. Of course not all of them could be hardened or the Gospel would have never been preached to Gentiles. Paul was one who did not remain hardened, but opened to the Gospel. His conversion was one that he didn't seem to have much of a choice in. God chose and appointed Him and didn't ask Paul's permission before meeting him on the road to Damascus. At the same time we must ask, could he not have disobeyed? If he decided to turn his back on the calling, would God have over-ridden his will? Probably not. After his conversion, Paul preached to Israel first, and when they rejected it, he turned to the Gentiles. When the gospel was rejected it bounced off Israel and the ball fell into the court of the heathen nations of the world. As they believed, the ball of jealousy was bounced back into the court of Israel, drawing their heart back to their God whom we serve.

If the rejection of the gospel brought the riches of salvation to the rest of the world, what is going to happen when they do believe? Paul answers that by saying, "life from the dead." By grace through faith we Gentiles are "grafted in among" the Jews and their common wealth of covenants. However, Paul says that we (Gentiles) should not "boast" against the "branches"(Israel), because they are the root that supports us, not the other way around. They were broken off because of unbelief (was this willful?), we were grafted in by faith. But, we must walk in the fear of God in regards to this. Why? If some of them (Israel) were not spared, we (Gentiles) might not be either. If everything is predestined, then why can a branch that was connected to the tree be broken off, and why can a wild branch that was broken off be grafted in? Was it God who decided that they would be broken off? Or was it their unbelief? Or was it God because of their unbelief? Is that fair if God elected them to not believe? Do they get a choice in the matter?

Doesn't it seem that unbelief determines the breaking off of the branches (Israel) and it is belief that determines the grafting in of other branches (Gentiles)? At the same time, doesn't it seem that God knows and understands how it is all going to happen? If at any moment a Jew who was hardened because of God's overall plan for the whole world believes, then he will be grafted back in again. If a Gentile who was grafted in by faith becomes boastful and proud against the natural branches (Israel), he will be broken off and condemned. So, God has predestined that some will be hardened and others not, but this is at the same time, in part, dependant on man's choice to believe or not believe. Possibly predestination and free will go hand in hand?

Paul summarizes these seemingly complicated scriptures well at the end of Romans 11. First, don't be wise in your own opinion. Israel has been partially hardened for a predestined purpose. This purpose is that the fullness of the Gentile world will come in (salvation). Paul also says that, "all Israel will be saved." This will happen when the Messiah comes out of Zion and completes the covenant with Israel of "taking away their sins." (Romans 11:27/Is 27:9).

If anyone is predestined, chosen, or planned...it is Israel because of the covenants. Now, through Christ, God's plan has been opened to all who believe. When we (Jew and Gentile) believe in the Messiah we are instantly grafted into this plan and are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ. They (Israel) are elect and specially beloved for "the sake of the fathers." The gifts and callings of God are irrevocable. This verse (v.29), in context is not speaking of the Gentiles, nor is it speaking of spiritual gifts in general. It is speaking specifically about the gifts and callings given to the fathers (of Israel). Because of these everlasting callings and covenants the whole world has obtained mercy. It is one of Scripture's great mysteries: Disobedience gives others a chance at obedience. Why have we all been plagued by disobedience anyway? It goes all the way back to Adam's choice (or was he predestined to fail?) in the garden to disobey God. Sin reigned in the human race, Jew and Gentile both included. This required God to put a plan in place to redeem everyone back to Himself. How? He "committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all."

Paul could only answer all of this by rejoicing at the unsearchable wisdom and knowledge of God! The whole world will hear the Gospel, and those who believe will be saved by the power of God. At the same time, after the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, "all Israel will be saved." Our God! What a strategy! Thank God for Israel and the Jewish people whom God could choose because of Abraham's obedience. Could it be that because of Abraham's obedience that Isaac, Jacob, and the twelve tribes stepped into a predestined plan to redeem all of humanity? Yes, I think so.

Ephesians 1-2

After reading Romans 9-11, it makes it a little easier to understand Ephesians 1. The questions that I have, specifically after reading Ephesians (with Romans 9-11 in mind), in regards to predestination are: Has He only chosen a select few before the foundation of the world, or did He choose all of those who would believe to be "without blame before Him in love?" Is the point of being chosen, that you are one of the chosen, or is it about what those who do believe are chosen to become? God has chosen us to bear fruit(Jn. 15). He has predestined us to adoption through Christ. He has predestined us "to be conformed to the image of Christ." Should the focus be on who is "chosen" or "elect" or what we are chosen to be and do?

We Gentiles were all "dead in trespasses and sins." We can trust in the Lord after we hear the Gospel because God has had mercy on us. His mercy was revealed through the Gospel, and received by grace through faith when Israel rejected the gospel. Now we have been raised up together with Christ. Verse 10 reveals that "we are His workmanship, created for good works." These good works were "prepared before hand that we should walk in them."

This is why we Gentiles, who were without Christ and, "aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise..." are now near to Christ, by the blood of Christ. He has broken down the middle wall of seperation between Jews and Gentiles. Now we (Jew and Gentile), instead of two, have become one new man. This was done through the death of Jesus on the cross. Now we both, Jew and Gentile, have access by "one Spirit to the Father."

In conclusion...One key to understanding the scriptures is not to exclude God's predestined plan for Israel. When we subtract Israel from the scriptures we have subtracted the context of God's plan for our lives. When we replace Israel/Jews in the Bible with a Gentile interpretation, we miss out on the rich sap of the olive tree from which The Branch sprouted from.

Some things I believe:

I believe that predestination is a scriptural principle. God does harden some and soften others for His purposes.

I believe that salvation is not just for a select few, although not all will receive the gospel. I believe salvation is for all who will call upon the name of the Lord, Jew or Gentile.

I believe Israel was predestined, because of Abraham's covenants with God, to be the carriers of the Seed that would be the salvation of the world.

I believe when a Gentile decides to obey the gospel, he/she steps into God's predestined plan of reedemption. At the same time, I believe they step into appointed works that bear fruit that God chose them to bear.

I believe that an extreme view of the Calvanist doctrine of predestination can lead to replacement theolgy if not careful. That is, if one believes that now, as a Gentile in the New Covenant, we have replaced Israel as God's chosen people...thus making ourselves a "spiritual Israel" instead of Gentiles grafted into what belongs to Israel. If this is believed, a person is "boasting against the branches" (Israel), possibly resulting in a severing severity of God. Historically, replacement theology usually turns anti-semitic, or at least fuels rabid anti-semites to carry out insane acts against Israel. This will be dealt with on judgment day (Joel 3). Neither the church, nor Gentile believers have replaced God's people. God's covenants with Israel are everlasting. We must accept this.

I also believe an extreme view of the "free will" doctrine can lead to a self-help gospel that prides itself on postive thinking and not our need for God. We must also accept that God does have a predestined plan and has chosen to do things a certain way. Gentiles are included in that plan by faith.

Finally, I believe that Hitler is in hell, but I don't believe that every Calvanist would agree with my fellow freshman's statement at the beginning of this essay.

To conclude, let’s take a trip to the Potter's house. From the following scriptures (JER. 18:1-10), it would seem that our all powerful Potter does have power over the clay. In these verses, it is speaking of Israel and the Gentile nations. However, at any time if an evil nation repents, or for that matter, an evil person…God promises to change His plans based on mans willful decision to repent and turn towards Him.

“This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD : "Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message." So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

Then the word of the LORD came to me: "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.”

Upcoming Blogs

Here are a few blogs I am trying to work on that are in the thinking stages at this time. Stay tuned for the next update.

1. The Doctrine of Predestination-The Missing Ingredient

2. Faith, Reason, and the Christians Relationship to Israel.

3. Emerging or Traditional? (Is God making the Church more trendy to reach new people, or bringing us back to our roots?)

Sound interesting? Any subject matter that needs to be considered? If you have suggestions please feel free to comment.

Praying The Psalms

Another good way to spend extended and focused times of prayer with the Lord is by praying the Psalms. There are 150 of them to choose from and they make for a honest and refreshing time before the Lord. David was a man after God's heart. His psalms can easily be prayed as they are written or by personalizing them slightly. One can personalize the Psalms very simply without even taking them out of context.

Here are a few off the top of my head that I love to pray.

Psalm 1
Psalm 15
Psalm 18
Psalm 23
Psalm 25
Psalm 27
Psalm 34
Psalm 119
Psalm 121
Psalm 139

There are so many to choose from! It is really wonderful to purposely take extra time to draw close to God without any agenda other than to draw close to Him. One can very easily spend 30 minutes to an hour praying the psalms. Remember, spending a lot of time with God is really not that hard if you use the scriptures as a prayer book.

Some Reasons Why All Christians Should Pray the Lord’s Prayer

1. It is the way Jesus instructed His disciples to pray.

2. It is simple enough that even a child could pray it.

3. It keeps secret place and corporate prayer consistent and focused.


As a child I was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church. To be honest, this is something that I am not ashamed of. Many good seeds were sown into my life in the most formative years of my childhood, one of these things being the consistent recitations of the Lord’s Prayer. This was repeated every week in our liturgical service. Contrary to what Christians of a Charismatic, Pentecostal, or non-denominational background may think, a liturgical service does not make it a dead service. Rather, it is a consistent way to produce discipline and stability in the heart of believers. This is something that is desperately needed in a time that Christianity is surrounded by a very secularized and lawless society. Which I might add, can very easily creep into a Christians life if they lack discipline in the fundamentals of their faith: Bible reading, prayer, obedience, etc… Sometimes our fear of organized religion, legalism, and condemnation has led us to the opposite side of the ditch…laziness and lawlessness. Structure is not bad, sin is.


Praying the Lord’s Prayer with daily consistency keeps us on track and focused. When I first decided to be fully obedient to the Lord (get saved :-), many of my new Christian friends indirectly (sometimes directly), looked down upon praying the Lord’s Prayer, because it was “religious.” I think what they meant was that if they prayed it, they would look and feel too traditional which would stifle their new found “freedom” in Christ. This is a bit interesting, since the One who set them free is the One who instructed us to pray this way. We should pray it consistently if for no other reason, because Christ said, “when you pray”, pray this way (see Matt. 6 and Lk. 11).


It is very simple to pray The Lord’s Prayer. Have you ever prayed it exactly the way it is written? If so, how long does it take? Thirty seconds…maybe a minute? That is not difficult for anyone to do. This means it can very easily be prayed throughout the day numerous times. Early in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening…it is easy and painless to pray. This does not quench the spirit of “free” prayer. Actually, it keeps you in a focused and constant spirit of prayer.


You could also use it as an outline for extended times of prayer. I know of one minister that uses it to pray for thirty minutes to an hour. I recommend this way of praying it also. Take each statement in the prayer and pray in a ripple like fashion. If you have ever thrown a rock into water you know what a ripple is. Begin by praying the statement in the prayer for yourself, then your family, then your community, your city, your nation etc… Expand your mind and you can cover the earth with prayer and spend quite a long time before your heavenly Father. Quantity time leads to more quality time.

Praying this prayer has been a part of Christianity for thousands of years. It is an effective way to pray in the secret place, and in my opinion, it is important to pray it as a corporate church body. I encourage you to pray it every day. If you (like the rest of us) have trouble from time to time focusing in prayer, this is one very effective way to combat that. Focused prayer is powerful prayer!

In this manner therefore pray…

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one.

Healing

One day Jesus was teaching. Pharisees listened. Teachers of the law sat close by. People had come from every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. However, they were not the only ones that were present that day. Something else was very tangibly present. The Bible says it this way"

"The power of the Lord was present for Him (Jesus) to perform healing." (Lk 5:17 NASB)

The power of the Lord, the presence of the Lord to heal, the anointing...is always present when Jesus is present.

The story continues and tells of some men that were carrying a paralyzed man on a bed. Since they couldn't find a way to bring him before Jesus because of the crowds they decided to to be creative and remove tiles from the roof. They proceeded to "disrupt" the meeting in a desperate attempt drop this man right in front of Jesus, right in the center, right where the healing presence of the Lord was.

First Jesus said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven you." This attracted accusations of blasphemy from the Pharisees. They questioned, "Who can forgive sins, but God alone?" Jesus was aware of the reasoning. Jesus was not afraid. Jesus was ready to forgive. Jesus was ready to heal. None of the elements present that day...the critical spirit of the Pharisee, the distraction of the roof caving in, etc... did not quench the power of the Lord that was present to heal. I believe it was like a magnet towards the desperate faith of the men and the man on the stretcher.

Jesus then questions the reasoning of His critics: "Which is easier? To say, your sins are forgiven, or to say, rise and walk?

Jesus answered and said, "in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...I say to you (paralyzed man) take up your stretcher and go home." Immediately. Through the power of the Lord that was present. The man was healed. Jesus proved that he could forgive sins. Jesus proved that He could heal. Jesus proved that He was God. He has authority to heal and forgive. Every time Jesus forgives, He proves that He can and wants to heal. Every time He heals the sick, He proves that He can and wants to forgive sins.

Healing and forgiveness. Dual provisions of the cross. Both are the will of God because of the cross. Jesus died for both of these to be a reality in our lives. Isaiah 53 says He was crushed for our iniquities and scourged for our healing (v.5). Matthew 8:17 says "He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases." 1 Peter 2:24 says that "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed."(Nasb)

Do I believe that it is God's will to heal everyone? Let me answer that with another question: Do you believe it is God's will to save everyone from their sins?

I have heard people debate that it couldn't be God's will to heal everyone. They say that Jesus had to have walked by so many people that didn't get healed. Well, didn't He walk by a lot of people that didn't turn and follow Him also? Does that mean it isn't His will for all to repent and come to the knowledge of the truth? Just because everyone doesn't get healed can we conclude that it is only His will to perform healing in some? If we follow that logic than we would have to say that it isn't God's will to save everyone either.

I believe that just as much as Jesus died to save us from our sins, He died to heal us of our sicknesses. Whether or not our experience lines up with this logic or not doesn't really matter. The authority of our experience or circumstances is not in authority over the word of God. Jesus is the ultimate authority. His life and ministry consisted a great deal in healing the sick. More than that, it is clearly one of the things that He died for on the cross. "By His stripes we are and we were healed." (Is 53, 1 Pet 2:24)

I know that not everyone gets healed. I know that some die of cancer. I know that some get colds. I know that some are in wheel chairs. I realize that my own daughter was diagnosed with guillen barre syndrome. I know some years ago I was lying in the hospital with some freak stomach sickness for two days. I know that today is the fourth day, and I still feel sick, I have even coughed a few times while typing this blog.....but....

Jesus is still my healer. No matter what I feel like, it is still His will to heal. His power is present today to heal my body. I know that He died and took stripes on His back to heal my body today. Everyone in this world could argue however they like, but I have already decided to believe that the word of God is the ultimate authority on the subject. Jesus is my healer.

I believe that "He healed all who were ill..."(Matt 8:16). I believe that when the man with leprosy came to Him and asked Him, "Sir...if you are willing, you can make me clean?" That Jesus said, "I am willing, be clean."

I believe what He willed to do for that one man, He wills to do for me today. I believe that what He wills to do for one, He wills to do for everyone...that is all who come to Him for healing.

Where Jesus is, the power of the Lord is present to perform healing.

Fruit That Remains

When I became a Christian at the age of 16 I had the privilege of being exposed to the ministry of Dr. Lester Sumrall. The biography that I read of his life, changed my life. It exposed me to world missions. It exposed me to the power of God. It exposed me to many things that I will be forever indebted for.

One story the impacted me greatly was the story of Clarita Villaneuva. A young girl that was possessed and tormented by demons. In the early 1950's Dr. Sumrall felt the calling to move his family to the Philippines. During his time there God used him to bring deliverance to this young girl. That miracle opened up the nation for revival, and an influential local church was established. The whole account can be read about in a small book written by Dr. Sumrall entitled Bitten By Devils.

If one thing describes the ministry that God gave this man, it is fruit that remains.

This weekend I had the privilege of speaking to the Filipino-American ministry at our local church. Many of them were born in the Philippines. I spoke to them about the authority of Jesus, and the signs that are to follow those who believe. Through the scriptures I pointed out that one ingredient that we often miss, or avoid in our evangelism is the supernatural power of God. You know...the real thing.

As I ended the lesson I asked a few questions in order to try to bring the message home to these precious people.

First, I asked if anyone had ever heard of Lester Sumrall. A few nodded their head in excitement. Next I asked, "does the name Clarita Villanueva ring a bell?" A couple acknowledged that they had heard of her story. I then asked if any had ever heard of the church that was planted there. Again...the answer was affirmitive.

What impacted me the most was when one dear lady in the middle of the message blurted out, "I am a part of the fruit!" She had been a part of the church in Manila. The fruit remains. Almost 60 years later.

I began to think. Wow! Little did I ever know that when I heard these stories, and read them in books as a teenager that sixteen years later I would meet up with the decendants of the people that were a part of that event. Little did I know that the influence of the apostolic gift in that man in my life and in their lives, would one day merge and work together.

All I can pray after this experience is....God, you chose me to bear fruit that remains...please let it be so in every area of my life.

Everyday

I think we (Christians) should read the Bible everyday. If we don't...shame on us! No condemnation of course =). Come on though...if we believe that the God who raised Jesus from the dead inspired the scriptures...why don't we read it every day? I mean...how else will we ever get a glimpse of the grand picture of God's plan?

Reading the Bible daily is like putting a huge puzzle together.

The other day my 5 year old put a 100 piece puzzle together. It took her only a little while (she's smart...I'm proud of that =). How did she put it together? One piece at a time. When she got stuck, she would ask for some help and then continue by herself. Little by little there was a picture to look at.

It is the same when reading our Bible. Maybe the scriptures we read today don't make very much sense to us. That is okay. Pick up another piece (scripture) and try to fit it with another. If it doesn't fit, put it down for a short time and pick up another. Keep reading. Go on with your life and pick up the Bible the next day and read it again. When you get stuck, ask for help. From who? The Author. Little by little you will begin to see a bigger picture. Even better, it will be a picture that you are in.

So without any more delay, read your Bible today and everyday!

Grace

From the time I became a "born-again" Christian I have heard the word grace. The most common definition that I have heard spouted off with speed and efficiency by countless Christians is: Unmerited favor.

Sometimes when I blog I just like to sit down at my computer, pick a random subject, and write out my thoughts. Today the word "grace" has earned my unmerited favor and attention to be written about. Following are just immediate thoughts to scriptures that I read on the subject. There isn't much of a flow...just thoughts. :-) Probably even some spelling errors. For sure there are grammer errors. Therefore, I boast in my weaknesses so that Christ's power will rest upon me. ;-)

What is grace?

The Greek word for grace in the New Testament is charis. According to my Hebrew/ Greek Key Study Bible (compiled and edited by Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D.) it means:

"A favor done without expectation of return; absolute freeness of the lovingkindness of God to men finding its only motive in the bounty and freeheartedness of the Giver; unearned and unmerited favor. Charis stands in direct antithesis to erga, works, the two being mutually exclusive. God's grace affects man's sinfulness and not only forgives the reptant sinner, but brings joy and thankfulness to him..." (Lexical Aids to the New Testament. AMG Publishers. 1984,1994. NASB. Pg 1886).

In my experience the word grace is understood in many different contexts. For example: When a preacher falls into sin you may hear someone present the challenge to... just give him grace. Others may view grace as a cover up for sin. I am sure there are other opinions about the word also, but one question I always have when it comes to grace is not necessarily what it is, but...what does it enable us to do or be?

According to the gospel of Luke 2:40, "the grace of God was upon Him(Jesus)." Without question Jesus inherited grace from God and walked in this grace. Did grace cover something up in His life, or did it bring something to him which enabled Him to live the way He did? When reading the whole verse (Lk 2:40), we see that grace was connected with growth, strength, and wisdom. I don't believe that salvation can be earned by our works. I do believe it can be received only because of Christs work. However, I don't believe that grace just makes it okay for us to live however we please. I do believe that grace gives us strength, the ability to grow, and to become more like Christ.

Do you think growing, becoming strong, and increasing in wisdom had anything to do with "the grace of God" that was upon Him?

John 1:14 says that Jesus was "full of grace and truth." Can grace and untruth live together? Since Jesus was full of grace and truth He literally was "the Word become flesh"...who..."dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father..."

When God gives us his gift of grace is it something that just covers a wound, or is it something that fills every area of our lives? Does it result in us continuing to live in sin with an assurance of salvation, or does it cause us to dwell on earth as Christ did?

John continues (v.16): "For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace." What does that mean? What do you think? Maybe it means that the grace upon Christ is lived out through us when we receive of His grace provided by His death on the cross?? Hmmmm...I need to think more about that one. If that is correct, we shouldn't continue in our same life of sin once the grace of God enters us. Maybe slowly, but certainly surely, a change should occur in our lives that causes the Word to dwell among us.

I do know this: "The Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ." (v.17)

You may say...but, that was Jesus. None of us can attain to His lifestyle. I have to agree. None of us can attain to the standard Christ lived by...in our own strength. But would it be possible through His strength if He gave it to us by unmerited favor?

Ask the believers in the book of Acts. Acts 4:33 states that, "abundant grace was upon them all." What made the author of Acts notice an abundance of this acquired substance on the followers of Christ? Maybe it was because of what the first part of the verse described: "...with great power the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus." Or maybe because of what the following versus say (v34-37) about their intense giving habits? When we look at what is sandwiching the statement "abundant grace was upon them" we see that the bread sandwiching the meat within is power. Grace inside releases power outside.

Stephen was also "full of grace and power" (Acts 6:8) resulting in a display of signs and wonders. Are you starting to get a different picture of grace?

Paul, in his farewell speech to the believers at Ephesus said that he "commended them to God and to the word of His grace." What did that mean? He continued by saying that this "word of His grace "was able to build them up and give them an inheritance among all of those who were sanctified." In other words, grace has the power to edify and sanctify (to hallow).

