Spotting a Counterfeit Part 4

Part One began with the how of spotting a counterfeit. The best way is to get to know the genuine really well. Parts 2, 3, and now 4, are more about my going out of my way to involve myself in arguments over topics that believers can and do disagree over, that may or may not be important enough to win an argument about....a few words from the Apostle Paul:

Titus 3:9-11  

But avoid 

foolish

and genealogies,

and contentions, 

and strivings about the law; 

for they are unprofitable  

and vain. 

A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;   

Knowing that he that is such is subverted, 

and sinneth, 

being condemned of himself. 

My going round and round arguing over the law or " what came first, the chicken or the egg" types of discussions are not only a waste of time, they can be damaging.  Even if it is in the hopes of converting a "heretic", Paul advised to only attempt admonishing the person once or twice and then to let it go. My husband rightly pointed out to me that (just as the above verses reveal) I continued arguing only to prove being right out of pride and vanity. If it is an important thing for that person, the Lord will bring it in His time, His way. There is nothing to gain in arguing about it, Paul said it is unprofitable.

I agree.

1Corinthians 2:1-4 
And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.  And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.   And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power

Spotting a Counterfeit Part 2

While going about reading some blogs and all-the-while still thinking on what I posted Saturday, I realize that there is a bit more I want to clarify regarding the previous posting, hence the part 2....and it may go on to part 3 and part 4 because there is so much that is jumbling about in my head that I hope I can convey  it in such a way where I can take it point by point rather than jumping all around it and making it more confusing for everyone, including myself, as I often tend to do.

I'll begin with what happened recently on my Facebook page with an ardent ANTI-Calvinist who was set on converting me to seeing how evil John Calvin was, and how all Calvinists today do not follow Jesus but have John Calvin and their leader and pope. We went round and round, I brought up the scriptures that "prove my point" and as he got uglier and uglier in his accusations against me, someone he doesn't know except for what he sees on Facebook, and against my husband when I would bring up something he has said to me, our conversation never came to our agreeing on anything. I hoped the best for him as I "unfriended" him because I just didn't want to continue such a dialogue, and even to myself my words of "I hope someday you get it, that the Lord will open your eyes" sounded mean and condescending.

Is this Anti-Calvinist misled on the topic of Calvinism? Truly he is, I saw it from everything that he said that he didn't do his own research and has only gathered information from those who are rabidly set against it so much so they have exaggerated and distorted pretty much everything they say about it. Was John Calvin perfect? No. He was a human being and therefore just as prone to error as any of us are. There are things that I have learned about John Calvin that I disagree with him on 100% such as his position that he had on the death penalty. 

John Calvin was a product of his time. In his day it was legal to be sentenced to death for heresy. John Calvin supported that legislation, and had Servetus (a Semi-Pelagian -- he held to several unBiblical heresies that would even today raise the eyebrows of anyone who knows their Bible) captured and it led to Servetus being executed by being burned on the stake. It would be the equivalent of today's Christians who support the death penalty for unrepentant murderers, because in John Calvin's day they viewed the murdering of souls more terrible than the murder of a mortal body. I don't support the death penalty, the Lord will end each life at the time appointed to him or her, so I don't agree with John Calvin on this point and neither do I agree with Christians today who want to see anyone executed for their crimes against humanity.

This futile conversation was just another example to me of the futility of arguing over these things. Neither of us was convincing the other of the truth and superiority of our position, and in fact, only brought a sense of further mistrust and dislike of the opposing position. My husband rightly pointed out that I only wanted to prove I was right, and then proved nothing to those who might have been following that conversation and who knew nothing of "Calvinism" or "Arminianism" or "Semi-Pelagianism", and if anything, might have thought less of Christianity if they were indeed unsaved and looking at us Christians fighting over.....who knows what. He pointed out that we have Catholic and unsaved family members who would give up on listening to anything about Jesus from my husband and I, who would simply look at us with an eye of suspicion, if not confusion. 

My husband's final nail in my coffin was this fact: 

There are probably MANY Arminians that are saved but just are a little confused or misled on the sovereignty of God issues, and my arguing with them won't convince them, only the Lord opening their eyes will convince them....exactly my words to my Arminian antagonist on Facebook that was said by me in condescension, yes of course it is true we know nothing unless the Lord reveals it, but my saying so was wrong. At this time we still see through a glass darkly. None of us have a perfect understanding of how all of this fits together, and the Calvinist issue of who chose whom"chicken or the egg" argument we know that God created both the chicken and the egg, and that is the point the Calvinist will make, yet the argument still is one that the answer can only come from God Himself showing us the answer, so why do I have to "Lord it over" others who do not quite understand it? If the Lord revealed it to me, can He not reveal it to them IN HIS TIME? If He revealed it, why do I act as though it was something I in my wisdom was able to gain and now have to try to pound it into other people who don't "get it"?

