Melissa's World

Thanksgiving time

2008-11-26T09:55:00.002-05:00

I love Thanksgiving. It is one of my favorite times of year. I always loved being with my parents at this time of year. Now I'm married with my own family and a large extended family, so Mom doesn't do Thanksgiving anymore. In fact, now my parents usually are gone south for the winter way before Thanksgiving. My husband will be hunting, which is his family's tradition for Thanksgiving and we will go to his sister's house in the evening to have the big family dinner. So during the day, the kids and I will have our own dinner and spend the day together. Maybe we will hit the stores that are open so that the people who are working won't have to stand around twiddling their thumbs.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Home at Last!!

2008-06-16T08:47:00.000-04:00

Ahhhhh! Finally, my dream of staying at home with my children has come to pass. Thank you Lord! Nathan finished school last week and now our summer will begin! I am so thankful to be finally able to spend this time with my children. We have planted a garden, we will play outside and ride bikes. We will read together and enjoy each other! I will hone my cooking skills instead of fast food, we will have nutricious meals around the table together!

Together! That is what is so awesome!

How may we know whether we love God?

2007-09-10T13:58:00.001-04:00

How may we know whether we love God?

(Thomas Watson, "The Ten Commandments")

How may we know whether we love God?

He who loves God desires His presence. Lovers cannot be
long asunder, they soon have their fainting fits, for lack
of a sight of the object of their love. A soul deeply in love
with God desires the enjoyment of Him. David was ready
to faint away, when he had not a sight of God. "My soul
faints for God." Psalm 84:2

He who loves God, does not love sin. "You who love the
Lord--hate evil." Psalm 97:10. The love of God--and the
love of sin, can no more mix together than iron and clay.
Every sin loved, strikes at the being of God. He who loves
God, has an antipathy against sin. He who would part two
lovers is a hateful person. God and the believing soul are
two lovers; sin parts between them, therefore the soul is
implacably set against sin. By this try your love to God.
How can he say he loves God, who loves sin--which is
God's enemy?

He who loves God is not much in love with anything else.
His love is very cool to worldly things. The love of the world
eats out the heart of piety; it chokes holy affections, as earth
puts out the fire. He who loves God--uses the world but
chooses God. The world engages him--but God delights
and satisfies him. He says as David, "God, my exceeding
joy!" Psalm 43:4. "God is the cream of my joy!"

He who loves God cannot live without him. Things we love,
we cannot be without. A man can do without music or flowers,
but not food. Just so, a soul deeply in love with God looks upon
himself as undone without Him. "Hide not Your face from me,
lest I be like those who go down into the pit." Psalm 143:7.
If God is our chief good--we cannot live without Him! Alas!
how do they show they have no love to God--who can do
well enough without Him! Let them have but food and drink,
and you shall never hear them complain of the lack of God.

He who loves God will be at any pains to get Him. What
pains the merchant takes, what hazards he runs--to have
a rich return. Jacob loved Rachel, and he could endure the
heat by day, and the frost by night--that he might enjoy her.
A soul that loves God will take any pains for the fruition of
Him. "My soul follows hard after You." Psalm 63:8. The soul
is much in prayer; it strives as in agony, that he may obtain
Him whom his soul loves. "I will seek Him whom my soul
loves." Canticles 3:2.

He who loves God, prefers Him before estate. "For Whom
I have suffered the loss of all things." Phil 3:8. Who that
loves a rich jewel--would not part with a flower for it?

Grace Gems (choice electronic books, sermons & quotes)

Sovereign Grace Treasures (choice printed books)

2007-08-06T14:22:00.000-04:00

Walking pictures of Christ!

(Thomas Watson, "Body of Divinity")

"Leaving you an example--so that you
should follow in His steps." 1 Peter 2:21

"The one who says he remains in Him should
walk just as He walked." 1 John 2:6

"I have set you an example that you should
do as I have done for you." John 13:15

True true religion is to imitate Christ.
There are four things in which we should
labor to be like Christ.

1. Be like Christ in DISPOSITION.
He was of a most sweet disposition.
He has a heart to pity us.
He has breasts to feed us.
He has wings to cover us.

He would not break our heart--but with mercy. Let us
be like Him in sweetness of disposition. Do not be of a
morose spirit. It was said of Nabal, "He's so ill-tempered
that no one can even talk to him!" Some are so sour, and
breathe forth nothing but revenge! Or they are like those
two men in the gospel, "possessed with devils, coming
out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one could
pass that way." Let us be like Christ in mildness and
sweetness. Let us pray for our enemies--and conquer
them by love. David's kindness melted Saul's heart.
A frozen heart will be thawed, with the fire of love.

2 Be like Christ in HUMILITY.
"He humbled himself." He left the bright robes of His
glory--to be clothed with the rags of our humanity--a
wonder of humility! Let us be like Christ in this grace.
Humility is the glory of a Christian. We are never so
lovely in God's eyes--as when we are black in our own
eyes. In this let us be like Christ. Indeed, what cause
have we to be humble--if we look within us, about us,
below us, and above us!

If we look within us--here we see our sins represented
to us in the looking-glass of conscience--lust, envy, passion.
Our sins are like vermin crawling in our souls. "How many
are my iniquities!" Job 13:23. Our sins are as the sands
of the sea for number; as the rocks of the sea for weight!
Augustine cries out, "My heart, which is God's temple--is
polluted with sin!"

If we look about us--there is that which may humble us.
We may see other Christians outshining us in graces, as
the sun outshines the lesser planets. Others are laden with
fruit--and perhaps we have but here and there, a berry!

If we look below us--there is that which may humble us.
We may see the mother earth, out of which we came.
The earth is the most ignoble element. "They were viler
than the earth." Job 30:8.

"Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust from
the ground." Genesis 2:7. "You will return to the ground
from which you came. For you were made from dust, and
to the dust you will return." Genesis 3:19. You who are
so proud, behold your pedigree--you are but walking dirt!
And will you be proud? What is man? The son of dust!
And what is dust? The son of nothing!

If we look above us; there is that which may humble us.
If we look up to heaven, there we may see God resisting
the proud. God pursues the proud in vengeance. He threw
proud Lucifer out of heaven! The proud man is the mark
which God shoots at--and He never misses the mark!
Oh then--be like Christ in humility!

3. Be like Christ, in the contempt of the WORLD.
Christ was not ambitious for titles or honor. He declined
worldly dignity and greatness--as much as others seek it.
When they would have made Him a king--He refused it.
He chose rather to ride upon the foal of an donkey, than
be drawn in a chariot. He chose rather to hang upon a
wooden cross--than to wear a golden crown! He scorned
the pomp and glory of the world. He ignored secular
affairs. "Who made Me a judge?" He did not come into
the world to be a judge--but a Redeemer. He minded
nothing but heaven.

Let us be made like Him--in heavenliness and contempt
of the world. Let us not be ambitious for the empty honors
and glories of the world. Let us not purchase the world--
with the loss our soul. What wise man would damn himself
--to grow rich? or throw his soul down to hell--to build up
an earthly estate?

Be like Christ in a holy contempt of the world.

4. Be like Christ in HOLINESS of life.
No temptation could fasten upon Him. Temptation to Christ,
was like a spark of fire upon a marble pillar, which glides off.
"As the One who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in
all your conduct." 1 Peter 1:15.

A Christian should be both a magnet and a diamond!
A magnet--in drawing others to Christ; a diamond
--in casting a sparkling luster of holiness, in his life.
Oh let us be . . .
so just in our dealings,
so true in our promises,
so devout in our worship,
so unblamable in our lives;
that we may be the walking pictures of Christ!

Grace Gems (choice electronic books, sermons & quotes)

Sovereign Grace Treasures (choice printed books)

Dare we experiment on a mind which no longer belongs to us?

2007-07-24T16:02:00.000-04:00

"I am asked sometimes to read an heretical book: well, if I believed my reading it would help its refutation, and might be an assistance to others in keeping them out of error, I might do it as a hard matter of duty, but I shall not do it unless I see some good will come of it. I am not going to drag my spirit through a ditch for the sake of having it washed afterwards, for it is not my own. It may be that good medicine would restore me if I poisoned myself with putrid meat, but I am not going to try it: I dare not experiment on a mind which no longer belongs to me. There is a mother and a child, and the child has a book to play with, and a black lead pencil. It is making drawings and marks upon the book, and the mother takes no notice. It lays down one book and snatches another from the table, and at once the mother rises from her seat, and hurriedly takes the book away, saying: “No, my dear, you must not mark that, for it is not ours.” So with my mind, intellect, and spirit; if it belonged to me I might or might not play tomfool with it, and go to hear Socinians, Ritualists, Universalists, and suchlike preach, but as it is not my own, I will preserve it from such fooleries, and the pure word shall not be mingled with the errors of men."

-Taken from Flashes of Thought by C. H. Spurgeon, 1883

Who sees us? Who will know?

2007-06-07T16:48:00.003-04:00

Who sees us? Who will know?

(Thomas Brooks, "London's Lamentations" 1670)

Atheism reigns in the hearts and lives of sinners.

The covetous make their gold their god.

The drunkard and glutton make their bellies their god.

The ambitious make honors their god.

The voluptuous make pleasures their god.

The religionists make pious duties their god.

The moral make virtue their god.

"The fool says in his heart--There is no God!"
Psalm 14:1

Atheism denies God either:
in opinion--saying there is no God; or
in affection--wishing there were no God; or
in practice--living as if there were no God.

What abundance of atheists there are in the land!

"He says to himself--God has forgotten; He covers
His face and never sees." Psalm 10:11

"They say--How can God know? Does the Most
High have knowledge?" Psalm 73:11

"They say--The Lord does not see; the God
of Jacob pays no heed." Psalm 94:7

What horrid blasphemy, what gross atheism is here!
How do these atheists ungod the great God! How do
they deny His omnipotence and omniscience! What
an idol-god do they make the great God to be!

There are many who sin freely in secret, who can
be drunk and filthy in the dark, when the eye of man
is not upon them. Certainly those men's hearts are
very atheistic, who dare do that in the sight of God
--which they tremble to do before the eyes of men!

How many are there who flatter themselves in their
sins, and conclude that surely the bitterness of hell
and wrath is past, and that they are in a fair way for
heaven--when every step they take is towards the
bottomless pit, and divine vengeance hangs over
their heads, ready every moment to fall upon them!

"On earth are atheists many,
In hell there are not any."

"Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their
plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness
and think--Who sees us? Who will know?"
Isaiah 29:15

Grace Gems (choice electronic books, sermons & quotes)

Sovereign Grace Treasures (choice printed books)

FW: A house without light!

2007-06-07T16:48:00.001-04:00

A house without light!

(Thomas Brooks, "London's Lamentations" 1670)

"Cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness:
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Mt. 25:30

Our earthly fire, when it burns it shines, it casts a light.
It has light as well as heat in it. But the fire of hell burns
--but it does not shine, it gives no light at all. It retains
the property of burning--but it has lost the property of
shining. Christ calls it "outer darkness," or utter darkness
--that is, darkness beyond a darkness.

Light is a blessing that shall never shine into that infernal
prison. In Jude verse 6, you read of "chains of darkness."
It would be a little ease, a little comfort, to the damned
in hell--if they might have but light and liberty to walk up
and down the infernal coasts; but this is too high a favor
for them to enjoy; and therefore they shall be shackled
and fettered down in chains of darkness, and in
blackness of darkness--so that they may fully undergo
the scorchings and burnings of divine wrath and fury
forever and ever.