The Apostle Paul wrote extensively about grace. For example, in Romans 5, he says: That the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. He said that this free gift has resulted in justification. Think about it, if it was through transgression (remember Adam?) that death reigned, would the same reign through grace (remember Jesus?)? What I am getting at here is that Adams sin caused death to reign, so if we supposedly say the sinners prayer and are "saved" and death through sin continues to reign in our lives, have we really received of the grace of God? God's grace doesn't cover our old sin nature, God's grace gives us righteousness, the power to reign in life through Christ! Where sin abounded, grace has abounded all the more. (Romans 5)

So, does that mean if we keep on sinning that grace will increase more? Paul answered that question this way: "May it never be (God Forbid)! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?" (Rom. 6:2 NASB) If we "give our lives to Christ" and are still dominated by sin afterward, have we really given our lives to Christ? Don't you love hard questions? :-)

One should read all of Romans 6. Paul goes on to say things like this: "Consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ...", "Do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey it's lust." "do not present the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as alive from the dead..." "sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace." What!? So would not that mean that the law revealed to us that we are exceedingly dominated by sin, and grace looses these chains of bondage?

Paul continues with another set of questions: "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! How would the classic phrase "I am a sinner saved by grace" or "I am not perfect, just forgiven" fit into Paul's grace theology? Overall, I think the point is not perfection, but freedom. When we have truly received of God's grace we are still enslaved, just not to our old master (sin). We are enslaved to God, His righteousness, and His sanctification process that will eventually result in eternal life! (Romans 6). In a way I guess you could say that Jesus has set us free to place in a "higher" type of bondage! A bondage to obedience, holiness, and freedom from sin. A bondage to the Master!

How can we live by the Christ-like standard? By grace! Then it is not based on our own discipline to attain goodness, it is not based on our works. It is based on His work. This makes grace a tangible, enabling power to live by Christs standard of obedience. Grace is no longer grace if it is based on our own works and good deeds. Grace is based on His work, but it changes us when we receive of it and enables us to not only unite with Christ in His death, but to unite with Him in His resurrection power. It changes us. It results in continual life change. It results eventually in eternal life.

Over and over again Paul begins and ends his letters with a statement like this: May the grace of the Lord be with you. Why did he say that all of the time? Think about it for a few days. Grace is not a cover up so that we can live however we please and still be accepted by God. Grace is a free gift from God that empowers us to live like Christ, in resurrection power. Think about Paul's life up until Acts chapter 9 when he had his Damascus road experience. He lived by the law, actually he says in Philippians 3 that he was found blameless in this respect. There was one problem, it was by works, not grace. In fact, grace changed his life. He said, "by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me." (1 Cor. 15:10) Grace doesn't cover up and pat us on the back in our sin, grace works, grace labors, grace changes us.

This is not to say that we are not weak, or to forget that Paul did claim also to be "the chief of sinners." It is to realize that Jesus said to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Paul did not boast in his own goodness, but when he boasted in his weakness the power (grace) of Christ rested upon him. Remember something though, the weaknesses he was speaking of was not sin. If that were so he would contradict everything he said in Romans 5 and 6. The weakness he was speaking of was insults, distresses, persecution, difficulties, etc... These things made him weak, but also made him strong because only grace could empower him to continue and he knew that. (2 Cor 12). Grace results in a total dependency on Christ, and a change in our lives that conforms us to His image.

In Titus Paul tells us that the grace of God has appeared to all men, "teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts...to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present age." (Tit. 2:11-12)

My final questions to ponder are: Does grace cover up our carnal nature or does it empower us to live by the standard of the Christ? Which testament, Old or New, presents a higher standard to live by?

There is so much to read about grace in the new testament. I encourage you to visit an online website like: www.biblegateway.com and search the word. The grace to continue writing this blog has ended for now.

"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you." 1 Thess 5:28)

Raising kids in a culture where pornography abounds

The following is an article from focus on the family.

"No healthy parent wants to think about his child viewing pornography, but it often happens. Some researchers have stated that the average age of exposure is down to eight. Before the days of the Internet, children were typically between the ages of 11 to 13 when they began by viewing soft-core pornography found in magazines like Playboy.

Today's child lives in a culture where hard-core content abounds. Our children are being seduced daily, and we need to bear this fact in mind whenever we have the occasion to redirect them away from pornography. Read more by clicking the following link:"

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/sexuality/when_children_use_pornography.aspx

Can We Be Exact With Our Eschatology?

Where to begin when writing about the end?
(1 Cor 2:1-16)(Eph 1:17)

I have heard Christians complain that eschatology (end time theology/last things etc…) is a very confusing and complex subject. Why is that? Is it the bizarre imagery, doctrinal differences, or simply because as believers we have not taken the time to study the subject from its source? In my opinion if we are going to study any subject it makes it easier and more natural if we begin in the correct place. When I began to play with the idea of writing a blog like this I was slightly reluctant. Mostly because for some reason eschatological doctrine evokes great emotion in the body of Christ and I didn’t want to attract any of it toward myself. Now that I have laid aside my selfishness let me reveal my single greatest motive for this study: I desire to know the scriptures better. Secondly, I desire to provoke you to an intense study of the scriptures. Too many times we base our faith on second hand knowledge and revelation. The result of this can be a flippant faith, instead of a functional faith. Finally, I do not seek to impress you with intellectual ideas, but to love and honor the One who was crucified for us. Therefore my hope is that this essay will result in you turning back to the scriptures and basing your faith, not on mans wisdom, but on God’s power.

Subjects contained in the scriptures are literally inspired by the Spirit of God. Therefore they can only be spiritually discerned. When we combine our human intellect with subjects that are revealed spiritually it creates friction, confusion, and contradiction. End time prophecy has been revealed as men of God were moved by the Holy Spirit to write or speak forth what He was inspiring them to say. If the Word of God was inspired by the Spirit of God, would it not be wise to ask Him for help in understanding it?

The Holy Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. None of us can understand anything contained in the scripture unless the Spirit of God reveals it to us. For example, I believe that the book of Revelation can only be understood by revelation. That happens when the Holy Spirit opens the eyes of our heart to see what God is really saying. The good news is that He wants to help us. For a born-again believer it is normal for us to ask Him for help. He helps us to understand things that have freely been given to us by God. How does He help us? Is it by mans wisdom? No. The Bible says He “teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” In the study of last things I would like to submit a possible strategy for success. Just allow scripture to interpret scripture. Then spiritual will be compared to spiritual. If we don’t, then we will with our natural capacity, try to explain the spiritual, and that doesn’t work. “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

That being said as a foundation, let’s lay aside all charts and timelines and just read the Bible for what it says. Each section will be started with the scriptures that I referred to for my thoughts. To get the most out of this study you will have to look them up and study them for yourself. Hopefully that is what this blog will provoke you to do above everything else. If what you have always been taught is found in the scripture a thorough study of the scriptures will only strengthen that belief. If what you believe is not found there, then the Word of God will act as a two-edged sword to correct it. Either way you look at it, it is a win win situation. Now let us explore and see if we can be “eschatologically” correct.

What did Jesus say about the end times and His second coming?
(Matt 24-Matt 25)

You would think that Jesus would be the best source about His own second coming wouldn’t you? Well, He is, but even He admitted to not knowing all of the details. Although He does reveal some clues to the signs surrounding His coming he does state that no one knows the exact time except for His Father. He does tell us to watch and to be ready because He will return at an hour that is unexpected. Shouldn’t that put to rest the arguments around His coming being before, during, or after the tribulation? I guess not. Here is a question to ponder: Is it more important to know when He is coming or how to prepare ourselves for His coming?

What else does Jesus say in these chapters? He says there will be much deception, wars, natural disasters, tribulation, offense, betrayal, and lawlessness. This is only the “beginning of sorrows.” He does say in the midst of this that we must “endure until the end” and that “this gospel” will be preached to every nation before the end comes. After verse 14 it seems to get worse. Yet, it says nothing of a rapture or second coming at this point. He does go on to say in Matthew 24:21, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” I think we can conclude that this will be the greatest tribulation that there has ever been.

Even in the midst of these versus He doesn’t say yet when He is going to come, just where. He says that it will be like the lightning that comes from the east. Then he says something about the time frame of His coming without giving an exact date or hour. He states, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days…the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven…and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven…” According to these versus would you say that Jesus is coming before, during, or after the great tribulation? Refer only to what He said.

What else will His coming look like? Per Jesus, they will look like the days of Noah. Before the flood people were very careless. Before Jesus comes, it will be the same type of society. From my experience, “Like the days of Noah” is a typical verse for those who hold dear to the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine. Here are my questions: Does this analogy between the last days and the days of Noah signify rapture or judgment, or both? Did Noah get raptured or was he protected throughout the 40 days of judgment? Was he caught away from it all or did he endure the flood waters for 40 days? Wasn’t he still on earth after he endured those days in the ark? Did God snatch him away, or just give him the grace he needed to preserve his family until the end? God did keep him from the judgment, but He didn’t remove him from it. He wasn’t appointed to wrath, but wrath was all around Him.

With those questions in mind when Jesus says, “one will be taken and the other left” is he speaking of the rapture, or his is speaking about what happens when the sword of judgment separates between two people? After these sayings He goes on to explain what He means by way of parables. Following the same context we read about two types of people, a faithful/wise servant, and an evil servant. This parable says nothing about being snatched away in the rapture before judgment for the righteous. It does say that the Master will return when the servants don’t expect, and that they will be cut in two and appointed their proper portion.

The next parable is about wise and foolish virgins. Five were ready to meet the bridegroom, five were not. Again, the Master had to separate between the wise and the foolish, it was a 50/50 separation. He says nothing of rapture…just that we should watch, because we don’t know when He will return.

Next, He gives the parable of the talents. The faithful servants are rewarded, not raptured. The unfaithful are cast into outer darkness. One thing that is evident in all of these parables is that when the Master, the Bridegroom, returns, both the righteous, and the wicked must face Him. Doesn’t this signify judgment? Won’t we all have to endure it? Isn’t it just the end results that are different? Most Christians would agree that the Bible clearly says that the righteous are not appointed to wrath, but to salvation. Does this mean that we will be rescued before, during, or after judgment is poured out on the earth? Does it matter? Is it the present wrath, or the eternal wrath that God is speaking of? If it is the eternal than it doesn’t really matter, does it? Isn’t the comfort in the fact that no matter how it all happens that we will be with Him for eternity?

Finally Jesus says that when He comes that “all the nations will be gathered before Him…” Then He will separate them one from the other…sheep to the right, goats to the left. The judgment is based on how the brothers (adelphos) of Jesus were treated. It is interesting to compare these verses in Matthew 25:31-46 with Joel 3:1-2. Question: Is the judgment on the nations going to be based on how well we did inner city ministry or on how the brothers of Jesus were treated? Isn’t God going to enter into judgment on account of “My people, My heritage Israel?” Note: One key ingredient that is necessary in understanding eschatology is Israel. Don’t forget the Jewish people.

So, based on Matthew 24-25 do we know when Jesus is coming back exactly? No. Does he give us a clue as to an approximate timeline? Yes. See Matthew 24:29. So far, based only on what Jesus says about Himself in these chapters do you think that gravity will lose its hold before it gets really bad? Please refer to the scriptures alone and answer without over spiritualizing or using too much fictional imagination. Read every book of the Bible, look at your life, and ask the following question: Do Christians endure tribulation? (see also Acts 14:22).

Matthew 24 should also be compared with Mark 13 and Luke 17. One thing I would like to look at out of Luke is the example of Lot. From my experience this story is another one used in favor of a pre-tribulation rapture. My first question is, was Lot raptured or was he only protected from the wrath of God’s judgment? He wasn’t taken from earth. I think he could still see the judgment take place if he would have just looked. His wife did. She was taken, and he was left. Or was it that Lot was taken and she was left? Which way do you see it? The wrath was close enough to take his spouse, but he was not appointed to it.

If we spiritualize his exit out of Sodom as a symbol of the snatching away shouldn’t we continue that context into the next versus in Genesis? He went into the mountains and hid out in a cave with his daughters who ended up conceiving a plan to be conceived by their own father. Please read it for yourself (see Gen 19:30-38). Some may symbolize this as heavenly paradise, but it looks like incest to me. :-)

One last question for the Greek scholars. The Greek word used for rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4 is harpazo which means to strip, spoil, or snatch. It is used when Philip was in Samaria and then suddenly caught away to Azotus (Acts 8). Is this word used even once in Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, or Luke 17? I would answer for you, but I don’t want you to take my word for it. Study it yourself, it is more fulfilling.

What did Paul say about the second coming of Christ and our gathering to Him?
(1 Cor. 15:1-1-58)

Are the rapture and the resurrection the same thing? Does Paul say that the church will be raptured before the tribulation or does He say that it will happen at the second coming? In the 15th chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians he speaks about a very important subject…resurrection.

He asks the following question: “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some say that there is no resurrection of the dead?” What does resurrection have to do with the second coming of Christ? (see Rev. 19-20:5). Basically, if we don’t believe in it, then our faith is futile. If we don’t believe that Christ is reason then we should worry about those who have died. Without resurrection all who have “fallen asleep” have simply perished. There is no hope.

In Christ we have all been made alive. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming…Then comes the end…”(1 Cor 15:22-24).

There will be a resurrection at the last day. What does that mean? Paul gives a great comparison in chapter 15…you should read it all. Some scripture I would like to look at is the following: “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed- in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

These versus don’t really say if Christ will return before, during, or after the tribulation. They do say that a resurrection will take place at His coming. What will happen in the twinkling of an eye? The dead will be raised “incorruptible” and those who are alive at the time of His coming will simply be “changed.” What will we be changed too?

As humans we bear the blemished image of the first Adam. We have to struggle our whole lives with our sin nature because of the original transgression. When we become believers a process of sanctification begins. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 reveals to us that this process will take place in our “spirit, soul, and body” until “the coming of our Lord Jesus.” At the very moment He returns, we will be changed and begin to “bear the image of the heavenly man.” Then in the blink of an eye, our salvation will be complete. “…He has predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren (Rom. 8:29). “…Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor 15:20).

When the Bible says that we will be changed…does this refer to rapture or resurrection? What sounds more powerful? That gravity will reverse resulting in us floating upward into heaven, or that in one instant of resurrection power we will be changed and made like the Son of God?

Will we be caught up with the Lord at the Second Coming or before?
(1 Thes. 4: 13 – 1 Thes. 5:23)

Just recently I heard someone tell me that according to 1 Thessalonians 4 that the church will be raptured before the great tribulation. I also heard someone teach that the rapture will take place long before the second coming. It was said that they are two different events on the prophetic timeline. It wasn’t anything new to me, I have heard this taught my whole Christian life, and I have believed it. I have always been taught (and have believed) the pre-tribulation doctrine. This time however, I went back to this chapter and re-read it.

It would seem to me that the context is Paul trying to encourage this church in regards to those who have died. Perhaps they worried about their loved ones. The encouragement was this, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” In other words, we can have hope because we know that Jesus has risen from the dead.

Now, the thoughts continue with instruction on those who are alive at His coming. Paul states that those who are alive and remain when Jesus returns will be second in line to those who have fallen asleep. In agreement with what Jesus said in Matthew 24, and what we have already read in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians he says, “…the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” If we cross-reference Matthew 24:29-31 with 1 Thess. 4:14-16, personally, I think what I read is different than what I have been taught about these versus. First, nothing happens until the coming of the Lord. Second, there is something that Jesus says that is kind of troubling. He begins his statements in verse 29 with “immediately after the tribulation of those days…” Some are probably wondering…”so, you must be a post-trib believer?” I haven’t exactly said that, in all honesty I have only read the text. Am I provoking your thinking yet? What do you think the scriptures really say? My goal is that you look at them as they stand alone, without any commentary. What is the Spirit saying to the church through the scripture?

The Lord will descend from heaven, there will be a shout, the voice of an archangel, and the trumpet of God. The dead will rise first, then we who are alive and remain “shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”

What does “caught up” mean? As already mentioned, the Greek word is harpazo which literally means to strip, spoil, or to snatch. It is the same word used to describe what happened to Philip in Acts chapter 8:39-40…when, “the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away…” This makes sense since the Bible describes Jesus as coming like “a thief in the night.” A thief strips, spoils, and snatches without any delay. It also relates to what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15, that “the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” He also says that this will happen in “a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” Remember, this is all at the last trumpet, when He comes.

When He comes what will this event look like? Do you think it will look like millions of sky divers in reverse, floating up into the clouds? Or will it be an instantaneous gathering together of the Son of God and His bride? Is the comfort in the way we think the event is going to take place, or “that we shall always be with the Lord” from that point into eternity? In my opinion when the harpazo happens I believe that it will be an instant completion to our salvation. Those who have died in Him and those who are alive in Him will be changed into His likeness. We shall be one with the One who died for our sins.

We should all agree at this point that the “day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night.” (Question to ponder: Is the day of the Lord and the second coming the same thing?) At the same time God has given us enough information so that the day of the Lord will not surprise us. We are in the light as believers, not darkness. The main challenge is not to determine when He is coming but how to be living when He does come. Instead of challenging each other about being pre, mid, or post, we should challenge one another to be sober, faithful, and loving.

The good news in the gospel is that when the Judge returns, those who have obtained salvation through Jesus Christ will not be appointed to wrath. Rather, it will be an eternal victory! The comfort and edification is found in the fact that we will “be together with Him.”

The exhortation we all have is to be at peace with each other, always pursue what is good, rejoice always, pray, give thanks, and walk in the will of God. We should strive to never quench the Spirit or despise prophecy. Test everything through the scripture, and abstain from every form of evil. God is faithful and His desire is to set us apart completely. The goal is to preserve us as blameless in our spirit, soul, and body until the coming of the Lord.

What else comes before the Day of the Lord?
(2 Thessalonians 2:1-13)

Trying to determine when the Lord’s return will take place has always been an area of interest and ignorance in the body of Christ. Paul begins the chapters listed above with a challenge against those who were teaching that the day of the Lord “had already come.” This was worrisome to some of the Thessalonians. Probably because if He had already come and they were still there to talk about it…then they missed it!

I have always been taught that the rapture would take place before the anti-Christ appears on the world scene. So far from what I read in the NT, we won’t be gathered together with Him until the Messiah comes (1 Thes 4). In this letter Paul says that He (Christ) won’t return “unless the falling away comes first and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition…” What is the falling away? Who is the son of perdition?

I heard a well known preacher once say that “falling away” meant “great departure” which means that “before the anti-Christ comes we will be raptured.” I do agree that falling away means a departure from something...but I don’t believe it is a departure from earth in this context. It is the religious term apostasy or a falling away from the faith. First Timothy 4:1 confirms that this will happen also. In my opinion this coincides very well with what Jesus said in Matthew 24. Namely that many will be deceived and “the love of many will grow cold.” There will be a departure from living faith and sound doctrine that will give way to much deception and false doctrine. During this time the man of sin will “oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” Remember, all of this according to verse 1-3 will happen before the coming of the Lord and our gathering together to Him.

We should concern ourselves with how to conquer the spirit or mystery of lawlessness that is already at work in the world. It is this subtle spirit that will make it easy for the lawless one to deceive. Fortunately this “lawless one” will be destroyed by the breath and brightness of the Lords coming. What is it that will go so wrong? There will be a flood of unrighteous deception from this demonically driven personality that causes the love of the truth to slowly seep out of humanity. Then a tidal wave of delusion will come that causes the masses to believe a lie. Then sadly, many will be appointed to condemnation instead of glory when our Lord comes.

The issue I personally have with saying that the church will be taken before the anti-Christ comes is two-fold. First, I have trouble finding it that way in the scripture when I read it at face value. Second, I think it creates a lack of restraint. You may not experience it this way, but I have. Why concern myself with all this anti-christ, beast, or false prophet prophecies if I am not even going to be here? Even if it happens to be true and we are going to be raptured before it all manifests, we should still live sober lives until the return of Jesus. If we cast off restraint and give into the secret power of lawlessness little by little, we will set up the generations that follow to be totally given to it. That will be the breeding ground that gives birth to the son of perdition. (Question to ponder: Is the problem in the church today legalism or lawlessness?)

I believe the main issue is that we strive to live a life that is conformed to the image of Christ. The type of life that will witness of and bring forth the good confession in a world that is plagued by an anti-Christ spirit. Jesus is our example, for He did this as He stood unjustly condemned before Pontius Pilate (1 Tim. 13-15). Jesus will be manifested in the fullness of time, and it is best that we are without spot and blameless at His glorious appearing. The only way to live in this fashion is through the grace of God.

Paul says of God’s grace in Titus 2:11-13, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”

What does James say about the return of Christ?
(James 5:7-12)

James basically says that the Lord is coming. He doesn’t give a time frame, nor does he say anything of a rapture. Rather, he focuses on the word patience. He compares it to the patience that a farmer needs in waiting for the harvest. He challenges those he is writing too, “establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” Furthermore he says not to “grumble against one another…lest you be condemned.” Why? Because, “the Judge is standing at the door!”

Whenever the Lord does return it is clear that we will need patience and endurance up to that time. We will be blessed if we focus our lives as Job did. Those who endure are blessed. We must fix our eyes on the end that is intended by the Lord.

Peter confronts the classic question.
(2 Pet 3:1-13)

I heard a close relative tell me once after I used the second coming for evangelism purposes, “He isn’t coming back, they have been saying that since I was a child.” This is not a new argument by any means. Peter, by reminder, says that “scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts.” He said that they will ask the following question: “Where is the promise of His coming?” Then they will present this type of argument, “For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

One has to “willfully” forget and not believe that God created the heavens and the earth. They also must choose to forget that God destroyed the earth with a flood at one time. His judgment and wrath cleansed the earth of Noah’ generation. Jesus promised that when He returns that the earth will be like Noahs generation, but this time the earth will not be destroyed with water. However, it will be destroyed by fire. If Noah had to endure the water, will the church have to endure fire? Even if we do, God will preserve us and give us the grace that is sufficient in all circumstances.

