Christianity

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It occurred to be today that the "foot in the door" that Satan uses is not "unbelief", it is the seed of doubt.

I was watching "History" today, a program about the battles of the Old Testament and how secular scholars read "history" into them.

Moses, instead of an instrument of the Most High, became an astute military commander who used his intimate knowledge of the terrain to his advantage.

Joshua, rather than following the command of God, became a blood thirsty and ruthless murderer.

The language was sprinkled with "supposedly" and "assuming there is a god..."

It is here, in the Old Testament, that the seeds of the undermining of God's Word begins.  When we sow the seeds of doubt in our minds in one arena, it becomes much easier to reap those seeds in another.

Do I think it is possible (or even likely) that Moses was an astute military leader?  Sure...but I believe that the skill was used of God for God's purpose.

Do I think that Rahab might have had her own best interests in mind when she hung the scarlet cord out of her window?  Of course...but it was all part of the plan of God.

We live in a lost and dying world, full of sin and strife.  But my God is in control.

Proverbs 21:1 - The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.

It seems so reasonable to listen to the world's "logic", to believe that our "modern" era has answers that God's people didn't.

But we don't.  We may have science and we may fall for "political correctness".  But our ways are not His ways and our thoughts are not His thoughts.

It is important (for me) to remember that what I think seems so reasonable may be contrary to the will of the Most High.

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Let the earth now praise the Lord.
Who hath truly kept His Word
And the sinners’ Help and Friend
Now at last to us doth send.

What the fathers most desired,
What the prophet’s heart inspired,
What they longed for many a year,
Stands fulfilled in glory here.

Abram’s promised great Reward,
Zion’s Helper, Jacob’s Lord,
Him of twofold race behold,
Truly came, as long foretold.

Welcome, O my Savior, now!
Hail! My Portion, Lord, art Thou.
Here, too, in my heart, I pray,
Oh, prepare Thyself a way!

King of Glory, enter in;
Cleanse it from the filth of sin,
As Thou hast so often done;
It belongs to Thee alone.

As Thy coming was in peace,
Quiet, full of gentleness,
Let the same mind dwell in me
That was ever found in Thee.

Comfort my desponding heart:
Thou my Strength and Refuge art.
I am weak, and cunningly
Satan lays his snares for me.

Bruise for me the Serpent’s head,
That, set free from doubt and dread,
I may cleave to Thee in faith,
Safely kept through life and death.

And when Thou dost come again
As a glorious King to reign,
I with joy may see Thy face,
Freely ransomed by Thy grace.

Text: Luke 24:27
Author: Heinrich Held, 1659
Translated by: Catherine Winkworth, 1863 (st. 7 unknown)
Titled: "Gott sei Dank durch alle Welt"

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This verse is at the top of my "to do" list on my iPod this week (I have 2 "to do" lists - one for Bible reading, the other for "stuff")

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

A friend of mine called me on Saturday and told me that her husband's mom had passed away earlier in the week.  She had been sick for a long time; sick and in pain.

For Christians, funerals are a much different event than the funderals of the lost...

At the right hand of our Heavenly Father, there are pleasures forevermore...in His presence we find fullness of joy.

For the lost, this life is as good as it's going to get.  For the elect, this life is as bad as it is going to get.

Leaving this life is not a tragedy for the one "going home".  We miss them, yes.  But for them...it's their invitation to the wedding feast.

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Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me save that thou art
Thou my best thought by day or by night
Waking or sleeping thy presence my light.

Be thou my wisdom, thou my true word
I ever with thee, thou with me, Lord
Thou my great Father, I thy true Son
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be thou my battleshield, sword for the fight
Be thou my dignity, thou my delight
Thou my soul's shelter, thou my high tower
Raise thou me heavenward, O power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise
Thou mine inheritance, now and always
Thou and thou only, first in my heart
High King of heavem, my treasure thou art.

High King of heaven, after victory won
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's sun
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.

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My daily reading included 1 Chronicles 4 today.  I am reminded of the power of the draw of "stuff"...and the Advent Conspiracy

Sometimes it is amazing what human beings can wrench out of 2 (two) verses.

Take Jabez.

Jabez (the place) is mentioned one time.

Jabez (ther man) is mentioned one time, in two verses:

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain." Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request. (1 Chronicles 4:9-10)

Out of these two verses comes a theology of selfishness.