So, like I said in part 1, my husband reminded me: "Just point people to Jesus, Susan, He will bring them into all true understanding".

Amen, so true. 

In Part 3 I want to touch on the topic of the Charismatic movement...and that might be divided into a Part 4 as well, we'll see how it goes....

Should We Do Christmas?

Often I think "I should post something on my blog..." and get sidetracked, like I often do, laundry, dishes, going to the post office, getting a few groceries, etc. The reason I began this blog was to put down my private musings and make them public. Perhaps there are others who likewise struggle with all kinds of things that this world presents us with, and likewise cannot make heads or tails out of any of it...well maybe that is too pessimistic, some of it does eventually sort itself out, or it drops out of my consciousness because eventually I come decide it didn't really matter as much as I thought it did after all.

Some of my recent mental wranglings have been over gun ownership vs. gun control, legalism vs. God's grace, Judaism vs. antisemitism, and whether or not to celebrate (Christmas) ... and of course in Christ, if we truly are in Christ there certainly is a measure of freedom in these areas, and yet there is a "right way and a wrong way" in all these things. Since it is so close to Christmas, please permit me, dear reader, to go there, to the topic of Christmas ....

There is so much debating (is that too soft? bantering? bickering? fighting???) on this issue, and truly the way the debates have been going makes me believe more strongly that we indeed are in the very last days prior to the Lord's returning, because there is much confusion and mistrust these days...

One side says Christmas is PAGAN so to even give it a kind nod is going against everything God stands for. It is EVIL!!! Throw it out, mistletoe, Christmas trees, Santas and even Baby Jesus because Jesus wasn't born on December 25th anyway....and the MAS in Christmas points to Catholicism and false worship...

Another side says we should worship and celebrate Jesus incarnation every day, even December 25th regardless of whether that was the day of His birth or not...what's the harm? And these days with so many wanting to reject anything with Jesus in it, isn't it proper, and even more... critical...that we keep the CHRIST in Christmas?

I think you might perceive that I tend toward the second position, although I see no need to have a dead Christmas tree in our home nor statues of Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph, etc decorating our home. I'm conflicted about seeing nativities in public places because although I enjoy the reminder of the Bible account of His birth, I don't find support for having idols to His image as needful. I appreciate the Christmas cards and well wishes they bestow on us, and do have them in the living room prominently displayed during this season, and think on the senders when I look at them there.

I agree with the Apostle Paul that we need to be convinced in our own conscience, seek out all the facts about Christmas, why early Christians desired to set one day aside to celebrate Jesus' birth, seek out why some (many?) are so adamantly opposed to the celebrating of Christmas...and then decide for yourself, not so you can beat others over the head for their incorrect celebrating or not celebrating, but so that you can honor the Prince of Peace peacefully in this, and in all things.

image link

Another Post on Hell

I've touched on the topic of hell from time to time, I have a video on Bible Treasures here that explains from scripture what it is and why it is.

From most pastors descriptions of it we get this mental picture:

That isn't what I see in scripture. What I see is even more terrifying. This is what I see from the Bible what hell will be like:

The depictions of burning and agony are descriptions of "likeness"....like me trying to describe the color red to someone who is blind. From the descriptions of "outer darkness" and "weeping and gnashing of teeth" I see a consciousness that still has understanding and forever feels the horror of being outside of the presence of God (all that is good, merciful and true understanding of all things that are godly) to be left only with their own dark thoughts of selfishness seething and writhing in their conscious thoughts, in eternal, dark, solitary confinement to themselves, because it is themselves whom they worshiped instead of God.