God is not unfaithful. He will keep His promise to return and bring judgment on the earth. He will bless the righteous and cut off the unrighteous. We must remember though, that God’s timing is different than ours. “With the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” Why hasn’t He come back yet? The reason is because He is “longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should repent.”

Peter agrees with every other verse we have read so far on the end times. He says that the Lord will return as a “thief in the night.” As we have read before He also brings forth the challenge for us to live lives “in holy conduct and godliness.” Why? Because when the Lord comes He will judge the earth with a fiery justice. Living a life that is free of leaven will hasten the coming of the Lord. This is what we want…”Come quickly Lord…”

The Revelation of Jesus Christ.
(Revelation 1-22)

In my opinion the book of Revelation is not confusing. It is what it is and that is a revelation of Jesus Christ. As stated in my introduction it must be understood by revelation from the Spirit of God. When the natural man attempts to understand things that are revealed by the Spirit of God the result is confusion. Maybe one key to understanding what is written is to focus on the person of Jesus that is revealed throughout the book. Why? Because He is, He was, and He is to come. He is “the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over everything.” Furthermore it is He “who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father.” He alone deserves the glory and dominion forever.

The author of Revelation agrees with every other author that we have read thus far about the coming of Jesus. Verse 7 of chapter 1 reveals yet again that “He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.”

It is interesting to note that John is writing the vision that He sees in the midst of tribulation for the “testimony of Jesus Christ.” It is also probably wise to note that he was “in the Spirit on the Lords day.” This was not some crazy imagery that he thought up all on His own because he was mentally ill. We should also remember that the first thing he saw was not a thing or an event…it was Him, Jesus. At the instruction of the Lord He was to write down what he saw.

When John turned to see where the voice was coming from He fell at His feet. Can you imagine what it would have looked like to be standing face to face with the Son of Man in all of His glory?

John is instructed by Jesus to write about three things. First he was to write about the things that he had already seen. Second, the things which are presently taking place. Third, the things that will take place in the future. The book of Revelation includes writing that deals with past, present, and future events.

Chapters 2-3 John writes to the angel’s or messengers of seven different churches. At the end of each statement to each of the churches Jesus says, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” In other words, these things were written to the angels of the churches and the only way for the church to understand it would be to have an ear open to the Spirit of God. Possibly this is a clue to understanding all that is written in this amazing vision of the Son of God. (Note: Many who believe in the pre-trib rapture see chapter 3:10 as a prophetic word to the church about being kept “from” (out of) the tribulation. Questions to ponder: Was this written as something that was, is, or will be in the future? Remember, John is writing about all of these things. I think it could apply to all three. It would apply to those who were a part of the historical church at Philedelphia if we realize that they are all dead now (old age maybe??). Obviously they won’t be enduring the tribulation that was to take place in the future…right? If we spiritualize the verse it could defiantly apply to the rapture of the church. What do you think?)

Many teach that chapter 4 is after the church has been raptured. I am not an expert in eschatology or end time events, but I can read. It is interesting to me that it is taught that way since it doesn’t really specifically say that. It does reveal that what John sees next is something that will take place “after” what was just revealed about the seven churches. A door in heaven was open and John saw something…rather, Someone. As in chapter 1 he saw “a throne…and One set on the throne.” Remember, this book is called in the very first verse, “the revelation of Jesus Christ…” He is being revealed as he was, is, and will be. The heavenly scene is spectacular as the 24 elders, and living creatures worship the Lamb of God. At this point there is no mention of the saints being there, just the elders, the creatures, and the One who is worthy! This continues through the next chapter, but nothing of a raptured church is mentioned. However, things begin to change in chapter six, as the Lamb begins to open the seals.

Chapter 6 begins with the main subject of the book again…”the Lamb.” He, the Lamb opens all of the seals and a series of judgments begin. If I read what is written there is still no mention of a rapture. Granted, this is without spiritualizing any text, just reading it in black in white. If the church is not mentioned, does that mean they it is not on earth, or not in heaven at the time of this prophetic happening?

The same focus continues into the 7th chapter as the Lamb on the throne is being worshipped again. This time it isn’t only by the heavenly beings, but also a multitude is there worshipping Him who sits on the throne. Maybe these are those who were raptured? What do you think? Since he was probably wondering, John was asked by one of the elders, “Who are these arrayed in white robes?” Since he probably didn’t know he responded back to the elder in heaven, “Sir, you know.” The answer was: “These are the ones who come (not came) out of the great tribulation…” What? So there are people who will be in heaven, who were believers, and who were in the great tribulation. Possibly this is a good verse for those who are mid or post trib believers. Since it is described as a “multitude which no one can number…”, it must be more than just the 144,000 mentioned in the previous chapter. Nevertheless, in order to quench too much unnecessary debate I must point us back to what the chapter is really about…the One who was being worshipped, sitting on His throne.

Chapter 8 continues with “When He opened the seventh seal…” “He” is the One that this book is revealing. He is involved in every chapter so far. He is the one who was, is, and is to come. He opens the seal and pours out more judgment, and this judgment continues through the end of chapter nine. As each trumpet sounds, the angels are released and complete their assignment.

Chapter 10-18 the judgment continues to fall on the earth in many forms and fashions. It all climaxes in chapter 19 when Christ returns. It isn’t until chapter 19:7 that the book says, “His wife has made herself ready.” If you only look at the book of Revelation in numeric order from chapter 1 to 19, there is no mention of a rapture before this time…I don’t think anyway…what do you think? The only verse that may be close is found in chapter 12:5: “She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.” I guess one could apply this to the church, but I think if we only allow scripture to interpret scripture this is probably talking about Jesus. He ascended to heaven in Acts 1 and by word of the angel that was present, will return in like manner. Of course, I may very well be misinterpreting the verse, and I may have looked over several others that would imply the rapture. However, you will never know unless you open up your Bible and read it, now will you?

Chapter 19 is a very climatic chapter specifically because that is when Christ returns as King of kings and Lord of lords. He does bring with Him the “armies of heaven, clothed in fine linen…”, Question: Who are the people who are with Him? Some would argue that it is the church that was raptured before the tribulation. Then I must ask: Does it actually say that? Not really, but we may be able to compare it with another verse. 1 Thessalonians 4:14 says “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” Maybe the armies consist of those who died in Christ before the tribulation, and those who die during the tribulation…maybe not. What do you think?

The final three chapters of this riveting revelation consist of Christ crushing the rebellious, finishing judgment, and setting up the new heavens and earth. Here are a few questions for you to ponder. Is there any mention of the rapture from chapters 1-18? Is there mention of tribulation, deception, and persecution? What really is the point of the book of Revelation?

I believe above all this final book of the Bible reveals the Messiah to us, and is a warning that He is coming quickly. Secondly, I think any interpretation of it should be based on exactly what it says, specifically if you are a Bible believing Christian. Why? John writes it this way, “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” This is why I would be careful basing your eschatological doctrine on charts, fiction, or someone else’s imagination. Of course use these things as a guide, but just go back to the scriptures. I don’t think God is trying to fool us, I think He is trying to bring us closer to His Word, His Son, the soon coming King.

My Conclusion

As stated before, I am not an eschatological expert, but I do love my Bible. There are many versus that I did not include in this study for different reasons. One being that this is long enough as is…probably too long for most to read because of time constraints. I debated on including and comparing Old Testament prophecies on the subject. I encourage you to read them. I can tell you one thing, they complement and complete what is written in the New Testament. There are no contradictions…even if you think there are.

Many of you may be wondering what I believe after such a study. I can tell you what I believe: I believe that what the Bible says about the return of Jesus is perfectly accurate. I know you want me to make the statement as to whether or not I believe Jesus will return before during or after the tribulation, so I will. Here is the way I see it.

I hope for a pre-tribulation rapture. I can see why some may believe that Jesus will come back in the middle of the great tribulation. However, I am preparing as if I will endure tribulation. I am also striving to live like Jesus could return at any moment.

I am not completely convinced that Christ will take me to heaven before a cataclysmic catastrophe engulfs creation. I can see why people believe that there will be a rapture during the great tribulation, since some will come out of it and be in heaven according to Revelation. I am going to live my life as if I will endure great tribulation. Whichever time period Jesus decides to come back I believe that there will be some type of tribulation on earth. No matter what level it is on. I also believe He will give us the grace to go through whatever may come. If I am incorrect in any of my interpretation of scripture, please forgive me. If I am wrong, and the rapture takes place tomorrow I will welcome your fierce rebuke in heaven just before we turn and worship God together for eternity. That will be awesome!

Finally allow me to answer the question in the title of this blog: Can we be exact in our eschatology? Here is my answer:

“For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect (complete) has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” (1 Cor 13:9-12)

Call Me Religious

Today I ate two big pieces of cold pizza, left over birthday cake, and then downed it with dunkin donut's fresh brewed coffee. Needles to say the result was a heavy gut (stomach ache). I am smart enough to know that such food is not the best. Our body was not made for such combinations of junk food. Overall I eat very healthy, but today I broke my habit and now I am paying for it physically. Most would agree that a consistent diet of the above mentioned food groups could cause major health problems in the future. I guess we could conclude that it is important what we feed our bodies if we want to be healthy. Would you agree?

Let us take the same thought process to a couple other areas in our life. The spirit and the soul. 1 Thes. 5:23 clearly shows us that we humans are made up of three parts. Spirit, soul, and body. If that is the case, would it not be also just as important what we feed these other two areas?

I find it interesting when I am around Christians who are extreme about how they treat their body because they want to feel and look good...turn around in the next moment and fill their mind and spirit with what the Bible would call sin. Compare the pure words and instructions of the Bible with a secular romance novel, or rated R movie for a moment. If these were to be translated into food what would it look like? Possibly the difference between vegetables and deep fried pork? What do you think?

I always find it interesting... "What?" You may ask.

That we bestow such high honor on physical health and looks, but label a high standard of holiness for spirit and soul as "religious." I get tired of hearing this.

I grew up in the world. I was addicted to sin. Movies, music, and friends fueled this addiction. So, if avoiding some of this in order to keep my spirit, soul, and body clean and healthy results in people calling me "religious", then let it be! Please call me religious. I think we misuse the term "religious" way to often. I think it is good to be "religious." The Bible says this about religion.

"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, AND to keep oneself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27)

Most of us would agree with the first part of the verse: Visiting orphans and widows. I am not sure our lives would agree with the second part as readily: Keep oneself unspotted from the world.

Is it really legalism or is it freedom? Does grace empower us to live right or just cover up our sins?

The next time you label someone "religious" or "legalistic" because they live by a higher standard than you do, remember something. Where sin abounded grace has abounded much, much more.

I agree, there are "Pharisees" out there, but is legalism really the problem? Or is lawlessness?

Here is a possible solution. Be so taken by this Jesus that we call our Lord, that it is hard to allow anything else to steal our attention from Him.

So, according to James 1:27, let us strive to meet the needs of widows and orphans. Let us also strive by the grace of God to live a life unspotted from the world.

Here is a good Prayer: Please Lord, make me more religious! :-)

"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27)

Don't get me wrong, it isn't about pointing fingers and being critical of everything and everyone. It is about living the life, and walking the walk. The point is not about pridefully pointing out worldliness in other people. It is all about getting closer to Jesus. If there is a way to come closer to Him, and be more like Him, why not walk that path? If we are not experiencing the real thing in our Christian walk, why aren't we asking ourselves some more hard questions about our personal lifestyle? What are we really afraid of? Getting closer to Jesus? Or is it that we are afraid of what other people will think?

Dr. Sumrall said something once that I would like to end this post with:

"Others may, but you can't."

Instant, Delayed, or Right On Time?

"And some of them said, "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?" (Jn 11:37)

The young man was blind from birth. He had never seen the light of day. In the womb, he saw darkness. As an infant, darkness. As an adolescent, darkness. Was it because he sinned? Maybe it was because his parents sinned. The questions tormented him and others. He wanted answers. Surely his parents wanted answers too. The disciples questioned Jesus. Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him." To the blind man and the disciples Jesus declared, "as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

That day Jesus, the Light of the world, spit on the ground, made clay with His saliva and anointed the blind boys eyes. After washing in the pool of Siloam, for the first time, he saw the light of the world he lived in. The darkness was gone. He was instantly healed.

Two chapters later. A certain man was sick. A friend of Jesus. Lazarus of Bethany. The message came from Mary and Martha. "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." Jesus sat and thought. "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." The love He had for this family burned within Him. It pulled upon Him. He wanted to go, but He couldn't. Why? He had to wait upon His Father to move. He felt grief for the sake of His friend, but "he stayed two more days" right where He was. His choice not to move relieved the disciples. For in Judea the Jews of that time wanted to stone their Master. Possibly this is why they questioned Him when He finally said, "Let us go to Judea again."

Turning to the disciples He said, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I my wake him up." "Then don't worry about it, he will get better," responded the disciples still nervous about what lay ahead. Maybe they questioned, "why can't he just speak a word?" Why do we need to go?" There has to be a better way! We have seen Him open blind eyes instantly, why is He doing it this way?" I don't get it! We are all risking our lives following Him through Judea again!" This is crazy! I don't understand???

Ever been there? Questioning why Jesus doesn't do it like He did it last time? Nervous, fearful, and perhaps angry that He isn't quick enough in meeting your needs?

They arrived, two miles outside of Jerusalem, in the town called Bethany. People surrounded Mary and Martha as they mourned. Hearing that the Messiah had arrived (4 days late), Martha immediately went to Him, but Mary stayed home. "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died!" Was Martha blaming Jesus? Or was she still showing her faith in Him? Either way, Jesus answered, "Your brother will live again!" "Yes," she replied, "but not now, we have accepted that it will be at the last day, the resurrection."

What is the resurrection at the last day? Wasn't she theologically correct? Jesus balanced her statement: "I AM the resurrection and the life! Whoever believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live!" Do you believe this Martha?"

What was Jesus doing? Why hadn't he prayed and raised Lazarus four days ago? He had opened the eyes of the blind, why couldn't He raise the dead? Why was he even hear now? Wasn't it too late?

Finally Mary also came to Jesus. Falling at His feet she said the same as her sister, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." The process was hard for the family of Lazarus. Jesus didn't respond instantly, the waiting period was difficult. Even Jesus groaned and wept inside. Possible He couldn't stand seeing His disciples, Mary, and Martha grieve and question His actions. Was He crying because He was so close to Lazarus or was it because all of these people who were supposedly so close to Him didn't really believe in Him? Do they believe in Jesus even when He was silent? Even when He was too late?

Do we understand Him or do we question His actions? "Why could not this Jesus who opened the eyes of the blind (some days before) not keep this precious friend from dying?" What is going on?

"Take away the stone!" Martha again, questioning Jesus' actions responded, "Lord, why bother? He stinks! He is dead and has been for four days now!" Quickly Jesus replied, "What did I say to you Martha!? If you believe you will see the glory of God!"

Continuing, Jesus lifted His voice and heart in prayer. Can you hear the surrounding thoughts?? "What is He doing now?" "Can't He see?? It is too late!" "This may be the end of His ministry." "Can He really be trusted?" Possibly everyone's faith was being shaken. All but one, Jesus, He was still what He was, the resurrection and the life!

The same is true for you! You may question, you may reconsider this "faith walk." Before you do, ask yourself one thing, "Do I still believe Jesus is who He says He is?"

"Thank you Father. You always hear Me! May these people believe that You sent Me!" After praying, Jesus declared simply and loudly..."Lazarus come forth!"

The dead man was dead no longer. By human standards it was too late. With Jesus, the resurrection and the life....it is never too late. Believe Him until the end. Believe and you will see the glory of God!

"Could not this man who opened the eyes of the blind also have kept this man from dying?"

I am sure He could have, but He didn't. He let him die. He let Mary and Martha grieve. He let His disciples become frightened. He allowed a time of waiting, wondering, and questioning. He did instant miracles. He still does. Sometimes He just chooses to do them after it is too late. After we can do nothing about it. After we can no longer boast. Sometimes it is at this point, when it is all over that He declares" I am the resurrection and the life! Come forth! Be whole! Be strong! Believe! Then you will see the glory of God!

Could not this man who opened the eyes of the blind also have kept this man from dying? Yes! Did He? No!

Do you still believe?

Law of Sin and Death vs. The Law of the Spirit of Life

Explaining things away, avoiding responsibility…ever feel the urge?

This is something that is rooted in our sinful nature. We criticize others, but when we are confronted with the same criticism we avoid answering, or make excuses that sound intelligent, but really don’t make any sense.

We demand honesty from others, but when the same demand is placed on us we do what we despise. Become slightly dishonest. We confront with what we believe to be the truth, but when the truth about us is confronted we do what we don’t desire to do. The same thing we accuse others of…we answer with a little less than the truth. If there is such a thing as "less than the truth"…?

What a cycle! What a contradiction! What a terribly sinful condition! On the other hand, what a wonderful Christ!

Paul said it like this in Romans 7:15-25:

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”

“So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (NIV)

What an epic battle! What a struggle! What do we do? How do we win over what Paul describes as “this body of death?” We all struggle with it, and it infiltrates everything we do. The moment we confront someone else about their sin it is as if a mirror instantly reflects the sin in our own soul. Anytime we make a judgment about someone else and their character, another person or circumstance sheds light on similar flaws in our very own character. Before Romans chapter 7, Paul said in Romans 2:1-4 (NIV):

“You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?”

Could it be that when I, a person who struggles with a never ending battle between my sinful nature and my new divine nature in Christ…when I pass judgment on someone else….I show “contempt for the riches, tolerance, and patience” of my God. Could it be? What do you think?

I am not saying that we shouldn’t stand for truth and holiness. We should. I am not saying that we shouldn’t make clear judgments about people and situations. We inevitably will. It seems to be a part of life. Maybe what I am saying is this: We can’t do it rightly without two important ingredients. The first is repentance, the second is Jesus! Romans 2:4 says “…that God’s kindness leads us toward repentance.” Romans 7:25 says, “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”

Just remember, we are in an unavoidable, inner conflict every day. Sometimes God will use us to expose unrighteousness in certain circumstances, but realize, the day will come around again when we must fess up and repent for our own unrighteous behavior. The law of sin and death will war with the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus for the rest of our lives. At least it seems this way...what do you think?

Here are some further thoughts from Paul concerning this subject. (Gal 5:16-24)(NIV)

“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.”

“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.”

Possibly these scriptures give us a glimpse of how the law of sin and death and the law of the Spirit of life play out in every day life. I suppose the law of sin would manifest in sexual immorality, impurity, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, rage, selfish ambition, dissensions etc…just read the verse again. The result is separation from the kingdom of God for those who live in this way.

On the contrary, the law of the Spirit would possibly manifest in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and the best of all ;-) self control. My question is: How do we win the battle?

I think we win through repentance and belonging to Christ. When we repent we experience what David did in Psalm 51 (read it). God restores us. He helps us. He won’t take His Holy Spirit away from us. When we belong to Christ we crucify the sinful nature and release the grace that enables us to live in the fruit of the spirit. The good thing about this fruit is that there is no law against it. We can be free if Christ makes us free!

These are just some random thoughts to think about. There is a reason that I used qualifiers like: possibly, maybe, I think, etc...In no way am I claiming to be an authority on this subject. I am just sifting through scriptures in hopes to continue my walk of sanctification successfully. One final scripture:

1 Thes. 5:23: “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."(NIV)

So, do you have any thoughts on this subject? What do you think? I think that our carnal nature needs to be crucified with Christ constantly. Let us take up our cross and follow Him.

A Prayer of Fellowship With The Holy Spirit.

"May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (2 COR 13:14)

Holy Spirit, I ask you to hover over my life, my family, and all of my activities today. Spirit of God, I ask you to rest upon me as the Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, and the fear of the Lord. Rest upon me as You rested upon Jesus, the Son of God.

Help me to hear Your still small voice as You say, “this is the way, walk in it.”

Holy Spirit, my Counselor and Helper, lead me into all truth today. Teach me everything I need to know and remind me of everything Jesus has already said. Testify of the living Son of God in me and through me this day.

Thank You Father and Son, for sending Your Spirit to me. May He convict me of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and may He convict the world around me of the same.

Prevent me from being influenced by the spirit of this age and instead lead me and guide me into a life of truth. Thank you Holy Spirit that I can trust everything you say. For You don’t speak on Your own authority, but speak only what You hear from my Lord. Thank You for working together as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Bring glory to Jesus today by taking what belongs to Jesus and making it know to me. Reveal to me what is yet to come, what Jesus has already told me, and what I need to know today. Thank You for being involved in my life, past, present, and future!

Help me to be a witness today, for that is what You have empowered me to be. This is our purpose together. Let us work together to effectively and powerfully tell others of Jesus and what He has accomplished on behalf of the world.

Be the One who sends me, stops me, and releases me into the world around me. Just as You did Paul, Silas, and their team in Acts 13, and 16. Work in my life personally, through my local church, and give me a heart for what you are doing in the whole body of Christ. Where You move, help me to move, where You are, let me be also. Even if it is in a place that isn't so comfortable for me.

Thank You that your law, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, has set me free from the law of sin and death. Thank You that when I live in accordance with the Spirit, that my mind and my desires are set on the things that the Spirit desires. Help me to desire what You desire. Let my thoughts be controlled by You and Your thoughts, for the mind that is controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. All I want is to please God, please help me with this.

Thank you that You are the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead! Thank You that You live in me and as a result You literally quicken my mortal body.

Thank You that I am not obligated to live by my sinful nature. I am a child of God, and since I am a child of God I am obligated to be led by You. Help me to fulfill my obligation of living the Spirit led life today and put to death the misdeeds of my carnal nature.