  • The Prayer of Jabez
  • Beyond Jabez
  • The Prayer of Jabez, 5th Anniversary Edition
  • The Prayer of Jabez Bible Study
  • The Prayer of Jabez:  Music
  • The Prayer of Jabez:  Video
  • The Prayer of Jabez:  Poster
  • The Prayer of Jabez:  Bible Pendant (14k gold)
  • The Prayer of Jabez for Women
  • The Prayer of Jabez for Women:  Video series
  • The Prayer of Jabez for Women:  Video series workbook
  • The Prayer of Jabez for Teens
  • The Prayer of Jabez: Devotional

There are two things that we know about Jabez.  He was honorable...and he wanted something.

How much do we want?

How much of what we want is "stuff"?

How different than Paul?

...that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death... (Phil 3:10)

Instead of praying for our own advantage, why not

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I'm a little behind...

The Scripture:

  • Psalm 80:3
  • Isa 1:27-28
  • Psa. 80:19
  • Psa 51:15
  • Psa 70:1

Restore us, O God;

let your face shine, that we may be saved!

Zion shall be redeemed by justice,

and those in her who repent, by righteousness.

But rebels and sinners shall be broken together,

and those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth will declare your praise.

Make haste, O God, to deliver me!

O LORD, make haste to help me!

Restore us, O LORD God of hosts!

Let your face shine, that we may be saved!

Once, a long time ago, I sat in the balcony of a church during the Christmas season.  I was volunteering at my church's daycare and took a "timeout" for lunch and the quietest place was that balcony in the sanctuary.

I looked quietly at the giant wreath (horse-shoe) that nearly filled the front platform.  Yet what drew my attention was beyond that seasonal symbol.  It was the other symbol, the reason for His coming in the first place.

The stained glass cross, the sun shining through, was sending a kalidioscope of colors over the white ribbons on the wreath.

That has stayed with me for years...if we forget the "end game" - the cross - then Santa might as well be the reason for the season.

If the birth is not covered with blood, His blood, there is no reason to celebrate.

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I AM A CHRISTIAN:

I affirm the Trinity - One God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

I affirm that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

I affirm that Christ, born of a woman, eternally existant, creator of all things, was crucified, buried and risen from the dead.

I affirm that by grace we are saved, through faith.

By grace, we have faith in the saving power Christ.I am "Reformed".

I am "Calvinistic" in sotierology, but not in ecclesiology.

Reformed theology differs from both Roman Catholic theology and Arminian theology (Wesleyan/Nazarene/most of what most Americans think is "mainstream")

There are two fundamental "nutshells" that are recognized as "Reformed". The first are the "Five Solas" and the second is "TULIP". There is a lot more to "Reformed theology" than these two pieces, but these are the very basics.

The Five Solas

(along with links to other posts I have written):

SOLA SCRIPTURA

SOLA GRATIA

SOLA FIDE

SOLA CHRISTUS

SOLI DEO GLORIA

"TULIP":

Total depravity of man

Unconditional election

Limited Atonement

Irresistable grace

Perseverence of the saints

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A while ago (years) I read an article about a woman who had a wretched childhood and grew up into a wretched adulthood.  Prostitution, porn, drugs, etc.

Then Christ made her His child.

There were a number of bloggers out there who had problems with her telling her whole story and the issues they had were varied.

One was - why does she glorify sin by telling of the sin she was in?  That is not the way to look at it...she is glorifying God by telling the depths to which she had sunk and that God can nobody is beyond God's grace.

Another - who is she to think that she can just repent  and have a "get out of consequences free" card?   Does she really think that she can just become a Christian and be accepted?  Hello?  do you know what she did?  That is not the way that it is!  If the Father embraced the prodigal, so should we.  It is our job to raise up the children in the faith, not keep them down.

Next - Okay, she's a Christian?  but she will never be qualified for ministry - after all, she may be forgiven, but there are earthly consequences.  No...no...  Paul was  a murderer.  So was Moses.  David was a murderer - and an adulterer.  They were all ministers of God's Word.

The prodigal should be restored.  Period.

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If favorite books in the Bible can be judged by the amount of underlining, highlighting and note-taking, mine is Philippians.

The first thing I have underlined is v.1:6 -

Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it out to completion until the day of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The note that I have in the margin reminds me that Paul was in prison when he wrote this - and still he wrote of peace and joy, surety and grace.

I am reminded that for the "remnant", persecution brings strength. There are places in this world where Christians are truly persecuted - tortured and killed; fired from their jobs. They watch their families tormented.

And still they praise our God. May we remember the persecuted church; pray for them daily - pray for strength and courage, pray that God will change the hearts of those to hate them. Pray that God will be glorified in all.