In Jude verse 13 you thus read, "To whom is reserved
the blackness of darkness forever." The words signify
exceeding great darkness. Hell is a very dark and dismal
region, and extreme are the miseries, horrors, and
torments which are there. Sinners, when they are in
hell, when they are in chains of darkness, when they
are in blackness of darkness--they shall never more
see light! Hell is a house without light!

Though our earthly fires have light as well as heat--yet
the infernal fire has only heat to burn sinners; it has no
light to refresh sinners; and this will be no small addition
to their torment.

"He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and
brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves!"
Colossians 1:13

Grace Gems (choice electronic books, sermons & quotes)

Sovereign Grace Treasures (choice printed books)

2007-05-08T16:26:00.001-04:00

Fully, completely and perfectly

(Thomas Brooks, "Paradise Opened" 1675)

"I will be their God, and they will be My people.
For I will forgive their wickedness and will
remember their sins no more." Heb. 8:10, 12

God will pardon the sins of His people fully,
completely and perfectly. Neither the . . .
many kinds of sins,
nor many degrees of sin,
nor many aggravations of sin,
nor even the multitude of sins,
can ever harm those souls who are in covenant
with God. God has mercy enough, and pardons
enough, for all His covenant-people's sins--
whether original or actual,
whether against the law or against the gospel,
whether against the light of nature or the rule of grace,
whether against mercies or judgments.

The covenant remedy against all kinds and degrees
of sin--infinitely transcends and surpasses . . .
all our infirmities and enormities,
all our weaknesses and wickednesses,
all our follies and unworthinesses, etc.

What is . . .
our unrighteousness--compared to Christ's righteousness;
our debts--compared to Christ's pardons;
our unholiness--compared to Christ's holiness;
our emptiness--compared to Christ's fullness;
our weakness--compared to Christ's strength;
our poverty--compared to Christ's riches;
our wounds--compared to Christ's healing balm?

"The Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to
anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining
love to thousands; and forgiving wickedness, rebellion
and sin." Exodus 34:6-7.

A merciful God, a gracious God--will pardon all kinds
of sinners, and all kinds and degrees of sin.

Oh, what astounding mercy, what rich grace is here!
that God will not only pardon our light, our small
offences; but our great and mighty sins! God will
never upbraid His people for . . .
their follies,
their miscarriages,
their unkindness,
their unfruitfulness,
their unthankfulness,
their vileness,
their stubbornness,
their wickedness.

Grace Gems (choice electronic books, sermons & quotes)

Sovereign Grace Treasures (choice printed books)

2007-05-01T09:36:00.000-04:00

Painted pleasures, sugared poisons, envenomed baits
(John Owen)

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ,
set your hearts on things above, where Christ
is seated at the right hand of God. Set your
minds on things above, not on earthly things."
Colossians 3:1-2

Fix your affections upon the things that are above,
and this will enable you to mortify sin. Heavenly
things are blessed and suitable objects--God Himself,
in His beauty and glory; the Lord Jesus Christ, who is
'altogether lovely,' the 'chief of ten thousand'; grace
and glory; and the blessed promises of the gospel.

Were our affections filled, taken up, and possessed
with these things, as it is our duty that they should be
--and it is our happiness when they are--what access
could sin, with its painted pleasures, with its sugared
poisons, with its envenomed baits, have into our souls?
How should we loathe all sin's proposals, and say unto
them, "Away with you, you abominable thing!" For what
are the vain, transitory pleasures of sin--in comparison
to the heavenly glories which are proposed unto us?

2007-04-26T15:48:00.001-04:00

The devil's best customers!

(Brooks, "The Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures")

"God will surely judge people who are immoral." Heb. 13:4

If men will not judge them, God Himself will, and give
them a portion of misery answerable to their transgression.
Sometimes He judges them in this life--by pouring forth of
His wrath upon their bodies, souls, consciences, names and
estates. But if He does not thus judge them in this life, He
will be sure to judge them in the life to come! Yes, He has
already adjudged them "to the fiery lake of burning sulfur,"
Revelation 21:8

The unchaste are the devil's best customers! Oh, the
thousands of men and women who are sent to hell for
immorality! Other sins are toilsome and troublesome,
but sexual immorality is pleasant, and sends men and
women merrily to hell!

Mary Kay Lady

2007-04-10T09:25:00.000-04:00

I have decided to try my hand at being an Independent Beauty Consultant for Mary Kay. Hopefully this will be as fun an experience as I am hoping. If nothing else it will give me some quality time with my Mother In Law and Sister In Law who are also Mary Kay Consultants. If you are interested in view my webpage it is:

www.marykay.com/MelissaLSeaman or email me at MelissaLSeaman@MaryKay.com

Hope to hear from you soon!

Pleasure, delight, contentment and satisfaction in God

2007-04-09T15:14:00.000-04:00

Pleasure, delight, contentment and satisfaction in God

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity, or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

There are no people under heaven, who take any real pleasure, delight, contentment and satisfaction in God--but those who are genuinely holy.

"How is your Beloved better than others, most beautiful
of women? How is your Beloved better than others, that
you charge us so?" Song of Songs 5:9

The covetous man takes pleasure and delight in his money-bags.

The ambitious man takes pleasure and delight in his honors.

The voluptuous man takes pleasure and delight in his lusts.

The malicious man takes pleasure and delight in his revenge.

The envious man takes pleasure in the harms which befall others.

The drunkard takes pleasure and delight in his cups.

The adulterer takes pleasure and delight in his harlots.

The gamester takes pleasure and delight in his shifts and tricks.

The worldling takes pleasure in his fopperies and fooleries.

It is only the holy man who takes pleasure and delight in God.
To delight and take pleasure in God, is a work too high, too
hard, too spiritual, and too noble--for any but holy people!

"My Beloved is dark and dazzling, better than ten thousand
others! Yes, He is altogether lovely! This is my Beloved, and
this is my Friend!" Song of Songs 5:10, 16

"I delight greatly in the Lord! My soul rejoices in my God!"
Isaiah 61:10

Worse than sodomy!

2007-04-09T15:13:00.000-04:00

Worse than sodomy!

(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)

"If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words,
shake the dust off your feet when you leave that house
or town. I assure you: It will be more tolerable on the
day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah
than for that town." Matthew 10:14-15

Sodom and Gomorrah shall have an easier and cooler
hell than such shall have--who have despised the offers
of His grace, and the offers of His mercy. Contempt of
Christ and His gospel--is worse than sodomy!

"Then the Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur from
the heavens on Sodom and Gomorrah!" Genesis 19:24

The punishments of Sodom and Gomorrah, are but scratches
on the hand, and flea-bitings--compared to those dreadful and
astonishing judgments which God, in the great day of account,
will inflict upon all Christ-refusers and gospel-despisers!

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever
rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on
him." John 3:36

True repentance

2007-02-19T16:59:00.000-05:00

True repentance includes a sensibleness of sin's sinfulness—how opposite and contrary sin is to the blessed God.
God is light, sin is darkness;
God is life, sin is death;
God is heaven, sin is hell;
God is beauty, sin is deformity.

Also true repentance includes a sensibleness of sin's destructiveness; how sin cast angels out of heaven, and Adam out of paradise; how sin laid the first cornerstone in hell, and brought in all the curses, crosses, and miseries, which are in the world; and how sin makes men liable to all temporal, spiritual and eternal wrath; how sin has made men Godless, Christless, hopeless and heavenless.

Further, true repentance includes sorrow for sin, contrition of heart. It breaks the heart with sighs, and sobs, and groans—that by sin—a loving God and Father is offended; a blessed Savior afresh crucified, and the sweet Comforter, the Spirit, grieved and vexed.

Again, repentance includes, not only a loathing of sin—but also a loathing of ourselves for sin. As a man does not only loathe poison—but he loathes the very dish or vessel which has the smell of the poison; so a true penitent does not only loathe his sin—but he loathes himself, the vessel which smells of it. So Ezek. 20:43: 'And there shall you remember your ways and all your doings, wherein you have been defiled; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that you have committed.' True repentance will work your hearts, not only to loathe your sins—but to loathe yourselves!

Again, true repentance does not only work a man to loathe himself for his sins—but it makes him ashamed of his sin also: 'What fruit had you in those things whereof you are now ashamed?' says the apostle (Rom. 6:21). So Ezekiel: 'And you shall be confounded, and never open your mouth any more, because of your shame, when I am pacified toward you for all that you have done, says the Lord God' (16:63). When a penitent soul sees his sins pardoned, the anger of God pacified, the divine justice satisfied, then he sits down and blushes, as one ashamed.

Yes, true repentance makes a man to deny his sinful self, and to walk contrary to sinful self, to take a holy revenge upon sin, as you may see in Paul, the jailor, Mary Magdalene, and Manasseh. This the apostle shows in 2 Cor. 7:10, 11: 'Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.'

True repentance is a continual act. The word repent implies the continuation of it. Anselm confesses, that all his life was either damnable for sin committed, or unprofitable for good omitted; and at last concludes, "Oh, what then remains, but in our whole life—but to lament the sins of our whole life." True repentance inclines a man's heart to perform God's statutes always, even unto the end. A true penitent must go on from faith to faith, from strength to strength; he must never stand still nor turn back. Repentance is a grace, and must have its daily operation as well as other graces. True repentance is a continued spring, where the waters of godly sorrow are always flowing: 'My sin is ever before me' (Psalm 51:3). A true penitent is often casting his eyes back to the days of his former vanity, and this makes him morning and evening to 'water his couch with his tears.' 'Remember not against me the sins of my youth,' says one blessed penitent; and 'I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man,' says another penitent.

Repentance is a continual act of turning, a repentance never to be repented of, a turning never to turn again to folly. A true penitent has ever something within him to turn from; he can never get near enough to God; no, not so near him as once he was; and therefore he is still turning and turning that he may get nearer and nearer to him, who is his chief good and his only happiness, optimum maximum, the best and the greatest. They are every day a-crying out, 'O wretched men that we are, who shall deliver us from this body of death!' (Rom. 7:24). They are still sensible of sin, and still conflicting with sin, and still sorrowing for sin, and still loathing of themselves for sin. Repentance is no transient act—but a continued act of the soul.

Those who do not burn now in zeal against sin must before long burn in hell for sin.

As the flood drowned Noah's own friends and servants, so must the flood of repenting tears drown our sweetest and most darling sins.

In loving memory of Dee Keown

2007-02-16T10:56:00.000-05:00

If You Could See Me Now

Our prayers have all been answered. I finally arrived.
The healing that had been delayed has now been realized.
No one's in a hurry. There's no schedule to keep.
We're all enjoying Jesus, just sitting at His feet.

If you could see me now, I'm walking streets of gold.
If you could see me now, I'm standing strong and whole.
If you could see me now, you'd know I've seen His face.
If you could see me now, you'd know the pain is erased.
You wouldn't want me to ever leave this place,
If you could only see me now.

My light and temporary trials have worked out for my good,
To know it brought Him glory when I misunderstood.
Though we've had our sorrows, they can never compare.
What Jesus has in store for us, no language can share.

You wouldn't want me to ever leave this perfect place
If you could only see me now
If you could see me now
If you could only see me now

* * * * * * * * *

by Kim Noblitt

Believe it or Not!!!!

2007-02-06T16:22:00.000-05:00

The Tale of the Magic Rock Apes

Okay, now sit down now, boys and girls - it's story time! Shhhh.... Once upon a time, billions of years ago, there was nothing. Suddenly, magically, the nothing exploded into something. That something is called hydrogen. Can you say "hydrogen?" I knew you could. This hydrogen eventually cooled down enough to condense into solid rock. It was magic rock. Inert and lifeless, but still magical. And then, magically, water formed in the sky above the rock. The waters rained on the rock for, oh, let's say billions of years. Some of the rock broke down into minerals, and these minerals washed into a pool of water.

Then one day some of these minerals magically formed into a kind of goo in the pool of water. Can you say "goo?" I knew you could. Well do you know what happened then? That's right! The goo magically became ALIVE. So anyway, this bit of magic goo magically found something to eat. Then, magically, it found another bit of magic goo to marry, and they had a whole bunch of magical little goos. Eventually - millions of years later - some of this goo grew up into all the plants and animals in the world around us. If it's alive, it came from that first bit of magic goo! Well, more time went on. Finally some of this goo magically evolved - can you say "evolved?" I knew you could - some of this goo magically evolved upwards and upwards, growing ever more advanced, bigger, stronger, smarter, until it became a kind of magical hairless ape with thumbs.

And do you know who those apes are? That's right! They're YOU and ME! We are the magic rock apes! And you know what else? Someday we'll evolve enough that we'll become the God we all know doesn't exist. Now take a nap.

2007-01-25T14:26:00.000-05:00

Fire! Fire!
by

J. C. Ryle
(1816-1900)

When a house is on fire, what ought to be done first? We ought to give the alarm and wake the inhabitants. This is true love to our neighbor. this is true charity. Reader, I love your soul, and want it to be saved. I am therefore going to tell you something about hell. There is such a place as hell. Let no one deceive you with vain words. What men do not like, they try hard not to believe. When the Lord Jesus Christ comes to judge the world, he will punish all who are not his disciples with a fearful punishment. All who are found impenitent and unbelieving; all who have clung to sin, stuck to the world, and set their affections on things below; all who are without Christ; all such shall come to an awful end. Whosoever is not written in the book of life shall be "cast into the lake of fire." Rev 20:15.

The punishment of hell shall be most severe. There is no pain like that of burning. Put your finger in the candle for a moment if you doubt this, and try. Fire is the most destructive and devouring of all elements. Look into the mouth of a blast furnace, and think what it would be to be there. Fire is of all elements most opposed to life. Creatures can live in air, and earth, and water; but nothing can live in fire. Yet fire is the portion to which the Christless and unbelieving will come. they will be "cast into the lake of fire." The punishment of hell will be eternal. Millions of ages will pass away, and the fire will never burn low and become dim. The fuel of that fire will never waste away and be consumed. it is "unquenchable fire." O reader, these are the sad and painful things to speak of. I have no-pleasure in dwelling on them. I could rather say with the apostle Paul, "I have great sorrow." But they are things written for our learning, and it is good to consider them. They are part of that Scripture which is all profitable, and they ought to be heard. Painful as the subject of hell is, it is one about which I dare not, cannot, and must not be silent.

Who would desire to speak of hell-fire if God has not spoken of it? When God has spoken of it so plainly, who can safely hold his peace? I dare not shut my eyes to the fact, that a deep rooted infidelity lurks in men's minds on the subject of hell. I see it oozing out in the utter apathy of some: they eat, and drink, and sleep, as if there was no wrath to come. I see it creeping forth in the coldness others about their neighbor's souls: they show little anxiety to awaken the unconverted, and pluck brands from the fire. I desire to denounce such infidelity with all my might. Believing that there are "terrors of the Lord," as well as the "recompense of reward."

I call on all who profess to believe the Bible, to be on their guard. I know that some do not believe there is any hell at all. They think it impossible there can be such a place. They call it inconsistent with the mercy of God. They say it is too awful an idea to be really true. The devil of course, rejoices in the views of such people. They help his kingdom mightily. They are preaching up his old favorite doctrine, "Ye shall not surely die." I know furthermore, that some do not believe that hell is eternal. They tell us it is incredible that a compassionate God will punish men for ever. He will surely open the prison doors at last. This also is a mighty help to the devil's cause. "Take your ease, "he whispers to sinners-" if you do make a mistake, never mind, it is not for ever." I know also that some believe there is a hell, but never allow that anybody is going there. All people with them are good, as soon as they die, all were sincere, all meant well, and all, they hope, got to heaven. Alas! what a common delusion is this! I can well understand the feeling of the little girl who asked her mother where all the wicked people were buried, for she found no mention on the gravestones of any except of the good.

And I know very well that some believe there is a hell, but never like to hear it spoken of. It is a subject that should always be kept back, in their opinion. They see no profit in bringing it forward, and are rather shocked when it is mentioned. This also is an immense help to the devil. "Hush! hush!" says Satan, "say nothing about hell." The fowler wishes no noise to be made when he has laid his, snares. The wolf would like the shepherd to sleep, while he prowls round the fold. The devil rejoices when Christians are silent about hell. reader, all these notions are the opinions of man. What is it to you and me what man thinks of religion? Man will not judge us at the last day. There is but one point to be settled, "what says the word of God?" do you believe the Bible? Then depend upon it, hell is real and true. it is a true as heaven, as true as justification by faith, as true as the fact that Christ died upon the cross. There is not a fact or doctrine which you may not lawfully doubt, if you doubt hell. Disbelieve hell, you unscrew, unsettle, and unpin everything in the Scripture. You may as well throw your Bible aside at once. From "no hell" to "no God" is but a series of steps. Do you believe the Bible? Then depend upon it, hell will have inhabitants. The wicked shall certainly be turned into hell, and all the people that forget God. The same blessed Saviour who now sits on a throne of grace, will one day sit on a throne of judgement, and men will see there is such a thing as "the wrath of the Lamb." The same, lips which now say, Come, come unto me," will one day say, "Depart, ye cursed" Alas! how awful the thought of being condemned by Christ himself, judge by the Saviour, sentenced to misery by the lamb! Do you believe the Bible? Then depend upon it, hell will be intense and inalterable woe.

It is vain to talk of all the expressions about it being figures of speech, the pit, the prison, the worm, the fire, the thirst, the blackness, the darkness, the weeping, the gnashing of teeth, the second death, all these may be figures of speech if you please. But Bible figures mean something beyond all questions, and here they mean something which man's mind can never fully conceive. O reader, the miseries of mind and conscience are far worse than those of the body. The whole extent of hell, the present suffering, the bitter recollection of the past, the hopeless prospect of the future, will never be thoroughly known except by those who go there.

Do you believe the Bible? Then depend upon it, hell is eternal. It must be eternal, or words have no meaning at all. "For ever and ever," "everlasting," "unquenchable," "never-dying" all these are expressions used about hell, and expressions that cannot be explained away. It must be eternal, or the very foundations of heaven are cast down. If hell has an end, heaven has an end too. They both stand or fall together. It must be eternal, or every doctrine of the gospel is undermined. If a man may escape hell at length without faith in Christ, or sanctification of the Spirit, sin is no longer an infinite evil, and there was no such great need of Christ's making an atonement. And where is the warrant for saying that hell can ever change a heart, or make it fit for heaven? It must be eternal, or hell would cease to be hell altogether. Give a man hope, and he will bear any thing. Grant a hope of deliverance, however distant, and hell is but a drop of water.

Alas! for that day which will have no tomorrow - that day when men shall seek death and not find it, and shall desire to die but death shall flee from them! Do you believe the Bible? Then depend upon it, hell is a subject that ought not to be kept back. It is striking, to observe that none say so much about it as our Lord Jesus Christ, that gracious and merciful Saviour, and the apostle John, whose heart seems full of love. Truly it may well be doubted whether we ministers speak of it as much as we ought. I cannot forget the words of a dying hearer of Mr. Newton: "Sir, you often told me of Christ and salvation: why did you not remind me of hell and danger?" Let others hold their peace about hell if they will; I dare not do so. I see it plainly in Scripture, and I must speak of it. I fear that thousands are on the broad, way that leads to it, and I would fain arouse them to a sense of the peril before them.

What would you say of the man who saw his neighbor's house in danger of being burned down, and never raised the cry of "fire?" What ought to be said of us as ministers if we call ourselves watchmen for souls, and yet see fires of hell raging in distance, and never give the alarm?

Call it bad taste, if you like, to speak of hell. Call it charity to make things pleasant, and speak of smoothly, and soothe men with constant lullaby of peace. I have not read my Bible. My notion of charity is to warn men plainly of danger. My notion of taste in the ministerial office, is to declare all the counsel of God.

If I never spoke of hell, I should think I had kept back something that was profitable, and should look on myself as an accomplice of the devil. Reader, I beseech you, in all tender affection, beware of false views of the subject on which I have been dwelling. Beware of new and strange doctrines about hell and the eternity of punishment. Beware of manufacturing a God of your own: a God who is all mercy, but not just; a God who is all love, but not holy; a God who as a heaven for every body, but a hell for none; a God who can allow good and bad to be side by side in time, but will make no distinction between good and broad in eternity. Such a God is an idol of your won, as truly an idol as any snake or crocodile in an Egyptian temple. The hands of your won fancy and sentimentality have made him. He is not the God of the Bible, and beside the God of the Bible there is no God at all.

Your heaven would be no heaven at all. A heaven containing all sorts of characters indiscriminately would be miserable discord indeed. Alas! for the eternity of such a heaven. There would be little difference between it and hell. Ah! reader, there is a hell! There is a fire! Take heed lest you find it out to your cost too late. Beware of being wise above that which is written. Beware of forming fanciful theories of your own, and then trying to make the Bible square with them. Beware of making selections from your Bible to suit your taste. Dare not to say, "I believe this verse, for I like it. I refuse that, for I cannot reconcile it with my views." Nay! but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? By what right do you talk in this way? Surely it were better to say, over every chapter in the word, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth." Ah! if men would do this, they would never deny the unquenchable fire.

Afflicted, tormented, and destroyed!

2007-01-16T16:42:00.000-05:00

Afflicted, tormented, and destroyed!

(Thomas Brooks, "Crown and Glory of Christianity" 1662)

Let me give you a little abridgment of the sufferings of some of the early Christians, "of whom the world was not worthy."

1. In the reign of Hadrian the emperor, there were ten thousand Christians crowned with a crowns of thorns, thrust into the sides with sharp lances, and then crucified.

2. Others were so whipped, that their entrails were seen, and afterwards they were thrown upon sharp shells, and then upon sharp nails and thorns. And after all this cruelty, they were thrown to wild beasts to be devoured.

3. Multitudes were banished.

4. Others were pulled apart with wild horses.

5. Some were beaten and racked with bars of iron.

6. Others were cast into loathsome dungeons.

7. Some were burnt in the fire.

8. Others were knocked down and had their brains beaten out with staves and clubs.

9. Some were pricked in their faces and eyes with sharp reeds.

10. Others were stoned to death with stones, as Stephen was.

11. Some were dashed in pieces against millstones.

12. Others had their teeth dashed out of their jaws, and their joints broken.

13. Some were cast down from very high places.

14. Others were beheaded.

15. Some were tormented with razors.

16. Others were slain with the sword.

17. Some were run through with pikes.

18. Others were driven into the wilderness, where they wandered up and down, suffering hunger and cold, and where they were exposed to the fury both of wild beasts, and also to the rage of the barbarous Arabians.