I am grateful that I have not received a spirit of bondage that leads to fear. I have received You and You give me the power to cry out Abba Father! For You are the Spirit of adoption, and I am a child of God the Father. Thank You for testifying today in my heart that I truly am a child of God. Thank You for helping me in all of my weakness through ways that only You can help me. Search my heart, and thank You for interceding for me according to the will of God.

Demonstrate and confirm God’s word in my life today so that men base their life on the power of God and not the wisdom of men.

Thank You for personally revealing things that my eyes have never seen, ears have never heard, and my mind has never conceived. Search all things in my life. Search the deep things of God and reveal them to me. For no one knows the thoughts of God except You. I am glad that I have not received the spirit of this world. I am even more happy that I have received You, the Spirit of God, and because of You, I can understand the things that have been freely given to me by God. Help me to understand spiritual truths today, communicated by spiritual words from You.

I proclaim today, that Jesus is Lord! I know that I can only say that because of You. Thank you for the diversity of gifts that You supply to your church. I ask that when You determine that it is for the common good for the body that You would manifest those gifts. Manifest them through whom You choose. I make myself available to You if You so choose. Allow Your words of wisdom and knowledge to come forth. Release Your power through the gifts of faith, healing, and miracles! Give us clarity by Your gifts of tongues, interpretation of tongues, discerning of spirits, and prophecy. Thank You that these are all the work of You, the One and only Spirit. May the body of Christ be unified by One Spirit today! Please determine what You desire today and help me follow.

Help me to live in the Spirit and not gratify the desires of my sinful nature. Thank You that when I am led by You I am no longer under the law. Let Your fruit be evident in my life. Help me to walk in love, be filled with joy, be at peace, and suffer long. Help me to be kind and good to all. Help me to be faithful and gentle in every moment of my existence. Today I will live in the Spirit and therefore keep in step with the Spirit.

Thank You Lord that you have saved me, not because of anything righteous that I have done, but because of Your mercy. I am saved by the washing of the rebirth and renewal that comes from the Holy Spirit!

Prayer

Prayer. Talking to God. Listening to God. Worshipping God. Walking with the Holy Spirit. Thanking God. Meditating on Him. Exalting the authoritative name of Jesus. The Lords Prayer. Praying the Psalms. Psalm 23, Psalm 25, Psalm 27, Psalm 91 etc... Prayer, our life with the Almighty!

Sometimes I wonder why people who pray a lot are looked upon (by so called "revival" Christians) as weird, super-spiritual, or somehow avoiding responsibility. There is something very powerful about going into the secret place of prayer and communing with an Almighty, yet through Jesus, very personal Lord.

When we call upon Him, He will answer us and show us great and mighty things which we don't know (Jer. 33:3). Everything I have experienced after becoming a Christian first started in prayer. It was in that place that scriptures, God's plans for my life, and many other things were conceived.

Prayer is to our spiritual life as breathing is to our physical life. I know of nothing better to do with my time than taking an hour or two in prayer. Why waste my time with trying to fit into this world when I can redeem it by talking to the one who created it?

Let me end with giving 4 points to guaranteed success in your life.
1. Pray
2. Pray
3. Pray
4. Pray some more!

Email Evangelism: Part 2

Today I taught one of my favorite subjects. Some call it evangelism, others call it soul winning, and some are satisfied with just calling it, being a witness. Ultimately it is obedience to what we call the great commission, the final command that Jesus gave His disciples. The subject burns in my heart. When I became a Christian at 16 I was anything but bold. On the contrary, I was very timid. I hated confrontation of any form, and the initial thought of sharing my faith with one of my friends made me sick to my stomach. All of that changed when I received what the Bible describes "the baptism of the Holy Spirit." The Holy Spirit literally drove out my fear with His perfect love, and when His love was "shed abroad in my heart" being a witness became a natural lifestyle for me. It is better to be a refreshed Christian who obeys the great commission than one that is disgruntled about everything. Here is a challenge for you: Get out of your unhappy, complaining, backslidden lifestyle and go out in obedience to the the last command Jesus gave! Your destiny and countless adventures await your obedience!

Following is the continuation of the conversation between me and a co-worker. Scroll down a little on this blog for part one. HE, stands for my co-worker, ME stands for me, the author of this blog. :) This is an email conversation that I have simply copied and pasted into this blog.
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HE:
http://forums.hannity.com/showthread.php?t=1496511

ME:
You a Hannity fan? Is there something specific on that site you want me to look at?

HE:
That link is the article.

ME:
Anthrax threat? Little more dangerous than the swine flu coming up from Mexico isn’t it?
What do you think about that?

HE:
Your joking about the severity of the lethalness of anthrax right?

ME:
I just worded my question a little funny. Yes, I know how lethal it is. 330,000 people in just a matter of hours is pretty lethal.
One thing I do know, these terrorist are serious about this. They see it as their “calling” from Allah to kill those who fall under the category of “infidel.” That would be us…all who are not Muslim.

HE:
Yah its pretty serious!! Well 4 pounds of that stuff will be hard to detect for starters but getting it to Washington DC may not be so far fetched! But if they wanna continue to keep our borders open then possibly we deserve it !!!

ME:
That is pretty scary stuff to say the least. Check out what Jesus said about the end times in Matthew 24. Some people asked Him what it would be like in the world before He came back. Here are a couple versus about what He called the “signs of His coming.” Read all of Matthew 24 for the whole context.

"7Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
He also said,
21For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 22If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened."

You think He knew what He was talking about?

HE:
Well as long as a Subway , Circle K and a Wal-mart and my apartment are spared then I’m good!! Well …hmmmmm I guess and I don’t know how to say this without trying to sound disrespectful “if” he shows then I guess him and I will need to sit down and hash some stuff out!!

ME:
“If He shows” you better have hashed some things out with Him beforehand. I doubt you will find any security in Subway, Circle K, or any other convenience store. From what I understand, when He comes, it will be too late to run to Wal-mart. It will also be too late to “hash” things out.
By they way…no disrespect taken.

HE:
But in the good book it said he died for our sins….now was that the dying for our sins, or for those idiots in those times, or all sins for everyone for all the time to come?
Then to be the “tool” to end the world and rid this planet of all living and materialistic things why believe in him/them/they/it???? Then there’s hashing things out part!! So why believe in something/someone who’s going to be the cause of my demise????

ME:
In regards to your last email, there is only one who can cause your demise….you. Your decision to repent, believe and obey Him will bring salvation into your life. That is the only way to activate His grace in your life.
He did die for the sins of the world…you are correct. He died for your sins. But just because He died doesn’t mean we just have a free ticket to heaven.
We must confess our sins, believe in Him and obey Him.
“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus.”

To be continued...

Thought for the week: "It is called the great commission, not the great suggestion."

John The Baptist

The following is a blog I wrote about a year ago. I am thinking about another subject to blog on, but until then...please enjoy this re-printed blog. :-)
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"Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven-things which angels desire to look into." (1 Peter 1:10-12)."

"...for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:21)"

"And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (Rev. 19:10)

We have much to thank God for concerning the prophetic ministry! The prophets of God in the Old Testament endured persecution, stood alone, and some never saw the manifestation of what the Spirit of God moved them to proclaim. They called the people of God to repentance, spoke of the coming Messiah in detail, and prophesied about things that are happening in our time. Their prophecies paved the highway that led to the first coming of Jesus, born of a virgin in a little manger in Bethlehem. The true spirit of prophecy always testifies of Jesus!

The prophetic ministry wasn't removed after Jesus came. In reality it has became more powerful. The Spirit of God who moved in a select group of men in the Old Testament has now been poured out on all flesh. There has been some change to the prophetic ministry, but the goal is still the same. This goal is to point us back to Jesus when we have strayed, and point us to Him as He prepares to come again.

There are so many versus in the Bible about the prophet and prophecy and I encourage you to study the subject extensively. In this post I want to attempt to give an overall view of the prophet and his ministry in the church. John the Baptist will be our focus study. He was the prophet that bridged the Old and New Covenants. His ministry reveals many aspects of a true prophet. Jesus described him this way,

"But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You. Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist;" (Matt 11:9-11)

Luke chapter 3 reveals to us many characteristics about the ministry of John the Baptist. First it says that "the word of God came to John."(v.2). A prophet is literally God's mouthpiece. When they are in their calling as a prophet you can guarantee that the words that are coming out of their mouth are coming from the Spirit of God and will establish God's will in the church. Verse 3 says that John "went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance." This is a characteristic that has not changed within the gifting of the prophet. The Old Testament prophets exposed sin with their mouth and their actions. Jonah preached that Nineveh should repent, and they did. Hosea married a prostitute to paint a live picture for the children of Israel of their sin against God. No matter which way it is accomplished the prophet stands in an anointing that exposes sin and unrighteousness. At the same time they point to the remedy. In most cases the remedy is repentance and obedience. This is also part of the ministry gift of the prophet in the church.

John the Baptist was used by God to "prepare the way of the Lord, and make His paths straight."(v.4). There are two main ways that the prophet prepares the way for the Lord. One, is repentance, as mentioned in the last paragraph. Two, it is to point to God's salvation (Jesus). Through their preaching "mountains are leveled, valley's are filled, crooked places are made straight and rough ways are made smooth;" They deal with the root of the problem and point us to the answer! Their ministry like no other causes us to really see the Lord. They make Him clear in our hearts and make us see our need for Him. When our hearts turn to Him in this way it makes it easy for Him to come to us with His love and salvation! Verse 7 reveals how John spoke to the multitudes. Again we see him turn to the message of repentance. He sees the hearts of the people as they are. In this case he boldly says, "Brood of vipers! Flee the wrath to come!" He then tells them to "repent" while exposing any excuses they may use to make themselves feel better about themselves.

The prophet is like God's x-ray machine. They don't see the nice looking trendy businessman that gives a lot to the church. They see the adulterer on the inside. They don't see the pretty worship leader, they see the cancerous growth of gossip on the inside. In order to bring healing to a body, the sickness must first be discovered, surgically removed, and then treated. The prophet is gifted and anointed to see the sickness and underlying problems, expose them, remove them, and allow the other gifts within the body to treat and nurture them to recovery.Verse 9 continues this thought as John continues with "and even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." The prophet is God's axe that cuts to the root of the problem. The prophetic ministry is going to arise more and more within the church as we come closer to the second coming of Jesus. Jesus says that many will be deceived, and lawlessness will abound. More than ever we will need the prophetic ministry to expose sin, and point us in the right direction...back to the heart of Jesus!

Verses 12-14 John continues as he speaks to soldiers, and tax collectors. Instead of thanking them for their service he tells them to be honest, don't intimidate, don't falsely accuse, and be content with your wages. It is pretty obvious as to why the prophetic ministry attracts persecution. They are not called to make everyone happy, they are called to bring correction and direction. Our carnal nature normally doesn't appreciate this :-) The prophet hears the heart-beat of God and the heart motives of the people (v.15-16). In verse fifteen we read that the people were "reasoning in their hearts as to who John was." The amazing thing is that they weren't speaking out loud and John heard their thoughts. He answered them in the following verse before they ever had a chance to ask him the question. His answer pointed to Jesus. A prophet may use sharp language and expose motives, but he never attracts attention to himself, he always points to Jesus.

Jeremiah and Isaiah are two examples who spoke of the Messiah hundreds of years before He came. The prophetic ministry in the church is accomplishing the same thing...making us a church without spot or blemish. Sanctifying us in our whole spirit, soul, and body until the coming of the Lord! The prophet is an exhorter. It says in verse eighteen "and with many other exhortations he preached to the people." 1 Corinthians 14:3 says that "he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men." The prophetic ministry, no matter how sharp it may be, builds, challenges, and if heeded...comforts the church as they press on closer to its Leader.
The prophet also speaks to ungodly secular leaders. John "rebuked" Herod about taking his brothers wife as his own and "for all the evils which Herod had done,"(v.19). Think about the supernatural boldness and authority that God places on the prophet. Herod wasn't a peaceful man. He was wicked! Yet, John still spoke the truth to him. Later this man was the one to kill John in prison. The calling on a prophet is very strong and this is because of the difficult nature of his task.

Eventually Johns prophesying led to the ministry of Jesus. When that time came he baptized Jesus and realized that it was time for him to decrease and Jesus to increase. The true spirit of prophecy causes Jesus to increase. This is the ultimate goal of God's calling on this highly misunderstood ministry gift.

In the book of Acts we read about prophets in the church. Which means...they do have a place in the body of Christ today. In Acts 13:1-2 we see that they worked together with teachers, ministered to the Lord, and had a part in activating the apostolic ministry of Paul and Barnabas. Acts 11:28-30 a prophet named Agabus came from the church in Jerusalem to Antioch along with other prophets. It says that he "stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world." Then it says that it came to pass during the time of Claudius Caesar. This motivated the disciples to prepare, and send relief to the brothers in Judea. God shows things to the prophet so that the body of Christ can mobilize and prepare for what is to come. It is also wonderful to see that after these prophets spoke, and the church obeyed, that they passed on the relief package to the apostles and they took it to the churches. God's plan is that all the ministry gifts know their part and can work together with others. Together the effect is so much greater! In Acts 21:10-11 we see Agabus (a prophet) speaking into the life of another ministry gift (apostle Paul). He revealed through an interesting way what was to come. The Holy Spirit had already prepared Paul for this (Acts 20:24), but seemed to see it as necessary to remind him again through a prophet. Agabus only reconfirmed what God had already placed within Paul's heart.

In conclusion the prophetic ministry is placed within the church to prepare the church. God is using it to make His bride one without blemish. He uses it to prepare us for hardships to come. Most of all He is using it to make way for the second coming of Jesus. When we receive from this gift we will draw closer to Jesus as pure disciples. Open up your heart and allow God to build you up through the prophetic ministry in the church! There is so much more to discover about this wonderful gift to the body of Christ and I encourage you to study it, understand it, and receive from it in the church.

One last thought. What I am writing about is not to be confused with the simple gift of prophesy that any believer can flow in. Because the Holy Spirit has been poured out on all flesh it is possible for one believer to speak a word from the Lord to another. The spirit of prophecy was poured out upon the whole church in Acts 2. Paul even encouraged the believers at Corinth to prophesy (1 Cor 14:1).

Please remember one thing in case this teaching tempts you to think you are something that you really aren't. Just because someone prophesies doesnt' make him a prophet. There is a difference between the ministry of a prophet as one of the five appointed gifts listed in Ephesians 4, and the gift of prophecy that comes from the Holy Spirit that lives in a believer. Bottom line, just fall in love with Jesus, and be led by the Holy Spirit! God will appoint whom He has chosen in His way and in His time.

"A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord has spoken! Who can but prophesy?" (Amos 3:8)

Some Thoughts About The Body of Christ

"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers." (Eph 4:11)

The five ministries listed above are a gift from Christ to His church. All five of these gifts were in operation in the book of Acts and I believe that God's intention is for them to function in the body of Christ today. To get anything out of a gift it must be opened. In this post I am not going to go into the specifics of each, but into the overall purpose of all five in our lives as believers. It is important to realize that every disciple is a gift to the body of Christ, but not every disciple is one of the five gifts listed in Ephesians. When we understand their place and receive from them, then we will understand our place. With that...what really is the purpose of these wonderful gifts that God has placed in our midst?

First, they are anointed to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. God uses them to empower, direct, and release us into effective labor for His kingdom. They supply us with the tools to do the work, and teach us how to effectively use them. Contrary to what some may believe, it isn't the Pastor, teacher, etc... that is to do all the work. They are there to teach us how to do it. This is effective leadership. When the believers are equipped, the body of Christ will be edified (built up).

When my wife gave birth to our third child we stayed in a hospital room with a "nice" view. Every morning around 6:00am hundreds of construction workers would show up and go to work building a new entrance to the hospital. Every person seemed focused and occupied with their specific duty. Some hours later the foreman would show up, look over the blueprints, speak to a few people, look over the work, and then drive away (probably to another construction site).In the church, the five ministry gifts are like the foreman who know how to read the blueprints from heaven. They are gifted to equip the workers (believers) with good tools, and release them to build up the structure (the church). Most importantly they know how to communicate the vision from God to the saints so that they can build effectively. If we only put the people whom God has given these gifts on a platform of performance, and never work, then nothing will be built. We don't receive from them to feel goose bumps, but to go out and accomplish kingdom work.Third, if the ministry gifts are in their proper place we will reach unity in the faith. Being unified in God's purposes will release a strength that can change our world. That strength is a healthy, active body of Christ.

Our destiny according to Romans 8:29 is to be conformed to the image of Jesus. The five gifts given to the church by Christ help us to reach and attain right knowledge of the Son of God. They lay the foundation of Christ in our lives leading us to a godly maturity. Ultimately enabling us to attain to the "whole measure of the fullness of Christ."When we decide to open these gifts through allowing them to speak into our lives several very positive things will happen in our lives.We will no longer be immature children. A believer that is not connected to the church, where God's gifts can speak into their lives, will remain childish, unequipped, and without vision. They will be like a builder who has no tools. A believer that does go to church, but is only a spectator will be in the same situation. What the ministry gifts speak into our lives will only create blessing if we do what we hear, and use what we are given.

When we submit to the leadership that Christ has placed in the church we will not be "tossed back and forth by every wind of doctrine" that blows in the church. We will not be tricked by men/women that can be quite cunning and crafty at times. Instead we will be properly nourished with the full counsel of God and this will protect us from the spirit of deception. We will then stand up in the midst of cunning and crafty spirits and speak the truth in love. Why? Because if we have submitted ourselves as disciples of Christ (the head of the church) we will continually grow up in all aspects of Him! As we grow our authority and credibility to speak the truth increases.

Jesus is the source of the whole body. His blood flows through every part and gives it life. We are to walk worthy of His calling. By God's grace and his gifts to the body we can walk in humility, gentleness, patience, and love. If we disconnect ourselves from the life that can only be found in the body of Christ we will eventually become accustomed to walking in the futility of our own thinking which leads to a darkened understanding of life. We will be excluded from the full life of God. We will be ignorant, hard hearted, and callous. In many cases it will result in giving ourselves over to a sensual lifestyle enslaving ourselves to impure and selfish motives.
On the contrary, a person who has given themselves to the Head of the church, and receives from His appointees will enjoy a totally different result. They will learn Christ and His fullness. They will walk in the truth that can only be found in Jesus. They will lay aside their former manner of life, putting on the new man instead! They will be renewed in the spirit of their mind and day by day become more and more conformed to the likeness of God.They will walk in true righteousness and holiness, laying aside falsehood. They will receive truth with a contrite heart and in return have the authority to speak truth to others. These are people who will not give place to the devil and will not grieve the Holy Spirit because they have put away wrath, anger, slander, and malice. Instead they are kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving.The benefits of understanding your place in the church, and the place of those God has appointed as ministry gifts in the church are supernatural! We would all be wise to submit our lives completely as disciples of Jesus, the Head, and Cornerstone of the church of the living God!

Sweet Victory

A couple years ago my daughter was diagnosed with a very rare auto immune disorder called Gillan Barre Syndrome. Her immune system was fighting against the nerves in her lower extremities. She could barely walk. Every two or three steps her legs would hyper-extend and she would be on the floor. Sometimes it would take her several minutes to get up. She fell anytime she took a step down any stairs. She couldn't pull herself up stairs either. She has a scar above her eye of a time she slid off the couch and collapsed by our glass table in the living room. Since her reflexes were delayed she couldn't catch herself, so the inevitable happened...her head slammed into the corner of the glass. Needles to say, those weren't the easiest years of our lives. Maybe sometime I will post a more detailed testimony.

Tonight my goal is a little different. Reason being...
During those years I would take long prayer walks up and down the small mountains by my home here in Arizona. As I climbed the mountains I used to speak out, "My daughter will climb these mountains with me in Jesus name!" Sometimes I said it quiet, other times I yelled it as loud as I could. It always depended on how much turmoil I had built up inside. Praying loud has always been an effective release for me. To me, when I take all that is bottled up inside and force it out in prayer before my heavenly Father, I believe He hears me. He heard the groans of the children of Israel in Egypt didn't he?

Tonight I took my daughter on a walk....guess where? Yep, up the mountain! As I was holding her hand, a thought entered my mind. It was the picture of me walking up the mountains two years ago saying, "My daughter will walk up these mountains with me in Jesus name!" When I thought about it for a minute my heart was filled with gratitude to my Father. I was reminded once again...He is always faithful!

Always remember that God is faithful when you are under a lot of pressure. Stop and think about all of the promises that God has manifested in your life. When I am in the heat of battle there is always a taste of sweet victory in my heart. God has given me many victories. He will always come through if we never give up!

In my opinion the best place in the world to win battles is in the secret place. That sweet hour of prayer is always filled with the sweet taste of victory!

Luke 18:1-8

Who Is Intolerant?

True or False?

The homosexual agenda is very intolerant towards Bible believing Christians.


True or False?

Christians are extremely intolerant towards homosexuals.

Question to Consider

"Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" (Gal. 3:5)

Proper Protocol

David the king. Nathan the Prophet. Joab the military commander. Uriah the Hittite. Four men. One, the authority over the nation. One in military authority. One in spiritual authority. One, a servant.

David

The faithful shepherd who slew the giant with a stone from his sling. Anointed by Samuel to take the place of Saul. The young man with God's heart that soothed Saul with sweet music, anointed as the next king. His service eventually attracted a spear. Resulted in wondering from cave to cave, and led to a harsh time of testing before the prophetic word would come to pass. During this time David kept proper protocol. Never would he lay a hand on Saul. Neither would he say a word against the king of Israel. When given the chance to take the life of the one who was wrongfully pursuing his, he responded with proper protocol of heart. Although he disobeyed what the king wanted at that time, he never disobeyed God. David knew when it was right to obey, and when it is right to disobey.
Soon Saul was slain, and David rose to power. He had choices to make that he had never been trained for. Now he could have things that were never an option before. Instead of a cave, he had a castle. Instead of a wife, He took many concubines and wives. He was..."a success." Things had changed. Before his decisions were based on what he had to do to survive Saul's day by day search for his life. Now that pressure was gone, and with it was his careful caution to keep proper protocol in his heart.
Sometimes success sows the seeds of shame. As with David, the young man after God's heart. He was King, he could now have anything he wanted, or so he believed. For one day when he should have been in the midst of the battle, he was becoming lost in the bath and body of Bathsheba. He took this beautiful women, impregnated her, killed her husband in a cover up attempt, and reaped consequences that would follow him the rest of his life. Fortunate for David, there was one in this situation that was willing to keep proper protocol.