A couple of posts ago Alice asked me to read a link (if you wish to search it out you can find it, but I won't put it here, I find it to be a huge waste of time and effort, so I hope to spare you that trouble). I did read this man's thoughts on the topic of hell and why he doesn't believe there is one...the same tired reason I keep hearing about: "A loving  God would not send anyone to hell", then gives only those verses that seem to support his notions that a "true god" (of his imaginings) could never send anyone to hell because it is God who is responsible for making us fallible, therefore, He will simply and graciously forgive everyone because it was all His fault to begin with...because God created us to be like Him and the only way we could become like Him is if we ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil....wait....isn't that what the serpent told Eve? And, isn't the serpent in the garden of Eden....satan, the devil?....so, was satan then actually telling Eve the.....truth? Sigh. Anyway, yeah, gave me a huge headache to read his ramblings....and, sadly, it is no wonder that poor Alice went further and further away from the truth by believing and trusting this kind of foolishness....if you can drop one fact given in the Bible, why not continue on and find more "evidence" that the Bible contradicts itself and that it's all just a bunch of stories or fairytales or what have you.

However, like it or not, there is a God, who sent His Son to die for our sins in our place, who will keep those who are born of His Spirit from getting their just desserts, hell. Whether we believe the truth or not, whether we want to believe whatever it is we would rather believe, it won't change the truth. Even if I could convince EVERYONE, that what is true really isn't, and that what I want to put in its place is so much better than what the Bible says is true, that my ideas are so much more profound, so logical, so appeasing and pleasant, so loving (I would be elevating myself in place of God here...do you see where I'm going with this?)...rejecting the truth of God, and wanting to replace my ideas with what God has made, and done, and what He promised He will do.....I have then made myself the emperor of the kingdom of myself....and He will give me the desires of my heart as a reward, or rather, as a punishment, because if I continue in that way, I will be in hell, with myself as my "god" forever, and my loyal subject is only myself, forever...and forever I will seethe in the reality of where that self love brought me.

God's love, however, is the kind that would die to self to save another. God's love is exemplified in Jesus, who died for sinners who did not deserve His love. His love doesn't save everyone. Those who love themselves so much that there is no room for God, will get what they worship, they will get what they love, they will end up with what they deserved. Those who repented, and humbled themselves before a holy God, who are born of His Spirit, and who then receive the gift of faith which brings them into true communion with Him (not as a religion, but as a reality) who would and do lay their lives down for their faith in Him, will get what they worship, eternity with a holy and loving God and all the good things that come with that eternal reward.

Seek Him while He yet may be found, and beg His forgiveness...and if you feel that He has not granted you the request of being renewed by Him, continue to be that beggar that begs His mercy, that seeks His forgiveness, and that seeks to forgive others and love others in the manner that He loves us.

God is a loving God, but He is also a just God. He will give everyone according to what we deserve. To those who seek forgiveness, He will forgive (not earned or deserved, it is grace). To those who seek self-gratification and self-righteousness and self-justification, He will give the reward of having themselves, forever, without Him, in hell, because hell is being eternally separated from God, eternally separated from the light of Truth, only  having yourself and your own lies and self-delusions to keep you company forever. Do not seek justice, because truly we all deserve that awful fate of being eternally separated from God. Instead of justice (eye for an eye) seek mercy and forgiveness, and if you continue in seeking He promised that He would lead you to Himself. That is my hope for all my unsaved family and friends, and for you dear reader that is reading this right now.

Chosen by God

Yesterday's post about the reformation and what we now call Calvinism barely scratched at the surface of the issues regarding how we regard God's sovereign rule over us. Before reading this offering please read the previous post, and links provided would also be a good read in preparing to approach the topics that I hope to touch on.

In debating with "anti-Calvinists" three things that irritate them the most come up, and I'll try to talk a little about them in separate posts. The three things are:

1. God not giving us the choice of being saved or not

2. Universal atonement vs. limited atonement

3. Perseverance of the saints (or what it has degraded into with "OSAS")

We'll start with #1.
Did God leave the saving power on our side? To choose or not to choose, that is the question....

I recently had a discussion over this with a couple of men who vehemently oppose Calvinism and promote the idea that John Calvin is a "pope of the Calvinists". One man boasts that he is very knowledgeable on the topic of evil Calvinism, stating that he has researched this for 40 years, yet in my discussions with him he acknowledged that he has never read anything written by John Calvin, or even Charles Spurgeon, stating that he doesn't want to poison his brain with such things. He said some other quite remarkable things that left me wondering why anyone was still giving his comments "likes" and calling me some kind of heretic for trying to tell others to go to the sources to read these things for themselves. I was going to share some of these characters' comments which reveal just how little they understand about this subject, but the one with the most ridiculous comments has deleted them all. Therefore we will look at what Mr. P has to say regarding unconditional election:

 First I'll start with a very brief overview of how God saved me in answer to his question:

Mr. P: "Susan did God force you to love him Or did you see God and run to him and love him because he first loved you"