19. Some fled into caves, which their persecutors crammed up with stones, and there they died.

20. Others were trodden to death by the people.

21. Some were hanged on gibbets with a slow fire under them.

22. Others were cast into the sea and drowned.

23. Some were slain by being thrown in mines.

24. Others were hanged by the feet, and choked with the smoke of a small fire, their legs being first broken.

25. Some were covered with oil, and then roasted with a soft fire.

26. Others were hung by one hand, that they might feel the weight of their whole bodies scorching and broiling over burning coals.

27. Some were shot through with arrows, and afterwards thrown into stinking prisons.

28. Others were stripped stark naked, and thrown out in cold, frosty nights; and burnt the next day.

29. In Syria, a company of Christian virgins were stripped stark naked to be scorned by the multitude, then shaved, and then torn in pieces and devoured by beasts.

30. Lastly, many women had the joints of their bodies pulled from another, and their flesh and sides clawed with talons of wild beasts to the bones, and their breasts seared with torches until they died.

And thus you have an account of thirty different ways by which the precious sons and daughters of God have formerly been afflicted, tormented, and destroyed! What heart of stone can read over this list with dry eyes? And now tell me, sirs, whether your sufferings are worth a naming in that day, wherein the sufferings of the precious servants of God in the primitive times are spoken of? Oh, no! Well then, take heed of making molehills mountains, and of crying out, "Is there any sorrow compared to my sorrow; or any sufferings compared to my sufferings?"

Happy New Year!

2007-01-11T16:36:00.000-05:00

Lead On, O King Eternal

Lead on, O King e-ter-nal,
The day of march has come;
Hence-forth in fields of con-quest
Thy tents shall be our home.
Through days of prep-a-ra-tion
Thy grace has made us strong,
And now, O King e-ter-nal,
We lift our bat-tle song.
Lead on, O King e-ter-nal,
Till sin's fierce war shall cease,
And ho-li-ness shall whis-per
The sweet a-men of peace.
For not with swords' loud clash-ing,
Nor roll of stir-ring drums--
With deeds of love and mer-cy
The heaven-ly king-dom comes.

Lead on, O King e-ter-nal,
We fol-low not with fears,
For glad-ness breaks like morn-ing
Where-e'er Thy face ap-pears.
Thy cross is lift-ed o'er us,
We jour-ney in its light;
The crown a-waits the con-quest:
Lead on, O God of might.

The truth about Santa

2006-12-20T08:51:00.000-05:00

"You better watch out. You better not cry. You better not pout. I'm telling you why; Santa Claus is coming to town. He's making a list and he's checking it twice; gonna find out whose naughty and nice. Santa Claus is coming to town. He sees you when you're sleeping; he knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sakes. You better watch out. You better not cry. You better not pout. I'm telling you why; Santa Claus is coming to town."

Now does that threaten you? That is a very threatening poem. That is intended to scare children. Now listen, if you look at the letters of Santa, you will see that Satan is hidden in Santa. When we teach a child to sing this song, we are teaching him a false theology. We are teaching him a false set of doctrine. Let me see if I can explain it to you.

First, that song teaches that Santa is a transcendent being. He lives on a higher plane. He lives on another level. He transcends time and space. He has powers equal to whom? God! Not only that, he knows everything. He's omniscient. "He knows when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows when you're naughty. He knows when you're nice." He knows everything.

Not only that, he's everywhere. "He sees you when you're sleeping." He's not only omniscient, he's omnipresent. And he is watching to see whether you have been good or bad. And not only that, but he bestows favors. Now on what basis does Santa give his favors? What must I do to receive good things from this transcendent being, called Santa. Well it is very simple, I have to be what? Good. I can "earn" Santa's favor. If I am good, Santa will give me gifts. After all, he's making a list and he is checking it twice to make sure that we've been either naughty of nice. And on the basis on how we've been, he'll deal with us.

And if I'm not nice and good, I won't get any gifts. So I better be good for goodness sake, not to mention for my own sake or anybody else's sake. But do you want to know something about Santa? He may be transcendent, and he may be omniscient, and he may be omnipotent, and he may be omnipresent. He may be dispensing all of the good things, but you know what? You can't trust him. You can't trust him. You say, "What do you mean by that?"

It says, "He's checking to see if you are naughty or nice." And you better be good for goodness sake, because if you aren't good, you won't what? You won't get anything. You want to know something? That's not true. Plenty of times I haven't been good and I get something anyway. Every year I get something. And you want to know the truth of it? There are a lot of naughty people that get a lot and there are a lot of nice people that don't get anything.

Do you know what about Santa Claus? You can't trust him. He doesn't even stay true to his own word. He's blustering around and warning everybody to mind your manners and be good all the time; be nice and not naughty and good and not bad. And then you know what? When Christmas comes he caves in, and even when we have been naughty he gives us all that stuff. And sometimes he overlooks people that are nice. He really can't be trusted. His threats are meaningless and so are his promises. But that's good because it takes the sting out of him. And there is another good thing about Santa; you only have to worry about him once a year. He only shows up once and you know when it is; it's always on Dec 25th, so you can get your act together just a few days before. You say, "Well where is he the rest of the time?" Oh, he's in the North Pole. Could that be heaven in Satan's little scheme? "What's he doing?" Oh, he has all these elfs around him. "What are they doing?" Whatever he tells them.

Mostly, meaningless things like make toys. He is sort of inane isn't he? He threatens but never fulfills his threats. He promises but doesn't always fulfill his promises.

Is it any wonder that if I believe all that as a child, when I come to be an adult, I might have a hard time believing in a Transcendent God who does know everything, who is everywhere, who does have all power, who does keep his promises and his threats, and who does not save me and give me good gifts on the basis of my works but on the basis of His grace. If Santa has been my understanding of God, then I am in trouble. That's why I say, hidden in the letters of Santa is Satan.

I am glad for a God who is absolutely dependable. I can trust His promises. I can trust His threats. He is everywhere at all times and He doesn't just show up once a year. He is here all of the time. And He gives His great gift, not on the basis of our works but on the basis of His grace through faith."

- John MacArthur

Are You Born Again? by JC Ryle

2006-12-07T13:45:00.000-05:00

Are you born again? This is one of life's most important questions. Jesus Christ said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).

It is not enough to reply, "I belong to the church; I suppose I'm a Christian." Thousands of nominal Christians show none of the signs of being born again which the Scriptures have given us—many listed in the First Epistle of John.

No Habitual Sinning

First of all, John wrote: "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin" (I John 3:9). "Whosoever is born of God sinneth not" (5:18).

A person who has been born again, or regenerated, does not habitually commit sin. He no longer sins with his heart and will and whole inclination. There was probably a time when he did not think about whether his actions were sinful or not, and he did not always feel grieved after doing evil. There was no quarrel between him and sin; they were friends. But the true Christian hates sin, flees from it, fights against it, considers it his greatest plague, resents the burden of its presence, mourns when he falls under its influence, and longs to be completely delivered from it. Sin no longer pleases him, nor is it even a matter of indifference to him; it has become a horrible thing which he hates. However, he cannot eliminate its presence within him.

If he said that he had no sin, he would be lying (I John 1:8). But he can say that he hates sin and that the great desire of his soul is not to commit sin at all. He cannot prevent bad thoughts from entering his mind, or shortcomings, omissions, and defects from appealing in both his words and his actions. He knows that "in many things we offend all" (James 3:2). But he can truly say, in the sight of God, that these things cause him grief and sorrow and that his whole nature does not consent to them. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Believing in Christ

Second, John wrote: "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God" (I John 5:1).

A man who is born again, or regenerated, believes that Jesus Christ is the only Saviour who can pardon his soul, that He is the divine person appointed by God the Father for this very purpose, and beside Him there is no Saviour at all. In himself he sees nothing but unworthiness. But he has full confidence in Christ, and trusting in Him, he believes that his sins are all forgiven. He believes that, because he has accepted Christ's finished work and death on the cross, he is considered righteous in God's sight, and he may look forward to death and judgment without alarm.

He may have fears and doubts. He may sometimes tell you that he feels as if he had no faith at all. But ask him if he is willing to trust in anything instead of Christ, and see what he will say. Ask him if he will rest his hope of eternal life on his own goodness, his own works, his prayers, his minister, or his church, and listen to his reply. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Practicing Righteousness

Third, John wrote: "Every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him" (I John 2:29).

The man who is born again, or regenerated, is a holy man. He endeavors to live according to God's will, to do the things that please God and to avoid the things that God hates. He wishes to continually look to Christ as his example as well as his Saviour and to prove himself to be Christ's friend by doing whatever He commands. He knows he is not perfect. He is painfully aware of his indwelling corruption. He finds an evil principle within himself that is constantly warring against grace and trying to draw him away from God. But he does not consent to it, though he cannot prevent its presence.

Though he may sometimes feel so low that he questions whether or not he is a Christian at all, he will be able to say with John Newton, "I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am." What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Loving Other Christians

Fourth, John wrote: "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren" (I John 3:14).

A man who is born again has a special love for all true disciples of Christ. Like his Father in heaven, he loves all men with a great general love, but he has a special love for those who share his faith in Christ. Like his Lord and Saviour, he loves the worst of sinners and could weep over them; but he has a peculiar love for those who are believers. He is never so much at home as when he is in their company.

He feels they are all members of the same family. They are his fellow soldiers, fighting against the same enemy. They are his fellow travelers, journeying along the same road. He understands them, and they understand him. They may be very different from himself in many ways—in rank, in station and in wealth. But that does not matter. They are his Father's sons and daughters and he cannot help loving them. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Overcoming the World

Fifth, John wrote: "Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world" (I John 5:4).

A man who is born again does not use the world's opinion as his standard of right and wrong. He does not mind going against the world's ways, ideas and customs. What men think or say no longer concerns him. He overcomes the love of the world. He finds no pleasure in things which seem to bring happiness to most people. To him they seem foolish and unworthy of an immortal being.

He loves God's praise more than man's praise. He fears offending God more than offending man. It is unimportant to him whether he is blamed or praised; his first aim is to please God. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Keeping Oneself Pure

Sixth, John wrote: "He that is begotten of God keepeth himself' (I John 5:18).

A man who is born again is careful of his own soul. He tries not only to avoid sin but also to avoid everything which may lead to it. He is careful about the company he keeps. He knows that evil communications corrupt the heart and that evil is more catching than good, just as disease is more infectious than health. He is careful about the use of his time; his chief desire is to spend it profitable.

He desires to live like a soldier in an enemy country—to wear his armor continually and to be prepared for temptation. He is diligent to be watchful, humble, prayerful man. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

The Test

These are the six great marks of a born again Christian.

There is a vast difference in the depth and distinctness of these marks in different people. In some they are faint and hardly noticeable. In others they are bold, plain and unmistakable, so anyone may read them. Some of these marks are more visible than others in each individual. Seldom are all equally evident in any one person.

But still, after every allowance, here we find boldly painted six marks of being born of God.

How should we react to these things? We can logically come to only one conclusion—only those who are born again have these six characteristics, and those who do not have these marks are not born again. This seems to be the conclusion to which the apostle intended us to come. Do you have these characteristics? Are you born again?

How Great is our God

2006-12-01T13:17:00.000-05:00

If we hollowed out the Sun to fill it with the Earth, the Sun would hold
1,300,000 planet Earths.
The star Anteres would hold 67 Suns.
There is a star in the constellation Hercules that has the capacity to
hold 100,000,000 Anteres.
The largest star known to man Epsilon can hold 3-4 Million of that star
in Hercules which can hold 100,000,000 Anteres that can hold 67 Suns
that could hold 1,300,000 planet Earths.

And the Word of God says that Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens cannot
contain Him. 1Kings 8:27

If we rode a beam of light traveling at the speed of light (186000 miles
per second),
We would reach the moon in 1 1/2 seconds.
It would take 8 minutes to reach the sun 93,000,000 miles away.
It would take 4 years to reach the closest star Alpha Centauri.
It would take 100,000 years to travel from one end of the Milky Way to
the other.
There are over 100,000,000,000 galaxies, with over 100,000,000,000 stars
in each galaxy.

The Bible says God spans the heavens with His Right Hand. Isaiah 48:13

And yet He chose to step down into time, and become a man to live a
sinless life and reconcile us to God by taking our punishment on the
Cross.

All Glory be to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

2006-11-10T07:08:00.000-05:00

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I'll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

Learning to Tremble

2006-11-07T14:06:00.000-05:00

Learning to Tremble, by Kimberli J. Brackett

You know why I think sin is so easy for me to choose -- because I've forgotten to tremble. I guess if I'm really honest, I can't remember ever trembling.

I went to a Mercy Me concert a few weeks ago and during the concert they sang a song by Audio Adrenaline. They chose to have all the lyrics of the song come up on the screen and God kept directing my camera to take pictures of the screen every time it said, "I tremble." I know it was God because I took a picture each time the screen said "I tremble"and I had no idea why I was doing it until I looked at my pictures. I knew God must be trying to tell me something but even as I got them developed, I wasn't quite sure what He was trying to say.

A few days after the concert, I was driving to Dallas early in the morning and I put in an older Nichole Nordeman CD called "This Mystery." Guess what the second song on her CD was called? "Tremble." The song convicted my heart in a way I can't express in words, and I wept in my car as I realized I had never trembled.

A few days later, I flew to Nashville to do a seminar and I met a woman named Charlotte. I happened to be speaking on holiness and she found me after the conference and told me I would love Henry Blackaby's book, "Holiness." I am now aware when God has people tell me to read books that He wants me to read and I knew without a doubt this was one of those times, so I went to Lifeway later that evening in Nashville and guess how many copies of Holiness they had in stock? You guessed it, they had one!

I bought it and read almost the entire book on the plane coming home.

In the very first chapter, Blackaby writes, "I trembled before God as I realized God's people no longer feared God nor sin, and no longer sought holiness" (Page 6). Henry was talking about me! He not only writes about trembling before God in the first chapter, but used Scriptures and thoughts about "trembling" throughout the book (Pages 6, 8, 27, 47, 72 and 99)! God obviously had my attention and I was listening!

Well, if you think God was finished convicting me of forgetting to tremble, you're wrong. Just a few days ago, I was reading something about the power of God's word in my quiet time. I felt God's Spirit prompting me to read Psalm 119, so I turned to it in my bible. Psalm 119 is all about the power of God's Word, but as I kept reading, guess what David addressed? You guessed it, trembling! "My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws" (Psalm 119:20). He came back to the subject again, "... but my heart trembles at your word" (Psalm 119:161). David trembled in fear of God and was in awe of God's laws and God's Word.

I can't recall there being any immediate consequences.

This is what I believe God has revealed to me about why I don't tremble. Honestly, I believe it is because for most of my life, I can't recall there being any immediate consequences for my sin. Unlike Ananias and Sapphira, I wasn't struck dead by God the first time I lied. I wasn't struck dead the second time either, or the 15,894 time.

I forget to tremble because most of my life I have watered down in my mind, in my heart, and in my own words the sin I have sometimes blatantly chosen. When I lie, I call myself "untruthful" instead of calling myself a liar. When I talk bad about people, I call it "being unkind" instead of calling myself a slanderer and a gossip. When I had sex outside of marriage, I called it "premarital sex" instead of calling myself a prostitute or an adulterer. When I am mean and prideful, I call it "snobby" instead of calling myself self-righteous.

When I am self-righteous and judgmental in my Christianity, I call it "opinionated" instead of calling myself legalistic. When I put my job before God and my family, I call it a "strong work ethic," instead of calling myself an idolater. When I watch filth and ungodly things on television, I call it "inappropriate" instead of admitting I am condoning, justifying, and embracing sexual immorality. I deceive myself in every way, so that in my self-absorbed sin, I see nor feel any reason to tremble.

I wonder, will I ever tremble? Will I ever really understand the depth of David's words in Psalm where he trembles in fear of God and His word? I know in the past year God has shown me through so many ways the depth of my sin and my pride because He wants me to know that until I acknowledge the depth of my sin, I will never comprehend the depth of the blood that covers it! Until I can see my sin through the eyes of God, until I acknowledge the holiness and deity of God, I will never understand the powerful relationship I can have with my Heavenly Father. I will never understand the awesomeness of God until I tremble.

Holy Father, I want to tremble. Will I ever tremble, God? Show me, convict me, teach me to tremble! Oh to tremble in fear of you God so I can truly tremble at my sin ... let me not forget to tremble.

---------
(c) 2006 Kimberli J. Brackett < kimberli@thefaithbuilders.net> This article can be found on the web at: http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200611/20061107_tremble.html

2006-10-19T17:05:00.000-04:00

On just such husks do the religious swine feed

(Arthur W. Pink)

"Take heed what you hear." Mark 4:24

The word hear obviously includes what is read, for
that which is written or printed is addressed to the
ears of our intellect. Few people today realize the
urgent need for 'taking heed' unto what they read.
Just as the natural food which is eaten either helps
or hinders the body; so the mental food we receive
either benefits or injures the mind, and that, in turn,
affects the heart. Now just as it is harmful to listen
to the rubbish and poison which is being served from
the great majority of present-day pulpits, so it is
exceedingly injurious to the soul to read most of
what is now being published. Take heed what you
hear--and read!

"Those who are after the flesh do mind the things
of the flesh" (Romans 8:5), and are charmed with
oratorical eloquence, catchy sayings, witty allusions,
and jocular displays. On just such husks do the
religious swine feed; but the penitent prodigal
can find no nutriment therein!

Christian reader, if you value the health of your soul,
cease hearing and quit reading all that is lifeless,
unctionless, powerless--no matter what prominent or
popular name is attached thereto. Life is too short
to waste valuable time on that which profits not.

Ninety-nine out of every hundred of the religious books,
booklets, and magazines now being published, are not
worth the paper on which they are printed! Take heed
what you hear--and read!

I had to punish him

2006-10-19T11:19:00.000-04:00

I had to punish him

(Arthur Pink)

"We are being disciplined so that we will not be
condemned with the world." 1 Corinthians 11:32

"Is not Israel still My son, My darling child? I had to
punish him, but I still love him. I long for him and
surely will have mercy on him." Jeremiah 31:20

O the bitterness of provoking Him to punish us, our
best Friend; that One who poured out His life's blood
for us; who endured the sharpest inflictions of justice
to screen us; Him whose heart is love, and on the sense
of whose love all our happiness depends! Yet, we forfeit
all, and compel Him to restrain His lovely smile, put on
instead a frown, take the rod in His hand, and chasten
us for our folly! Then we cannot escape: smite He will.
How long and how much, we must leave to Him. We are
completely in His hands; His power over us is supreme,
entire; resistance is vain, and will certainly increase the
affliction. There is nothing to be done, but humbly to lie
down before Him, and submit to His will. He may punish
severely; often He does. He may punish long; and there
is no promise that it shall not be so. The suffering child
has but one resource, but one door of hope; it is love,
the exquisite, surpassing love of Him who is chastening.
On that he throws himself. Yes, there is none other. He
who inflicts the pain can withdraw His hand; He who has
wounded, can bind up; He who has laid us in the dust by
His frown, can raise up by His smile. Yes, He can forgive,
He can restore; He can heal.

This, this is a mercy, an infinite mercy, that we are in
the hands of One so tender, so loving, who does not like
to put us to pain, who does it unwillingly, and longs to
restore us to favor.

"Is not Israel still My son, My darling child? I had to
punish him, but I still love him. I long for him and
surely will have mercy on him." Jeremiah 31:20

Will you do it for me?

2006-10-11T14:51:00.000-04:00

So, we all have those people in our lives. The ones that rub us the wrong way, that we don’t like, that don’t like us that have been unkind to us. Our instinct is to cut them off, not be kind to them, not treat them well, ignore them, avoid them. He hurt me, she said this about me, and she was mean to me. Why should I be nice to her? Why should I be the one? Why me? Why me? Why do I have to change?

Oh how we resist! I don’t want to! I don’t want to be nice! That person drives me crazy. I can’t stand her. Do you know what she did to me? Do you know what she said? He hurt my feelings. He treated me wrong. He got me in trouble with my boss…it goes on and on.

Why can’t we just forgive? Why can’t we repay evil with good? Why do we want to act the same way they do? Aren’t we different? Isn’t Jesus Lord of our lives? Do we not have the Holy Spirit living in us?

I can see Jesus. He says, ‘I know you don’t want to. I know you don’t feel like it, but will you do it for ME? For Me? ‘ He holds out His scarred hand to me, He has such love on His face, He says, “Will you do it for Me?”

How can I deny Him? How can I say no to the ONE who gave everything? I know it was for HIS Glory. But what price He paid that I might live.

And I know I should. But I don’t want to, so maybe I won’t. What is wrong with me? Why? Why? What is it in me that would refuse Him?

God, help me! I need so much more of You and so much less of me.

Lord, be Lord of my life, I must lay it down. I need You to change me. Transform my mind, my heart, my spirit, into the Image of YOU. Help me to hide Your Word in my heart, so that I will not sin against you. I am rebellious. Lord, forgive me. Why am I disobedient? Why? I hate it! I want to do Your Will! Why do I run from You? What makes it so hard for me? It’s me. That is it. My self. My pride.

Please Brothers, Please Sisters, pray for me.

Jesus' Birthday

2006-10-10T11:48:00.000-04:00

When was Jesus born?

Introduction

Most Christians don’t speculate about the date of Jesus’ birth, but celebrate it on 25 December, even though they may suspect there is no Biblical basis for choosing that date. However, in Israel at that time of the year, it's usually much too cold for shepherds to have their sheep out at night, and there's a widespread belief that Jesus was actually born around late September to early October.

In fact if we know what to look for in the Bible, the true date of Jesus’ birth is quite easy to identify.

Conception of John the Baptist

John’s father Zacharias was a priest, a descendant of Abijah (Luke 1:5). The priests of Abijah ministered in the temple during the eighth week of the Hebrew year (1 Chr 24:10). The eighth week begins near the end of the second Hebrew month (Iyar), and continues into the third Hebrew month (Sivan). This is the anchor point for discovering Jesus’ birth date.

Luke 1:24 tells us that when this week ended and Zacharias went home, his wife Elizabeth conceived. This was likely to be Shavuot or the Feast of Pentecost, which is in the second week of Sivan.

Conception of Jesus

Six months later, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary (Luke 1:26). It was now near the end of the ninth Hebrew month of Kislev.

Mary immediately went to visit her relative Elizabeth (Luke 1:39), which is estimated at about three days travel. When she arrived, Elizabeth called her “the mother of my Lord”, confirming that Mary was now pregnant (Luke 1:43).

Because Jesus is "the light that has come into the world" (John 8:12, 9:5, 12:46), it is likely He was conceived on 25 Kislev, which is the first day of the Festival of Lights (Hanukkah). We need to remember that God did not pick random dates for the feasts, but positioned them carefully in the Hebrew calendar some 1500 years earlier, to help identify the coming Messiah.

Birth of John the Baptist

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months (Luke 1:56), until the birth of John the Baptist. Since a full pregnancy term is 41 weeks, by counting the weeks we discover he was born around the middle of Nisan, when Passover is observed.

According to the law, John would have been circumcised on the eighth day. Therefore it is likely he was born on the first day of Passover (15 Nisan), and circumcised on the eighth day (Feast of Unleavened Bread).

Birth of Jesus

Jesus was born six months later, around the middle of Tishri (the seventh Hebrew month), which coincides with the Feast of Tabernacles. Luke 2:21 tells us He was circumcised on the eighth day.

As this feast also runs for eight days, it is likely He was born on the first day of the feast (15 Tishri), and circumcised on the last day of the feast. In 2006, 15 Tishri falls on Saturday 7 October. (To find the date in other years, go to http://www.hebcal.com/converter/).

The year is less certain, but commonly believed to be around 3 or 4 BC. The actual year is not significant here.

Only Two Feasts are 8 Days long

God provided two feasts that were exactly eight days long, the first corresponding to the birth of John the Baptist, and the second corresponding to the birth of Jesus. In both cases, the eight days corresponds to the time between birth and circumcision. All other Biblical feasts are of shorter duration.

One of these Feasts is Very Special

“And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain...” (Zech 14:16)

When Jesus returns, and the nations are expected to go to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles each year, is it coincidence that this will “just happen” to coincide with His birthday, and even allow for a temporary period of living away from one's normal home (Lev 23:42)?

Conclusion

Many nations commemorate the birthday of their head of state, even having a national holiday in their honor. How much more worthy is the King of Kings to have His birthday honored, on the day set by Him?

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever.” (Isaiah 9:6)

This season of Tabernacles, may we give the honor due to Jesus, who (because of His great love toward us) came into this world to give His life in exchange for ours, that we might be saved and live forever with Him!

A Formal Complaint by Paul West

2006-09-08T16:14:00.000-04:00

A Formal Complaint

We refuse to go and rescue the lost from wicked camps,
And glow for Jesus pure and holy with oil in our lamps.
We refuse to fast and pray for the death of a selfish will,
And nail our affections upon the cross and give up our flesh to kill.

Because we refuse to die to self and all our worldly winning,
We can't weep for hell bound lost who blindly go on sinning.
We back down from demonic holds in cities, in schools and jails;
And because our swords are in their sheaths, the evil one prevails.

We refuse to yield our lives, our dreams, our ambitions to Christ;
And we're afraid to stake a claim because the world won't think it's nice.
We refuse to fill ourselves, daily overflowing with God,
And thus we're unable to mortify the deeds that our joy in Christ do rob.

We refuse to see God's heart is broken and crushed and grieved,
Because we refuse to be the church of glory He so needs.
We refuse to walk rejected and mocked by all who see us,
For it's far too costly to walk and talk a life that glorifies Jesus.

We refuse to work this day as Jesus did with the lost,
And we refuse to die this day as Jesus did on the cross.
We only need His love, His blessings, His favors, His pleasures, His gain,
But we refuse to carry His burdens, His sorrows, His tears, His pain.

We refuse to fast the flesh and feast the spirit well,
And thus we never last in prayer where our groanings throttle hell.
We refuse to soar to heights so near the Father's heart;
We're only content to hear nice sermons and on Sundays play the part.

We refuse to stunt the growth of the devil's vile plan.
We refuse to quench the darts that burn the soul of man.
We refuse to spread the story of the precious gospel seed,
And by shunning this, we strip the glory of Jesus to those in need.

We won't carry the bloody cross; our pride, our comfort we must keep,
And thus we murder by shutting the gate and starving the blind, lost sheep.

2006-09-05T11:21:00.000-04:00

Hello All. This is a 58 second video clip of a short drama on the rapture. It's pretty cool. Watch here: http://www.youtube.com/v/SmLhyPjHVes

The Rhyme of the Modern Parishioner

2006-08-23T14:35:00.000-04:00

It happened in the vestibule

At ten one Sunday morn

A haggard-looking churchgoer

Sat plaintive and forlorn

Then suddenly he rose and found

A hungry-looking Christian

He took his hand, took him aside

And asked him a straight question

You know the Word,

You know the Book,

The promises are clear

But have you seen the Living God

Have you found Him here?

Have you experienced Holy Fire?

The Spirit in His Power?

A mighty wave, a rushing wind,

A flame that does devour?

Is there something more you’re seeking,

So high, so wide, so deep?

Do you find yourself frustrated?

Is church putting you to sleep?

Then listen well,

Your heart is right.

My tale I will tell

This story is your story too

And it’s your tale as well.

For 30 years I’ve been in church

Seemed like a good show.

But now I have to meet with God

Do you know where to go?

I’m trapped in mundane worship times

The praises have grown cold

The preaching’s dry and dusty

The teaching stale like mold.

Each service feels like a rerun

The songs all sound the same

The prophesies are so hollow

Not worthy of the name

Words more words they’re everywhere

But oh there is a stink

Words more words they’re everywhere

But none to make us think

We lack the Heavenly Presence

It’s clear we’re in a rut

I’m desperate for revival,

It burns within my gut.

I’m lovesick for my Jesus

So hungry for my Lord

Just longing for my Savior

God knows that I’m so bored.

Is there someone who can help me?

Whose touched the real thing?

A man whose heard from Heaven?

Who’s heard from God to bring?

Are there prophets burning with fires?

Servants who are ablaze?

Anointed and overflowing

Appointed for these days.

Do they carry the Spirit’s burden?

Breathe the Lord God’s breath

Are they set apart and holy?

Obedient to death

I hear the words of the Master

Come follow me, He said.

If some Christians go their own way

I’ll go with Him instead

Oh please don’t do as I have done

And waste so many years

Don’t wait and wait for endless months

Move on, outgrow your fears

Forget the twelve step programs

A seminar won’t do

You need a touch from Heaven

To fill you through and through

There must be change in your life

A work of God that’s real

Don’t fool yourself with warm clichés

Don’t let the devil steal

Don’t miss out on God’s presence

Or let these hours pass

Don’t stop your soul from hungering

Get out of the morass

Dear friend, you are not crazy,

Dear saint, you are not mad

There really is a problem

It’s true you have been had.

There’s more, there’s more

Believe it

There is that place in God

There are holy visitations

New paths that must be trod.

Will you get up like old pilgrim?

And seek that better way

Will you go forth on that journey?

No matter what men say?

Will you go now out now?

And meet him and leave the crowd behind

Forsaking dead traditions if Jesus you will find?

It’s not in another meeting

A nicely packaged hour

Another harmless service

Devoid of Heaven’s power

It’s not in another teaching

Three points to fill your head

The Word is always vibrant

But this stuff is so dead

We need God to send His Spirit

To fully take control.

To transform every member

To come and make them whole.

Enough with man’s religion

Enough with earthly plans

Enough with our new programs

Produced by earthly hands.

Just then in strode the Pastor

His calling to fulfill

Just doing his weekly duty

Then he became frozen still

For astir was that parishioner

He grasped the preacher’s clothes

And grasped the preacher’s soul as well

And in that grasp he froze

Oh, Pastor, enter the prayer room

And shut yourself inside

Be emptied of competition

And crucify your pride

Pray for Holy Visitation

Just caught up alone with Him

Consumed with Heavenly Vision

That’s where you must begin

You won’t find him in a textbook

Buried on page 22

He is the Living God who acts

He wants to move in you.

It’s not only the Apostles

He’ll bless and send and use

He’ll saturate your own soul

If you will not refuse

So arise get up pursue Him

Jesus your true best Friend

He is worthy of devotion

He is faithful to the end.

Why should you starve on crusty bread?

And crawl along the ground

Your Savior is your Source of Life

Seek Him, let joy abound.

Renew your life, refresh your heart

Press in, take hold, pray through

Put first things first make God your goal

What else have you to do?

Your Bible schooling stole your zeal

Church life has drained you dry

You used to have such child-like faith

Now budgets have your eye.

You used to be so passionate,

So innocent and free

Now you’ve become professional

You’ll preach for a good fee.

Oh, set your sight on higher goals,

And not on dollar bills

Live in the light of judgment day

Ambition always kills.

Let Jesus be your daily guide

Put Him where He belongs

And soon His Presence will arrive

His Praise will fill your songs.

Simplicity will be your style

Devotion your new goal

Communion will become your aim

God’s Life will flood your soul.

Oh, take your eyes off numbers,

Church growth can be a trap

Go out and make disciples

Go out and bridge the gap.

Pour your life out for broken lives

Let God your heart break too.

Take up your cross deny yourself

Just live His will to do.

Wake up, be brave, be honest

Oh today oh hear His voice.

Be ruthless with your schedule,

Seek God make that your choice

You won’t find Him in your planner

No committee has the key

You’ll find Him when your soul cries out

There must be more for me.

There must be more than building funds

And sessions past midnight

And endless talks with leadership

Disputing who is right.

Somehow I know I’ve been misled

The model doesn’t work

I’m not called as an executive

Nor should I be a clerk

I’m called to be a man of God

A man whose Spirit-led

Healer of the sick and lame

Someday to raise the dead.

And with that cry

New life will rise

Your heart will be revived

Heaven’s light will flood your soul

You will not be denied

The parishioner then turned his gaze

Away from flesh and blood

He looked to Him who sends the showers

To Him who sends the flood.

Today oh Lord do hear our voice

And pour Your Spirit out

Saturate the thirsty ground

End the Spiritual drought.

Revive us with Your Presence

Renew us from Above

Touch the flock called by Your Name

Come fill us with Your Love.

Do greater works in our day

Than that which you have done

Bring the fullness of your Rains

And Glorify Your Son

That old churchgoer spoke no more

Another voice was heard

Yet not the voice of flesh and blood

It was Our Father’s Word

And if you listen closely

Beyond this little rhyme

You’ll hear the Father say

My children it is time.

Are you playing the Christian Game?

2006-08-07T15:51:00.000-04:00

The Christian Game
Jordan is a graceful blonde who is active in her church, has loving Christian parents, and is surrounded by wonderful Christian friends. She is gearing up for her first year at a well known Christian university. On the outside, her life seems perfect. But Jordan has a shameful secret. She is involved in an ongoing sexual relationship that no one knows about. She is living a secret life of compromise.

"I feel so far away from God right now," she whispered bitterly after explaining her dilemma to me. "I can't seem to stop sinning no matter how much I want to. I have prayed and prayed about this, but God never gives me any answers!

I really need to know something," Jordan pleaded desperately. "Does Christianity even work, or is it all just a fairy tale?"

Jordan is trapped in the Christian game.

And then there is Trent, a brainy history buff who wrote a lengthy email describing his spiritual struggle. Trent attended a Christian leadership retreat and got extremely excited about pursuing a deep relationship with Christ. But a few weeks after his return home, the passion faded.

"No matter how hard I try to grow in my walk with Christ," he lamented, "I just don't feel the fire. No matter what I do to stay pumped up spiritually, it just doesn't last." Trent attends church and studies his Bible, but inwardly he wallows in depression and disillusionment.