Nathan

The Prophet of God. Historian of David's dynasty. The man God would use to save King David in his darkest hour. Nathan was not perfect, but Nathan kept proper protocol in his heart. One day David said, "Here I am, living in a palace, while the Ark of God is in a tent!" Nathan replies with, "Do it, the Lord is with you!" Nathan was positive, but Nathan was wrong. The very same night the Word of the Lord came to him in correction. Nathan at risk for being double minded, delivered the will of the Lord for Davids life. He took responsibility and saved David from doing the right thing at the wrong time. In due season, Solomon would build the house for the Lord.
In an attempt to cover his sin with Bathsheba, David committed the unthinkable. Who would question the king after his adulterous affair and mindless murder? Nathan presented a parable with proper protocol. Face to face with David, and face to face with a holy God who was very displeased...Nathan's prophetic word pierced Davids heart. The longterm consequence would be calamity. The loss of the innocent child. Davids sin would be manifested to all Israel. One way or another, when we break the proper protocol of God in private we will reap a multiplied harvest in public. That night Nathan saved the king. That night Nathan went home in peace. That night it was right for Nathan to confront God anointed authority. It was proper protocol.

Joab

Davids nephew. Commander of the armies of Israel. Victorious warrior! All of this, but willing to disobey proper protocol and pursue his own priorities. David was willing to make peace with Abner, but Joab thought different. David did right. Joab did wrong. Abner left in peace, making himself right with God's promise for David. In secret, behind the kings back, Joab took Abner's life. The consequence for innocent blood? A curse upon the household of Joab. What if he would have followed proper protocol? Maybe everything would have been different.
Why did he obey Davids command to kill Uriah? It would have been proper to disobey. Maybe he thought, "if the king says it, I must obey it!" Really? Even if it transgresses the commands of the Almighty God? Why did he choose to be oblivious to the consequences of such an action? Did he not know, that if he could have sent a letter back to the king saying: "Dear king, although I respect your authority and kingdom, I will not commit this sin against my God." This would have been proper protocol before the king. It would have been godly disobedience. It would have saved Uriah, it would have saved David from deepening his disgrace. It would have been the right thing to do, but he hardened himself. Later he would be a traitor to David. Eventually he would be killed while holding onto the horns of the altar. One last selfish attempt to save himself from his life of practicing improper protocol before the One who sees all.

Uriah

The Hittite. The husband of Bathsheba. Faithful servant. Called improperly by his king to come home from the battle. Told to go, relax, and spend intimate time with his wife. Something that had to be tempting, yet Uriah, with proper protocol, would disobey the king. Instead, he spent the night with the servants at the entrance of the temple. Why? When asked by David his response was proper, "The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my master Joab and my lords' men are camped in open fields. How could I go into my wife? I will not do such a thing!" His response was defiant and proper all at the same time. Everyone obeyed the king, they had to. Or did they? In this instance, Uriah was right...David was wrong. The result? Uriah would carry his own death certificate to the man whom he called "his master." Uriah obeyed proper protocol at all times.

David murdered, lied, and committed adultery. Nathan messed up once, but corrected it. Joab lived the ultimate life of being a self centered people pleaser. Uriah did right in God's sight, and still lost his life. Uriah stands out. Uriah defied and disobeyed the right things. Uriah pleased the Lord, David displeased Him. Joab was cursed.

David repented and was restored. Nathan continued to proclaim the word of the Lord. Uriah went on to be with the Lord. Uriah went with a clear conscience.

There is a time to obey, there is a time to disobey. There are times it would be right to disobey, but we do it with the wrong attitude of heart. This is improper protocol. We must disobey what is against God's will, God's word, and Gods plan even if the command is from one of Gods leaders. The key is keeping proper protocol in that place where only God sees...our heart. David did it when Saul pursued him, and Uriah did it when David told him to go to his wife. God has not called us to unconditional obedience to his appointed leadership. He has called us to keep proper protocol in the attitude of our heart at all costs, for all people. Leaders and followers alike. He has called us to unconditional obedience to Him and Him alone.

David the King, Nathan the prophet, Joab the military commander. All great positions of authority, but not as great as Uriah's. A servant, the greatest of all!

"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and thier high officials excercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matt. 20:25-28)

Uriah's life was a ransom. He lived right. His innocent blood cries out as a testimony of proper protocol before the King of Kings!

Waiting Actively

I was reading 2 Samuel 5:17-25 today. David had just become king. The Philistines were preparing to attack. David had a decision to make. His first move was to “inquire of the Lord.” He asked God if he should pursue or not. God said, “pursue.” David conquered. The Philistines tried to attack again. David inquired of God a second time. This time God said that He should pursue again, but a different way. He went around behind them and had to wait for the “rustling of the leaves in the tree tops,” then move. What if David would have just attacked without asking the Lord? What if he would have done it the same way the second time, just because it worked the first time? Why didn’t he just move and expect God to be with him no matter how he did it?

How many times do we not take the time to ask God what He thinks? Maybe we are afraid of being misunderstood or being accused of super-spirituality? Sometimes we ask, and He gives a non-detail answer. We pray…"what should we do?" He says, “press on.” We ask, "how long?" He says, “trust Me.” It isn’t that he is trying to keep something from us, but He has a time-table and we are on it…that is, if we choose to sit ourselves on that table and submit to Him. I am convinced that the details we need will come when He determines, if we keep our heart open.

It can be difficult to wait on the Lord for many reasons. For one, we feel the need to always look like we are busy or doing something. Second, the pressure from others that expect our performance in something can cause us to pursue the right thing, but too early. Being busy isn’t always being effective.

On the other hand, when He says, “Move!” we better move! Then we can give it our all and He is in it, His power is there, His wisdom is there, His favor is with us. When we wait, and then obey when He releases us we will be busy and effective.

Is waiting an action verb? When it comes to God and His instructions in our lives, I believe it is. Waiting, trusting, letting time work for us while remaining faithful…slightly counter-culture, slightly counter-carnal nature, but sometimes the most effective thing we can do.

There are many promises in the Bible for those who wait upon the Lord!!! God help me to settle myself enough to hear Your voice!

The Calling of God

At 75 Abraham was called to leave his country and embark on a journey to a new country. That simple move started the process for the Seed of the woman to smash the head of the serpent. At 17 years of age Joseph had a dream, a calling that would come into its fullness only after many years of trial. The fulfillment of the dream would protect this special Seed in the land of Egypt. The sons of Israel would survive the famine because of Josephs obedience to the calling. The children of Israel endured 400 years of hard labor and slavery under the new King of Egypt. During this time the calling of God came to Moses. The bush burned, God spoke, and he obeyed the call from Jehovah. The Seed would be saved again and the slave masters had to release the people. They squeezed through the Red Sea, refined by the furnace of affliction, and began a new time. Moses obeyed the calling during the dry, desert years. It was out of the dust of the desert that a new generation would carry the Seed across the Jordan into the promised land led by their commander...Joshua. Victory after victory would come through every violent campaign. Joshua and Caleb wholly followed the Lord their God, they obeyed the calling. The land promised to Abraham began to be possessed by the carriers of the Seed of the woman. Progress for the calling of God was evident. Then came men like Samson, Gideon, Jephthah, and women like Deborah. With these judges came ups and downs, for some obeyed the calling, and others disobeyed.
Ruth came and clung to Naomi, her people, and her God, the God of Israel. Her obedience was a sign of hope for the Gentile people of the future. She stood for and with Israel, and became a part of the genealogy of the Seed, the Messiah.
Hannah prayed, and called upon God. The time was terrible. No words, no visions, no revelations from God among the people. Her cry was heard by the Almighty and through these supplications came Samuel, the prophet of God, another bearer of the calling. God spoke, he listened, then he spoke, and every word met its intended target.
What about David? Solomon? Elijah, Elisha and the other prophets? All imperfectly obedient to the calling of God, but obedient none-the-less.
Isaiah saw the Lord. Holy and powerful. Doorposts shook, thresholds trembled in the temple. Smoke and glory filled every space. Exposed and overwhelmed by this display of a holy God, Isaiah bowed to the Lord and was called. He prophesied about the coming Messiah. He painted pictures with his words that were exact with accuracy about the suffering of God's holy servant, handed over by Pilate.
Jeremiah, appointed. Ezekial spectacularly called. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and the refusal to obey the earthly king for fear of disobedience to the only King. Hosea and his painful illustrated sermon, played by himself to send a message to a whole nation. Joel,Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi......then.....
silence.


Hundreds of years pass. Nothing. No voice. No calling. Just waiting, wondering, and hoping. Then suddenly. In the fullness of time. The fulfillment and culmination of all of the callings upon men and women of the past sprouted forth. The Seed was born. Surrounded by hay, straw, and shepherds. Laying in a manger, Jesus, Yeshua, the Lamb of God began to grow. The voice of God broke upon the earth again. "This is My Son...." Heaven opened, miracles rained down. The Son called disciples. They followed, they obeyed. Then....the Seed fell into the ground and died. Silence...

Three days later. The Seed that died came alive and began to produce many seeds. Peter called for Pentecost, Stephen called to serve with the seven before being stoned. Saul defeated on the rode to Damascus. Then called...the Apostle Paul to the Gentiles.
Village to village, city to city, nation to nation, the seed spread around the globe. The calling continues. Are you being obedient to the heavenly calling upon your life?

He who calls is holy.

"For this reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness, and to goodness, knowledge, to knowledge, self-control, to self-control, perseverance, to perseverance, godliness, to godliness, brotherly kindness, to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ...Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fail, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior...(2 Pet. 1:5-11)

Disciplines That Have Changed My Life

1. Reading my Bible.
After I became a Christian I began to read my Bible a lot. I read it everyday. I listen to it on my ipod from time to time. I do whatever it takes to keep my mind conformed to the scriptures.

2. Prayer
I pray every day. I pray the Lords prayer 2-3 times every day. When I was 16 I read a book called, Prayer that Brings Revival by Dr Cho. After that I have spent many days praying for 2 or 3 hours at a time. Sometimes even 8hrs. Why? Because prayer changed my life. I do it because I believe that is what Christians do. We communicate to our Father through prayer.

3. Church
I go to church every week, usually 3 times. Sometimes less. I belong to the body of Christ, and developing relationships with other people who follow Christ has changed my life.

4. Evangelism
Witnessing to others about Christ brought me into my destiny. I still witness to others about what I have seen and heard. Sometimes face to face, sometimes by way of email, but one thing is for sure, I will always have this as a part of my life. It has changed me.

5. Reading Books.
When I finish one book, I start the next. I am always reading something. Whether it is a book that builds my walk with God, or Little House on The Prairie to my daughters. My dad told me as a child, "If you want to get smart, read books." Even if a person can't afford to go through college or university, they can always read books by those who have.

6. Exercise
Staying strong physically has always given me an advantage in life. Exercise is a mental outlet for me. It gives me a strong heart. It has taken me places. I have run biathlons, mini marathons, and marathons. I have run out in the cornfields of Indiana and on the crowded streets of New York City. Some call exercise self inflicted torture, I call it healthy self-discipline.

These are just a few. Discipline today will ensure endurance for the long run of life. Discipline in the wrong areas today will sow the seed's for destruction in the end. Discipline in the right areas will sow the seeds for God's plan in our lives in the end. We are all disciplined in something. We are creatures of habit. Discipline is not something for a gifted few, it is a natural part of life for everyone. You are addicted to what you do every day until you change your habits.

Defending the Gospel?

Paul said in Philippians 1:7

"It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me."

He goes on to say in verse 16

"...I am put here for the defense of the gospel."

Why did Paul see it as his calling to defend the gospel?
When Paul stood in defense of the gospel, what did "gospel" mean to him? Is the meaning of the word "gospel" the same meaning we carry in our thoughts today?

What are some practical ways to stand in defense of the gospel?
Are the believers in the body of Christ today prepared to defend the gospel?

These are questions worthy of more exploration. I believe that God wants to bring us back to "the faith" that is spoken about in the Epistles. I believe He wants to resurrect the old foundations and doctrines that caused men like Paul, and believers like those of the New Testament to stand strong under the pressure of a sick society. When I look at the body of Christ world wide I believe that the Cloud(the Father) is moving, and the Wind(Holy Spirit) is blowing. Debris is being stirred up in and outside of the church. But the Wind blows where it wishes and so are those who are led by the Spirit. Just like the children of Israel camped when the Cloud stopped and moved when the Cloud moved, we must do nothing, except for that which we see our Father doing.

I am convinced He is focused on strengthening and stabilizing His body for the upcoming head wind. In the end, we will be a bride without spot or blemish. In all of the tribulation that will come upon this earth one other thing will happen..."this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in every nation, and then the end will come."

This is why you and I must learn what it means to defend the gospel of old. We will have to do it more than ever as that day approaches. Are you preparing? Are you ready?

Email Evangelism

Paul said in Romans 1:14-17

"I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks,

both to the wise and the foolish.

That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.

I am not ashamed of the gospel because

it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes...

For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed,

a righteousness that is by faith from first to last..."

As believers we all have a debt to pay. This means we owe someone something. We owe our Lord love and obedience because He first loved us, and we owe our world the gospel. There is one way we can all pay this debt back. One day at a time, and one person at a time.

Below is a conversation between myself and a co-worker through email. It all started because through some investigation, I accidentally exposed something he did wrong at work. He threw a jab at me for doing that, then I hit back. It was all harmless sarcastic fun, and it was all through email. We were both laughing at our desks. Eventually he changed the subject and began asking me about what kind of movies I liked. He asked, "are you a Trekkie?" I didn't have a clue what he meant. Later I realized he was asking me if I was a fan of Star Trek.

Since he was asking me about movies, I decided it would be okay to find a way to ask him about his relationship with Jesus. So I asked him if he had ever seen The Passion of The Christ. He admitted his hesitancy about seeing the movie, and I assured him that it was pretty intense and that the message was life changing. After the weekend I wanted to ask if he had seen it, so the emails below are how I asked him.

They begin with a thank you email from my supervisor to the whole department thanking me and another worker for volunteering to work some overtime. HIM: stands for my fellow employee, ME: stands for...well...me! Easy enough?

************************************

From: SUPERVISOR
Thank you Nadia and Anthony!

HIM:
BROWN NOSERS!!!!! LMAO

ME:
Grow up buddy! :)

HIM:
Why would I wanna do that???? Just cuz you think I am a TOYS’R’ US kid!?!?!?!?

ME:
Did you watch that movie this weekend? Or did you chicken out? :)

HIM:
No I was uhhhhhhhh kinda busy with something a little more appealing!! Strange enough she had the dvd.

ME:
Some things are appealing only for a season, one thing has an eternal appeal. :)

HIM:
How true!!

ME:
Does truth do us any good if we don’t respond to it?
Aren’t you glad that you asked me if I was Trekkie? Lol!

HIM:
Huh?? Who are you Carl Sagen now????

ME:
Who is Carl Sagen? Not so familiar with him.

HIM:
Carl Edward Sagan, Ph.D. (November 9, 1934 – December 20, 1996) was an American astronomer, astrochemist, author, and highly successful popularizer of astronomy, astrophysics and other natural sciences. He pioneered exobiology and promoted the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI).
He is world-famous for writing popular science books and for co-writing and presenting the award-winning 1980 television series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, which has been seen by more than 600 million people in over 60 countries, making it the most widely watched PBS program in history.[2] A book to accompany the program was also published. He also wrote the novel Contact, the basis for the 1997 Robert Zemeckis film of the same name starring Jodie Foster. During his lifetime, Sagan published more than 600 scientific papers and popular articles and was author, co-author, or editor of more than 20 books. In his works, he frequently advocated skeptical inquiry, secular humanism, and the scientific method


ME:
I see you had to look it up too.

HIM:
No, I knew who he was, not sure on his accomplishments!

ME:
Do you know of the accomplishments of Jesus? His far outweigh Carl Sagan. :)

HIM
Yes, yes, my friend I have!!

ME:
Enlighten me on a couple.

HIM:
Your kidding right???

ME:
Serious.

HIM:
Well to be honest, I am not much of a practicing religious person!!! I know he walked across water, turned water into wine ….was Divine one day and resurrected the next after some idiots put him to the stake!!

ME:
Awesome! Right you are!
I would have to say that the most important accomplishment was when He died on the cross and resurrected from the dead. Now, if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

So why aren’t you a “practicing religious person?”

HIM:
Hmmmmm…..religion was forced upon me as a kid so wasn’t too receptive of it !!

ME:
Sadly, that happens a lot.
Legalistic religion kind of has that effect on people. I understand why you wouldn’t be receptive of it. Honestly, it is probably a good thing that you aren’t receptive of that kind of religion.
On the other hand, Jesus is extremely receptive of YOU, he is different then what was forced upon you. He is the way, the truth, and the life.
Well my friend, thanks for the fun conversation, we will have to continue tomorrow, I am outta here!!! Thank God!

HIM:
Well I know being a kid you have to do what your told but for some reason I was resistant! I didn’t wanna go to mass or CCD (cadikism dunno how ya spell it) !!! I guess even from when I was a kid I didn’t like things of ANY type forced upon me!! I guess as a child I was very aware of life in general and having the right to choices go figure!!

NEXT DAY
ME:
I used to go to CCD too! Lol!
Then my parents divorced at a young age and we didn’t go to church at all. My family pretty much fell apart. I spent most of my time in sports to cope with it all. Then my older brother gave His life to Christ and it was a night and day difference. When I saw how Jesus could change a life in our day and time, little by little, I turned my life over to Him and decided to follow Him. He really is alive, and when we call upon Him, He hears and answers us.

HIM:
Yah that’s the path I chose to go down but the one philosophy I like to go by…free your mind your…butt will follow!!

ME:
LOL! :)
I am curious…how do you “free your mind?”

HIM: LAST STATEMENT
Basically said enough is enough and I cant continue to live doing what I was doing so!! Been about 12 years or so now!


To be continued...

1 Samuel 1-4

Samuel is in submission to God “under” Eli’s leadership. The revelation (word) of God was rare. Eli was in disobedience because of his son’s misbehavior, and Samuel was right in the midst of it.

Without asking for it, Samuel begins to hear the voice of God. After a few times, with Eli’s help, he finally recognizes that it is God speaking to him. Then he gets the shock of his life when he says to the Lord, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” The word scared Samuel for obvious reasons. It was a word of judgment over the priest and priesthood that mentored him. Because of his obedience he rose to a level of leadership that caused his words to always be heard and never fall to the ground.

Here are a few lessons I learned from reading these chapters (not exhaustive by any means).

The journey of leadership is uncomfortable at times.
The consequences for withholding truth are far worse than the consequences that come for speaking it forth.
God can train us for leadership in any atmosphere He chooses.
God can train us to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit in any atmosphere He chooses.
Sometimes an atmosphere of unethical practices and disobedience breed the greatest leaders.
Obedience to God today allows Him to trust us with greater responsibility later.
Ultimately we are stewards of the word of the Lord.
Ultimately we will answer to the ultimate authority…the Lord.

Question:

What would you do if you were in Samuel’s position today?


When I think about what literally happened in these first three chapters of 1 Samuel it is both scary and powerful. It creates a struggle within, but hope for the future. It reveals the true nature of man, and the true nature of God. It reminds me that His calling upon our lives is holy, not trendy.

God’s Word is amazing with its eternal and timeless truths. It comforts, gives understanding, and pushes us to the edge continuously

When The Spirit and the Word Come Together

Many times when I pray I ask myself and God questions. Here is one I have been thinking about.

What happens when the Spirit and the Word

come together?

(Gen 1:1-3) As the Holy Spirit hovered over the waters, the Lord spoke, and what was spoken became a reality. There is creative power when the Word and the Spirit work together.

(Matt. 1:18-22) The birth of Jesus came about when the Spirit of God came upon Mary, causing her to physically conceive what the Lord spoke through Isaiah. The Spirit brought the word of the Lord into reality. Jesus was born in the fullness of time.

(Lk 4:14-21) After His time in the wilderness, the Bible says that Jesus returned to Galilee "in the power of the Spirit." Then under the power of the Spirit He read a word from the Lord out of Isaiah. Except this time it was different. The Spirit and the Word came together and that day the scripture was more than just read, it was fulfilled.

(Jn 1:1,14,29-34) Jesus was the Word become flesh. When the Spirit of God came upon him like a dove at His baptism, His ministry began in earnest. The Spirit and the Word met and that day God began that which would redeem His original creation.

(Acts 2:1-5,16-21) On the day of Pentecost the Spirit of God fell upon the disciples, as Jesus promised. Then Peter stood and proclaimed what God had prophesied through Joel many years before. When the Spirit and the Word came together, the church of the living God was born!

(Acts 4:25-31) After Peter and John were released from prison they prayed. They reminded God of His Word through David, asked for boldness to speak the Word, and the Holy Spirit came upon them in power. When the Spirit and the Word came together, the place was shaken and they proclaimed God's word boldly.

(Acts 8:29-38) When Philip obeyed the leading of the Holy Spirit and explained the word of God to the Ethiopian the man was converted and baptized. When the Spirit and the Word work together real conversions take place.

(Acts 9:15-20) The Lord spoke clearly to Ananias regarding Saul's calling, and after Ananias laid hands on Paul He was filled with the Spirit. When that word/calling met together with the Spirit in Saul's life, one of the greatest apostolic ministries in history began.

