Learning and Discerning

The Furthest Galexy Cluster Measured

2009-10-28T06:34:00.000-07:00

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:3-4, ESV).

This is JKCS041 - The furthest galaxy cluster measured so far.

The vastness of God's incredible creation is absolutely astounding!

Biblically Critiquing Pastors and Teachers

2009-10-20T16:01:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I attended a "Christian" women's conference that jump-started my thoughts how to properly make biblical judgements and how and why to critique preachers and speakers in a biblical manner.

At this conference Bibles were not used, the Gospel was not preached, Jesus and the cross were ignored and replaced with woman empowerment. Needless to say, the conference was far from edifying.

The best way to guard yourself from false teaching is to know the truth and know how to correctly handle the truth. (2 Timothy 2:15) So that is my goal this week, to learn how to correctly handle the truth.

From GotQuestions.org

Paul instructs the Ephesians, we are to “no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:14). Rather, we are to “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” and we do this by “the knowledge of the Son of God” (v. 13). The knowledge of Christ can only be obtained through the Word of God, and it is by that Word that we distinguish between the true and the false.

In the book of Matthew (7:15-20), Jesus says, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?"

If a church or ministry has is not producing good fruits, then you can know that there is something wrong with the teaching.

What is "Good Fruit"?

Good fruit (Matthew 7:17) is that which occurs when the Holy Spirit is present. Romans 8:9 says that we are controlled by the Spirit (rather than our sinful nature) the moment we believe in Christ. The fruit of the spirit is the the work He does in the hearts and minds of believers to conform them to the image of Christ. It is the inevitable transformation that takes place in true followers of Christ.
"...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."- Galations 5:22-23
Matthew 7:1 - Every good tree bears good fruit and every bad tree bears bad fruit.

Sermon/Teaching Discernment:

The apostle John tells us in his first epistle (1 John 4:1-6) how we are to discern which spirits are from God. “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.” - From GotQuestions.org

Only through the work of the Holy Spirit will you be able to discern what is true and what is not. However, I believe that if you are at all concerned about truthfulness in teaching, that is proof that the Holy Spirit is in you. If honest, God-centered, Biblical teaching is something you desire, here are three questions that you can ask whenever you hear a sermon by a new preacher.

What does this teacher/pastor say about Jesus? It must be in line with the Jesus of the Bible and not some made up idea of Jesus.
Does this teacher/pastor preach the Gospel? 2 John 9 says that "Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God."
Does this person exhibit character qualities that glorify the Lord?

Questions I Ask:

When I hear a preacher/Christian speaker for the first time, this is usually the process that I go through in my head.

Is this God-centered theology or man-centered theology? Usually you can tell right away.
How does this person handle scripture? As an advice column or a revelation from God?
Does any of this contradict what I already know to be true about God and the Bible? If what they teach does not line up with the Bible, it is not a good teaching.
Did I learn about God through this sermon/message?

Other things I take into consideration:

Is this a comedy show or a sermon?
Does this person ever talk about sin and hell? If not, they are not teaching the Bible accurately.
Does this person focus only on sin and hell? Again, that is not accurate teaching.

Be Careful Little Mouths What You Say

2009-10-20T15:31:00.000-07:00

Recently I was reading an article by Tim Challies and something he reminded me of something very important to keep in mind to when critiquing something or someone online, particularly those who are Pastors. We need to be cautious and careful about what we say online, especially if it is about a person. Whatever we say should be something we could say to them face to face. In this article Tim was talking about Pastor Mark Driscoll. Tim is responding to some of his readers that were obviously not fans of Driscoll:

We need to be certain that in our critiques we do not say things that we’d never say to him face-to-face and that we do not treat him as a guy that, since he is so remote from us, is somehow less human than we are. It’s an obvious point, I know, but in this depersonalized online world it’s worth reminding ourselves of it quite often. - Tim Challies

This struck a cord with me this week because lately I've been critiquing certain teachers in my head and I've even become angry with some of these teachers, all of whom I do not known personally. Even though I believe I have good reason to be critical of these teachers, I do not want to turn into a person that harbors bitterness and does not choose to love these people regardless of whether or not they are true believers.

So far, there have been very few instances where I've publicly spoken out against a specific person or ministry, but if I do write about people (particularly Pastors or teachers) I try to make sure that I am not dehumanizing them and saying things I wouldn't say to them face to face. I need to keep this in mind when I'm critiquing in my head as well! The goal in critiquing (at least in my view) is not to humiliate, be rude or hurtful, be disrespectful, or manipulate someone to thinking the way I do. The goal is to re-enforce truth. In the case of critiquing a Pastor, teacher, or ministry, the goal is to make sure that Christ is receiving the glory He deserves!

In regards to the article on Driscoll, Tim makes the point that people are truly being saved through Mark's ministry because He is preaching the Gospel! The man has good solid Biblical theology behind his teaching. Driscoll's critics usually choose to ignore that and instead they choose to pick apart his personality and his style of teaching. The truth is that we can see the fruits of this ministry (Matthew 7:15-20). There is wonderful fruit that continues to multiply out of that ministry each year. Regardless of how people feel about Mark's over-the-top personality, they have no place in arguing that his ministry is in any way fruitless.

If a ministry is not preaching the Gospel of Christ...that's another story. In this case you definitely have a reason for critique! My next post will be about Biblical Critiquing. Since I have been struggling with critiquing and judgments lately I feel its a good time to do some studying on what the Bible says about it.

Love is Here - Tenth Avenue North

2009-09-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

Psalm 11

2009-07-14T09:01:00.000-07:00

I was up all night last night worrying about anything and everything. I finally fell asleep at about 6 this morning. I've always been one to worry way too much. My mother was a worrier and somehow as I was growing up, I became a worrier as well. It stems from wanting to be in careful control of everything and wanting me and my family to be as safe as possible. The last thing I want my daughter to learn from me is how to worry. The world is definitely a scary place these days but it is also under the complete control of God and He is worthy to be trusted. The Lord loves justice, nothing will go unnoticed! This morning I began a new Bible Reading plan that had be beginning with Psalm 10 and 11. God used this passage to remind me that he is always there and he is watching closely. He is my protection and there is no need to worry.

1 I trust in the Lord for protection. So why do you say to me, “Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety! 2 The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right. 3 The foundations of law and order have collapsed. What can the righteous do?”

4 But the Lord is in his holy Temple; the Lord still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. 5 The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked. He hates those who love violence. 6 He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked, punishing them with scorching winds. 7 For the righteous Lord loves justice. The virtuous will see his face.

Isaiah 6:1-7

2009-05-17T11:07:00.000-07:00

This portion of scripture has come up quite a bit in my studies in the past several months. It is one of my favorite scripture passages because it gives us a clear view of what is to happen when we encounter the holy God of the Bible. After seeing the LORD in all of his glory, Isaiah's response is, "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"

Isaiah's response to seeing the LORD was repentance. He saw God in all of his glory, and his first responses were 1) Woe is me, 2) I am lost, and 3) I am a man of unclean lips. His first 3 statements all dealt with his own sinfulness. He understood his need for cleansing! I pray that I may always, before anything else, recognize my own wretched sin and understand my own need for cleansing, and that I may know that God reigns supreme through every circumstance and he will grant me love and mercy if I am consistently surrendering my life to Him.

Hosanna!

2009-04-30T11:59:00.000-07:00

Offend God or Man?

2009-04-28T11:58:00.000-07:00

Live with a fear of offending God rather than a fear of offending man. -- Todd Friel

This is such a simple little quote but it has quite an impact when you really think about it. When we sin we are offending God and much of the way we live today is sinful and offensive to God. I want to live in a way that is pleasing to the LORD, and if I offend men in the process, then so be it! Easier said than done, I know.

Be a Biblical Theologian

2009-03-30T06:56:00.001-07:00

This morning I read an article on Christianity.com titled:

A Healthy Church Member is a Biblical Theologian

We can attend church for years without truly knowing God. I think the writer of this article is exactly right by saying that a healthy church member is a biblical theologian. If you do not have a thorough understanding of what the Bible says about God you are living with an ignorance of truth. God wants us to know Him and not just know of Him.

We can know God! I think its amazing how quickly we forget that God is not supposed to be just a part of our life, he is the central figure, the ruler in our lives. The Bible was written to help us understand and know Him. The Bible would not be here if God did not want us to know Him.

We can all be Biblical Theologians by:

- Reading God's Word. That means reading it from start to finish to accurately gain an understanding of who God is. This will help us to discern what is true and what is false regarding what our culture teaches us about God.
- Maintain a good understanding of biblical, historical, and systematic theology.
- Obeying His commands given to us in the Bible.

"Without a well-formed theology, including an accurate understanding of how God’s commands are to be understood in their historical development and context, it is difficult indeed to obey the Lord’s command to teach others to obey. What shall we teach? What shall we obey? How shall we know what to apply to our lives? These questions are better answered when Christians are knowledgeable of biblical theology and know their God." - from the article above.

It used to bother me that I had no idea what I believed in many areas of theology. I remember a friend of mine who had a statement of faith written out on an AIM profile and I thought to myself, "That's a great list. He really knows what He believes. What DO I believe?" Instead of living in ignorance, I chose to devote my life to understanding what the Bible says about God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit. There is no knowledge more important than the knowledge of God.

The Value of Wisdom

2009-02-02T11:56:00.000-08:00

I have often heard people speak of life verses - a verse that stands out to you and is particularly meaningful that you commit to memory and you keep it with you all the days of your life. Today I read Proverbs 2: 1-5 and these verses on the value of wisdom really struck me. I'm not sure if I would label this passage as my life verse but I will definitely commit to memorizing it.

My entire worldview must be shaped by the things of God, and not this world. The only way to understand the fear of the Lord and to gain any knowledge of God is to constantly seek wisdom through His word. Without the knowledge of God we know nothing, just the lies that men have created. Without understanding God's purpose and will for His people, we are literally hopeless. Wisdom is key to surviving :)

Proverbs 2: 1-5 -

My Son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

Oh How I Agree!

2009-01-28T07:30:00.000-08:00

John Adams
2nd U.S. President and Signer of the Declaration of Independence

"Suppose a nation in some distant Region should take the Bible for their only law Book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited! Every member would be obliged in conscience, to temperance, frugality, and industry; to justice, kindness, and charity towards his fellow men; and to piety, love, and reverence toward Almighty God ... What a Eutopia, what a Paradise would this region be."

_{--Diary and Autobiography of John Adams, Vol. III, p. 9.}

Wait on the Lord

2009-01-26T10:15:00.000-08:00

But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. - Isaiah 40:31

Trusting in God's plan and waiting on Him has got to be one of my biggest struggles. I worry, worry, and worry and what good can ever come of it? The only way to find strength is to wait on Him always and trust that He is in control of the situation no matter what it may be - whether it be a national issue or a personal issue, I need to let go of my desire to be in control and allow God to do what He will with my country, with my state, with my marriage, with my daughter, and with me. It is my focus this year to wait on the LORD in every situation that arises, especially those things which physically are out of my control.

Interesting enough, my favorite song for the past month has been this:

While I'm Waiting by John Waller

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

You can hear the song and the rest of the album by clicking here. You can also hear it in the movie Fireproof.

A New Year of Resolutions

2009-01-12T12:21:00.000-08:00

With it being a new year and me being a wretched sinner and all, I have been thinking quite a bit about personal resolutions lately.

What could I resolve to do better this year? What aspects of my personality need to be completely reformed? What sins do I commit regularly? What will improve my walk with the Lord? What things that I could pray for, what are things that I could do that would be beautiful in the sight of God (and not in the world)? I sin so many times a day and God forgives me for each of these sins. He is SO merciful towards me and how do I repay him? All I can do is repent daily and choose to make my decisions based on his standards. I repent - but not nearly enough; I endeavor to do better, but not nearly enough.

To my amazement, our pastor on Sunday referred to Jonathan Edwards 70 Resolutions that he would read each week. The sermon wasn't even about resolutions, it was about prayer and encouragement and the sermon was derived from Romans 15:30-33. I couldn't help but wonder though, 70 resolutions by Jonathan Edwards? What are these resolutions? I did not know about these resolutions before Sunday (I know, shocker!) and as I read them today I could not help but be amazed with every resolution.

From now on, I resolve to create my own list of resolutions that I will read on a regular basis, in addition to reading Jonathan Edwards resolutions from time to time. Every time God teaches me some way I can glorify him with my life, I will write it down. This will serve as my own personal reminder to keep God the central focus of my life, and not myself.

As for your average New Years Resolutions list, I did resolve 20 tasks to accomplish this year and you can find this on my Biblical Homekeeping blog - you can my list here.

You can read the full list of Jonathan Edwards resolutions here. I highly recommend it!

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Lead Me to The Cross

2008-12-30T09:05:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T01:00:00.000-08:00

“For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor,Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

- Isaiah 9:6

English Bible History

2008-12-16T21:49:00.001-08:00

I just read through this "brief" history of the English Bible! It begins with John Wycliffe in the 1300s and makes its way to our present day Bible. Very very very fascinating. It took me a little while to read (maybe 30 minutes?) But it was well worth the read.

"William Tyndale fought and died for the right to print the Bible in the common, spoken, modern English tongue of his day… as he boldly told one official who criticized his efforts, “If God spare my life, I will see to it that the boy who drives the plowshare knows more of the scripture than you, Sir!”"

English Bible History Timeline

The Truth Project

2008-12-13T10:38:00.000-08:00

Top Headlines of 2008

2008-12-12T08:23:00.000-08:00

HINDUS ENGAGE IN 'RELIGIOUS' CLEANSING OF CHRISTIANS IN ORISSA, INDIA

Christians have often been persecuted as convenient scapegoats since the time that Nero blamed Christians for the fire in Rome. In Orissa, India, that pattern played out again as Hindu mobs went on a highly organized rampage against Christians after blaming them for the murder of a Hindu leader. However, all evidence points responsibility at the Communists, not the Christians. But that has not stopped what has sadly become 2008's worst case of Christian persecution. Over 50 Christians have been killed, some of them burnt to death or buried alive, while 50,000 more Christians have fled their homes. Hindus have ransacked more than 300 villages where Christians lived, targeting pastors for assassination and torching all houses belonging to Christians in the village. The Indian government has been largely passive in response, giving tacit approval to the Hindu violence, which began on August 24th and has lasted up to the time of printing with no end in sight.

IN SOMALIA, IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN, YOU DIE

On September 14, 2008, Islamic extremists killed Ahmadey Osman Nur, 22. The convert from Islam to Christianity is the sixth to be killed in the past twelve months for coming to Christ. The other five are: Said Ali Sheik Luqman Hussein, David Abdulwahab Mohamed Ali, Da'ud Ali, Mohamed Yusuf and Hassan Mo'alim. Islamic extremists who control much of Somalia are determined to create Islamic State in Somalia.

ERADICATION OF IRAQI CHRISTIANS UNDERWAY

In October 2008, 15,000 Christians were forced to flee from the city of Mosul following the killing of more than 15 Christians. Iraqi Christians are targeted by Islamic extremists who demand them to either convert to Islam, die, or leave the country. So far, approximately half a million Iraqi Christians have left their homes and dozens have been killed.

OLYMPICS SHINE SPOTLIGHT ON CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION IN CHINA

Protests and demonstrations hotly pursued the Olympic torch all the way to Beijing for this year's games. China promised to show the world that it had progressed, that it had expanded its walls to allow freedom room. Unfortunately, its outward attempts ran side by side with a dramatically different reality. In the months leading up to the Olympics, Christian persecution increased as China struggled to squelch any voices that might raise their heads while the world was watching. House churches were raided and harassed, and activists and dissidents were kidnapped and detained throughout the duration of the games.

--- International Christian Concern

Pray for Zimbabwe

2008-12-10T06:45:00.000-08:00

Currently there is a Cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe which has caused the death of 746 people and over 15,500 have been infected with the water borne disease, and from the looks of it - things will not be getting better for a while because their government is a mess.