Me:  "I was brought up "religious" in SDA, reading the Bible, asking and not receiving, yet God did it later after I went through all kinds of paganism and witchcraft, and He got me while I was on drugs and not able to help myself. That is grace"

Mr. P:  "I was brought up in catholics then I read the bible and saw the truth and make the free will choice to love my God who saved me"

 Me: "Believe whatever you want to Mr. P, I'll take God at His word in what He says in His word to me. He chose me and I take full comfort in it, you can thank yourself for choosing Him, I'll thank God for choosing me."

then he says

Mr. P: "Your God a raper and Calvinism just as bad as all the other false stuff you were in.. Susan get save ask Jesus to forgvie (sic) your sins he will .He ask you he does not force you to love him .He not a rapist .God seek ALL to be saved . Love does not force itself bible says plainly"

hmmm, alrightythen...yeah, I can see where Mr. P found THAT in scripture.

Me: "You choose to see a Sovereign God as a rapist because you still judge with the "eyes of the flesh", if you don't see it I cannot force you to understand things of the Spirit because you still judge by your lusts of your flesh. Take care, I'm done"

Mr. P:  "Susan did God force souls to go to hell . .God cannot judge someone he force to sin and force to reject him"

Me:  "the fall of man in the garden of Eden caused all to be destined for hell, but grace of God allows some to not receive justice instead receive mercy, gift, not earned through choosing, God chooses some, His word is everywhere but not all choose because most have not been given that ability, even many who hear the word preached cannot hear because the gift of hearing is not given, those who repent are given sight to see the truth about their utter depravity and are given the gift of repentance. We have nothing that hadn't been given to us by God."

The difference, bottom line, is that Mr. P thinks the person being saved is the primary object of importance, when in fact the Bible reveals that everything that happens is not for man's sake but to reveal the truth and mercy of God. The problem with most "Christians" today is they do not admit or understand what complete and utter depravity is. They believe there is still a little bit of their own innate goodness that gives them the freedom to choose God. The Bible reveals that we all are utterly hopeless and slaves to sin, worse than that, we are "dead in our trespasses" (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13) which is....well, dead is dead. Dead people don't make choices any more than Lazarus "chose" to come forth when Jesus called to the dead man Lazarus and said "Lazarus! Come forth!" (John 11:32-43)

So in the next episode I will explore the utter depravity of our natural condition prior to the saving power of God who transformed us by the power of His will.

Life and Death

A family member passed away yesterday.
It made me ponder the fragility and the shortness of life.
Life is a miracle.
Life cannot be earned, it can only be lived.
What is my life? What am I contributing? Will God be pleased?

God promised all would turn out for good for those who are His (Romans  8:28)
That is my anchor, Jesus is my strong foundation.

The Issue of Biblical Inerrancy

On the topic of Biblical inerrancy I'll only talk about the problem I've seen many have with the two (three?) sabbaths of the holy week of Jesus' crucifixion.

This would require understanding the various sabbaths that occur during the Jewish holidays and a very detailed knowledge of the laws of the Old Testament. I admit that I have read the O.T. but don't have the same kind of knowledge that someone who paid attention in seminary would have.

This link explains the situation that occurred during the holy week providing the O.T. passages that you would need to understand in order to make sense of what actually happened.

Rather than just taking the atheists pat and superficial answer that "this proves the Bible is not inerrant", I hope those who sincerely want to know the truth dig deeper for the answer.

TRUTH

Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.

Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? (John ch 18 – JKV)

      The TRUTH depends on this: Was Jesus telling the TRUTH? Or was He a liar?

      An atheist will say there isn't enough information to answer this properly and that it will depend on one's own opinion of what the TRUTH is...however the  TRUTH  is not effected by our opinion of what it needs to be, is it?

      C.S. Lewis was an avowed atheist. He often enjoyed debates with J.R.R. Tolkien who spent many hours trying to convince his friend of the TRUTH about Jesus. One day while walking along with Tolkien , Lewis said he began the walk an atheist and doesn't know how it happened but by the end of that walk he was a Christian. Lewis in his book “Mere Christianity” states that many who do not believe Jesus is God will say that Jesus was a “good man” but then goes on to say that it would be impossible for Jesus to be a good man if He was not indeed God because the claims He made about Himself would have to be true for Him to be good because if they were false He then would be either a liar or a madman, and neither of those would be “good”.

      The TRUTH stands not on what we want to believe, but on what IS.