(Acts 10:38-44) As Peter preached about the Spirits power upon Jesus combined with what "all the prophets" testified about Him, something happened to the Gentiles. That day the preaching of the Word and the Spirit resulted in a sudden baptism of the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles that were present. Prophecy was fulfilled on earth again.

(1 Cor. 2:1-5) When the message of Jesus and the demonstration of the Spirit are combined our faith rests upon God's power, not man's wisdom.

What is it going to be like when the time comes for the Spirit of God to meet together with some other prophecies that God has spoken out but have not yet been fulfilled?

Think about Israel...if there rejection of the gospel released what it did over the Gentiles in Acts 10, what will their acceptance of the gospel be like? Paul says it will be "life from the dead." It was the Spirit of God that raised Jesus (the Word/Jn 1) from the dead, and it will be the Spirit of God that will cause every word from God to come to life. Every prophecy, every personal word in our lives will come to life the day the Holy Spirit comes upon it. Can we make that happen? Or is their a fullness of time, already decided by God?

When the Spirit and the Word meet together, everything is different. Things become flesh and dwell among us! Blessed be the Father who speaks the Word that is fulfilled by the Spirit!

Rightly Dividing Scripture

A couple weeks ago I taught a lesson at my church on 2 Timothy. I conducted an expository study through the whole letter and asked questions as I went. The purpose was to allow the words that Paul wrote to Timothy to corner each of us and discern our thoughts all on thier own. In the process of preparation I was impacted by several of the questions I asked myself. One that I meditated on was based on what Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:15. This was my question:

How does a person “rightly divide the Word of truth?” (NKJV)

Other translations say it slightly different…for example:

“correctly handles the word of truth” (NIV)
“correctly explains the word of truth” (NLT)
“accurately handling the word of truth” (NASB)

I think this is a very important question for many reasons. The Bible explains that the end times will be filled with people who will not endure sound doctrine. It will be a time of “doctrines of demons”, “deception”, and other destructive heresies. When I read about this I ask myself questions like: Will I be easily given to these false doctrines? Could the people I respect succumb to sensuality instead of submit to sound scripture? What can I do to protect myself from being tossed by every wind of doctrine that blows across my path? Do I believe that my church has some special corner on the truth and that I am somehow exempt from what Jesus said in Matthew 24…”many will be deceived?” If He said that many would be deceived what does “many” mean? Does it mean a few thousand, a few million, or maybe more than half of the world’s population? Who does “many” refer too? Those who don’t know Christ? Paul speaks about the great apostasy that will take place in the end times. Does not apostasy mean a falling away from the faith? Just some questions to consider.

So I stress, how does one rightly divide the word of truth? This morning while I was praying on my way to work I was thinking about the question again. Then a thought came to my mind. The thought was a scripture. I believe it is the beginning to the answer of my question that I plan to continually consider.

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Heb. 4:12)

One more time, how does a person rightly divide the word of truth? The answer...allow the word of God to divide itself. A diligent study of the scriptures will reveal that scripture interprets scripture. Verses answer the questions of other verses. Revelation begets revelation. One jot completes the next tittle. The law is a tutor that leads to Christ. All scripture is inspired by God Himself and fits like a puzzle peace, creating a wonderful picture of Gods plan for humanity. My responsibility as a Christian is to study the scriptures with such diligence that the Holy Spirit has plenty of material to reveal His divine revelation within my spirit. My responsibility is to allow that which is living, powerful, sharp, piercing and discerning to penetrate the thoughts and intents of my heart. The Word of truth, the Holy Scriptures, the Bible!

"To all perfection I see a limit;

but Your commands are

boundless."

(Ps 119:96)

OVERTIME

Tonight I am sitting at work trying to enjoy some overtime. One nice thing about it is the quiet atmosphere. During they day it is very busy!

On the flip side, I am tired of looking at this dumb computer. So, I thought....why not update my blog??

Okay, there you go....my mind is blank now. One of these days I will get into blogging more often. Until then...

All the best!

Being A Witness

Today I was invited to teach a lesson on evangelism at our church.

When I received the Holy Spirit it changed my life. It was the most defining moment that I have ever had with God. It has led to every other defining moment that I have ever experienced. When I realized that the power I had received from the Spirit of God was for me to be a witness, the adventure of my life began.

I believe our destiny as Christians is wrapped up in what we call "The Great Commission." When we go and obey, our lives will never be the same again.

Maybe we can't all be an Evangelist, but we can all be a witness. A witness simply tells others what they have seen and what they have heard. One person we Christians have all seen and heard, is Jesus. This is plenty to begin an exciting life of evangelism! Thank God we don't need a special gift to be a good witness, we just have to know Jesus!

We can all be a witness!(Acts 1:8)

Eschatology

Eschatology is the study of last things.

Today I was asked to teach a class on this very subject. Funny thing is, it is a subject that I failed in Bible School. So...we will see if I get invited back to talk about it again.

I focused in on several things, but began and ended with a challenge. That was to get involved in God's plan to restore the Church, Israel, and the nations. We can all have a part in this.

Here are a couple questions to think about:

Why is it important to teach about the end times?

What are some ways to partake in Bible prophecy? (I heard a man once say, "Why read about Bible prophecy when you can take part in it?")

Times and Seasons

I once heard Dr. Sumrall preach a sermon about the seasons in a persons life. It went kind of like this:

The first 30 years= The Learning Years
The second 30 years= The Using Years
The third 30 years= The Giving Years

Have you ever thought about what stage of life you are in at this very moment? Are you doing all that you can to get everything out of every day?

I think it is wise to analyze our lives and find out which season we are in. Then we should gracefully let go of the old season and embrace the new.

Times and seasons change, life changes...everything changes! Stay discipline and reach your fullest potential today where you are, and go with change when it comes.

We can either ride the wave of change and let it propel us forward, or we can refuse to change and find ourselves beneath it.

Baptism In The Holy Spirit

John the Baptist said of Jesus in Matthew 3:11..."He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire."

Today I taught another Sunday school class at my church. We explored this subject. It is something that Christians of all backgrounds have both experienced and argued about for generations.

There is one thing I think we can all agree on as Christ followers. The Bible is the Word of God and it speaks for itself.

What does it say about "the baptism of the Holy Spirit?"

Have you experienced it? Do you know what it is like to walk with the Person of the Holy Spirit? Do you believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit?

Acts

Today I had the privilege of teaching a Sunday school class at my church. I was a substitute teacher and was asked to teach the book of Acts in one hour. Is that possible? Well...I did the best I could. I spoke about four main streams that flow in the book of Acts. I also challenged the students that they were four things that every believer could involve themselves in today.
Let me know what you think about these four points:

1. The Holy Spirit- He filled every part of the church. He was not a side issue, or a message that was brought out once or twice a year. He was very involved in every aspect of early church society. His activity was very noticeable.

2. The Church- Life centered around the church, not church around life. Prayer, evangelism, fellowship, praise and worship, and teaching of the Word of God was a priority in every believers life.

3. Israel and the Jewish people- The Holy Spirit fell on the day of Pentecost, in Jerusalem, upon Jewish men and women that were there celebrating this Jewish holiday. Not until Acts 10 did the Gospel begin to spread in earnest to the Gentile's. Paul would normally go to a synagogue before he would go to the Gentiles. The book of Acts reveals some conflict between Jew and Gentile (for obvious reasons), but for the most part there was a unity of the Spirit between Jews and Gentiles who believed that Jesus was the Messiah.

4. Missions- When I say missions I am talking about the unified effort of the early church believers to reach those who had not yet heard the gospel. The church was not only a hospital for the sick to be healed, but it was like an airport that sent people out to preach the gospel.

Of course we could mention many other things, but I only had an hour. Anyway... I have a question for you:

Do you believe if we did what the early church did in the book of Acts that we would see what the early church saw today in our time?

Between Life and Death

Once my brother and I were at a friends house. I was about sixteen years old. The phone rang, and on the other line was a neighbor of my friend. His mother had been sent home to die. She had terminal cancer and was given only days before she left this life and entered the next. He wanted us to come and pray for his mom.

As we entered the house the son had incense burning and some eerie music playing in the background. We approached this precious woman very gently. She couldn't talk, but she could hear us. We all begin to pray for her softly. Then my friend said, "Ma'am, if you can hear me...squeeze my hand." I saw the woman squeeze his hand. He then continued, "If you want to receive Jesus, squeeze my hand." She gripped his hand again. Then he asked her to repeat a prayer of repentance in her mind as he prayed out loud.

With every word of that prayer her breathing became deeper and more relaxed. Then a smile of peace came upon her face. I will never forget that moment! It is a moment when the assurance of salvation overcomes all other pains. It is the moment of a person making peace with God through receiving His son, Jesus Christ.

All of us hang between life and death everyday. Tomorrow is promised to nobody. Is there something or someone that fits between these two moments in our lives? Thankfully, yes!

Jesus fits between life and death.

Be Honest!

Have you ever been tempted to lie? Have you ever been lied to by someone else? It seems that our culture is becoming more and more accustomed to dishonesty. I encountered one of these situations today.

I brought my car in for some routine maintenance. As a part of my lease agreement I was promised eight dollar oil changes. As I sat at a table in the service department my service advisor came over and spoke with one of his superiors close by me. I don't know if they didn't notice me, or just didn't think I would understand what they were talking about. He pointed at a print out of the cost of my oil change and said, "is he (the fleet manager) joking?" (The Manager put it in the computer under my name when I leased the car.)

They then proceeded to agree on an Internet deal for $31.45. I decided to remain quite until I received my receipt at the end. Sure enough when I got it, the price was increased, and my deal...along with my trust level...was gone.

On the way to the check out(having overheard the previous conversation), I asked a loaded question..."So, do I still get the eight dollar deal promised by the fleet manger?" My advisor played dumb and said that it wasn't possible while the cashier said, "an oil filter alone wouldn't cost that little." Really! I replied...I thought for sure I saw him put it in the computer. Then I asked if they knew the manager and they denied that they did.

When I got home I emailed the fleet manager about what happened. My phone rang within fifteen minutes after the email was sent. On the other end was a nice women with a trembling voice bracing herself for an angry customer.

I neither yelled nor got mad at anyone. I decided just to let them know and then forgive them of it. Is $31 worth getting angry over? No way. I told them that what I desired more than money or a good deal on a car was honest people to work with.

Is it easier to tell the truth or lie? I think whatever we yield ourselves to more often will become more natural.

Let's challenge ourselves to make this year a year of honesty. Take responsibility for miscommunication. Admit it when you have made a mistake at work. Be willing to take the blame when you have done something wrong. Don't cover for others if they ask you to be dishonest. Realize that if someone is willing to lie for you then they will eventually lie to you. Maybe even lie about you. Yield yourself to honesty! It is a better way of life.

Dishonesty gives temporary relief from the weight of responsibility often ending in negative consequences. Honest may bring temporary discomfort, but it yields very positive consequences in the long run!

I believe we can always have the upper-hand in life if we will remain honest and transparent. Isn't it better to have a clean conscience before God and man?

2009- A year of honesty!

Merry Christmas!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

Following are some pictures from The Great Toy Give Away at our church, Phoenix First Assembly. We had two services, the first was almost full and the second was packed to capacity. Our building has about 6500-7000 seats in it. That means approx. 10-14 thousand people heard the gospel today.

There were around 10,000 gifts donated from the church members, hundreds of thousands of can goods, and 2,000 bikes which were donated by one man in our church. The inner city families were brought in on buses and thousands of people raised their hands to receive Jesus as Lord. What an awesome day! One blog post will never do a day such as this justice. It is something you have to be here for and experience first hand. Hopefully these pictures we be a blessing to you and remind you of what Christmas is all about. CHRIST JESUS!

Great Is His Faithfulness!

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him." The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young." (Lamentations 3:22-27)

If there is one attribute that stands out in the Lord's character throughout His Word it is His faithfulness to His children. Even if we aren't perfect, He is faithful. When times are difficult, He is faithful. When times are good, He is faithful.

He is our portion. He is our great reward. He is our source. He is our shield. We must always give glory to Him and remain fully persuaded that He has power to do what He has promised.

He is worth waiting for and He is truly good to the one who takes the time to seek Him!

Jesus Was Not A Christian

Jesus was and is...a Jew. So many times we make Jesus into a blonde haired, blue eyed European, or even worse...an American! ;-)

The fact is that the Jesus we love and adore, the one who died for our sins and rose from the grave, is Jewish. On the cross He was called, "The King of the Jews"

Every year of His life on this earth he celebrated the Jewish holidays such as Passover. He went to the local synagogues to celebrate the Sabbath with His Jewish disciples. Every prophecy He fulfilled came out of the Hebrew Old Testament.

Paul says, "For I could wish that I myself were accursed, seperated from Christ for the sake of my bretheren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons and the glory and the covenants, and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, whose are the fathers and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen." (Rom 9:3-5)

Jews can explain thier existence without mentioning Christians, but we Christians cannot explain our existence (our faith) without mentioning the roots of our faith...the Jewish people. The ten commandments, faith, healing, the cross, salvation etc... came as a result of thier obedience to God.

"Do not be arrogant toward the branches (the Jews); but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root(Jews/Messiah), but the root supports you(Gentiles)." (Romans 11:18)

In our world of trendy Christianity we run the risk of seperating ourselves from our roots. It has happened before in Church history...may it never happen again!

Dig deep and discover your roots as a Christian. They are rich and deep, and they provide life and health to us if we attatch ourselves to them!

Thank God for Israel, the Jewish people, and most of all our Jewish Messiah...Jesus!

Redeem the Morning

"The men who have done the most for God in this world have been early on their knees. He who fritters away the early morning-its opportunity and freshness- in other pursuits than seeking God will make poor headway seeking Him the rest of the day. If God is not first in our thoughts and efforts in the morning, He will be last during the remainder of the day.
Behind this early rising and early praying is the intense desire which urges us into this pursuit after God. Morning listlessness indicates a listless heart. The heart which is lax in seeking God in the morning has lost its relish for God. "
" A desire for God which cannot break the chains of sleep is a weak thing and will do little good for God. The desire for God that stays far behind the devil and the world at the beginning of the day will never catch up."
"It is not simply getting up which brings men to the front and makes them leaders in God's hosts. It is the overwhelming desire which stirs and breaks all self-indulgent chains that does so. But getting up gives vent, increase, and strength to the desire...No man receives God who does not follow hard after Him. And, no soul follows hard after God who is not after Him in early morn."(E.M. Bounds: Power Through Prayer Pg.52 and 53)

"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." (Galatians 3:13-14)

Because of what Jesus became on the cross (a curse), we are blessed. It doesn't matter what is happening around us. We are not cursed, we are blessed!

When the economy takes a down turn, we continue to go upward!

When the world decreases, we increase!

When there is death all around us, there is life within us!

When sickness tries to latch on to us, healing bursts forth from within!

When circumstances are causing too much pressure to bare, the greater pressure of the Almighty God within us can push it back!

We are blessed!

Praying and Singing

As we drove home from the hospital that day I did something that I hadn't done for a long time. I put my head on my wife's shoulder and we began to weep. It was the first day of what would be a long season of sorrow and suffering. I frequently experienced regular bouts of grief in the weeks to come. My wife suffered even more. We were tired, and on top of all this, we had unexpected bills to pay that we could not pay. This was the day after the miscarriage that took our first child.

I prayed all night, only to crash land in a pile of defeat and grief the following day as the reality of what happened set in. After I came too, I had a decision to make. I was either going to continue in the defeat, or I was going to pray and praise my way out of it. I chose the latter.

My brother had just returned from Sweden and he gave us a tape from the conference he attended. It was a New Years Eve conference and for the last hour of it the people prayed and praised God. I listened to that tape many times. I not only listened...I sang, I prayed, and I did it loudly! It became my place of refuge, hope, and peace. It was in this place of praise and prayer that I overcame.

When I praised God it released a greater pressure than that which was weighing on me through our circumstances. Eventually the pressure of prayer and praise pushed back the pressure of our present situation. Finally we reached a place of peace in God's presence. Then the answer came!

My wife and I took a trip to Sweden the following year for a leadership conference. During our time there we visited the Bible School for a day of classes. That day the teacher was speaking on the subject of blood covenant. As he began to read scriptures he came to this one. "and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span." Then he stopped reading, looked up, and said this to the class. "There are some in here that have had a miscarriage and I want to say to you, NEVER AGAIN!" As far as I know, he knew nothing of what we had just been through. When he said those words it was like something burst over the top of us and the feeling of a cool refreshing presence covered and filled us from top to bottom. That was the last day of fear and grief. Something broke over our lives. A month later my wife was expecting again, and now three children later, we are still singing and praying.

So many times we try to fix spiritual problems with natural means. Instead of trusting God, we overwork ourselves, instead of praying and taking authority, we pop pills to relieve ourselves. The list goes on.

One day Paul and Silas were physically beaten and thrown into prison. I dare say that wasn't the most pleasant physical circumstance to be in. They felt pain, they felt pressure, and they probably couldn't sleep that night in jail. So how did they change their negative natural circumstances? This is how...

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose." Their spiritual action released a natural transformation of circumstances.

Prayer and worship is the best way to counter the pressure's of the devil in your life. When you praise Him who is worthy, holy, righteous, and glorious, doors will begin to fly open for you, chains will begin to fall off, and God's salvation will prevail! And you will "overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of your testimony!"

Disciples of Jesus

The other night I had a visit from a fast talking salesman. He wanted me to buy a magazine subscription from him. I listened graciously to him and when he was done I told him that I didn't want to buy anything. He then turned to the infamous guilt tactic. He told me that an old women down in Louisiana had bought magazines from him. He was sure to tell me that it was just after Katrina hit and they had no money but appreciated his hard work. In his words it "made her feel good" and in other words...that I should do the same. It was at this time that I turned the sale around and offered him something free of charge! The Gospel of Jesus Christ!
I asked him if he knew Jesus? He said, "What!?"..."do I know Jesus?" He wondered what that had to do with buying from him. I said "it has nothing to do with it, it has to do with the condition of your heart!" His frustration level began to rise as if to say that I didn't have a right to talk to him about this subject. With an intense look he asked, "Are you a Mormon?", I said no. He asked, "Are you a Christian?" I said yes. Then he responded, "me too!" Then I countered with, "then this shouldn't bother you now should it?"
After some time of going back and forth he finally hit his limit with me. With a gangster like hand motion he said, "look man...Jesus loves you!" At that he looked at his partner and said, "let's get out of here!"

In Acts 11:26 we read that the "disciples were first called Christians at Antioch." They were called Christians because they were true disciples, people who acted like their Master. I think it is safe to say that we can call ourselves a Christian, like my salesman friend, and not be a disciple. He may have just been having a bad night, but it didn't seem like he was bearing the fruit of a disciple of Christ.

A disciple forsakes all to follow Jesus. He bears his cross and walks along the narrow road. That road is the crucified life where we die to ourselves. This means self-denial. A disciple has counted the cost and is willing to pay the price to follow Jesus. It is a high price!

A disciple abides in the Word of God. He hears, reads, listens, and obeys the word. As a result it becomes a living reality in his life.

A disciple bears much fruit. When the character and lifestyle of Jesus is deeply rooted in a person it will cause others to follow Jesus. The result will be a multiplication of totally committed disciples of Jesus.

A disciple is a slave to his Master. Whatever Jesus says, goes!

A disciple is a fisher of men and a worker in the harvest. Deciding to be a disciple will require everything from us. Consider the following verse.

"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple."(Lk 14:26)

Persistent Faith

(Luke 18:1-8)

Hear what the unjust judge says...

"Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her continual coming."

Hear what the Lord says,

"Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. When the Son of Man comes will He find (this kind) of faith on the earth?


How long are we really willing to pray? How many days and weeks of crying out to God are we really up for? Will we keep praying and trusting God to answer even if it seems that He is "putting us off?" Or will we yield to a cry baby, spoiled brat mentality ? :)

If we persist long enough God has promised to give us justice and victory! Refuse to give up even if it seems more practical to do so. Refuse to give up even if it hurts. Refuse to give up even if every circumstance seems to testify to your defeat.

Why?

God will answer eventually...and when the answer comes it will be "quick."

Decide today that the Son of Man will find this kind of faith in your life when He comes.

FAITH WORKS.

BLOG BREAK

This blog will be sporadic over the next couple months. I will be spending more time on my other blog which can be found at:

http://overcomingchurch.blogspot.com


You are more than welcome to join in the weekly conversation that will be taking place starting September 7th. There is an initial post there at this time, but I will be adding more soon.

God bless you!

Anthony

SADDLEBACK CIVIL FORUM

I don't know if you had a chance to watch this very interesting forum, but if you didn't I would like to recommend the following article. In my opinion it is very well written and gives a great overview of the discussion that took place with Senator Obama and Mccain.

http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=28928&page=1

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY

Yay, our daddy is the birthday boy today.

Happy 31st b-day to the best daddy

in the whole world.

Elise, Alivia, & Emma

My Family Is The Church

"If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?" (1 Tim 3:5)

Sometimes we separate church and family and make them two different priorities in our lives. If the church is the people, the "called out ones"...then our families are the church. That is if we have made Jesus our Lord and have decided to follow Him. The church will only be as strong as the families are because it is these people that make up the church.

To be a strong leader in the church all one has to focus on is being a strong leader at home. If we can take care of our spouse and children and lead them into God's plan, then we will be able to take care of other believers also.

James Dobson once said, "When you and I have reached the end of our brief journey on this earth, nothing will matter more to us than the quality of our families and the depth of our relationship with God."

Focusing on our relationship with God and ministering to our families will work like a ripple effect the spreads to the rest of the body of Christ. What holds the most value for us on this earth?