To read more, click here.

The Birth of Jesus: Revelation 12: 1-6

2008-12-09T19:19:00.000-08:00

The Woman and the Dragon

1 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. 5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.

Revelation 12: 1-6 is not the first thing that comes to mind when you imagine the birth of Christ. We're more likely to picture the Nativity scene we see everywhere when Christmas comes around. When we look at the bigger picture of the significance of what happened on that day of his birth, the picture becomes more like what we read in this passage.

I am new to Revelation. My whole life I've only read small parts of it at a time and I've never completely understood it because I have never read through the whole book. I knew that one day I would have to spend a long time studying this book because there is so much prophesy and symbolism and in order to really understand it one must have thorough knowledge of the Old Testament. Last Sunday our pastor used this scripture and it has served as a huge reminder to me that the Bible is a living book - there is no other book like it, men could not have written this alone. I'm always so amazed when I read the prophesies and see them being fulfilled in a completely different text! The continuity and complexity of the Bible is mind boggling. There is SO MUCH to learn! I thank the Lord that I am so privileged to have access to this Bible whenever I wish to read it. The Bible is illegal in 51 countries right now. Many Christians out there are being killed for owning this book. I am so thankful for this incredible blessing.

I think for the next couple months I will focus on reading Revelation in my personal study time (it is the last book in the Bible) in addition to my Isaiah Bible Study with church. Revelation is the most controversial book in the Bible because it involves a lot of careful interpretation due to its amount of symbolism. I look forward to learning as much as I can about it within the next couple months.

Prayer

2008-12-08T21:58:00.000-08:00

"It is God that writes intercession upon men's hearts. All true prayer comes from Him, but especially that least selfish and most Christ-like form of prayer called intercession -- when the suppliant forgets all about himself and his own needs -- and all his pleading, his tears and his arguments are on behalf of others." - Charles Spurgeon

Questions for Evolutionists

2008-12-05T10:04:00.000-08:00

Questions for Evolutionists
by Dr. Kent Hovind

The test of any theory is whether or not it provides answers to basic questions. Some well-meaning but misguided people think evolution is a reasonable theory to explain man’s questions about the universe. Evolution is not a good theory—it is just a pagan religion masquerading as science.

1. Where did the space for the universe come from?

2. Where did matter come from?

3. Where did the laws of the universe come from (gravity, inertia, etc.)?

4. How did matter get so perfectly organized?

5. Where did the energy come from to do all the organizing?

6. When, where, why, and how did life come from dead matter?

7. When, where, why, and how did life learn to reproduce itself?

8. With what did the first cell capable of sexual reproduction reproduce?

9. Why would any plant or animal want to reproduce more of its kind since this would only make more mouths to feed and decrease the chances of survival? (Does the individual have a drive to survive, or the species? How do you explain this?)

10. How can mutations (recombining of the genetic code) create any new, improved varieties? (Recombining English letters will never produce Chinese books.)

11. Is it possible that similarities in design between different animals prove a common Creator instead of a common ancestor?

12. Natural selection only works with the genetic information available and tends only to keep a species stable. How would you explain the increasing complexity in the genetic code that must have occurred if evolution were true?

13. When, where, why, and how did: a) Single-celled plants become multicelled? (Where are the two- and three celled intermediates?) b) Single-celled animals evolve? c) Fish change to amphibians? d) Amphibians change to reptiles? e) Reptiles change to birds? (The lungs, bones, eyes, reproductive organs, heart, method of locomotion, body covering, etc., are all very different!) How did the intermediate forms live?

14. When, where, why, how, and from what did: a) Whales evolve? b) Sea horses evolve? c) Bats evolve? d) Eyes evolve? e) Ears evolve? f) Hair, skin, feathers, scales, nails, claws, etc., evolve?

15. Which evolved first (how, and how long, did it work without the others)? a) The digestive system, the food to be digested, the appetite, the ability to find and eat the food, the digestive juices, or the body’s resistance to its own digestive juice (stomach, intestines, etc.)? b) The drive to reproduce or the ability to reproduce? c) The lungs, the mucus lining to protect them, the throat, or the perfect mixture of gases to be breathed into the lungs? d) DNA or RNA to carry the DNA message to cell parts? e) The termite or the flagella in its intestines that actually digest the cellulose? f) The plants or the insects that live on and pollinate the plants? g) The bones, ligaments, tendons, blood supply, or muscles to move the bones? h) The nervous system, repair system, or hormone system? i) The immune system or the need for it?

The ULTIMATE Question

2008-11-15T12:55:00.000-08:00

Think of nothing. Can you even imagine what nothing is?

Can something come from nothing?

Doesn't it take more faith to think that something came from nothing, than to believe that something was created? Anyone that does not believe there is a God is running on extreme faith because when you look at the universe and all of its intricacies, design, laws, and order - there is absolutely NO chance that it could have created itself.

No human has ever come close to explaining this and they never will be able to explain it without God (or at least some form of Intelligent design). The really sad part is that people actually think it is possible that something can come from nothing, because a few of the scientists have said so. The question is whether these scientists are speaking fact or fiction. Is what they say the truth?

Darwin discovered that species can change over time. That is all he did. He was not a genius, he was not any more special than you or me, he simply figured out a small part of the ultimate design that is the Universe. Since his time, people have formed a religion out of his idea of Evolution, now claiming that because evolution exists, there is no need for God. In no way if this logical, reasonable, or intelligent thought.

Another problem we have is time. People think that time can make the impossible possible. This idea is evidence of the complete ignorance and blindness of our culture. If you believe that time itself can make a red coke can blue, it shows that you are not aware of the reality that a coke can that is red will always remain red unless it is changed. If you believe there is no God you believe that the universe began with one single source - such as an element. But where did that element (or original source) come from?

Even so, one element alone cannot create an entire universe. In order for all of these to exists, there has to be something to change the purpose of all of these random elements coming together to create life. This is the only way different animals can occur, different plants, and different minerals... that one original source had to either be changed or change itself into something that could ultimately create all of the things that we see now. I can assure you that one speck of star dust, nor one speck of anything, can change itself. That speck, being the very first speck to exists, would not have had a chance to "evolve" yet so the chance of it having the ability to change itself and create multiple specks out of itself that all serve different purposes... is beyond unlikely. It is impossible.

If you find a Watch on the ground in the forest, there is no way you would ever think, "Oh wow, look what the dust, rain, and leaves came together to create over a period of billions and billions of years!" No, the idea is preposterous. You know that the watch was created by a human being because it is way too intricate to have been designed by chance and let alone, designed by itself.

The same goes for the Universe. Did you know they have counted over 70 Sextillion stars so far? Do you know the intricacies of how the eyeball works? Did you know that new discoveries are still being made about the individual cell? Do you really believe that everything that exists could come from one tiny speck of star dust that came to be on its own (which is what MANY well known scientists believe).

I think that takes more faith to believe that nonsense than to see with my very eyes the incredible CREATION that is the Universe. It's just so plain... how can someone not see it?

Evolution is not a reasonable theory, it is driven by culture and not fact. Evolutionists will do and say everything they can to try and prove that this theory has any legitimate claims and can coincide with science, but when it comes down to it they have nothing.

Not only do they have nothing but they are not willing to examine the claims of the creationist and therefore, they cannot be labeled as true scientists. To be a scientist you must look at ALL possibilities and be willing to follow the truth wherever it leads. That is the entire purpose of science.

If you study Darwin's Theory of evolution you will quickly discover the many many many errors (that evolutionists have since tried to correct by changing and developing the theory). Darwin himself had doubts of his theory - because of this ultimate question. He could not explain how something came from nothing.

Every evolutionist fails at answering their own questions about why the earth exists and how the universe came to be because they do not want to believe that God could exist. Yet, there is an overabundance of evidence that could persuade them IF they gave it a reasonable chance, just as they would for any other form of scientific study. Simply in the design alone of the universe is enough evidence. God can be proven without any mention of the Bible or Jesus. Look at your hand - do you know how it works? Do you know exactly how much goes into one simple movement of the finger? Is it even a plausible idea that this "machine" that is your finger could have created itself?