Trent is trapped in the Christian game.

How many of us have been in Jordan or Trent's position? We believe the right things, say the right things, and even do the right things, only to end up right back where we started: defeated, discouraged, and conquered by sin. We know the truth in theory, but it has no power to really transform our lives at the deepest level. We go through the motions of Christianity while secretly asking ourselves, Is this all there is?

We are trapped in the Christian game.

"Just Be Real" Christianity
Our generation has seen the hypocrisy of make-believe Christianity and, to put it mildly, we don't like it. Thousands of us are saying "Hasta la vista" to the playacting version of following God. While earlier generations were prone to super-stiff religiosity and legalistic formulas, many of us in this generation have headed in the opposite direction, determined to be real about our emotions, struggles, and failures.

This has led to a common form of imitation Christianity we call "just be real" Christianity. Don't get us wrong. Being real is important. Admitting that we aren't perfect is the first step towards discovering successful Christianity. But it isn't the final goal. Being real and finding a real Christian experience are two very different things.

Paul, a 23 year old Bible school student has decided to "be real" about his lustful addictions. "I'm hooked on pornography!" he blurts flippantly. "That's just the way it is. God knows I'm only human, and I'm not gonna beat myself up about it."

Tiffany, an 18 year old Christian, has chosen to be open about her burning anger toward her Creator. "I hate God sometimes," she boldly declares. "I wish I could scream in His face. He's treated me like garbage. And I think it's better to be honest about it than act like everything's fine."

The "just be real" version of Christianity removes the plastic bandage and exposes the infection underneath. But the "just be real" version doesn't allow the wound to be healed; it only acknowledges that the wound exists.

It is vital that we acknowledge the emptiness of the Christian game. But when we settle for the "just be real" version of Christianity, we are still miles away from the true Christian life. We admit defeat, but we never search for victory. We are honest about our problems, but we ignore the solution. We remain trapped in the Christian game.

"God Loves Me Anyway" Christianity
A common accessory to the "just be real" mind-set is the "God Loves Me Anyway" version of imitation Christianity.

The "God loves me anyway" attitude ignores God's command to "BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." It shies away from the sting of conviction. It buries the prick of guilt. And it treats every spiritual challenge that triggers even the slightest emotional discomfort as if it were the first symptom of the bubonic plague. And the pain of sin's havoc upon our soul is alleviated with smooth religious rhetoric.

Kelly grew up in a strict religious home; full of rules but devoid of unconditional love. In college, when Kelly began a serious romantic relationship with a worship leader named Damon, things began to turn around. She felt loved and accepted for the first time in her life.

Though Kelly and Damon had committed to save sex until marriage, one night in the heat of passion, they gave in to temptation. Afterwards, Kelly was plagued with intense guilt. She sat alone in her room for hours, crying with remorse over the mistake she and Damon had made. She knew she had let God down.

But the very next night, she heard a message at church that eased her mind. The pastor seemed to be speaking directly to her. "Christ doesn't condemn us," he declared with conviction. "He loves us just the way we are in all our sin and weakness. God doesn't expect us to be perfect. He knows we are stuck in the mire of our sinfulness. He knows we can't achieve a holy life."

Then the pastor told his listeners to close their eyes and simply receive God's unconditional love. As the worship team played a soft reflective melody, Kelly closed her eyes and felt a sense of relief flood her soul. She repeated the pastor's words that God loved her in spite of her failure, that He didn't expect her to be perfect.

And Kelly's guilt floated away like a cloud.

Since then, Kelly and Damon have maintained an ongoing sexual relationship. Kelly continues to push away any feelings of guilty by listening to inspiring messages about God's unconditional love. She convinces herself that God accepts her in spite of her mistakes and that He doesn't expect her to change.

Kelly, like so many in our disillusioned generation, has pitched her tent in the "God loves me anyway" camp. Though she is enslaved to compromise and defeated by sin, she has given up trying to overcome these obstacles. When it comes to her Christian walk, she doesn't even consider exploring the endless frontier of God's ways. She spends her energy reminding herself that God loves her in the midst of her miserable-but-forgiven state. And she has given up expecting anything more.

It's important to note that there is a thread of truth woven into the false foundation of the "God loves me anyway" attitude. It is true that God knows our sinful condition and loves us in spite of our failures. He is not looking down at us with angry eyes, burning with fury every time we make a mistake. He loves us more than we could ever comprehend.

But He loves us too much to leave us as we are.

Sin--the self-reliance and self-assurance at the core of our beings--is the very thing Jesus Christ came to this earth to conquer. And as long as this selfish rule is the controlling force within our souls, His mighty work on the cross two thousand years ago is rendered ineffective in our lives. While sin remains the ruler of our inner domain, we can never experience the true Christian life.

If we settle for the "God loves me anyway" approach to life, we will never experience more than a shallow, mediocre spiritual existence. We will remain under the thumb of sin's tyranny, trying to cover up our remorse with T-shirts that say, "I'm not perfect, I'm just forgiven."

God did not send His only Son to conquer sin and death on our behalf just so we could wallow in defeat and compromise while singing songs about His unconditional love. Jesus Christ died to give us true life--a life marked by a radiance and righteousness that transforms our entire existence.

"Professional" Christianity
Another modern pitfall is what could be called "Professional" Christianity.

Meet Mason, a 28 year old seminary graduate currently in search of a full-time pastoral position at a church. Mason knows Scripture better than most people know their own name. He believes all the right doctrinal truths. He even stands out to his non-Christian friends as a solid, moral guy who doesn't drink, do drugs, or sleep around.

But Mason's Christian life is hollow and self-constructed. There is nothing miraculous or supernatural about his spiritual existence. His aim in life isn't to climb God's holy mountain, but merely to live a life that is morally superior to those around him. He believes that God's expectations for his life equate to a little hill that can easily be tackled with some discipline and willpower.

Mason smirks at the concept of a God-written life. "God doesn't waste His time watching over us like a momma bear. He has better things to do. He doesn't care about the details of our lives. He just wants us to live morally and make good decisions."

Mason has pitched his tent in the "professional Christianity" realm. He has traded in the possibility of a radical pursuit of Christ for a predictable moral existence. He has baked Christianity down to a formula he can easily accomplish in his own strength.

All too many of us fall into the "professional Christianity" trap. We separate God from the details of our daily lives. We reduce our Christian walk to a set of reasonable guidelines to follow. We remove all the risk, passion, and radical obedience from our spiritual life. And we revel over the points we've scored in the Christian game.

Getting Out of the Christian Game
It's hard for us to admit when we are wrong. And it's especially hard for us to admit that we have bought into a cheap imitation of the true Christian life. But that's where the God-scripted adventure begins. Before a settler can be transformed into a pioneer, he must first become dissatisfied with his current surroundings. He must recognize his need for something better.

If you are ready to begin your pursuit into God's endless frontier, take some time to ask yourself these soul-searching questions:

* When it comes to knowing Christ, have I stopped growing and pitched my tent? Have I bought into an imitation version of following God?

* Have I settled for a "just be real" mind-set, admitting that I have problems but not believing that God can grant me victory over them?

* Have I settled for a "God loves me anyway" attitude, taking sin lightly and letting selfishness, rather than righteousness, rule my life?

* Have I settled for "professional Christianity," reducing God's expectations for my life to a set of reasonable guidelines I can hope to accomplish on my own?

Be completely honest as you ask yourself these questions. Don't compare your life to those of Christians around you. Let Jesus Christ be your only standard. And as God begins to show you areas of your spiritual life that are off track, put these in writing and make a commitment to shift from settler to pioneer in these areas.

taken from “When God Writes Your Life Story”, by Eric and Leslie Ludy

This was posted by a user at Sermon Index. You can find the post here : http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=11631&forum=35&12

I found it very intriguing. I have found myself in some of these situations as well. How about you?

Lord, help us not to play a game but to have a true relationship with You.

When It's All Said and Done

2006-08-07T09:42:00.000-04:00

When it’s all said and done,

I will breathe the breath of Worship.

When my journey is through,

I will bend my knee in Awe.

When the song fills my soul

Joining voice with all creation.

I will sing when it’s all said and done.

When it’s all said and done

And my questions have been answered.

When the chords fade away

From this song of grief and pain.

When the pull at this flesh

Has no power in my tomorrows.

I will sing when it’s all said and done.

When it’s all said and done

And my final step is taken

When I stand face to face

With the One I long to know

When my heart understands

With convicting revelation

I will bow when it’s all said and done.

I love this song. I long for that day when I see Him face to face, when I will know Him in the way that I am known. Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the Messiah. I will bow willingly, eagerly on that day.

Come soon, Lord Jesus!

The Professor and the Prophets

2006-08-02T10:30:00.000-04:00

This was suggested to me by a person I met at Sermon Index. It is pretty interesting if you take the time to watch it. It is about 27 minutes long.

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=8648337797409966990&q=professor+and+the+prophets

Hope you find it interesting too!

A Strange Dream

2006-07-27T15:22:00.000-04:00

In my dream, I was talking to a man. He said,"What is it that makes you a Christian? Is it your God in Heaven or (this part I can't remember) or the Cross?"

I have no idea what the point was, but it woke me up immediately and I've been awake since that moment and cannot remember the middle part no matter how hard I try.

Weird,huh?

Debating with Atheists

2006-07-25T15:41:00.000-04:00

So I had a few words with some atheists concerning my beliefs as a Christian. Boy can that be exhausting. I am however grateful for the opportunity. It helps me to think about why I believe what I believe. I’ve found that when I base all my beliefs on the Bible, I cannot go wrong. Since the Bible is the Authority of my life, it is good to spend time in it and know for sure what it says. Do I just assume it says something because someone tells me so? Or do I go and look it up myself? That is my goal. Spend time in God’s Word and let the Holy Spirit be my guide. And be transformed into the Image of Christ.

Thank you Father, for Your Word, and the Holy Spirit to guide me into all Truth. May Your Will be done in my life, and Your Name be Glorified through it. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Something new?

2006-07-19T14:39:00.000-04:00

I have decided that I need to be making some changes in my life. I feel that I need to take more time to seek God and His Will. I am tired of living this same life day after day doing the same things and seemingly making no impact for Christ.

I would like to chronicle the things I find in my search here. So please join me.

I love the Lord, but do I really? This is what I am going to find out. I am going to seek HIM. He tells us in His Word that if we seek Him, He will be found.

I don’t know how often I will send updates, but here I go.

I’ve been listening to Paul Washer. He is a very encouraging pastor for a heart for the lost, especially the lost posing as Christians. Why are we not different from the World? I would suggest visiting http://www.sermonindex.com/ . It has several excellent resources for seeking God.

Now if you are not a Believer, these things will mean nothing to you, but as a Believer, the question is quite a valid one for me.

I have been reading the book of 1 John. Some things have really stuck out in my mind. The true test of whether you are a believer can me found there.

This is what I have found:

1) if we are believers, we don’t walk in Darkness, but as Christ walked.

2) If we are believers, we love our brothers.

3) If we are believers, we hate the world….(what does this entail? This is my basic search right here.)

How can we love the Lord our God with heart soul mind and strength and still love the world? The answer is this: we can’t.

Oh, Lord, help me to get the world out of my heart! Help me to love only You and Your Ways!

I'm back!

2006-07-11T16:20:00.000-04:00

Geez, I haven't blogged in a while. what is wrong with me?