Workers For The Harvest

"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." (Matt 9:35-38)

Can you see what Jesus sees? As He was teaching, preaching, and healing he noticed the crowds. When he saw these crowds compassion rose up inside of him. Why? The people were harassed and helpless. What was His solution to this?

1. He first made it known that the harvest was plentiful. In other words, there is plenty to do in the kingdom of God.
2. Second he exposed the need for more workers.
3. Then He said to "ask" that the Lord would send out more laborers.

When we apply for a new job, we try to convince the employer that we are the person for that particular job. Why don't you schedule an interview with the Lord of the harvest this week in your prayer time. Tell Him why you would be a good worker in His harvest field. Tell Him why you are the candidate He is looking for.

God I pray that you will send out more workers into the harvest. I make myself available, here I am, send me.

Being A Channel For The Gospel

Acts chapter ten speaks about a man by the name of Cornelius. This man was known for praying often and giving to the poor. His prayers and his giving mixed together to build a memorial before God. This memorial brought the supernatural into Cornelius's life and family. The Lord sent an angel with a message to him to find Peter and have him come to his house. Peter did end up coming. When he came he preached the gospel to all who were present at this mans house. That day the door opened to the Gentile world and that one man's house became a channel for the gospel to spread throughout the rest of the Gentile world. That was the day the door opened in earnest to those outside of Israel.

The same day the message of Jesus being a healer came to that house. Peter preached, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth...who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed through the devil." The same day all who heard the gospel were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues and prophesy!

One man, who was faithful to prayer and giving became the doorway for the gospel to touch the Gentile world. May our families be a door for the gospel to spread to the ends of the earth! May they be the source of the power of the Holy Spirit in our generation! A life of prayer and giving will open our lives to the supernatural which leads to a breakthrough for the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit in other peoples lives. If we faithfully open our lives to the Holy Spirit we release a potential for the power of God to reach further than we ever imagined. Do you think Cornelius realized that what happened in his house that day would reach our houses today...so many years later?

The Holy Spirit Was Upon Jesus

After Jesus was tempted in the wilderness the Bible says that He, "returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit."(Lk.4:14)
Later in the same chapter He stood up in the synagogue and read from the book of Isaiah, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."(v.18-19)
Acts 10:38 says, "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him."


This is the gospel that we believe and the gospel that we preach. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The Holy Spirit has always worked together with Jesus to release power and freedom upon the earth.

Owl

My daughter always wants me to take a camera with me when I go out for a hike. Today I brought it and caught a couple pictures of wildlife. Can you see the owl in the first picture?

And for your enjoyment I added a picture of another creature at the bottom.

Avoiding The Path of Prostitution

"At the window of my house I looked out through the lattice. I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who lacked judgement. He was going down the street near her (an adulteress) corner, walking along in the direction of her house at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in...With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. All at once he followed her like an ox going to slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life." (from Proverbs chapter 7).

In a day when many high profile politicians, preachers, and priests are being exposed for a lack of purity it would be pertinent to apply these principles of Proverbs chapter 7. There are many points we could pull out of the chapter and apply to our lives. It is something us men (and women) should refresh our minds with on a regular basis.

When I was sixteen years old I heard a youth minister say that a sexually immoral life would destroy my relationship with God. Yes, there is restoration for all who call upon God, but that word was a word I needed at a very vulnerable time in my life. It placed a fear of God and a desire for holiness into my life that I have had to fight for ever since.

God's grace is necessary and sufficient for us to live a holy lifestyle. Titus 2:11-12 says, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age."

God's grace makes God's power perfect in our weaknesses (2 Cor 12:9). Many times we make God's grace more like a warm cozy blanket to cover up and hide our sins. This is not true grace. Paul said, "What shall we say then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? (Romans 6:1-2)

God's grace gives us the power to choose life instead of death, holiness instead of sin, joy instead of anger, etc... We can conquer in this area of our lives if we will call upon Him! No one said it would be easy, but God did say that His grace would be sufficient for us!

Proverbs 7 says about the young man that wandered down the prostitutes path that his choice would "cost him his life." Which price is higher? Holiness or death?

My Family

Today I have experienced a renewed feeling of gratification for my family. My wife and children are my life. I feel like I have special favor from God to have been blessed with such an amazing family. They are a refuge that I come home to after being out in an ungodly world. They are a protection from so many temptations. When I look at how beautiful my children are I realize that I married the right woman. That one woman is the only one that I desire. We were meant to be together. Thank God for my family! May we all stand up and fight for what is really important in life. When we lay aside our selfishness and begin to lay down our lives for our family we will see victory in this area.
I am convinced that no matter how successful we may become, if our family is not together, then it will all have been a waiste of life and we will be miserable. What is it that really matters to us? Today we can all refocus our attention in the right direction. Even if we have made mistakes, today we can make them right and move on. God is with you! He will never leave you nor forsake you!

Happy B-day to My sis

Dear Amy,
I wanted to give you a special and unique birthday greeting today, so I thought...."hmmmm...why not post a blog in honor of my big sister!" So here we go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Only you have the honor of being a part of one of the most dangerous things I have ever done. Do you remember the time we hooked moms exercise stretchy thingies to the light post at our house on High Street?
We hooked the handles and then proceeded to stretch them as far as we could and then let them pull us like lighting across our front yard. It was all fun and good until....I repeat, until....
You slightly moved yours in a direction that caused mine to fly off the light post. I must add that we had them stretched at full length. All I remember is the hard plastic black handle coming right at my face...then there was blackness.
After that my upper lip blew up like a balloon. Do you remember? I had to have my chicken sliced up into little pieces so that I could finger feed myself. My lip was too big for a fork to fit in or something.
I didn't want to go out in public because I was so paranoid about my puffy lips. I remember going to the mall and walking around with a hanker chief over my face because I didn't want anyone to see my wounds. What a memory! Thanks for making it with me!

Here is another memory. Remember the time you came up behind me in our front yard in country village and pushed me down in front of all my friends? Then I chased you into a corner by the house and punched you in the face! I think you just laughed at me :). LOL! You used to be stronger than me you know...not anymore! Bring it on anytime!

It is fun sometimes to just look at our past and laugh at it out loud!

You are an awesome sister! Our whole lives are before us! I am sure in the future we will have more adventures to tell about! Keep your head high today and look to the future. God has great things planned for your life! Never give up!

Love your bro
Anthony (bubby)

Which Is Easier?

One day as Jesus was teaching people that had gathered from every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem the Bible says, "the power of the Lord was present for Him to heal the sick." It was at that moment that some men lowered their paralyzed friend through the roof right before Jesus. Jesus first responded with "friend, your sins are forgiven."
The teachers of the law that were also there began to accuse Jesus of blasphemy in their thoughts. Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked them a question. He said, "Which is easier: to say, "your sins are forgiven", or "get up and walk." Then in order to prove to the men that He could forgive sins, he healed the man.
So, which statement is easier? Both statements of Jesus contain 4 words. Both can be said with the same amount of effort. This must mean that both are just as easy for Jesus to do. Is it possible that Jesus has provided both healing for our body and forgiveness for our sinful nature? Is it possible that he did it through one sacrificial act? Thank God for the cross which provides salvation for our souls and healing through the stripes of Jesus!

A Passion For The Bible

I was reading a book last night. The author told of a time that he stood in his church and asked a group of young people (Christian school students) a few questions about the Bible. He was curious to see their Bible knowledge. He asked them "How many know what John 13 talks about?" No one raised their hand. "How many know what Acts 13 is about?" No hands went up. He then asked, "How many know what Romans 13 deals with?" No hands. Finally he had a few hands go up when he asked about 1 Corinthians 13...the love chapter.
This story challenged me to ask myself the same questions. I remembered a few things about Acts 13 and Romans 13, but for the life of me I couldn't remember what happened in John 13. I felt a tinge of conviction enter my heart which has led to a renewed hunger to know God's word much better.
David said in Psalm 119:20 "My soul is consumed with longing for you laws at all times." He also said in the same chapter, "Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws."(v.164) Talk about a passion for the scriptures!
How will we be able to uphold sound doctrine if we can't even find it in our Bibles? The Bible says that in the "end times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits." The only way to refute bad teaching that will come in the last days is for all of us to have a renewed hunger after God's word. When we begin to read it, listen to it, memorize it, and most of all practice it we will establish sound doctrine into our lives. We must be hearers and doers of what we can so easily read in our Bibles.

Baby Steps

We have all heard the statement, "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." When the first man stepped onto the moon it was literally just putting one foot in front of the other for him. For the rest of humanity it was a giant leap that they could never accomplish in their lifetime, but they were still included in that small step.
When one of my daughters was about a year and a half old she was diagnosed with a condition called guillan barre syndrome. She was quickly losing her ability to walk. She would take three small steps and just collapse on the floor. Then it would take her several minutes to stand back to her feet again unless we just picked her up. For her, during that time just taking one small step was a giant leap. After a lot of prayer, a lot of doctor visits, and a lot of hard days one small step is becoming easier for her. She is conquering one step at a time.
When an ultra marathon runner competes in a race that is over 100 miles long many of them say that they have to make small goals. They tell themselves along the route, "just one more step." When they steadily place one foot in front of the other it eventually leads to them covering huge distances. Sometimes distances that seem humanly impossible.
What race are you running today? What dream have you set your eyes on? What has God called you to? In order to get there it takes one step at a time. Some days you will feel light on your feet. Be thankful for those seasons, because they won't be the reality everyday. Other days it feels like each step is a struggle. We want to quit, but we can't!
There are possibly thousands of people waiting on the other side of your breakthrough. What may be one difficult step for you may be a giant leap of victory for another person. Stand up! Lift your eyes! Don't quit! God is with you!
Little by little you will drive out your enemies. Little by little you will conquer the dream God has placed in your spirit. Little by little you will settle into your promised land!

Seizing the right opportunity

There is nothing in the world like knowing that you are in the right place, at the right time, with the right people...right in the middle of the will of God.
When we seize a God given opportunity there are doors that will open that would have never opened if we would have just kept going in the same old direction we are used too. To jump out and take a risk creates discomfort and fear. Thinking about it too long creates even more reasons to why we shouldn't go through with it. Sometimes we just need to take action and go for it with an attitude that says, "I have nothing to lose!"
Why are you holding back? Why haven't you taken that opportunity that is staring you in the face? Are you chicken?
The worst thing that could happen is that it may not work. If that is the case then you have just ruled out one more item on your list of un-necessaries. The best thing that could happen is that you may zero in on and walk right into your destiny.

Abraham went out not knowing where he was going! (Heb 11)

Upcoming Class

For the next month I will be preparing a class that I will be teaching at my local church (Phoenix First Assembly). The title of the class is "The Overcoming Church: Understanding Your Place In The Body of Christ"
The course begins on September 7th, and will run for twelve weeks. I am very excited about this class and look forward to what God wants to do through it. The Church of the living God is an overcoming place, instituted by God Himself. Sadly, for many believers the church has become a place of strife and needless confusion. This is a result of a lack of understanding about what the church is and what it's purpose is on this earth. My prayer is that through this class every believer will see their vital place in the family of God. That we will understand the place of God appointed leadership and learn to walk in the supernatural as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "the gates of hell" would not prevail against the church. If those gates will not prevail something else will. That something else that will prevail is the church! You and I are not only a part of this prevailing church, we are the church. We are the body of Christ upon this earth, and we can change the atmosphere of the society around us.
For those of you who live in Pheonix and can come to the class you are more than welcome! For those who are not able to be there I have started an online interactive blog site to reinforce the teaching. There you can join in and make comments with the students as we deepen our understanding of this subject. The site is still in the process of being put together, but you can check it out at:

http://overcomingchurch.blogspot.com

Arrested By The Presence of God

Some months ago I was on my way home after a very boring (mandatory) meeting at work. After this three hour meeting I was more than ready to go home. I was tired, and a little frustrated for having to spend my Saturday listening to dry lectures about very important issues in the medical field. As I sat in my very trendy little Honda Fit I grabbed my ipod to listen to a sermon on my drive home. After I chose what I wanted to listen to I was on my way. Before the sermon began there was a small season of worship. The moment I heard the song I was gripped in my spirit and I began to worship along with the music. Suddenly something arrested me...it was God's presence. As the spirit of worship came upon me a flood of love and adoration began to flow from within me towards the one I will obey for the rest of my life. I sang as loud as I could for the next 15-20 minutes. My whole day was different after that moment.
Have you ever been going about your life and out of nowhere the Holy Spirit comes upon you and all you can do is pray or worship the Lord? If not you need to come closer to Him so that he can distract you anytime, anywhere with His wonderful presence. When He comes we must give ourselves to Him. When we continually offer our lives as a sacrifice to God we will not be able to get away from His arresting presence because we won't want to.
That presence will not only pull the love out of us for Him, but it will focus our love towards others. Then His life can enter into the world around us.

Hold on to your calling

"...you should try as much as you can to add these things to your lives: to your faith, add goodness; and to your goodness, add knowledge; and to your knowledge, add self-control; and to your self-control, add the ability to hold on; and to your ability to hold on, add service for God; and to your service for God, add kindness for your brothers and sisters in Christ; and to this kindness, add love. If all these things are in you and are growing, they will help you never to be useless...But if anyone does not have these things, he cannot see clearly. He is blind. He has forgotten that he was made clean from his past sins. My brothers, God called you and chose you to be His..." (2 Pet. 1:5-10)

God's calling for our lives is a holy calling. Many times the pressures we fight in this life don't have anything to do with the outward things such as money, relationships, stress, etc... It has to do with making our calling sure. It isn't necessarily so easy to establish God's calling in our lives. This is why we must establish things in our character such as "the ability to hold on" and the other things mentioned in the scripture above.

Realistically speaking, there is bound to be a struggle if we are going to walk in our calling. On the other hand, if we refuse to let go of God (the one we are called too) we are bound to have great victory!

Regaining a true sense of sin

I read a very true quote today:

“whereas for Luther the primary existential problem was how to overcome the pervading sense of guilt and gain God’s benevolence, today the problem is exactly the opposite: how to give back to the people of today that true sense of sin which they have totally lost” (Ranerio Cantalamessa)

May we never lose the conviction of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Pope's Preacher

Raniero Cantalemessa is a Spirit filled Franciscan Capuchin Catholic Priest . He is preacher to the Papal Household. Check out the interview at the link below. Thank God that He is not limited just to our "section" of the body of Christ. Never limit the Holy Spirit!


http://www.cantalamessa.org/en/articoloView.php?id=56

Be Strong

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Eph 6:12).

Does it ever feel like you are in a struggle and don't realize why? Have you ever felt an unseen pressure on your soul that you just couldn't shake? Have you ever dealt with continuing thoughts of torment and fear? If so it is very possible that the devil has released his schemes against your life.
As Christians we believe in what Ephesians 6 talks about. The spiritual war is a reality that we face on a daily basis. Therefore we should take up the whole armor of God so that we will have the ability to resist and win the battle. Salvation, truth, righteousness, preaching the gospel, the shield of faith, and the sword of God's word are effective weapons in our confrontation with evil. With these we can stand firm in the authority of the name of Jesus. Paul also continues with a challenge to "pray at all times in the Spirit". All of these are powerful weapons of our warfare.
For the secular mind these things may seem like a figment of imagination or fairy tales. For the scriptural mind these things are a reality. The unseen world is just as real as the earth we live on. Perhaps more real, since it was that world that created this world.
The Bible never promises us an easy and enjoyable life. It promises blessing, but it also promises us tribulation and struggle. The good news is that Jesus has won the battle through the cross. May the victory of the cross be established in every area of our lives today. All authority has been given to our Lord in heaven, and on this earth!

The Holy Spirit

When I was 16 I met a Person that changed my life. This Person has helped me in more situations than I can remember. He has given me a boldness to conquer things that I have always feared. He has taken me into the unknown and after I got there, what I didn't know became known in the right time. He is the most wonderful Person I have ever met. His name is the Holy Spirit. He convicted me of my sin and captured my heart, bringing me to the knowledge of the truth. He filled me with His power. He placed God's dream in my spirit. The night that I was filled with the Holy Spirit God's calling for the church, Israel, and the nations came upon me. I have walked in that calling ever since. That same night a spirit of prayer came over my life leading me into a deeper communion with God. Since I was sixteen it has been as if living water has continually flowed in and through my life. I can't imagine where my life would be without the wonderful third Person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit! Have you received the Holy Spirit since you have believed?

Who are you going to vote for and why?

Have you thought much about the elections that are just around the corner? It is very important to be informed. As a Christian, I believe that we have a responsibility to make decisions based on the Word of God. Too many times we lean towards being trendy instead of being true to the Bible. Scan the candidates and their views through the scriptures. Never make a decision because the majority says it is right. Never make a decision just because it feels good. Make a right decision by praying a lot, ask the Holy Spirit what He thinks. Then do your homework, scrutinize the belief system of the candidate, and make a right decision. Here are a couple helpful links.


The first one is Dr Dobson speaking about our two presidential hopefuls.
http://www.citizenlink.org/clspecialalert/A000007835.cfm

The second is an interesting blog by Joel Rosenberg
http://joelrosenberg.blogspot.com/2008/07/obama-in-epicenter.html

Never Give Up!

A couple weeks ago I was out hiking in the mountains. As I was coming down the highest of the mountains to climb I stopped and spoke to a man who was slightly overweight, I would guess he was at about 300Ibs. As I spoke with him I found out that he had begun a journey to a more healthy lifestyle. Part of this was daily climbing on the mountains. In our brief meeting I encouraged him to climb to the top of the highest one. He said, "today this was my goal, I will go to the top of the other one in a few weeks." As I left I said, "You will make it!"
Just this past Sunday I was up on the same mountain again. Down at the foot of the mountain I recognized the same man. I watched as he began his ascent to where I was. After about 15 minutes I decided to start my descent. We met about half way. That was his stopping point for the day. He had met his goal. He was half way up the mountain!
As I left I said to him, "do you see those small trees right there, that is pretty much the top, just go for it!" He said, "I might", then I left. When I was about a quarter mile away I looked back, and there, on top, was this man! He did it! He climbed to the peak! What a victory!
For a 300 pound man to climb any mountain in Phoenix, in the summer, is quite an accomplishment. It gave me joy to see him up there.
We should never give up! Whatever mountain top we are trying to climb in life is worth the effort of getting there. Once we reach the summit, our vision will expand, we will see new peaks that we have never seen before. New possibilities and opportunities will come into view. So today, keep climbing, don't quit! We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!

Friends That Think

Sometimes it is difficult to find friends that challenge you to think. If you are like me, I used to become defensive if someone asked me a question that directly challenged my thinking. In my thinking I tend to lean toward what I call the "assumption thought process." Which means that when I rattle off something without thinking I assume you understand what I mean, even if it doesn't make sense. I have learned that many people need more than a surface answer to catch what you are trying to communicate. One of my thinking friends cornered me with a question some months ago. My initial answer was quick and to the point...not really thought through. I realized as he continued to come after me with more follow-up questions that he desired something more than my normal shallow Christian response. At this I asked him to email me the question so that I could ponder it a little longer. Below is the question and my response: Please enjoy, this is my last post for the weekend! Thank God for friends that sharpen us up!
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Here's the question: Is doubt a necessary precondition to faith?


Let me begin my response with another question. Is water a necessary precondition to fire? The answer to that question is my answer to your question. I will give my answer at the end of my essay. Please don’t skip to the end yet!
Let me begin with an example from the life of Jesus. Early one morning Jesus was hungry. He approached a fig tree. The fig tree had no fruit on it. Jesus then proceeded to curse the fig tree and it withered immediately (Matt 21:18-19). Next His disciples asked Him “how did it wither so quickly?”(v.20). Jesus then replied with this answer, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but….”(21). In this situation we see that doubt was not necessary for faith to work. Jesus had faith and did not doubt. His faith worked on its own.
Let me offer another thought. According to Romans 12:3 we (believers) have been given a measure of faith from God. Faith is a gift, and God does not require us to doubt in order to get this gift, rather He requires us to believe. If faith comes from God, I doubt there is any doubt mixed within the gift…? After all, “by faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command” (Heb 11:3). As far as I can reason, there was no doubt present at creation. God just commanded, and it was so. Wow! That is faith! Faith comes from God’s nature. I don’t believe there is any doubt in Gods nature. When He deposits a measure of faith into our lives in reality He is depositing a part of His divine nature. Divine nature and doubt don’t mix…which leads me to my next point.
Although Gods divine nature has no doubt in it, our human nature does. This is where the fight of faith (1 Tim 6:12) comes into play. When God’s divine nature of faith mixes with our carnal nature of doubt there is bound to be some friction. Faith and doubt are both substances (Heb 11:1), but neither require the other to exist. However, if the measure of one substance outweighs the measure of the other, the lesser will be consumed by the greater. Think about the many times Jesus said statements like, “I have not seen such great faith in all Israel”, or “Oh you of little faith.” When a person had great faith, miracles happened. When they had little, Jesus had to admonish them and keep them from drowning in the Sea of Galilee.
Even Jesus dealt with the fight of faith. Why? He had Divine nature and human nature at the same time. When He was in the Garden of Gethsemane He struggled with the obedience of faith. We see a fight between His human nature for “this cup to pass from me if possible” and His divine nature of trust in saying “not my will, but Yours be done.” The substance that was stronger in His life led Him to go through with the will of God. That substance was faith in His Father.
In conclusion, is water a precondition to fire? No, but the reality is they both exist. Yet one is not a precondition for the other to exist. Is doubt a precondition to faith? No, but the reality is they both exist. I do believe it is possible to increase our measure of faith far beyond doubt in our lives. Then we can say according to 1 John 5:4-5 that “everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith!”

One Thing

One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. (Ps 27:4)

Precious Spirit of God

What a wonderful person the Holy Spirit is. He is our source of wisdom when we lack it. He is our wealth of knowledge. He provides understanding in all situations and circumstances. He is our Counselor and Helper. He gives us the might to conquer evil. He is the Spirit of the fear of the Lord which gives us a healthy respect for God the Father. The Spirit of God was upon Jesus to heal the broken hearted and open the blind eyes. When Jesus ascended to heaven He sent the Holy Spirit to rest upon us and live within us. Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed these things to us through His Spirit. All of those who are led by the Spirit of God are truly sons of God. Oh, precious, wonderful, and beautiful Spirit of the living God! Come and bring times of refreshing into our lives today! Come and lead us into all truth! Jesus, baptize us with your Spirit and fire!

Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev

"Whoever saves a single life is as one who has saved an entire world." (Mishnah Sandedrin 4:5)

It was June 2007, and my wife and I were in Israel. One night at a banquet special guest Harry Hurwitz asked us (the tour group) to pray for these two men and also for Gilad Shalit. The presence of God was tangible as we began to pray for their safe return. I really believed that we would see a safe homecoming for them on the news in the near future.

I was grieved today to read the news headlines that in the prisoner swap they were returned home not alive, but dead.

Today I wondered why we felt God's presence as we prayed for someone that was probably already dead? We had no natural way of knowing what the circumstances were, but we prayed, and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the God of Israel heard our cry for these Jewish men.

Maybe He was just pleased that we cared for His people enough to pray for these two individuals? Or maybe the quote above is true to the heart of God. Does God look at a single life as an entire world?

Now that I look back I think the presence that I felt that night was God's eternal love for His covenant people, and His pleasure with us as we (Gentiles) cried out to Him on their behalf.

Father, today, I pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May you preserve your people's going out and their coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

Up To The Mountain

I will lift up my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from?(Ps 121:1). Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain(Ex 19:3). The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up.(Ex 19:20). The LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain and stay here."(Ex. 24:12). "The LORD spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain."(Duet.5:4)
The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."(1 Kings 19:11). In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.(Ps 95:4). Part your heavens, O LORD, and come down; touch the mountains.(Ps: 144:5).
After he(Jesus) had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.(Matt. 14:23). Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. (Matt. 15:29). After leaving them, he(Jesus) went up on a mountainside to pray (Mk 6:46).


Why all the mountain scriptures? Well, I spent the day yesterday in northern Arizona. I climbed to about 10,000 feet and just sat there seeking God, and reading the Bible. The silence was both soothing and scary. It produced a much needed refreshing of my soul and a tangible fear of the Lord at the same time. (There was also a small concern that a cougar or bear might come out after me but that is a different type of fear :). The mountains testified of God's invisible qualities that have been present ever since creation. His power and divine nature are clearly seen, being understood from what has been made...(Rom 1:20).
I felt so small on the slopes of the San Francisco peaks, and God seemed so big. My concerns became overwhelmed as God was magnified in my mind.
I lifted my eyes to the hills, where did my help come from? My help came from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
There is nothing better than doing whatever it takes to spend some time alone with God. Nothing is better then taping into the well of life the Holy Spirit has to offer. Nothing is better than taking a walk with Jesus. For when we seek Him in the secret place, He will reward us openly. What greater reward is there than simply having His presence close to us everyday?

John 3:16

This gospel of the kingdom, shall be preached in every nation. (Matt 24:14). Here is John 3:16 in a few different languages. Can you guess them?
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16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

16 Porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo, que ha dado a su Hijo unigénito, para que todo aquel que en él cree, no se pierda, mas tenga vida eterna.

16Car Dieu a tant aimé le monde qu'il a donné son Fils unique, afin que quiconque croit en lui ne périsse point, mais qu'il ait la vie éternelle.

16Poiché Dio ha tanto amato il mondo, che ha dato il suo unigenito Figlio, affinché chiunque crede in lui non perisca, ma abbia vita eterna.

16 Vì Đức Chúa Trời yêu thương thế gian, đến nỗi đã ban Con một của Ngài, hầu cho hễ ai tin Con ấy không bị hư mất mà được sự sống đời đời.

16Ибо так возлюбил Бог мир, что отдал Сына Своего Единородного, дабы всякий верующий в Него, не погиб, но имел жизнь вечную.

16 لأَنَّهُ هكَذَا أَحَبَّ اللهُ الْعَالَمَ حَتَّى بَذَلَ ابْنَهُ الْوَحِيدَ، لِكَيْ لاَ يَهْلِكَ
كُلُّ مَنْ يُؤْمِنُ بِهِ، بَلْ تَكُونُ لَهُ الْحَيَاةُ الأَبَدِيَّةُ

Emma. 7Ibs 13oz. 18.5 in. 7/7/08

Well, the day has finally come! Emma is here! Thank God! Now, let me tell you a small part of this adventure.

For the past few weeks it seemed that she could come at any time. This kept me on edge too say the least:) I work about 20-25 minutes away from home and had anticipated a call at any moment. At which point I would have gotten up from my desk and departed as fast as possible. I am glad that it didn't happen this way...since she decided to come so fast.

Sunday, July 6th was quite an interesting day to say the least. We all went to church Sunday morning and then came home for a nice lunch. Around 4pm on the 6th a "blessing" in disguise decided to come into our life unexpectedly. Our air conditioning went out! For you that live out east or up in Scandinavia that might not be a big deal, but when you live in Phoenix, AZ it is a big deal. Temp's are set comfortably above 100 at this time of year...everyday!

As quick as we could we packed up some belongings for a slumber party at my brother's one room apartment. After church we headed to our missionary style conditions (all packed in one room), but hey, I can't complain. We had air conditioning in that little apartment, and when Emma came my other two daughters had a safe place to stay the night.

I was sound asleep well into the night of the 6th. But my sleep slipped away when the day of the seventh set in. I was awakened by my wife hobbling to and from the bathroom. She said, "just so you know, I am counting contractions." That was 1:30am on the seventh and after that moment my sleep was gone.

Every 20 minutes the contractions came, and every 20 minutes I became a little more nervous. "Is this the real thing?", I wondered. I searched frantically for my clothing almost tripping over my daughter who was sound asleep on an air mattress. This caused my wife to laugh which led to a seriously strong stomach cramp. After I was clothed and in my right mind I slowly drifted back into a light sleep.

Suddenly I heard a loud splashing sound coming from the bathroom! This startled me from my dazed and confused state and produced thoughts such as...Did she fall down? Was she caught in the clutches of another contraction!? Was that her water breaking? Then I realized, oh...it is just the shower. Why was she taking a shower?

I found out that her water did break and it was time to go!

When we left the house the contractions were ten minutes apart. By the time we got to the hospital (20 minutes later) they were three minutes apart. Within one hour and forty-five minutes and a couple forceful pushes and yells, Emma was born. She was so fast that there was no time at all for medication. The nurses had to drop everything and page the Dr, "STAT!" The on call doctor came in and out in within 10 minutes. Job well done, and right on time!

We are now home and everyone is healthy. My wife is my hero! My daughters are my treasures! I truly am a very, very, wealthy man! I have been reminded once again through Emmas birth, that when God is in control of our lives things happen in the "fullness of time."

The Gospel Is The Power of God

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek."(Romans 1:16).

When I was 19 years old I had the opportunity to preach to approximately 3000 people in India. It happened in Kanpur, India. This city is located in Uttar Pradesh in the northeastern part of the country. My sermon consisted of the following 4 points.
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1. Man was created by God
2. Man fell into sin.
3. God sent Jesus
4. You must receive Jesus to be saved.

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It took only about twenty minutes to preach this simple sermon. If you add the fact that I had to preach through an interpreter, this was a ten minute sermon. Nothing too impressive.

After I finished I gave an invitation for people to receive Jesus. Hands went up everywhere and many people asked Jesus into their lives that night. Next I prayed a short prayer for everyone who was sick. Then we had some testimonies. I remember one man more than any other. He said he was legally blind. He had glasses but could hardly see anything with them. He came up with his glasses in hand rejoicing to the fact that he could count our fingers without his glasses on.

How could all of this happen in about twenty minutes? Because, the Gospel is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes!

Our Life is A Field

Winston Churchill once said,

"There comes a special moment in everyone's life, a moment for which that person was born. That special opportunity, when he seizes it, will fulfill his mission-a mission for which he is uniquely qualified. In that moment he finds greatness. It is his finest hour."

Jesus said in Mark 4:26-29,

"The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. For the earth yields crops by itself first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

Our life is like a field. In the right season it will produce a harvest (our finest hour). Have you sown the seeds into the field that will produce during harvest time? Have you prepared yourself for greatness? Do you expect your finest hour to come?

Things do take time in God's kingdom. Daily preparation and discipline is necessary so that when our finest hour does come we will seize that moment immediately.

Be An Active American

AMENDMENT I



"Congress shall make NO LAW respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the FREE EXCERCISE thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

It is more important than ever that we the people of the United States of America become actively involved in influencing our public policy. If Godly, Christlike individuals don't, then someone else will?

Today is Americas birthday. I think the best gift we can give today is to refresh our pledge of allegiance to this nation and to our Creator once again. God bless America!

Tips on Conquering Pornography

Click the link below for a 30 minute broadcast on the epedemic of internet porn, and how to win victory over it. There is hope!





http://listen.family.org/daily/A000001034.cfm

Being a Father

"Fathers, do not exasperate your children, instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. "(Eph. 6:4)

I have been a Father for almost six years now. About three years ago I was challenged by this Bible verse. The part of the verse that stood out to me was "Fathers..." Which means what is said next is directed towards those who are dad's.

"Do not provoke your children to wrath..." If you are like me, and you are a father, you have probably knowingly (or accidentally) pushed the wrong button at the wrong time in one of your children resulting in some form of exasperation. I admit, repentance is a regular part of my child rearing routine.

In my experience it seems that the first part of the verse is the most quoted. It is usually used to blame the dad for his child's bad mood. Without question we fathers are guilty sometimes, but not all the time. Kids have a will also.

The next part of the verse is what really challenges me. "Fathers,...bring them (children) up in the training and instruction of the Lord." When I read this verse I feel the weight of responsibility. It is my calling to raise my kids. I realize now that it isn't just my wife that is to stay home and do all the child rearing. It isn't the Sunday school's job. It is my responsibility. I will always have to make changes to my lifestyle to prioritize this assignment from God.

The day this verse came alive to me I decided that I was going to be very involved in my children's lives. The society around us has become hostile to children. I believe we have to make the decision to handle children like Jesus did. He told His disciples, "Let the children come to Me."

There is no better place to live this out than right at home with my own children. From that point it can spread to the children of my community, nation, and world.

Family First

I read a story about the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts (Tony Dungy) this week. Here is an excerpt.
"The Indianapolis Colts were preparing for a 2003 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Florida when a security guard tapped the shoulder of head coach Tony Dungy. "Coach, I'm sorry, but your son can't be on the sideline," the guard said. The comment surprised Tony. Eric Dungy, then 11, had stood by his father's side at various games since he was 7.
Tony insisted that Eric would stay. The guard remained firm that he had to go. The players were about to take the field.
"If you remove him from this sideline, I'm taking my team to the locker room, where we'll change and then leave on our buses," Tony said. "You can explain to Wayne (Weaver, the Jaguars' owner) why he's refunding everyone's money."
Eric remains a regular on the ...sidelines to this day."(taken from Focus on the Family monthly magazine June 2008.)

What do you think?

Is your family worth it?

What price are you willing to pay for your spouse and children?

Building A Life of Prayer

I love to pray.

I was exposed to prayer at an early age. Every Sunday my family went to mass at St. Mary's Catholic church in Muncie, IN. As a young boy I would emulate my father as he knelt and prayed on the prayer benches behind the pews. At that time I went through the motions of prayer once a week not really understanding what I was doing. Somehow it still put a reverence in my heart about God Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. These times became the seeds that later would sprout into a life of prayer.

After deciding to fully obey the Lord at age 16 Bible reading became my only source of fellowship with God. My prayer life didn't really begin until I was baptized in the Holy Spirit. Then it became a habit of my daily life. The more I prayed the more I wanted to pray. During this season a book was given to me that would challenge me to pray for hours at a time. The book was Prayer That Brings Revival, by Dr David Cho. (Pastor of the largest church in the world)

Reading this book created a hunger for a deeper life of prayer. I began to challenge myself to pray longer than I ever had before. My life began to radically change. I would force myself to get up early in the morning to pray. Sometimes I would lean on the top bunk of our bunk-beds for support as I prayed early in the morning. Occasionally my knees buckled from falling asleep while standing up. The benefit from these times was that a spirit of endurance came into my prayer life.

Soon after graduation I left home for Bible School in Sweden. My prayer life continued to grow stronger for a couple reasons. One, I was too shy to make any new friends so I had a lot of time alone. Second, we had prayer school. In prayer school I learned to pray for a world bigger than myself. We prayed for pastors and leaders. We prayed for nations. We prayed against evil. We prayed loud. We prayed quite. WE PRAYED!

I will never forget my first day at prayer school. The leader came in and I had my notebook and Bible ready as if she was going to teach and I was going to take notes. This was my reference for learning. She said, "put your books down and stand up...begin to pray." That is what we did for two years. Everyday, we prayed and interceded for the world around us. The most impacting thing to me was that when we prayed, we saw things change. Answers came! Doors opened! We conquered! We caused others to conquer! During this time I realized that the best way to learn about prayer is to practice it.

More recently I have been learning another dimension to prayer that I have always struggled with. The art of listening. There are two special places that have helped me learn this. One is when I physically climb to the top of the mountains across the street from my home in Phoenix, AZ. There I can sit alone and just hear the nature around me. In this silent atmosphere it becomes easy to listen. The other place is the Prayer Pavilion at my church, Phoenix First Assembly. It is a place of beauty that welcomes the presence of God. It is easy to sit there and just listen. In these times when I become settled before God I have received many needed answers during difficult times. Even if no answer comes, The Answer comes in those times. For when we draw near to Him, He draws near to us. Being close to Him is more than enough to satisfy me.

I am still building my life of prayer and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. Prayer is just as important to me as breathing is. I cannot go a day without seeking God. I love Him and I must commune with Him. The more I seek Him, the more I need Him.

"The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place."(2 Chron 30:27)

"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer."(1 Pet. 3:12)

Broadcaster Freedom Act

I just signed a petition calling on Congress to protect the free-speech rights of conservatives over the airwaves. If you haven't heard about how the "Fairness Doctrine" is being used to quiet people who adhere to certain values I recommend researching it a little. Follow the link below and you will find information about what is going on and an opportunity to sign a petition in support of the Broadcaster Freedom Act.

http://www.focuspetitions.com/155/petition.asp?PID=17013375

Other recommendations:

1. Subscribe to the Focus on the Family Podcast where you can receive regular updates on important issues and policies that effect the American family. http://www.focusonthefamily.com/

2. Read, Finding Jefferson: A Lost Letter, a Remarkable Discovery, and the First Amendment in an Age of Terrorism. (by Alan Dershowitz).*

*This book is interesting, informative, and thought provoking about the subject of freedom of speech.

Be brave and make your voice heard!

Are Miracles Practical?

Can we think practically when it comes to fulfilling the great commission and building the kingdom of God? Is it practical to believe for miracles?
My goal in life is to always prioritize God and the spreading of the gospel above everything else. To be honest I don't always reach that goal, but I still strive for it. I have also realized that when I do prioritize the great commission it almost always stretches me beyond my means. I even battle with the thought "why did I get myself into this?" As I struggle with the reality that I don't have enough resources to accomplish everything God has called me too.
My conclusion is that if we are going to build something bigger than we are, it has to be a practical part of the process to believe for miracles. This does not mean that we don't take "down to earth" logical steps to accomplish what God has called us too. It just means that if we are Christians it is realistic thinking to trust God for miracles. When we have done all we know to do there comes a time and place when God has to step in and perform the supernatural. So I conclude that I must do everything I can possibly do in my own power to fulfill the great commission, but I must also give room for God to do a miracle. Both ingredients are practical and necessary. To summarize what someone else once said, "we must put ourselves in a box that is big enough for God to fit in."

The Blessing of Marriage

Today I am celebrating my eighth wedding anniversary. I am fortunate to be married to the best lady in all the world. Sometimes I still wonder how someone as great as her fell in love with me, or at least decided to love me. She is a women of deep character. She is a pristine picture of stability and faithfulness. I have yet to meet another female that is as godly as my wife.
Her gentle spirit has balanced out my rough edges too many times to count. Where would I be without my marriage?

Dear Anna, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you!

I pray to God that our marriage will always be a beautiful picture of what He has always intended. The union of one man and one women under His blessing and guidance...till death do us part.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Called to the World

Today I finished a Sunday school class on the life and ministry of Jesus. I concluded with a message on world missions. One scripture I focused on was Acts 1:8.

"But you shall recieve power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Before I became a Christian I was a pretty shy and insecure young man. That slowly started to change after I decided to obey the Lord. It really changed when the Holy Spirit came upon me. The night Acts 1:8 became a reality in my life was the night God's heart for the world started to beat within mine.

Within the next years I would leave my nation and travel to Sweden, India, Africa, Kazakhstan, and China. I realized that Jesus was serious when He said that I would be His witness "to the ends of the earth." I am glad that I obeyed. I feel like I have only tasted a little of what is yet to come. I still hear the cry of those who have never heard the gospel, and my heart still beats for them. Do you hear the cry of people like the man from Macedonia? The one who was standing and begging Paul in a vision to "Come over to Macedonia and help us."(Acts 16:9)

Here are a couple quotes from missionaries of the past for us to think about.

"If I had 1,000 lives, I'd give them all for China" -Hudson Taylor

"Sympathy is no substitute for action." David Livingston

"No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once." -Oswald J. Smith

"The mark of a great church is not its seating copacity, but its sending capacity." Mike Stachura

"The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time."-Carl F. H. Henry

Nature Walk

This morning at about 6am I headed out the door to take my morning walk. Now that it is summer it is best to get out before the sun gets to high because the heat steals the enjoyment. I love to take prayer walks up the mountains. This time I took my camera with me hoping that I would catch some wildlife in action. I grew up watching National Geographic and Wild America, so I have always been a type of "nature wanna-be".

As I ascended the highest of the mountains I noticed a hawk perched on a rock. Once I reached the peak I noticed 2-3 hawks on the other side hunting in the shade of the mountain. I waited for at least thirty minutes and then I heard the whooosh of wings over head. I looked up to a Harris hawk hovering about 10ft above.

I waited in hopes that I could get a little closer, but to no avail. I ran out of water and I was beginning to get hungry, so I began my descent down the rocky mountain, homeward bound with one thing on my mind...food!

Next I came upon something that is very common in Arizona. Cacti.

Next on my journey I stumbled upon an egg. I wondered what kind of egg it was? A dove, or maybe a quail....or maybe it was a dinosaur egg. I don't know, but it looked like this.

I was a little baffled until I ran into the eggs mother...then I took off running like crazy! Here is a picture of its mommy!

Note: This is a fictional T-Rex! As I ended my walk I did see what I really wanted to see. I saw a reddish orange streak slither out of the sunlight into the bushes. Yep, it was a snake. It was a little too fast for me to catch a snap shot, but maybe next time!

Contemplative/Active Christianity

Extremes can always be found within the Body of Christ. Most of us have been subject to some of our own, or influenced by others. Personally, I don't think it is anything to be nervous about, but something to recognize and enjoy. It reveals the great diversity within believers all around the world, and that diversity can sharpen and balance our beliefs. One imbalance that I have been thinking about lately is the battle between contemplative Christianity and active Christianity. In my opinion we shouldn't just choose one, but combine both.
When I refer to "contemplative" I mean a Christianity that is thought through. Having belief's that "hold water" in the court of public opinion will result in greater influence for the gospel. Many times we don't know why we believe what we believe. If someone were to corner us and question our faith we can sometimes become flustered and frustrated too easily. Why is that?
I think it is wise to do as Proverbs 4:26 says, "Ponder the path of your feet and let all your ways be established." We need to have an unshakable faith and that requires time and thought to obtain. When Paul was questioned by the authorities in Acts 26, he said to Agrippa, "I think myself happy..." Paul knew how to think and make a defense that caused government officials to stand at attention when he spoke. In this way the gospel spread in an influential manner.
On the other hand, only thinking through our faith is not enough. Remember, Paul was out in public with his thoughts not in some exclusive corner. The Christian faith is a public faith. A faith of action, a faith that makes a difference, a faith that brings healing to the hurting. To be a fruitful Christian I believe our thoughts must translate into action. We must fulfill the great commission. That means reaching out locally, nationally, and to the ends of the earth. It means helping the poor, and going to the other side of the globe to give the gospel to those who have never heard it. It also means simply loving your neighbor.
Combining contemplation and action will cause the compassion of Christ to influence further than we can imagine.

Call unto Me (Jer. 33:3)

When I became a Christian I began to hear other believers talk about having a "life verse". In other words, a Bible verse that they felt especially attached too, one that they could always go back to when needed. A scripture that had become a foundation in their walk with the Lord. This type of terminology was foreign to me at the time. I was a Catholic in my early years, and then had not gone to any church most of my teen years. So when I decided to fully obey the Lord (at 16 yrs) many things were new to me. Especially different lingo in different parts of the Body of Christ.
I have finally realized what my "life verse" is. It is Jeremiah 33:3, "Call unto Me, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you don't even know." One thing I have had to do everyday since the beginning of my walk with the Lord is to call unto God. I call unto Jesus because I believe He is the way, the truth, and the life. I call onto God because I believe He is my Father. I call unto the Holy Spirit because I believe He is my Helper.
I don't always get the answer that I am looking for, but I do get the answer that I am calling upon....Him. He is my answer!

Blog Debut!

Well, I have decided to begin a blog. I am not sure exactly what I will do with this site. I am not one to publish all of my thoughts for everyone to read, but little by little I will open up. At this time, we are about ready to have our third child so my mind is elsewhere. After she comes, and my mind begins to settle into a life with three children I will write about some different things. We shall see how it goes! Until then....

Anthony