      If we want to believe the world is a flat plain which if we follow to it's outer extremity we might fall of the edge of it into an abyss such thinking would not change the TRUTH of it actually being a sphere. So it is with Jesus, and it is not up to Him to prove to us that He is who and what He says He is...it is up to us to discover the TRUTH and just as the evidence for a spherical earth is there to be discovered so it is with TRUTH, it is there to be discovered. The failure to discover the TRUTH is not a failure of the TRUTH, it is a failure on the part of the person(s) that for whatever reason block themselves from truly receiving it, whether it is because of pride, not wanting to let go of besetting sins, laziness, there are a number of reasons for such a failure. The Bible says we are without excuse. He has proven that TRUTH to be so in my life not because I desired it to be so, the TRUTH is what it is regardless of how I want it to be.

      Jesus said:

I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 14:6 (KJV)

      Either He  told the  TRUTH or He was lying, and it is up to us to fervently desire the TRUTH more than anything else in this world. If He is right (and I of course believe He is) who is to blame for your rejection of Him? Is He to blame for being honest? Or are you to blame for not believing Him?

     If you want the TRUTH it is out there to be found, it is up to you to find it and not for it to find you...however He did promise that if you sincerely seek Him (and He knows who is sincere and who is just playing games) you will find the TRUTH and it will set you free of your delusions and the destiny of hell that we all  actually deserve. His grace will free us from such a deserved fate. Bowing at the throne of grace is where the TRUTH can be found, by those who sincerely seek it (Him).

Maturity in Christ Part 3

A very nice link

Luke 13:6-9 And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.  And he said to the vinedresser, 'Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?'   And he answered him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure.  Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"(ESV)

Is there a lesson in that parable for you? There was for me, many actually. Others looking onto my life may have been disappointed, for years, in seeing what was lacking in my life. And I may be looking for the right kind of fruit in others, and see none;  yet the Lord shows us what He can do aside from what that person is doing or not doing (because this isn't just talking about trees), and it could take many years.

 Something that I realized lately...

What of Christmas?

As a teenager my father "got religion", and his religion of choice was Seventh day Adventism. We were taught that Christmas had Roman Catholic beginnings which were rooted in paganism, and for proof we were taught that the passage in Jeremiah chapter 10 referred to the Christmas tree. Perhaps, perhaps not. It may be referring to how they carved wooden statues of their "gods" and "goddesses" even then, and that they decked them with gold and silver, much like Roman Catholics adorn statues of Mary today.

Last Sunday our pastor talked about his run ins with legalism regarding the Christmas holiday and it's pagan roots, and they seemed to be similar to the kinds of difficulties I had encountered regarding "dos and don'ts" of our worldly involvements. He summed his final thoughts about the subject in a way that I find consistent with the bottom line that the Apostle Paul gives. We shouldn't use our freedom for an occasion to sin, or to trouble our weaker brothers, however, this season can bring some people who otherwise might never think about Jesus, to contemplate the amazing fact that God came to earth to be adorned in flesh, to live like us and among us, to reveal Himself to us. Pastor Clark cautioned us to not "throw out the baby (Jesus) with the bath water". Pastor Clark told us: "I have no use for Christmas trees or Santa Clause, but I love every opportunity to tell others about Jesus". Amen, pastor, amen. :)

Can a Truly Saved Person Fall Away? Part 4 (last installment, I think)

Finally, I have to add to this series THE most important part, that I don't think I stressed enough...(I don't think I really stressed it all all, in fact)

The FACT that someone who is truly saved CANNOT fall away gives us the most hope. If the Lord has you in His sights it doesn't matter what you do or don't do, have done, or will do...because it is He who saves you, not we ourselves.

We can get derailed or temporarily deceived...we can say stupid things and be off doctrinally, and I'm not recommending that of course; it can bring harm to oneself and to others who can likewise become derailed by bad doctrine that gets passed along. And if you aren't saved yet (YET!!!) but the Lord has you in His sights and is working the means to draw you in, there is no escaping His love (and why would you want to!!???) If you truly do desire Him with your whole heart, it is He who put that desire into you, and He will see that to it's proper conclusion, not because you do anything so wonderful, but because HE IS THAT WONDERFUL.

Fear, Faith, and Love

Proverbs 9:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.(KJV)

There are many misconceptions about our God. We want to make Him into our image, our ideas about what is loving and true, instead of coming to Him truly we still hold that little portion back that says "I know this better than He does".