How about your brain? Just try to explain the evolution of that.

The question still lingers...

How did something come from nothing?

Many (if not most) scientists today acknowledge that this theory of evolution ridiculous and not a valid theory. However, our culture has grasped onto it SO tightly because it means that maybe, just maybe... life could have created itself and therefore, there is no need for a God. They have come up with evidence that is not evidence, facts that are not fact, and logic that is simply not logical, and for what? To give man some level of importance without the existence of God.

Famous philosophers and scientists have always struggled with this question of something coming from nothing because no matter what path they take to try and explain it, it always leads up to..."I don't know. I can't know."

What makes a scientist so much smarter than the average person? They go to school for a number of years, studying theories and ideas that other men have come up with before them. What makes people believe everything they hear a philosopher say? I have no more or less respect for scientists and philosophers because all they do is learn how the earth works and functions in a particular and universal manner, without ever thinking outside the box.

No matter how hard one tries to explain the box (that is the universe), you will never understand it until you look outside the box and see that nothing comes from nothing, and something always comes from something.

Step outside of culture and look outside of the box and take a look at what you see. Can you still believe that there isn't a God?

Sin and Homosexuality -- Part 1: It's about Standards, Not Religion.

2008-11-06T11:23:00.000-08:00

This study will be broken up into four parts because there is a lot that must be said on this subject. Part 1: It's about Standards, Not Religion, Part 2: What Sin is and why Homosexuality is Sin, Part 3: Love and Acceptance, Part 4: Gay Marriage vs. God's Design.

Ecc 7:4 A wise person thinks much about death, while the fool thinks only about having a good time now.

First off before I begin, my intent is not to bash homosexuals or even imply that they are any worse than anyone else in the world. The purpose of this study is to identify the main misunderstandings between Christians and nonbelievers, to clear them up, and to explain why Christians believe what they believe regarding homosexuality and sin.

With the increasing acceptance of homosexuality in our culture, it is becoming difficult to understand what makes homosexuality a sin. It is so widely accepted now that many people cannot understand what the big deal is. How does a person's sexual preference affect anyone else, and what business is it of anyone, anyway? People see it more as a difference of opinion (either you like it or you don't like it) than a question of whether it is right or wrong. People see this acceptance of homosexuality as more of a progression and change in society than a moral issue. I know of many people that cannot understand why a religion could keep someone from accepting a person as they are, their minds can't grasp why God would ever call it a sin. As far as they are concerned it is a fact of life and it is a normal thing. The issue is not acceptance, nor is it religion. It is Standards.

This widespread acceptance of Homosexuality is a result of our standards changing as a society. This has happened a multitude of times in numerous cultures over time, people stray further and further from God, and homosexuality becomes prominent in society. It happens time and time again throughout the history of the Bible. Today, our liberal mindset has lead us to base our standards on culture's opinion rather than a higher power (which is also why our Presidents don't really have much power at all). Basically whatever the people say, that is the standard they abide by. This is completely understandable in a "godless nation" such as our own. If they don't believe in God, why should they abide by his moral standards? This is absolutely to be expected.

Regardless of whether you believe in God or not, it all comes down to the standards by which you live by. Our culture is divided in its opinions on homosexuality - many are for it, others are okay with it, these are usually people that are driven by cultural standards. Some people who are not "religious" think that homosexuality is abnormal simply because there is no scientific purpose for it, some people oppose homosexuality just because, "it's gross and weird." Others (like me) disagree with it because it is against God's moral standard.

I have some questions and a proposition for the agnostic/atheist. Please think about the questions. What will happen the moment after you breathe your last breath? Do you know? Will nothing happen? Will you go to Heaven? Hell? Purgatory? Something else entirely? Is it even possible to know such a thing? Wouldn't you like to know? Of course you would, but you don't believe it is possible, in fact you *know* it is not possible. Now here is my proposition: You are a human and you do not have all knowledge, correct? Therefore, you absolutely could be wrong about this. I propose that you take a few minutes and open your mind (in the same way you want others to be open to your views), listen to and consider the claims.

What if, and I do say if - you are wrong about your claim that God does not exist or that God does not have standards? What if the claim of Christianity is actually true? What if his standards did apply to you personally? If the Christian is wrong, then so be it, it wouldn't matter because there would be nothing to worry about. But if you, the one who claims there is either no God or no way to know if there is a God, come face to face with the God (the Creator) of the universe the moment after you die, what will you say? Can you imagine yourself being in such a situation?

If this God is the one true God, there is no getting around his standards because if God is true, that would mean that there IS truth and there is an ultimate right and wrong. I believe wholeheartedly that the claims of the Bible are true, that our very existence is evidence of a creator, and all logic and reasoning in every aspect of life points to one absolute truth: God. I believe the only standard that anyone should live by is the standard of the God of the Bible, because I believe it is the truth. Therefore, either homosexuality is right or it is wrong, and if I have reason to believe that the God of the Bible is real and true - I'm going to go with his standard and say, it is wrong. I believe this is an honest judgment.

We have all been given consciences that tell us when we are doing wrong and all humans (regardless of whether or not they take pleasure in these things) acknowledge that these things are wrong: lying, stealing, murdering, dishonoring authority, envying, adultery, worshiping something that is not true, exalting something ridiculous over something of utmost importance. I can guarantee you that most people in the world would agree that these things are in fact wrong. This is God's moral standard, his law, the 10 commandments to not willingly take part in sin.

The conscience does not say that homosexuality is right, the heart does - and according to the very words of God in Jer 17:9-10 "The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I know! I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve."

This is why our own personal beliefs and opinions cannot be legitimate truth, we base these things on our own feelings, emotions, and desires, because we do not know everything there is to know. There must be a standard that upholds absolute truth. If there is no absolute truth, how do we even function as human beings? It would be chaos everywhere, no order in anything. We would not survive.

You know the scenario I talked about before, about you standing before God after you die?

I'm telling you now - it will happen. I know you believe I am wrong on this. You say, how can you possibly know that? I know that I cannot convince you and that is not my intent. My intent is to proclaim the truth to you. It is entirely up to God if you will read this and be moved by it or read this and scoff at it. Until you come to a complete understanding of who Jesus is and why he had to do what he did, you will not (nor will you ever) understand my answers to your questions.

This is why it is absolutely necessary to think about death.

You must think about where you would stand with God because if it is true, there are standards and if you have broken those standards there is no reason that God would not (or should not!) punish you, just as a judge would in our own court system. We will all be held accountable for how we lived on this Earth, and whether or not we believed his Son, Jesus Christ.

Pro 2:2 -10:
Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight and understanding. Search for them as you would for lost money or hidden treasure. Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of good sense to the godly. He is their shield, protecting those who walk with integrity.
He guards the paths of justice and protects those who are faithful to him.
Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will know how to find the right course of action every time. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy.

In my next post I will discuss sin: What sin is and why Homosexuality must be considered a sin.

Crutches are Good

2008-10-27T10:37:00.000-07:00

Crutch -
--noun
1. a staff or support to assist a lame or infirm person in walking, now usually with a crosspiece at one end to fit under the armpit.

"I don't need a crutch to help me get through life. I can do just fine on my own." - The Agnostic

Have you taken a look at our society lately and how well things are going for everyone? Hah. Over 50 percent of marriages end in divorce, babies are being viewed as inconvenient and being mercilessly killed, women are getting pregnant out of wedlock, children are growing up without two parents and families are being destroyed because of it... our culture wants to disobey God's word in every single way possible, and look at what is happening. This is what happens to a culture that relies on their own strength.

I've been thinking a lot about this saying lately, you know the one some people say about religious people needing a crutch to get through life. I've often heard people refer to any form of religion as a crutch. Whenever this statement is made, it is always in the form of an insult. Non-religious people believe that the religious people are too weak to get through life without their religion. This statement is both true and false concerning Christianity, depending on your definition of weak.

One wrong way to view this crutch is as something Christians use to help them feel better about life and death and to help them along in life and to make them happier people. That is not the purpose of a crutch, that is not the true definition of what a crutch is. That is just one of the many problems with this analogy. This is the world's twisted view of what a crutch is. When we really think about what a crutch is - it is exactly something that everyone should have. Another wrong way to view a crutch is as an optional tool and not a necessity. In the case that a person does understand what a crutch is, they are too full of pride and they choose not to use it.

It is obvious that the Christian's view of the world and the world's view of themselves are drastically different in every way you can possibly think of. Human pride has twisted the intentions of a crutch into something that is for the weak and it is unnecessary for the strong. In the nonbeliever's eyes, having an emotional crutch is not just a bad thing but a ridiculous thing. "Why not live according to your own standards? Why not be in complete control of your own life?" To the nonbeliever, the crutch is a symbol of weakness, low self-esteem, lack of intelligence, lack of self-reliance, lack of independence, and an ignorance to reality. The crutch represents a loss of self and to let go of one's self is simply unbelievable. It is actually laughable among the lost because it is beyond their idea of common sense.

My question is this - is it really a bad thing to have a crutch? Not the world's view of a crutch, but the reality of a crutch. If you break your leg, a crutch is a good thing and it is absolutely necessary if you want to walk, because you are weak and the crutch saves you from falling. In the same way, if we are wretched sinners and have broken God's law, isn't it absolutely necessary that we have a crutch (a support to assist the lame) to save us from falling?
Is it even possible to be in such a good state that we do not need a crutch?

This is how I see it. Nonbelievers are the ones with the broken legs that are too proud to use the crutch. People who choose to accept that Jesus Christ is THE savior are the ones who are humble enough to use the crutch, because they understand their current state of weakness. Ever heard of the band Thousand Foot Krutch? This is exactly what they mean. Their name symbolizes "the point in our lives when we realize we cannot make it on our own strength." It is not an option, we humans are in need of a crutch.

I will use myself as an example. I understand what my true state is. God created the world (how many of us can say we've done that?), since he created this world - he knew what would make it function properly and thus - he set standards for his people. I broke those standards, which means that I am a law breaker. I have sinned at least once in my life. In fact I have slapped God in the face so many times with my sins I can't even count the number of times. I am a horrible, rotten, wretched sinner and I deserve nothing more than death and eternal separation from God. But! Jesus has provided a way - the only way- to repay my sins. He was a sinless, and that was why he was able to provide the payment. There is no way I could ever do it on my own. He is the only good reason we have to live. And so...

I didn't come to Jesus so that he would make my life better and all my problems would go away - I came to Jesus because I was falling and I needed forgiveness. He is the one who helps me stand. He has saved me from the ultimate fall. In this sense - I would not live if it were not for my relationship with Christ (my "religion") If someone wants to refer to this crutch in a bad way, let it be. If someone wants to believe that I am weak, let it be. All that matters is what is true, and the truth is that I am a sinner, I am weak and HE is is the only one that is strong! He is my refuge and my strength. Without Him, no one has anything, regardless of whether or not they believe in him.

Jesus is not in the same camp as all the other religions, all the other prophets, and all of the people of the world. Why? Because he said so himself - he is the ONLY way to Heaven! Without Jesus Christ, we are nothing. If you are a Christian and you are tormented by this statement that your "religion" is just a "crutch", do not let it bother you. It is more honorable to God to humble yourself and realize your weakness than to be so proud that you don't want anyone to think you are weak.

If you think you are a good enough person to think you don't need a crutch, take a few minutes and examine yourself - your character and the way that you live. Do you sin? Of course you do. Do you repent of those sins? Do you hate all that God hates? Love all that God loves? According to the Bible there are eternal consequences for sin. If you don't hate all that God hates, there is something wrong there. If you are human - you are in a fallen sinful state and without a crutch you will never be able to walk. The only way to truly live is to understand that you are dead in your sins.

Bible Study: Isaiah: Chapters 1-12

2008-10-18T22:08:00.000-07:00

Prophecy is one of His ways of providing us with evidence of who He is, so we have a basis for faith and not blind faith. -- Chuck Smith

Aren't prophesies amazing?! I love reading the Old Testament and finding myself completely astonished with all of the prophesies of Jesus' life that were written centuries before Jesus was born.

Recently at church the women have begun a study on the book of Isaiah. I was very excited to do this study because in all my years (all 23 of them!) I had never read through the entire book before. The idea of studying this book was a little intimidating at first because it is a very long book and all I really knew about the book was that it was about prophesies.

Well now we are 5 weeks into the study and I can say I have certainly been blessed by this study each week. The first 12 chapters have dealt greatly with the wrath of God, which is a difficult thing to understand sometimes. For many years I never understood what people meant when they said God was not only loving but he was a God of wrath. I would read bits and pieces of Isaiah (and many other books that speak of His wrath) and I'd be terrified. Could God really be angry with people and why would he be that angry? Remember the "fear" you had of your parents if you'd done something wrong and you knew there was a punishment? The fear I have when reading these passages of God's wrath doesn't even compare to that. This is good though because its proof that I'm saved. The fear that we should have of God is unspeakable, because we do wrong (sin) and disrespect our creator every day of our lives. The thought of what we deserve should absolutely terrify us and make us tremble.

Why must he pour out his wrath on people? Because God is good. It is a strange and beautiful concept. If he did not punish those who did wrong, He would not be good. When reading these chapters, especially the ones that speak of specifics of how God demonstrates his wrath, it is frightening. As we read through Isaiah, we are constantly reminded that if we are not with God, we are against Him. If we are against God, we have no hope for life. This is why I have a hard time understanding how a person can go through their entire life believing that there is no God. How does one live with no hope?

God gave Isaiah a clear vision of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. This is one thing that absolutely amazes me with each weekly study in Isaiah, there is no question of whether or not he is talking about Jesus, it is made absolutely clear. It's wonderful! The depth of God's plan to redeem his people is absolutely brilliant (I know, I know...of course it is - this is the holy and perfect God we are talking about.) I just love that there is a purpose and a plan for everything. I've learned about biblical history, the present time and our current conditions, and the future by reading this book. The amount of information that God gave Isaiah is incredible. If you've never read it, please do a study on it. I'm not even halfway through it yet and its already been a remarkable journey.

.

Joyce Meyer: Authentic Happiness?

2008-10-13T09:35:00.000-07:00

Jesus told the crowds, “Whoever will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me” (Mark 8:34).

The cross was an instrument of death. Therefore taking up your cross is to die to yourself.

I struggled for years with low self-esteem, depression, loneliness, fear of people, etc. Our culture screams that in order to be somebody you have to know how to love yourself above anything else, because if you can't love yourself, you can't begin to love others. This is far from the truth, but I believed it anyway. I searched for ways to learn to love myself - what better way to do that than to focus on God's love for me. I went to church with the intent of wanting to be uplifted and assured of God's love for me. This was was kept me from staying depressed all the time. Nevertheless, the Bible does tell us we should be joyful and of course we should never hate ourselves because we have all been beautifully created by God, but our main focus in life should never be on ourselves. It should all be about Jesus Christ.

I struggle with this 'me me me!' mentality all the time. I'm not skinny enough, my hair isn't pretty enough, my face isn't clear enough, I don't have enough stuff for my kitchen, I need ____ and I need ____. I think everyone in our culture deals with this and most people don't even realize that they are doing it. But what we need to keep in mind is that we are no longer living for ourselves if we are Christians. We should be striving for Biblical attitudes towards life.

Joyce Meyer is the author of over 50 self-help books that include Biblical principles. Yet, she is called Pastor (which is another thing I don't believe is biblical, but let's continue on.) If she is called Pastor, that implies that she is a teacher of the Bible. Teaching Biblical principles and the teaching the Bible are two completely different things. It is taking the parts of the Bible that you like, coming up with your own spin on things, teaching those, and ignoring the rest of what the Bible teaches. I've fallen as victim to many of these teachings throughout my life, it is very easy to get sucked into a self-topical sermon, especially one that you can relate to. You end up not learning a thing about the Bible though.

I know people who love her and people who can't stand her. This is what made me wonder about this ministry. What is her ministry? Why does she teach biblical principles (basic rules and ideas of the Bible)? I read some of a few of her books and checked out her website, even listened to a couple of her teachings. She does have a lot of good to say. From the average Christian's perspective, she is very inspiring and you can learn a lot about yourself from what she says. But what good comes from learning about yourself? That is the problem. I don't know how much God can be glorified by anything that she says. I mean, she tells people they need to get motivated or that they are selfish beings... yes, we know this... this is why we became Christians in the first place. On the surface, everything appears to be biblical but if you take the time to really look at what she's teaching, it doesn't look so biblical anymore. In fact in many cases she is not being true to what the Bible actually teaches. That worries me, because a lot of people love her teaching. 2.5 billion people have heard her.

So this brings up the question - is it wrong for us, as Christians, to want to be happy and motivated? Of course not. We do need to look at everything from a Biblical perspective though. We are God's children, we are not of this world. The way Joyce Meyer teaches leads you to believe your happiness comes first and then Jesus. She writes paragraphs about how we have such a hard time getting motivated to do stuff and then she'll add a verse in there, totally out of context, and say it relates to what she's talking about. Very similar to what many pastors do these days - they play with the Bible like a toy, turning it into something it isn't. I cannot take Joyce Meyer's ministry seriously because her main focus does not appear to be Christ. Her books are all about enjoying yourself, loving yourself, and motivating yourself. She also seems to be more interested in emotions than faith.

The Bible points us to one person, Jesus Christ - not ourselves. In fact the Bible says the exact opposite. The Bible was not written to increase your self-esteem. Self-esteem is not a Biblical principle. You should never read your Bible with the intent of it just making you a better person or increasing the quality of your life. Many people do this and it is wrong. You read the Bible to help you grow in your knowledge of Jesus Christ and through that you develop a relationship with our God. When you become a Christian, your life is dedicated to God. You die to yourself.

Quotes by Joyce Meyer:

"One of my greatest desires is to see people thoroughly enjoy the quality of life Jesus died to give us—to actually be happy." - Joyce Meyer

I'm literally floored by this statement. All I could think when I read this was, "Wow." No, Joyce. I am sorry but you are wrong. Very wrong in fact. Jesus did not die so that you or I would have a greater quality of life. Jesus came to testify to the truth of the Bible (God's Word). Jesus died because we are horrible, rotten sinners and we all deserve to go to Hell and if he did not die for us, we would be in big trouble. He saved us from our sins that we commit on a daily basis. Jesus died so that we would follow him and be fulfilled through him only. He even said this:

Mat 10:22

“and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

To be a follower of Christ means that you will be hated, persecuted, and despised all throughout your life. When I was younger I didn't understand this because I lived most of my life trying to please everybody and just "going with the flow". But we just can't do that if we are to be true followers of Christ. If you are loved by everyone and don't cause any controversy by what you believe - examine yourself to see if you are truly in Christ. It is in no way easy to follow Christ.

This is exactly why I am skeptical of any Christian ministry that the secular world accepts. They are not persecuted by the secular world, because they do not tell the truth.

In fact, the more persecuted you are for your faith, the better off you are. The 12 disciples of Jesus (except John who was exiled) were executed for preaching Christ.

If we follow Christ, we will not be rewarded with authentic happiness, we will not have a perfect life, we could even have what is viewed as a "horrible life", but we will be blessed. Not with earthly treasures, health, wealth, and prosperity - but with love, hope, joy, patience, peace, kindness, God's provision...

"I have great news for you: God wants you to be happy today and every day. He really does. Jesus’ statement about life in John 10:10 is absolutely amazing to me: “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they might have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).”" - Joyce Meyer

God does not want us to just be happy, he wants us to glorify Him in all that we do, he wants us to live for him. Through that we may experience happiness, we may experience trials, we may experience sadness. I searched through multiple translations of the Bible and I cannot find the version that says "that they might have and enjoy life" Not even the The Message adds that part. Not only has she taken it out of context but she changed the meaning to that Bible verse. Yikes! John 10:9-10 is a proverbial way of saying that Jesus is the only way to be saved from sin. That scripture is referring to the life we have in Christ for all eternity, not the sinful life we have on Earth. The fullness of life refers to our eternal security.

Did you know that if you don't like yourself, you are never going to like anybody else, and you won't be able to help your spouse like himself or herself? - Joyce Meyer

"Remember, He died so we could experience authentic happiness." - Joyce Meyer

No, he did not die so that we could experience authentic happiness. He died so that we could be saved by faith in his son, through the grace of God. Of course that alone should make one jump for joy and weep tears of pure joy!

Those are just a few quotes I found on a couple pages in one of Joyce Meyer's books... the ministry has over 50 books.

(I originally posted this on my blog titled Biblical Homekeeping)

Fireproof

2008-10-11T19:26:00.000-07:00

If you haven't seen this movie yet, definitely see it! It is one of the best movies I have ever seen. Beautiful movie about what love really is. To see the preview, check out their website: Fireproof Movie

The Purpose of God's Law

2008-10-10T08:16:00.000-07:00

God's Law: The Ten Commandments

There is much to be said on God's Law, but today I'm focusing on the Ten Commandments. When I was growing up there were many things that were either not explained to me or I never quite understood. The Ten Commandments were one of the things that I never really understood. I often wondered about these commandments. It seemed to me that everyone broke them all the time and everyone around me seemed to tolerate it. Except for murder and adultery of course. Lying, stealing, envy, dishonoring parents... those sins occur so often that for the majority of my life they were tolerable sins. Everyone had this idea that murder and adultery were really the only ones that were intolerable, because they have bigger earthly consequences. But then why did God include them all in one list of commandments, if they were all equally as bad, equally as sinful? Is it possible that one commandment is more important than another?

Jam 2:10	For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.
Jam 2:11	For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.

So there we have it. The answer is no. All sins are equal in the sight of God because each time we sin we are deliberately breaking the law and that is how God sees it. There is no such thing as a little lie. A lie is a big deal, in fact check out Revelation 21:8.

We have all broken at least one of the commandments and therefore, we are guilty of disobeying God's perfect law and we will be held accountable for our actions. This is why Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." We cannot even compare to God because we our hearts are deceitfully wicked.

You might say, "Well I'm not wicked. I'd say I'm a pretty good person actually. I don't do drugs, I don't intentionally hurt people, I stayed a virgin until I was married, I'm faithful to my spouse, I don't lie all the time..." But what if you were to compare yourself to God's standards? Do you still think you are a good person?

Why are sins so bad?

Because we are talking about an infinite, holy, and perfect God. God is all that is good. Good and evil cannot be combined. Therefore if God is good, how could a sinful being be good as well? God cannot sin because he is good. We are sinful beings (obviously) and that automatically makes us wretched and evil at heart. Sins are simply things that go against God's very nature. If God states that something is wrong, then it is wrong. If we go ahead and do it, that is disobeying God who has ALL authority over everything. We are disobeying the law. It's all a matter of justice. In our society today, if you break the law, there is punishment. The same goes when we break God's law. God will hold us accountable for our actions.

You know how you feel when you know you are disobeying your parents or you are doing something you know your parents would never approve of? That feeling of guilt? That is how we should feel (only about a million times worse) when we sin against God. In the Bible it says, "The wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23) Which means that if have not been "cleansed" of our sins we absolutely cannot enter in the presence of God after we die. That is why there is a Hell. We are all guilty, and we all deserve to go to Hell.

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4).

The Ten Commandments serve as a purpose. What is that purpose?

Romans 7:7 "...Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. ..."

It is the law that shows us that we are sinners. These are not rules, they are a direct reflection of everything God is not, and therefore He has commanded these things to reveal our sinful nature. The Law's rightful purpose is simply to act as a mirror to show us that we need cleansing.

If you've never truly examined yourself to see where you stand with God. Today is the day to do it. Go through the 10 commandments (and know that God considers hatred to be murder and lust to be adultery). See if you have violated any of them. If you have, you are guilty. If you are guilty, what should happen when you die? Where should God send you?

God - All loving? All forgiving?

2008-10-09T19:44:00.000-07:00

Last week our Pastor said, "There is no such thing as 'Just Forgiven'" This is true. A person's sins cannot be justified with the fact that "God forgives". If you sin, God is not going to "just forgive".

If you sin, you will be punished for that sin unless you have repented and put your trust in Jesus and turned from your sins. That is Biblical, that is exactly what Jesus taught. God's Law requires that all sin must be paid for, and we - sinful beings by nature - are unable of doing that on our own. That is why we need Jesus. He is the only one who can pay the fine for us, we cannot do it ourselves. Jesus did not come to this earth to make it a better place or to bless his people with riches and good times. He came to testify to the truth. He came to fulfill the prophesies and promises of God and to do the will of God, which was to pay the ultimate price of death for the sins of His chosen people, and then he defeated death and rose to life. Jesus said:

Mat 5:17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Mat 10:34	"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35	"For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

There are many pastors these days that do not teach the Gospel as the apostles did. Does your Pastor talk about sin? If he never mentions sin, there is a problem there. Do all of the sermons uplift you and make you feel good? There is a problem there. This entire idea of self-esteem that our culture has grabbed hold of (including churches) is not biblical at all and a very selfish way of thinking. Many pastors soften up the gospel so that they won't offend anyone (the complete opposite of what Jesus did, I might add), they talk about forgiveness and God's love but they fail to mention sin and God's wrath. They fail to mention the real reason that Jesus came to this earth. The Bible teaches both God's steadfast love and his wrath/judgment, and there is a reason for that.

These pastors have come up with their own gospels (such as the Prosperity Gospel), that trivialize all that Jesus did. This is a problem, and a big one at that. People are flocking to these churches thinking they are being saved because they said a prayer and it's just not true. The act of praying does not save you. Repentance and trust in the Lord does. These pastors are not upholding their duty to spread the gospel, the true gospel - the one the Bible teaches.

Jesus took the punishment of all the sins in the world (past, present, and future), he suffered the wrath of GOD. Can you even imagine what that must have been like? Can you imagine the punishment for the sins of just one individual? The way I view sin is as a slap in the face to my creator. It is disgusting, it is low, and it is intolerable and a complete lack of respect. God created me, he gave me life - he gave me my family, my friends, my home...and how do I repay him? Think of how many times you sin in a day, multiply that by 365 and then multiply that by about 75. Wow. Brother, sister....That is what Jesus did for you. That is what Jesus did for billions and billions of people's sins. That is the ultimate sacrifice - God's own son. Is that not AMAZING? How merciful and gracious our Lord is!

We cannot pay for our own sins because we are sinful by nature. The payment had to be one that was pure, sinless - that was Jesus. We are destined to Hell because we are all sinners (Romans 3:23) and because of what Jesus Christ did, we now have a choice in where we will spend eternity.

See? It's not about self-esteem. Jesus did not come to make us live happy lives, he came to take our punishment so that we wouldn't have to go to Hell. How unbelievable is that? I mean seriously, it is beyond our own understanding. It is/was the most beautiful and perfect plan, ever. For a pastor to ignore this is to ignore the gift of true salvation.

If the Gospel is not preached, then people will come to Christ for the wrong reasons - to feel better about themselves, to make their life better, to relieve their fear of Hell, etc. They hold the title of Christian but if asked, they cannot tell you why they are a Christian. They simply do not know. Most people know that Jesus died to take away the sins of the world, they do not know why he died or that in order to be saved they must repent and turn from their sins, and trust Jesus Christ to be the one and only way.

Jhn 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

When we die we will face God on the day of judgment. Whether a person believes that or not, it is reality. If we die in our sins, God has every right to send us to Hell. We sin every day, we 'slap God' every single day. We have to believe that just as He is faithful in His promises to love and protect his people, He is also faithful to his promise to uphold proper judgment. He is just by forgiving those who have repented and he is just by destroying those who disobey his law. (I'll write more on God's law tomorrow)

1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

So how does this tie in with what a preacher such as Joel Osteen preaches? I'm not a person who enjoys gossip or slandering another human being for the sake of gaining something for myself. That is not what this is about. I believe Osteen is one of the teachers the Bible warns us about, and I believe it is good to bring this up and "expose" a teaching such as this.

I believe Joel Osteen is one who has created a gospel all of his own. If you read this transcript from his interview with Larry King you'll see him say many times, "I don't know", when talking about very critical issues, he doesn't talk about God, he rarely (if ever) uses scripture and if he does it is taken out of its original context. I don't understand how a Pastor can ignore so much of the Bible. How can he not know the answers to everything Larry asked? The Bible speaks so incredibly clear on these things. When comparing his teaching to the Bible, is there any truth to what Osteen says? God wants us to be healthy, wealthy, and have great relationships? Is God really all-loving? Are we doing God's will by only taking the fact that He loves us? Is God really all forgiving? Do we have the right to anything?

And last but not least. Check out this video.

Reading Isaiah

2008-10-08T19:22:00.000-07:00

Earlier today I was doing my study on Isaiah and after reading that the book was written around 700 B.C. I thought, "Wow. I'm reading something that was written 2,700 years ago."

How AMAZING is it that we can sit down and read something that was written so long ago? I'm always fascinated with things written even 100 years ago! 2,700 years... That is around 36 lifetimes!

Praise the Lord for preserving His words for us all to read!

2Ti 3:16
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

2Ti 3:17
that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Visualizing the Bible

2008-10-07T07:42:00.000-07:00

This diagram is a result of a collaboration between a Carnegie-Mellon Ph.D student Chris Harrison and a Lutheran pastor Christoph Romhild from Germany. They wanted to create a grand map of Biblical cross-references: "We wanted something that honored and revealed the complexity of the data at every level –- as one leans in, smaller details should become visible. This ultimately led us to the multi-colored arc diagram... The bar graph that runs along the bottom represents all of the chapters in the Bible. Books alternate in color between white and light gray. The length of each bar denotes the number of verses in the chapter. Each of the 63,779 cross references found in the Bible is depicted by a single arc - the color corresponds to the distance between the two chapters, creating a rainbow-like effect."

Sayings Not Found in Scripture

2008-10-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

I was browsing around Blue Letter Bible and I came across these. It is a list of sayings that are commonly referred to as Biblical sayings, but they are not actually (or entirely) Biblical.

Another saying that I hear people say a lot is "Love the sinner, hate the sin." At face value that is true but not in the context that it usually is used. Many of these listed here I have heard of before but there were a few that I never knew anything about. Click on the links to read more about each one. Very interesting read.

Sayings

Moderation in all things.
Once saved, always saved.
Better to cast your seed....
Spare the rod, spoil the child.
To thine ownself be true.
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
God helps those who help themselves.
Money is the root of all evil.
Cleanliness is next to godliness.
This too shall pass.
God works in mysterious ways.
The eye is the window to the soul.
The lion shall lay down with the lamb.
Pride comes before the fall.

Miscellaneous

The Three Wisemen
The Sinner's Prayer
Wedding Vows
The Seven Deadly Sins

- Shaina

Looking Closer at Romans 14:15

2008-10-06T07:07:00.000-07:00

Rom 14:15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.

"In the context of Jewish faith, "destroy" means to cut off from the covenant community (Deut. 28:21, 45, 48, 51, 61, 63). To encourage behavior that weak believers' consciences forbid is to encourage them to act against their conscience, a serious and dangerous act."

That's from my ESV Reformation Study Bible.

I think it's a pretty scary concept. We can lead a Christian to their demise as a Christian? To me what this means is that we can be the instrument God uses to uncover someone as a false convert, and that's a bad thing. Hmm.

How is it possible that we can show that a brother in Christ who has been called by God was a false convert (and therefore not called by God). I think until I hear a better explanation of this verse I will just say it's one of those things of God that is out of my understanding.

There are two kinds of instruments that we can by used by God as:

Instruments of grace

and

instruments of judgment.

We should, in love, look for daily opportunities to share the gospel with unbelievers so that that they might be saved. We should not cause our brothers in Christ to stumble, and stumble so greatly that they could even be destroyed or somehow be removed from their covenant relationship with God through Christ.