The kids are growing! Nathan goes to Kindergarten and Emily is working on potty training. Where does the time go?

I am going back to school in the Fall, to change my career to Elementary Teacher. Hopefully, if God wills.

Chuck E Cheese's

2005-11-15T11:27:00.000-05:00

My son's thinking can be so amusing. The things he figures out are too funny. He is four. He loves to go to Chuck E Cheese's. Today he told me. Mom, I think that the Chuck E Cheese that shakes your hand is just a real person dressed up like Chuck E Cheese. I said "Why do you say that?" He says," because all people are real." Then he tells me that he wants to hit Chuck E Cheese with a big stick and see if he is made of Candy. Like he's a big pinata....oh well.

2005-11-11T10:28:00.000-05:00

What is going on in Melissa's World?

Emily is starting to walk! Travis just got back from an unsuccessful hunting trip. Nathan is doing well! Smart as a whip and learning more everyday. I am still employed at the same place thus far.

Praise be to God for His many Blessings on our family!

2005-11-11T09:26:00.000-05:00

"Remember Me"

Lately I have become concerned about the people I represent. I no longer see the Pride in your eyes that I once seen when I traveleddown your streets in the Veterans Day parades and on the 4th of July. The people that once saluted me and those that held their hand over their heart as I passed now just look around to see whatothers are doing.

Could it be that they don't see me? This is what it must be, because I haven't changed. I am still the same flag that accompanied so many of our countrymen as they defended this great country.

As I wave in the breeze I am waving for each and ever one of them.I represent the people of this country and not the disappointmentyou may have with our Government. I have never had a vote in anything.I stand for the freedom that the people have given to this country.
You are the heroes, not the Government.

You are the ones that go to work each day and do what is necessaryto see that the children have clothes and shoes and plenty of food.
That is why I call you heroes. This is the spirit that I represent.
This is why I was created, as a constant reminder to the people ofAmerican that with pride in our country and a strong belief in God we can over come any obstacle that is put in our path. We are still the greatest country in the world. WE ARE AMERICA.

So the next time you pass by me just give me a wink or allow a
glimmer of pride or just a simple wave to let all the soldiers that
have died so you can live free and I can fly free will know that theirsacrifice was not in vain.

Your Flag

Stop the ACLU

2005-11-09T10:10:00.000-05:00

The link below is a commercial about Stop the ACLU and Court Zero.

http://www.courtzero.org/acluweb2.wmv

Please sign this petition to stop the use of taxpayer funds to support the
ACLU by following the link below the text of the petition.

STOP TAXPAYER FUNDING OF THE ACLU

WHEREAS, the American Civil Liberties Union (the ACLU) has shown itself to
be hostile to religious expression by private citizens and the civil rights
of people of faith; and

WHEREAS, the ACLU has declared war on the Boy Scouts of America, the
military of the United States, Christmas displays, public buildings that
display the Ten Commandments, and many other American traditions; and

WHEREAS, the United States Congress, roughly thirty years ago, passed a
provision in United States Code section 1988 that requires taxpayers to pay
attorneys in civil rights cases; and

WHEREAS, the ACLU has abused that law to make untold millions of dollars
simply by suing boy scouts, school children, military academies, cities and
towns, with the goal of punishing any who dare to exercise their First
Amendment right to religious freedom and expression; and

WHEREAS, the vast majority of taxpayers do not want to be forced to pay the
ACLU to sue their neighbors and friends in the ACLU's efforts to strip
America of all signs of faith; and

WHEREAS, the Establisment Clause of the First Amendment was not contemplated
when USC section 1988 was passed;

THEREFORE, the People of the United States call upon their Congress to amend
USC section 1988 so that hostile special interest groups such as the ACLU
can no longer be granted taxpayer money to attack Americans and their
institutions.

We, The People, call upon our elected representatives to amend USC section
1988 so that fees are not awarded to the ACLU or any other plaintiff in
Establisment Clause cases. We wish for the Free Expression Clause to
implicate at least the same financial incentives as attacks upon faith
currently have.

I would like you to visit the following online campaign, by iPetitions:
http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/ACLU

And urge your Congressmen and U.S. Senators to pass HR 2679.

Thanks.

I Refuse To Be Discouraged

2005-07-25T20:59:00.000-04:00

I refuse to be discouraged, To be sad, or to cry; I refuse to be downhearted, And here's the reason why...
I have a God who's mighty, Who's sovereign and supreme; I have a God who loves me, And I am on His team.
He is all wise and powerful, Jesus is His name; Though everything is changeable, My God remains the same.
My God knows all that's happening; Beginning to the end, His presence is my comfort, He is my dearest friend.
When sickness comes to weaken me, To bring my head down low, I call upon my mighty God; Into His arms I go.
When circumstances threaten To rob me from my peace; He draws me close unto His breast, Where all my strivings cease.
And when my heart melts within me, And weakness takes control; He gathers me into His arms, He soothes my heart and soul.
The great "I AM" is with me, My life is in His hand, The "Son of the Lord" is my hope, It's in His strength I stand.
I refuse to be defeated, My eyes are on my God; He has promised to be with me, As through this life I trod.
I'm looking past all my circumstances, To Heaven's throne above; My prayers have reached the heart of God, I'm resting in His love.
I give God thanks in everything, My eyes are on His face; The battle's His, the victory is mine; He'll help me win the race.

One Sentence Sermons

2005-07-25T20:50:00.000-04:00

Be Fishers of Men.... You catch 'em, He'll clean 'em.
A family altar can alter a family.
A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.
Don't put a question mark where God put a period.
Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.
Exercise daily. Walk with the Lord!
Forbidden fruits create many jams.
Give God what's right, not what's left!
Give Satan an inch and he'll be a ruler.
God doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called.
God grades on the cross, not the curve.
God loves everyone, but probably prefers "fruits of the spirit" over "religious nuts."
God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.
Having truth decay? Brush up on your Bible!
He who angers you, controls you!
He who is good at making excuses is seldom good for anything else.
He who kneels before God can stand before anyone!
Kindness is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.
Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory capacity.
Never give the devil a ride! He will always want to drive!
Nothing ruins the truth like stretching it.
Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.
"Pray" is a four letter word that you can say anywhere.
Prayer - Don't give God instructions - just report for duty!
The Will of God will never take you to where the Grace of God will not protect you.
This Church is "Prayer Conditioned!"
To be almost saved is to be totally lost.
WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning!
Watch your step carefully! Everyone else does!
We don't change the message; the message changes us.
We set the sail; God makes the wind.
We're too blessed to be depressed.
Wisdom has two parts: 1) Having a lot to say. 2) Not saying it.

Monday Evening

2005-07-25T20:12:00.000-04:00

Well, here I am again. Travis is golfing with his league. Emily is sleeping. Nathan is watching cartoons. I am thinking about Jesus. How can I be more like Him? I so want to Bless His Name and not bring shame to Him. I love Him so much. He loves me so much. He is truly Glorious. Worthy of all Praise Honor and Adoration. Moreover, how can I share His Love with you? He is trustworthy. He'll never leave you or forsake you. He is waiting with arms open wide for you to call on His Name.

God Is Faithful and True

2005-07-24T21:05:00.000-04:00

Do you know the Lord Jesus, Friend? I promise you He is Faithful and True. In fact those are two of His names. Whatever you are going through in your life, if He is at your side, you will make it through. It won't be easy. I would never lie about that. He said that in this life we would have tribulation, but we would never be alone, if we trust in Him. Do you know Abraham's story, Joseph's, Hannah's? How about Tammy Trent's? God has proven Himself to be Faithful to His people.

Repent of your sins today, Friend. Today is the day of Salvation. Time is growing short. Your days were numbered in His book long before you were ever born. Come to Jesus, his yoke is light and his burden is easy. He loves you! He died for you! He rose again and now sits at the Right Hand of God interceeding for you! What are you waiting for?

John 3:16 says "For God so loved the people He created, that He gave His One and Only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life."

Pray now!

Father God, I believe in you, I believe that I am a sinner. I believe that you are Faithful and True, Merciful and Good. Please forgive me for my transgressions. Lord Jesus, thank you for paying for my sins with Your own Blood. Please come into my heart. Make me a new creature. In Jesus name, I pray.

Friend,
If you believe on the name of Jesus, the angels in Heaven are rejoicing that your name has been written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Find a body of believers in a Bible Based congreation to join. The enemy will come against you even at this moment reminding you of every sin you have ever committed! Remind him of his future. He will spend eternity in damnation, while you will be spending eternity with Almighty God!

This prayer is for you:

Father God in the name of Jesus, I pray for our new family member. Bless this person mightily with faith and confidence in You, Oh God. Give this person strength to stand on Your Word, disregarding the lies of the enemy. Help this person, find a body of believers to support him or her as he or she learns to become more like you. Thank you for another name written in your Book of Life. Amen.

Women of Faith

2005-07-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

On my way to Women of Faith conference today. It should be a great time. We have a group of 24 going! We'll be doing some shopping, some eating and then hearing great worship music and encouragement from the Word of God! The speakers are Sheila Walsh, Marilyn Meberg, Patsy Clairmont, Nicole Johnson, Luci Swindoll, and Thelma Wells. Music by CeCe Winans and Tammy Trent. Ladies, I would highly recommend attending one of these conferences. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll have a great time!

The downside, I will be leaving my 9 month old daughter overnight for the first time since she was born. Their dad will take good care of them, but it is still hard for me to be away from my family. I'll just leave them all in God's capable hands and see them when I return!

God bless!

Church Marquee Signs

2005-07-21T14:39:00.000-04:00

The best vitamin for a Christian is B1.

Under same management for over 2000 years!

Soul food served here.

Tithe if you love Jesus! Anyone can honk!

Don't wait for the hearse to take you to church.

Don't give up. Moses was once a basket case.

Life has many choices. Eternity has two. What's yours?

Worry is interest paid on trouble
before it is due.

Wal-Mart isn't the only saving place!

Prevent truth decay. Brush up on your Bible.

It's hard to stumble when you're
down on your knees.

What part of "Thou Shalt Not"
don't you understand?

A clear conscience makes a soft pillow.

The wages of sin is death.
Repent before payday.

Never give the devil a ride.
He will always want to drive.

Can't Sleep? Try counting your blessings.

Forbidden fruit creates many jams.

Christians, keep the faith...but not from others!

Satan subtracts and divides.
God adds and multiplies.

To belittle is to be little.

Don't let the littleness in others
bring out the littleness in you.

God answers knee-mail.

Try Jesus. If you don't like Him,
the devil will always take you back.

Nathan's plan

2005-07-21T11:07:00.000-04:00

My four year old has his life planned out. He is going to marry his "girlfriend" Grace (who is also 4). He wants to be a teacher, firefighter, pilot, astronaut, gardner, doctor, & a daddy. He also wants to be a "star" and "be in a show." He loves music and loves to dance. He's a problem solver, though some of his solutions are not realistic, except to a pre-schooler's way of thinking. His vocabulary is very advanced for his age. He love's to read books, although I actually do the reading.

Thank you Lord God for the Blessing of my little man!

A Dilemma

2005-07-20T12:54:00.000-04:00

I have a pen pal in Taiwan. I would like to send her a package of things from America....my problem is that most things are "Made in China!"

Hmm.

Something new

2005-07-20T11:15:00.000-04:00

Just thought I would try something new! I've seen these things and thought it would be fun. I have two beautiful children and a great husband. We live in Michigan. The weather is very hot this summer!