What is "the FEAR of the Lord"? Why should we fear Him? He is SUPPOSED to be loving, so how can this be true at all?

The wisdom of the proverbs gives us that this fear is a beginning point.

So What???

We've all been there right? At one time or another you (and I have too) thought "I'm number 1" and that your (my) opinion is better than most (if not all) others.

Once I was talking with a resident (a doctor in training) about this. She told me she believed in Islam. I asked her "Do you believe that what you believe is more correct than what other people believe? Do you think that when you disagree with others it is always you that is right and others that are wrong?" and she hesitated for a moment and then said "Well...yeah" ....and that thinking is also true of me (most of the time) like my opinions or ideas are the ones that have the most value somehow. That is the way of our flesh; it wants preeminence.

So these days when I see people going on and on about this new idea of theirs, or their opinion about this, that, or whatever other thing, I remember that we are but a vapor, and what we think means very little if it doesn't line up with what God says. If it doesn't bring glory to God, but still turns attention back on the person who is talking, I ask "Why?" and "So what?" Should we really care about all that hot air (vapor)?

It is good to think, and to share, and to care, if in the thinking and sharing and caring we remember it isn't about YOU or ME, but it is ALL ABOUT JESUS, and what He has done, and will continue to do for those whom He has been given by the Father out of this wicked and temporary and insane world. What He thinks matters, and He has given us His word. :)

Ray Comfort on Sabbath Keeping

Is Saturday Sabbath an Obligation?

No, for at least three reasons.

Firstly, after the resurrection of Jesus Christ nowhere in the NT is the early church recorded as affirming the Saturday Sabbath. Quite contrary the early followers of Christ are recorded as gathering on the first day of the week "Sunday."

Secondly, only 9 of the "10 Commandments" are repeated in Scripture after Christ's finished work on cross in Whom we have the ultimate rest, restoration and liberation from sin! Can you take a guess which one is not repeated? Jesus Christ did not do away with the 4th Commandment, rather He is the fulfillment and One we have eternal rest in!

Thirdly, If you only hang onto one of these reasons let it be this one here! Again, if you are ever challenged to "given an answer" remember the following!  Two places in Scripture Paul clearly spelled out that we are not to let anyone judge us regarding Sabbath keeping and let every man be fully convinced in his own mind as to whether we esteem one day above another or all the same (Col. 2:16; Rom. 14:5).

You better memorize those two Scriptures! You will be confronted with this in street evangelism, you will call upon these Scriptures, and you will be happy that you learned them!

Passover

Passover (Feast of Unleavened Bread) 2013 

begins: in the evening of Monday, March 25
and ends: in the evening of Tuesday, April 2

 David Brickner executive director of Jews for Jesus explains the components of the Passover 
seder:

The Role of Women

image link

Interesting that on February 20th of this month two posts that touched on this topic came to me in my bloggy world travels. DebbieLynne's thoughts on the subject are closer to my own, however Stoned-Campbell Disciple (which I just completed reading this morning) challenged me and made me have to think and pray a little harder on this topic.


 http://debsheadstick.blogspot.com/2013/02/initial-ruminations-on-women-pastors.html

http://stoned-campbelldisciple.blogspot.com/2013/02/first-timothy-28-15-silencing-of-women.html

Let's not just sit smugly in our own "enlightened" thoughts on any subject, but let's allow ourselves to be challenged, and through the challenge become stronger in the correct convictions (even if perhaps we then need to correct and/or change them, with the correction coming from the Lord and the scriptures). In the second example, the "8 fears" mentioned, are ones that I also have in regards to the trend of how women have taken over the world. But I didn't stop reading there and think to myself "Aha, yes, just as "I" thought. I agree with this so why go any further. I don't need justifications from this blog which will support any views to the contrary." Instead, I wanted to hear this bloggers justifications for why he feels the "8 fears position" is faulty in it's reasoning. Although I must say I didn't change the position I hold to ( of not accepting women in the role of pastor ) it did cause me to think and dig deeper, and to acknowledge the main point this blogger makes (that Paul counsels both men and women to learn in humbleness of mind and heart and that the domineering spirit is equally bad in women and in chauvenistic men---> in THAT I wholeheartedly agree!)

In the end, let us not be too comfortable in our "theological prejudices", but acknowledge that we all need to be submitted to the truth, whether we are male or female, in a quiet and peaceable state of teachableness, all the while sensitive to the discerning guidance of the Holy Spirit who will never forsake us who are His.