We need to encourage one another and not get down to the level of bickering over subjects on which God has not spoken.

-Gage

Romans 14:13-18

2008-10-05T18:14:00.000-07:00

Rom 14:13	So don't condemn each other anymore. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not put an obstacle in another Christian's path.
Rom 14:14	I know and am perfectly sure on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong.
Rom 14:15	And if another Christian is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don't let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died.
Rom 14:16	Then you will not be condemned for doing something you know is all right.
Rom 14:17	For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Rom 14:18	If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God. And other people will approve of you, too.

(At the moment I'm using the New Living Translation - I find it easiest to understand for general reading.)

These were the verses we went through in church today. This entire chapter so far has really transformed the way I think in many situations. I've read this passage many times before, but I've only applied it to a few specific things such as drinking alcohol and eating meat. This passage is so much broader than that though. If God has not spoken on the subject, then it is entirely up to the person to judge if it is right for them or not. This applies to just about everything. Some women choose to not wear pants, only skirts and dresses. Some people do not eat meat. I know people who are 100% against all alcohol consumption. Some people own a TV, others do not. Some people watch rated R movies, others do not. Some people are totally fine with tattoos, others are completely against them. What this entire chapter is telling us not to judge each other based on these things.

Jesus died for all who have repented and put their trust in him. Anytime you wrongfully criticize a fellow believer in Christ, you are bringing down one of your brothers or sisters, someone who Jesus died for.

My prayer this week is that God would help me to always be mindful of the things I judge people on. My goal is to bring everything to the Lord and his Word first before passing judgment on anything.

- Shaina

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The Purpose of this Blog

2008-10-04T10:20:00.000-07:00

Question to Ponder: Do you really believe that what you believe is really real?

I heard that question last night as part of The Truth Project. It has got me thinking - what would we look like if we really believed that everything we believe is really real? Can you imagine what life would be like with complete confidence in the word of God? Do we really understand that what it says is true? Do any of us really live like that?

This blog is about growing in holiness, spiritual strength, and spiritual discernment. It is an outlet for the things that I learn and how I interpret those to be true or false, biblical or unbiblical. If this blog benefits or blesses anyone else, that is wonderful! If it offends someone, I hope it offends for the right reasons, otherwise I apologize - for I am a sinner and in no way am I perfect. Overall though, much of the stuff I write about is simply me trying to understand something.

I am constantly learning things. We learn and are influenced by more than we realize in this culture. We are constantly learning new things each day. Whether it be through the Bible, through a book, a church sermon, a Bible Study, advise from someone, TV shows & movies, or events that occur in our lives. We obtain so much information each day and we are constantly learning.

I believe the most important thing we must do as humans is to learn the ways of God. The creator of the universe did more for us (his people) that we can even comprehend and the least we can do is devote our lives to pleasing the Lord.

"We must do the hard work of exercising discernment - sentence by sentence,
paragraph by paragraph, argument by argument. Facts, insights, perspectives,
and methods must all be tested in the light of the principles of Scripture." - Dennis E. Johnson

I find myself letting a lot of things slide. As an example: I will think, "Well, God knows where my heart is. So I can go watch this movie, because even though it blasphemes the name of God repeatedly, He knows that I don't agree with that." Seriously, I do this all the time with not just movies but many aspects of life. That is the wrong way of thinking. Everything that I do needs to be for the glory of God! The way we treat truth is so different from the way Jesus treated it. We say that we will drop everything and follow our Lord Jesus Christ, but do we do it? Seriously? Is God really the focus our our life or is he just part of it?

The topic of discernment is a difficult one because it can be very subjective. In many cases, when the issue is not of God-spoken sin, it is up to the person to discern what is right and what is wrong for them. However, if God has spoken, then it is what it is. If the Bible, read in proper context, says that something is a sin, there is no room for argument because God has spoken. This is why you need to consult the scriptures with everything.

What is Discernment?

"Discernment is the ability to think biblically about all areas of life." - Tim Challies

"Discernment is the process of making careful distinctions in our thinking about
truth. The discerning person is the one who draws a clear contrast between
truth and error." John MacArthur

"Discernment is the ability to see through the apparent to the actual." - Dr. Mike

Here are a few verses about discernment:

Rom 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your
mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and
acceptable and perfect.

Job 34:4 - So let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.

Ecc 11:5 - God's ways are as hard to discern as the pathways of the wind, and as mysterious as a tiny baby being formed in a mother's womb.

1Cr 12:3 - So I want you to know how to discern what is truly from God: No one speaking by the Spirit of God can curse Jesus, and no one is able to say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

-Shaina
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Sermon Recap: Romans 14:1-4

2008-09-21T19:02:00.000-07:00

1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

(This post was previously posted at my other blog - Biblical Homekeeping)

I have actually been struggling with this concept for a while now. Since I have become more aware of the specifics of what I believe (theologically), I have found myself being uncomfortable and even upset with people who have different opinions than me, on some very non-essential-to-salvation matters. People have also become upset with me for what I believe on certain issues. What I learned today was that if you are a Christian, we are all God's children and we all are trying to serve the Lord to the best of our ability. We each have opinions (some more prominent than others) and we are bound to disagree. What this portion of scripture is telling us is to not purposely pick fights with each other on issues that are not critical. If we do so, we are weak in our faith. We are not trusting God on the matter, we are trying to take it into our own hands and change the way a person thinks. When you really think about it, that is a very large percentage of what we humans talk about!

One illustration that Pastor Randy gave today was of a TV in the home. Some people do not have a TV in the home because television today is full of sin, blasphemy, and destructive behavior and they simply do not want that in their homes. Then there are people who do have TV in their homes, but they are very selective about what they allow their family to watch. It is not our place to judge each other on this issue, because it is a matter of opinion. It is not a sin to have a TV it is not a sin to not have a TV. If a family has a TV in the home, the person without the TV in the home should never assume that the other family is any less Christian. Or even worse, assuming that they are not Christians at all.

I know I am guilty of doing this! I have had this happen many times. I think we all have the tendency to do this while discussing politics, entertainment (books, movies, television), foods, and drinks. What do you think when you see a Christian have a glass of wine or even a beer? What do you think when you hear a Christian talking about certain TV shows or movies? What about Christian democrats? Biblically speaking, it is not a sin to drink wine, watch TV, or call yourself democrat, but they are definitely a few examples of things that make many Christians think, "Uh oh. They are not really saved!"

Having an attitude like this is not healthy, nor is it helpful in any way. You will not help a person by starting a debate over something they so passionately believe to be true. If a person is weak in their faith, God will deal with their heart. It is not up to us to try and change a person's heart, only God can do that. If the person truly is saved and one of His children, the Lord will work to change them according to His Will.

Don't get me wrong, there are definite signs that a person is not saved and there are ways to know if a person is doing something wrong (sinful). If a person is consistently living in sin with no sign of a change, no sign of repentance, and lacking faith in Jesus Christ, they are more than likely not saved. If they are sinning, then it is wrong. If it doesn't line up with the Bible, it is wrong. This is an entirely different issue though.

If a person has an opinion that differs from your own on a moral issue, you must first ask yourself, "Is it a sin or not?" If it is, call them on it. If it is not, leave it alone and let it be. It is an issue of the heart and God is the only one who can change them.

My Personal Reflection:

When I was younger I was 100% against all alcohol consumption and I thought if a person drank alcohol, they couldn't possibly really be Christians, because the Bible says not to get drunk and I could not see why anyone would drink alcohol without the purpose of getting drunk. Just in the past few years have I learned that there are people who drink occasionally and never allow themselves to get drunk. It was around that time that these verses really began to speak to me on the issue. My thoughts on drinking now are very different than they used to be. I understand that it is not a sin to drink, but it is a sin to be drunk. I should never judge Christians who drink occasionally, it is not my place. Could they be weak in their faith? I don't know, I don't really think so, but if they are - God will do a good work in them. I still have not had even a drop of alcohol in my life, but my reasons for staying away from alcohol are not the same as they used to be. Perhaps I will write a blog on it one day :)

-Shaina
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2Ti 3:16	All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
2Ti 3:17	that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.