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The Evil We See... and God's Love

Yesterday morning, just before waking I had this dream:

There are terrible creatures, hideous, somewhat reptile-like, somewhat human-like. They are destroying everything and everyone in their path. The people they encounter are torn apart, or squeezed to death, blood is everywhere. One looks right at me as I am looking at this terrible horrible scene. He rushes to me but I have a force field in front of me. He hits it really hard, and I can see a large crack in the shield but it remains firmly in place before me. He loses interest in me and continues killing and destroying in other directions, as I look passively on. I recognize that I am looking at all of this and have no feelings about it at all. I see death and mayhem and blood everywhere, and have no compassion, or sorrow. I see that even though I am not doing the killing, that I am no better than the demons that are doing the ruthless slaughter. I just like them, feel no love for those being senselessly slaughtered. I am cold and heartless....and then I awaken, and think about what I just dreamed...


What comes to mind first of all, is that this is truly happening in the realm of the spirit. Demons are seeking whom they can destroy, and they are having a field day, wreaking havoc on this fallen world. God protects His own, and the devil cannot touch them (me included)...but because I am not being hurt, I can be cold and unfeeling about the people who are being hurt, and destroyed, by the devil's very ill behaviour. Even though I could clearly see the perilousness of the situation, the disgusting, violent, and senseless destruction, I have no sense of pity or horror, UNTIL I think it is tainting me by making me look bad (just as evil as the demons) to not have the correct pity towards the afflicted. And this is true about me. I do not have enough of a sense of urgency for the lost and dying. I do not make use of what I know about Jesus to try to help those in the devil's clutches. God selects whomsoever He will, but He chooses to use His elect to reach others. But many of His elect are like me. We see the sin, the evil, and if it doesn't touch us directly...
 we can choose to watch....
or choose to look away....

...but how often do we choose in God's strength and through prayer, to intervene?

Zec 4:6  Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.
Zec 4:7  Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!'"
Zec 4:8  Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Zec 4:9  "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.
Zec 4:10  For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. "These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range through the whole earth."





I know that in my own strength and by my own ability I cannot accomplish anything worth anything in eternity...and then it is only (usually) to bring glory to myself for my heroic deeds. But in Christ I can do anything


Php 4:10  I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.
Php 4:11  Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
Php 4:12  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
Php 4:13  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Php 4:14  Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 

Perhaps it is partly because of "the spirit of the age" that I have become numbed to the horrors of what is going on today. I can simply turn off the television and then go on about my own business, and as long as I feel good about myself, everything is good. The rest of the world can "go to hell in a hand-basket" but if it doesn't touch me, why worry about it? It's going to happen anyway, right? Or should I still wrestle in the spirit about it, and pray for understanding, and strength and compassion to at least attempt to do some small thing for the Lord that might be used by Him to save a lost soul? Can I look on what is happening with compassion, angst, the love of Christ, instead of looking away so I can be "at peace"? So I can feel good about myself? What did Jesus do? If I do not feel for the lost, am I just as cold and unfeeling as the demons that are ripping the unsaved to shreds? Yes, I believe that I am just that cold and unfeeling, at times, and only by God's grace and His help is there any hope for me to reach his lost ones through me in this decaying and tormented world.


Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

When to Keep Silent

link to picture

Let me just say right off the bat that I have a problem with keeping my mouth shut when it is probably best that I do. Is my saying something every time I feel the urge to do so really that important to God? Speaking the truth in love, even when it seems unloving to the world is certainly important and necessary, is it not? Yes, AND, however, the Lord also wants us to do so with wisdom and compassion and love with the eternal consequences ever before us.

A long while back, a friend in the Lord gave me this illustration to help me understand what I was doing wrong. He said:

Say you have a cat. This cat loves fresh salmon. One day you put down a dish of fresh, yummy salmon for your cat, and your cat decided, for whatever reason, that he wasn't hungry yet. You, on the other hand, decide that it is time for the cat to eat the salmon you have placed before him, and you want him to eat it NOW. So you take the cat by the scruff of the neck and start jamming this yummy salmon down the cat's throat. This cat might never want to eat salmon again, especially if it is coming from you. 

Sigh. Wise words.

James 1:26  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

Now having said that, I don't want to confuse the saying or not saying with something that is similar but ever so different. I also see this being done today, and it is just as wrong as saying things that need to be left to the Holy Spirit to convict the person of in His own time. What I mean is, it is also wrong to not say something because one wants to feign being "loving" but it comes out of a fear of losing the other person's affection. We are to speak the truth in love. That doesn't mean going on and on about something when the person stopped listening hours ago. It also doesn't mean not saying anything at all. It is somewhere in the middle. We need to have the wisdom to speak the truth in love, once, maybe twice AT MOST, and then leave it with the Lord to do His work in the life of that person, and just show that person how much you love him in the Lord.

Have I perfected this? No. It is still something the Lord is working with me on, to develop that wisdom of when to speak, and when to STOP IT and let Him do His work...this is difficult for me, extremely so. I go from one extreme (to go on and on about something) to the other (to not say anything at all, and do a "loving act" phoney as can be).

Thankfully, the Lord knows what to do with a few measly loaves and fishes (my feeble and much less than  perfect offerings), and make them abound with His good nourishment for the soul. :)

Answered Prayers

Lucy and family's blogsite

In Ma's comments yesterday I wrote:

I don't go for the "name it and claim it" stuff, but the Lord does want us to be persistent in asking, [however] sometimes He has something else in mind than what we are asking for...only He knows the full picture, we only see it in part, and then we ask amiss because we narrowly desire something that misses that bigger picture.

It is truly a trust issue, where even if our prayers seem to fail, God never fails in doing the right thing.

Lucy has been improving, Praise the Lord! She looks much different from that picture (above) taken about a year and a half ago. Her latest test came up clear of cancer, and the fact that she still lives is of course truly a miracle. 

However, if we don't get what we ask for, if Lucy had passed away, could it be because we didn't ask enough? Or didn't say the "right words"? Or because God forgot about showing us His mercy in her situation? 

There are many times He answers "no" to our requests for healing. Why is that?

A young woman I work with recently had a surgery to try to solve her sleep apnea problems. She is a beautiful person, inside and out. She always had kind things to say about others. She had a beautiful laugh and a gorgeous smile. She's an architect who just prior to her surgery, did some work for FEMA. She loves helping people. The day after her surgery a few months ago, she lapsed into a coma. She came out of the coma a couple of weeks later, barely functioning, barely and only sometimes able to follow simple commands. We who know her beg the Lord for a healing touch to restore the beautiful friend and family member to us. So far the answer has been "no"... or maybe it is "wait". 

I think about the lessons Jesus taught with His life while He was here amongst us. Why did He wait until Lazarus was completely dead before restoring him? Weren't his sister's faithful enough in their prayers and their grief? And what about those who do not ever have their loved ones restored to them in this life? Does it mean that they (or the Lord? we know this would be impossible, but there are those of course who blame to Lord for not giving them a "yes" to their requests for healing) were not faithful? Does the Lord always allow sickness for the reason of displaying His awesome power of healing through answered prayer? If He doesn't heal is it because we are doing something wrong?... because He is angry with us over some other thing that He is punishing us for? Is it to teach us patience and trust in Him, even in losing such precious loved ones?

I really don't know the answer to these questions. I don't know why He sometimes answers "yes" and other times in seemingly identical situations the answer is "no". Certainly we need to continue to be persistent in our asking.

Luk 11:5  And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
Luk 11:6  For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
Luk 11:7  And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
Luk 11:8  I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
Luk 11:9  And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Luk 11:10  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Luk 11:11  If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
Luk 11:12  Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
Luk 11:13  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Is this promising a complete healing in this life, of body, mind and soul? Or is this talking about something else?

But, like I stated in Ma's comments section, we might not know why the Lord does (or doesn't do) what He does, but He does know what He is doing, and He does it perfectly even when it isn't the way we think it would best showcase His love and perfection. He is perfect. Our understanding of that is not perfect, not even close. Everything, the good, the bad, and everything in between, will end up for good in those who are His and called according to His purpose. I cling to that promise. (Romans 8:28)

Added thought:

 ...thinking more about this....what disturbs me about this is that it seems like we look to God as a genie that we have to "rub the right way" to get what we want.... like we are his experimental creatures along the lines of "Pavlov's dogs". I know this isn't what our relationship with Him should be, however it often strikes me that often what I see is that kind of conditioning in how we are to ask and receive, and I don't think that is what the Lord desires of us at all.
 

Rabbi's Prophecy of the Messiah

It's been six years now, and Ariel Sharon is still in a coma (or a coma-like state, this article states)... the reason I looked it up recently is because the Rabbi in this following Youtube video had left a message revealing who the true Messiah is to be opened one year after his death, and ... well I don't want to give it all away, but he also said the Messiah would come shortly after Sharon dies: