Theistic Evolution

A huge debate going on right now is on the topic of Naturalistic Evolution (also known as Neo-Darwinism) and Intelligent Design.

Advocates of evolution seem to have the popular view, or at least they are the loudest, since if you ask most people they assume that evolution is the only theory on the origin of species. According to the movie Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, even mentioning another side of the argument can cause many to lose their job, which continues to promote the idea that evolutionary theory is the only theory out there.

But there is another theory, Intelligent Design (I.D.). Intelligent Design is often times viewed as a "religious" or "theological" view, but it isn't. It is a scientific theory that states that certain things in nature are so complex that it is impossible for them to come to where they are in a fully natural way. This tends to be a common belief among Christians as Christians believe that the God is the designer.

One other theory, called Theistic Evolution. This theory states that God used evolution in the creation of the world. This is mainly a way to try and merge what the mainstream scientists believe with what the Bible says.

Theistic evolution however, is nothing more than an attempt to harmonize God’s perfect Word with man’s imperfect thoughts. Let's look at what the Bible states on this issue.

Origin of Man

Genesis 1:26-28

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

According to this passage man is an intentional creation from God, made in a distinct way different than the rest of the animal kingdom. None of the other animals were ever created with the description of being made in the image of God.

Another interesting point, is that when God created every animal, He spoke them into existence, but man, God formed man with His hands, and then breathed the breath of life into them.

Genesis 2:7

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

According to evolutionary theory:

Human evolution, or anthropogenesis, is the part of biological evolution concerning the emergence of Homo sapiens sapiens as a distinct species from other hominans, great apes and placental mammals.

Where the Bible says that Adam is a specific man created by God distinct from all the other animals where evolution says that man emerged from other animals in the animal kingdom and eventually became a distinct species. These views are completely in contradiction. Jesus mentions Adam as being a specific individual, so if we say that Adam was not an actual created person then we say that Jesus is lying.

So when your world view challenges what the Bible says, which will you decide is right?

Origin of Death

Pay careful attention to this point, because it involves one of the basic fundamental beliefs of Christianity.

1 Corinthians 15:21-22

For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

Romans 5:12

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—

The Bible is clear that Death is a product of sin, a product of one man breaking God's laws. This world was intended to exist without death, and one day we will return to the perfect state of the world.

The theory of evolution states something quite different. According to evolution, death has been around for millions of years, and it is necessary for natural selection to take place. Death is a natural process a part of the natural world.

Don't miss that point, according to evolutionary theory, death is a natural process necessary for life to evolve, but according to the Bible death is unnatural, it is a product of our sin. If death is a natural product that God created from the beginning for the process of evolution then Jesus' death would be in vain, because it would not be a penalty for sin it would be a natural process.

Jesus knew no sin

Hebrews 4:14-15

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Isaiah 53:5, 12

But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.

2 Corinthians 5:21

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

So if you believe in Theistic evolution, then Jesus' death was for nothing, it couldn't have been a penalty for sin, it couldn't be Him paying that penalty for us, and we are lost still. This whole concept is deeply important to our salvation. In the old testament it was the slaying of a lamb that would be sufficient as a sacrifice, again, the death of an innocent would cover the sins of man.

So when your world view challenges what the Bible says, which will you decide is right?

7 Days of creation is in the wrong order

Day 1: God creates the world and light
Day 2: God creates the sky, and separates it from the ocean
Day 3: God creates dry land and plants
Day 4: God creates the sun and moon
Day 5: God creates sea creatures and birds of the air
Day 6: God creates land animals and man
Day 7: God rested

Some say that God used evolution but that each day was really a representation of a long period of time, thousands or millions of years per day. But we have a problem here, plants are created before the sun is, and we all know plants can't survive and reproduce without sunlight. Also, Birds of the air are created before land animals, and according to evolutionary theory birds evolved from land animals.

So does this mean that man lived with dinosaurs? Just read the last two chapters of Job where God talks about 2 "prehistoric" creatures that Job is actually looking at, or search or lake beds where we find men's footprints along side dinosaur footprints.

Also, when God created the plants, and each animal, He commands them to reproduce according to their kind. According to neo-Darwinism each animal reproduces and eventually creates a different kind, this is completely against what the Bible says.

So we have a big discrepancy here, these two accounts of creation cannot mix at all.

Biblical Age of the Earth

Genesis 5 gives us a detailed account of how old the age of the earth is. This gives us 2 important pieces of information. For one it shows that the Bible considers these people to be literal humans, giving them specific dates that the were born and died on. Neo-Darwinism blurs the line of when the first human appeared, there are several stages of advancement and there is no distinction of when the first human appears in history.

Also this tells us clearly how old the earth is. We know that Adam was created on Day 6, "And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth" (Genesis 5:3).

Seth was born when Adam was 130 years old, so he was born in the year 130. "Seth lived one hundred and five years, and begot Enosh." (Genesis 5:6). Enosh is born when Seth is 105, since Seth was born in the year 130 we can easily calculate the year that Enosh is born (130 + 105). Enosh is born in the year 235.

This process can be repeated, Genesis 5 goes all the way to Noah, and then you can continue through other chapters of the Bible such as Genesis 10 and Matthew 1. Not all chapters give an exact date, but you can easily estimate the life of one person. Through this process you can estimate that the Earth is aproximately 6,000 years old. Obviously not long enough for macro-evolution to create life.

If the Bible meant for the Genesis account to be taken as an analogy or a symbol, then it wouldn't give such details. Doing this research is very interesting, you can see how the lifespan of people was much larger before the flood, so we can assume that something major happened in the flood that changed the climate so humans couldn't live as long. These are all interesting topics to consider and research but they are outside the scope of this blog.

The point is that the Bible is clear on the creation account, it gives specific details and the gospel message itself is founded on the very beginning, that God created us unique and different than the animal kingdom, making us with souls where other animals don't have souls. It is because of our sin that death is in the world and it is for that very reason that Jesus was able to come and live a sinless life, and die taking our place on the cross, He took our place under God's wrath.

Conclusion

Theistic evolution however, is nothing more than an attempt to harmonize God’s perfect Word with man’s imperfect thoughts

The main reason people do try to mix these theories is because evolution is popular right now, but the popular scientific theories are not always correct. We need to rely on God and not man.

For those who think that this means we check our brains at the door and follow the Bible blindly, you couldn't be further from the truth. There are many websites on Intelligent Design that talk about the science that proves that there must be an intelligent force behind the creation of everything. We as Christians know who that intelligent force is.

Check out some other resources such as http://apologetics.org, or subscribe to a podcast called Darwin or Design where they discuss these issues and interview some top scientists on a weekly radio show. If you have questions feel free to ask us at http://www.EternalTruthMinistry.com

Don't compromise your beliefs just because someone says they have evidence to the contrary, we know from courts that both sides have evidence, but both are not correct, just because you have evidence doesn't mean you have all the facts about the evidence. Look into all sides for yourself, know the facts for yourself. God gave you a mind, use it.

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Biblical Interpretation

Everywhere you turn you find countless number of denominations, and different sects of Christianity. Churches split up, people are told they are not saved because they go to a different church, or read a different version of the Bible. Many people are pushed away from Christianity because of these issues and more, can you blame them?

If you ask people why, it boils down to one thing, everyone has a different interpretation of the Bible. Let's look into this a bit.

Is how you interpret the Bible important?

This is a pretty easy question to answer. A person's life, every decision they make is entirely based on their beliefs, and for a Christian, those beliefs come from what the Bible says. Do you agree with capital punishment, abortion, how is one saved, how should we live, all of our ideas on this come from how one interprets the Bible.

Where do different interpretations come from?

Symbolism - A lot of passages in the Bible are symbolic, especially those passages talking about the end times. Passages talking about dragons, moon turning to blood, earthquakes, these all require some form of interpretation to find out what they are really referring to.

Historical and Cultural context - The Bible was written by a culture that is much different than ours. Their language was different, traditions were different, and many other things that separate them from us today. Which of these still apply to us today and how do they apply to us?

These are just a few examples of why different interpretations are created. Another big reason for interpretation is simply that we don't like what the Bible says, and when that happens, we change what the Bible says into something a bit more to our own taste.

Pastor Shawn Wood of Seacoast Church puts it like this:

The problem is that we are spending too much time interpreting the Bible, and not letting it interpret us. The big problem with our understanding of God's word is not an academic issue, it is moral.

It is not that we don't understand the Bible - it is that we don't like what we understand.

Is there one correct interpretation of the Bible?

This question is a bit harder to answer. Let's look at what the Bible says about it, for the Bible should give us instructions on how to interpret and read the Bible, right?

2 Peter 1:20-21 "But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God."

The Bible was written by God, not men. God is perfect and timeless, never changing and concerned with truth. Since God does not change, His word can't change, since there is one God, with one purpose, one intention, who does not change, than how can the Bible change? If the Bible cannot change, how can there be different meanings and interpretations?

There can not be different interpretations. There can only be one interpretation of God's word. It can be applied to our lives in many ways, but there is only one interpretation.

I will not say that I have the correct interpretation, for my views of doctrine have changed a lot over the years, as I spend time studying the Word of God and growing closer to Christ. The more I do this, the more my views become like His. And since God only has one view, that of Truth, all Christians should start becoming more alike in doctrine and in actions.

When you read the Bible, and you find something you don't agree with, what are you going to do? Twist the words around to change the meaning? Just toss it out as not being an important part of Scripture? If we do that, where do we stop? Can the passages about baptism be thrown out? About punishment? About homosexuality? About sin? About Jesus' death and resurrection?

If you determine what passages can be interpreted or are irrelevant to today, then you have just placed yourself above God. You have decided that what God thought was important and true you don't agree with so it shouldn't be that way, making yourself one that can change God.

When faced with something you don't agree with, or with something you don't understand, it's best to admit that you are the one that is wrong, and you need to change yourself to match what God says.

Read the Bible and interpret the Bible using the whole thing, in context, not just focusing on a certain passage that supports your view. If you look at everything as a whole you may discover that you were close, but not totally correct or you may even discover that you were completely wrong in how you interpreted the Bible.

The problem isn't in the Bible, the problem is in us.

Why do we need the correct interpretation?

We need to know the correct interpretation of the Bible so we know God's will and instruction for our lives. We need to know what sin really is, what repentance really means, what God's grace really means to us. We really need to know the truth about how to deal with those living in sin, and with our own sin. We need to know how we should view and treat others, regardless of if they are poor, homeless, rich, or unborn.

Most of all we need to know how to grow closer to God! We can't do that if we have a false interpretation of Him. If I had a false view of who my wife really was, then I wouldn't know how to do things to please her, or how to act when I'm around her. It is only by knowing the real person that I can begin to draw close to her and really start to connect and communicate. It is only this way that I can have a real relationship with her.

God loves us so much He sent His Son to die for us, shouldn't we at least make sure who He is so we know how to worship and serve Him? How to love and have a relationship with Him?

Study the Bible, repent of your sin, do whatever you can to have a closer relationship with the real God.

One last thing...

The Bible gives very clear instructions on some things, and on others it is vague and left open to personal decisions. This is what is commonly called personal conviction. Is it wrong to watch movies with violence or magic, is it wrong to eat meat or drink wine, or is it wrong to worship God on any day that isn't the sabbath? These things the Bible is not 100% clear on, and some feel a conviction that it is wrong, which is fine. If you feel it is wrong, then to do it would be a sin, but be careful that you do not place your own personal convictions on others. Something miner that you think is a sin, may be allowed for someone else. This is what quickly turns into legalism.


It takes studying the Bible and being close to Him to know the difference between a personal conviction and an actual command. Study the Bible and have a close relationship with God. Admit when you are wrong and learn how to properly interpret the Bible. Don't buy the lie that everyone interprets the Bible differently. They may, but most are wrong. Know that your own beliefs on many things are wrong and you will only learn this as your relationship gets closer to God. I know that I'm usually wrong and I'm willing to admit that most of the time. Pray for a humble heart and God's understanding when you read the Bible that you may interpret it correctly.


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Living in an HD world....

Everywhere I turn in the stores today I see "HD TV" and "HD DVD" and everything else that can be considered "High Definition."

I confess, I want an HD LCD TV, XBOX 360, and Blu-Ray DVD Player. When I think of how I can't afford them I get upset, even mad sometimes, because I can't have the cool toys that I want to have.

Tonight I was reminded of how selfish I am. How blessed I have been by God in so many ways and I get upset because I don't have the latest technology? Where has this world gotten to? Where have I gotten to?

I may only have a 19 inch CRT TV, but how many people in this world, even in this nation, wish they could have that much? Not to mention the iMac and Macbook Pro that my wife and I have. It is sad that I look in my pantry of food, or in the refrigerator and see all the food and think "Man, there is nothing to eat" so I go order a pizza! How many people don't have the wonderful blessing of pizza? That may sound like a joke, but I'm serious. So many people have little to no food. So many have to live off of rice, and I have all this food and decide I don't want anything that I have so I order something else.

Then think about Bibles... I have in my home about 5 or 6 Bibles. Different versions, differnt sizes, and most of them go unread. The others are not read nearly enough. Then I remember that in China, where Bibles are illegal people risk their life to get Bibles and deliver them to others.

I'm not saying we need to go get rid of all of our stuff, but it makes us think when we are desiring more and more stuff and get upset or bummed that we don't have the latest and greatest.

As the Christmas season comes, take some time to reflect on what it really means. Find things that you are thankful for and praise God for the blessings that we have. Greatest of all, thank God that we have been forgiven freely of all of our sin. Every time you sin and start to feel bad for it, Jesus already payed the price. So repent and go joyfully to the arms of your Heavenly Father who accepts us as we are!

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Christians: Regarding Homosexuals...

Over the past few days I have heard a few different stories showing the outspokenness of Christians against the practice of homosexuality, and I wanted to help clear a few things up before we go about accusing people of being a homosexual.

Before we begin, I will say that I am not in any way condoning homosexuality, it is a sin, like any other, and especially being a sexual sin (which the Bible states is even worse to commit 1 Corinthians 6:15-20) it is a sin against your body, which is the temple of God, it needs to be avoided at all costs. If you are practicing any sin, homosexuality, adultery, or other, you need to repent and give your life over to Jesus fully so you may serve Him instead of yourself.

With the recent news of Ted Haggard shocking America, and other similar stories from other churches, many churches decide to take up the arms against this outrageous sin and downright bash anybody who even appears to be a homosexual. With signs saying things such as "God hates gays" and other similar messages, what message are we sending to the world about God?

Being a Christian means that we are Christ-like, or at least trying to be. So where in the Bible did we see Jesus giving any such message? Only to the hypocrites, calling them a brood of vipers (Matthew 12:34 and Matthew 23:33) and sons of satan (John 8:44).

So then, what does Jesus say about homosexuals?

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

Yeah, did you hear that homosexuals, you will not inherit the Kingdom of God (AKA going to hell)!!

Oh uhm, wait a second...

I think there are a few more words in that verse...

In the same list we see "Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners"

So before you start saying these things about any one group of people, analyze your own life, are you fornicating? Do you currently place anything above God in your life (idolatry)? Do you lust after other people (adulterer)? Have you ever taken anything or coveted anything? I think almost everyone in our nation has fallen into that one lately (I know I have).

Another verse:

But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)

Ever told a lie?

Before you go jumping on the band wagon to attack a single group of people for their sin you need to look at your life.

Now, am I saying that we should just let someone living in sin be? (be it homosexuality, pornography, coveting, lying, slander, etc) Absolutely not! We all need Christ in our life and we all need to repent. No amount of work on our own part will remove the sin from our life. Only Jesus can do that.

So, what would you say to someone who is involved in sin? Why not just go through the 10 commandments? Ask if the person has lied, stolen anything, taken God's name in vain, or committed adultery.

People who are homosexuals have been so attacked by Christians that they need to hear the full truth. They have sinned against God even if they were never a homosexual! That is just one more of the many sins that the person has committed against God, and needs to be treated in the same way. If someone comes up to you and confesses that they have been falling into pornography would you isolate yourself from them, make fun of them and make a public spectacle out of it? Or would you pray with the person and try to help them on their path to repentance?

Now, to any of you who are sinning, you know you have done it, your conscience confirms that what you have done is wrong and against God. If you were in court and you are found to be guilty, next comes the sentencing, where you have to pay for your crime.

Every person will have to face the judge when we die, and you will be found guilty of breaking God's laws. " For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." (James 2:10) and "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8)

But Jesus came to pay the penalty for your sin since you couldn't pay it. Out of His love for you He paid the price, and all you have to do is repent of your sin and confess Jesus and you will be saved. "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)

Here is some more scripture for you:

if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,”
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah (Psalm 32:5)

He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)

"I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake;
And I will not remember your sins. (Isaiah 43:25)

Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. (John 8:36)

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. (Acts 5:30-31)

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26)

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13-14)

And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. (Colossians 2:13-14)

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:12)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

Now let's stop acting like the rest of the world, trying to hide our sin and act better than we are, and let's repent of our sins and help the lost do the same, the way Jesus did.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

About a month ago I said winter was officially here, well after that it went back to warm days. finally last night it snowed again, not much, but it was there. So we have a snowy thanksgiving... Somewhat.

Today we will be doing what every family does on thanksgiving, cooking turkey, mashed potatoes, and more.

As we get ready for our feast remember that none of it is possible without God providing it for it. Especially be thankful for our salvation that we did not deserve to receive when Jesus paid the ultimate price. If you are thankful that your sins are no longer counted against you then take a few minutes today to spend some one-on-one time with God. The word of God is living and active (Heb. 4:12) and it is our link to God, so take just a little bit of time with the One that has done the most for you.

Happy Thanksgiving and praise be to God!

We Make it Our Aim...to be Well Pleasing to Him

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. - 2 Corinthians 5:9-11

We all know that God has called us to be disciples of Christ, and to make disciples of all nations, but how many of us really practice that?

A lot of Chrisitans don't believe that evangelism is important, or, if they do believe, they think that it is best left up to the "professionals". Despite what we may believe, what does the Bible say about this?

"for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10

"to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved." Ephesians 1:6

God the Son came all the way from heaven to seek the lost and to die for them. The Holy Spirit has bene in this wicked world for nearly twenty centuries, helping the church seek and win the lost. If reaching lost sinners is so important to God, it ought to be important to us. (1)

While we are not all called to be mass evangelists, like Billy Gram or Greg Laurie, we are all given the responsability to reach out to those that God brings into our lives. Jesus suffered and died so that we may be set free, why is it that, after being forgiven, we can not even bring ourselves to tell the lost about Jesus' sacrifice for them? Jesus bled and died for those that are lost, and we don't seem to care about the lost or about Jesus enough to share His love with them.

We all think that it is someone elses job, well what would have happened if the disciples thought it was someone elses job to star the church? The church would have never been started. Now the task has fallen to our generation, and we push it off and try to avoid it.

If we want to please God, then we need to do the work that He has set out for us, the work that Jesus came for and left for us to continue. If we know what judgment will be on people who die without Christ, then we must try with every fiber of our being to persuade them to surrender to Jesus Christ.

We don't need to wait for a huge evangelical rally to witness to someone; it only takes one person to witness to one other person to make a huge impact for Christ and turn that person's life around. Do a Google video search for "The Man from George Street". It is a short 5 minute video, but it has a powerful message of what just one man can do when he sets himself to do the Lord's work, even when he sees nothing in it for himself.

It's time that the Body of Christ pick up their Bibles and starts to do the work of Christ. Jesus didn't come and die so we could all be Spiritual Couch Potatoes. Jesus paid much too high a price for that.


Refrences
(1) "On Being a Servant of God", Warren W. Wiersbe, page 110

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Being a successful Christian

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." Joshua 1:8

Awesome, meditate on the Bible and we will be successful, having money, good health and well liked.

As much as I would like to see that statement in the Bible, the more I meditate on it the more I know that is not the case. Paul was a great example of this, He knew the scriptures, walked by faith and preached the gospel. Yet, Paul never had a lot of money, didn't have a position of power, was often jailed and beaten, and had some type of physical affliction that God would not take away, even though Paul prayed that God would.

So, was Paul successful? From here it doesn't look like Paul was very successful. So was the Bible wrong then when it said that we will "have good success"?

Before we say the Bible was wrong, or that Paul wasn't successful, here is another thought. By who's standards are you measuring success? Fame, fortune, health, a place of power, these are all criteria that the world bases success on, but Christians are not of the world.

1 John 2:16 "For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world."

1 Corinthians 2:12 "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God."

No, the success that God tells us about in the Bible must be different than our own definition of success. Paul was successful, he obeyed God in what he did, so Paul's success was in the Lord, and in doing the Lord's work.

1 Corinthians 15:58 "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

Colossians 1:9-11 "that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins."

Psalm 1:1-3 "1 Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers."

We will be successful in the Lord when we do His work, according to His will. As Joshua stated, we will be successful by meditating on the Bible day and night, and not letting it depart from your mouth. This is the only way that you will be able to walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him.

Fully pleasing God... now that's what I call success.

Does it not seem important that we be reading the Bible daily? How else our we to get to know our Lord? Every Christian needs to make it a point to read the Bible daily, this will help you have a Christ like attitude, and to avoid false doctrines.

It is vital in our relationship with the Lord, so make some time for it. God deserves at least a few minutes out of your day, right?

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A Life Focused on Christ First

For my class "Practical Christian Ministry" at CCBC I have to read a book called "On Being a Servant of God" by Warren W. Wiersbe. The focus of the class is to teach you how to have an effective ministry, and the book by Warren Wiersbe is to give you the advice that he wishes he was given when he first started out.

I'm not very far along in this book yet, but every single chapter so far has been a treasure trove of information. Some things seem like common sense, but still things that we need to be reminded of because of how often we forget. Other points that he brings up are things that I have never thought of before, but every one of them I can see helping someone who is either in charge of, or helping out a ministry.

Some of these things, however, I can see being a huge help in not only a ministry, but in your own personal life too. And as I thought about it, it all made perfect sense. Every one of us has a ministry of our own, we are called to it as Christians and we serve in it if we know it or not. Every Christian is called to carry his cross, spread the gospel to the nations, and to love our neighbors. So this gives me an entirely new outlook on this book, not only can it help someone out in a ministry, but if they apply the same things to their own life then it will make a dramatic impact in your life as well.

I could give an overview of the entire book, but that would take too long, so I want to focus on only one chapter. Chapter seven deals with how our main focus in ministry is to put the Lord first, not people (Col 3:23-24). Here are a few reasons why:

You will be motivated to do your work and not look for excuses.

If you work just for your salary, you will never do your best as long as you feel like you are being underpaid. If you minister just to get recognition you will never do as much when people don't show their appreciation. The only motivation that will take you through the storms and keep you on the job is, "I'm serving Jesus Christ."

You want to do your best.

Most of us would do something for somebody we really love, when we really care about somebody we work hard to give them our best. If you are serving God as number one in your life, then nothing will be too great a sacrifice for you, and you won't even consider it a sacrifice. Look at what Jesus sacrificed for us because He loved us so much, imagine how we can serve God if we show Him the same type of love and devotion.

The burden is light.

Matthew 11:30 Jesus says "For My Yoke is easy and My burden is light." I would rather have Jesus Christ as my master than anybody else. He provides the power I need to serve Him, and the forgiveness when I mess up.

You stop watching other Christians and passing judgment on what they do or what God does with them.

People watching is a popular pastime among Christian workers (and just among church goers), but it's a dangerous one. If you keep your eyes of faith on Christ and seek to please Him alone, you won't have either the time or the desire to watch others. Have you complained because God gave others a better deal than He gave you? Perhaps the people don't seem to work as hard as you do, or maybe they haven't' been in Christian service as long as you have; yet God bypassed you and rewarded them abundantly. Satan can use a thing like that to get a foothold in your life, make you bitter, and create problems in your ministry. But if you work for Christ alone, you won't be bothered by what other workers do or what God does for them. Nor will you try to make bargains with God to be sure you get your rightful share. If you do, you'll be the loser because God still gives His best to those who let Him write the contract.

John 21:22b
"what is that to you? You follow Me." It shouldn't matter to us how God treats others, all that matters is that we follow Jesus. With or without reward, with or without suffering, with or without recognition, we need to just follow Jesus.

Ministry isn't easy, but you make it more difficult for yourself if you serve people instead of the Lord Jesus Christ. You can't please everybody, so don't even try. Just live and work in such a way that your Master will be able to say, "You are My beloved servant in whom I am well pleased."

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Long Time Between Updates

Yes I realize that I have not been keeping up on writing my blogs as much as I would have liked. There are a lot of things that go through my head almost daily that I want to write about, I just don't take the time to sit down and write them. I will try to make the time to do this though. I want to write blogs often for a couple of reasons. One is that I like to keep people updated on the events of my life. The other reason is that I like to be able to look back on the blogs myself to see what I have done, almost like a life journal. So here is another entry in the life of Jon.

Two weeks ago Stephanie (Danae's sister) came out to visit. It was a fun and enjoyable time, where we went to church, the zoo, out for hikes, and various other places. Even though there were some sister fights and tension (as expected between sisters), for the most part the visit was very enjoyable for all of us. One day, we had a great oppertunity to drive through the mountains. It was a beautiful sunny day and the area that we went into had a lot of trees that were changing colors. It really shows the creativity that God has to make everything the way that it is and just the beauty that is in things that no artist can fully capture. How anybody could say that it is all here the way it is by accident is beyond my comprehension. Sadly, I left my camera home that day so I cannot share with you the awesome wonders of God's nature that we saw.

While at the zoo, one of the first animals that we got to see was the giraffe. Something intereting that I learned is that the giraffe has valves in it's blood vessels in its neck near the head, so that when it lowers its head down and back up it does not pass out from the blood rushing to its head and then a sudden rush of the blood rushing out of its head. My question to evolutionists is this, how did the giraffe know that it needed that? How did the DNA in the giraffe's body some how create this necessary body part that the giraffe could not survive without? It just makes no sense to me! The theory of evoultion is so fairy tale like sometimes that it stuns me to see how intelligent people could even consider it to be true. Anyway, enough about that.

So Malikai seemed to enjoy himself at the zoo a lot. There was one animal that was making a weird noise and Malikai tried to mimic the noise. It was funny to listen to. Every time the animal would make the noise Malikai would try something similar, but other than that he was pretty quiet all day. The zoo that we went to was nice, but it did make me miss the San Diego zoo. Now that is a nice zoo! At least it was the last time I went there years and years ago.

During the last couple of days we were enjoying playing some games, both UNO with custom rules, and baulderdash. The UNO game was interesting. The rule we had was that whoever won a hand, got to make up a new rule for the game. My rule was to have an undo card, that whenever you want you can play a 0 and make the last person take back the card they played and skip their turn. The girls, however, made different type of rules. Danae's was that you had to go outside and burp loudly whenever you play a wild draw 4. It did make people want to play the draw 4 less often, but I didn't enjoy the burping outside. Stephanie had a rule where you had to do an UNO cheer anytime you played an 8. So have some fun with these new rules and play a new exciting game of UNO!

The Saturday before Stephanie left I got real sick and had to call in sick from work. The bad thing was that I couldn't do anything all day because I was sick, but Danae and Stephanie took advantage of having the car so they went out for a few hours to go for a hike and a drive through another mountain road that is tucked away behind Garden of the Gods. So I stayed home with Malikai, mostly slept and watched movies but it was nice to have a day off from work. The following day I was feeling better so we went to church and then followed that with lunch at Cracker Barrel, which was some great food, but Malikai started to fuss a lot and was annoying the other people around so I had to just go pay for the food and sit in the car with him while Danae and Stephanie finished up their brunch. Malikai is getting really hard to take places sometimes, which makes me wish that we had a baby sitter so Danae and I could do things together.

While Stephanie was here we bought our two cats (see the previous blog) and we finally decided on the names. Mine (the bigger gray one) we are calling Merlin, and the smaller female we are calling Kunkali, or kali (pronounced collie) for short. Malikai is doing great with the cats, he seems to be enjoying them a lot. He still follows them around and tries to play with them. I'm glad that we made the decision to get the cats. Now the next big decision, to de-claw, or let them claw? As long as we stay on top of trimming their claws they are not destructive, but even with the claws trimmed it still hurts. We will wait and see what we will do.

Also that week I had a job interview. I have got to say, that was the strangest job interview that I have ever had. The first thing that really got me was that he asked for previous websites that I have built, so I pointed him to ETM and he spent a lot of time looking through the articles, he said he was just trying to figure out what I believed. After he mentioned something about how other Christians reply to his question about the sabath I asked if he was a Christian, and he was, so it started a 5 to 10 minute conversation about the Bible and what we believed and stuff. I know that it isn't the politically correct job interview discussion, but it is nice to have a conversation with a brother or sister in Christ like that. Then later he encouraged me not to take the job, because I would lose my security clearance if I did that. So yeah, the stragest interview that I ever had.

I had a good feeling about the company, people and job, but I never got called back so I think they picked someone who was asking for less money. The job would have been nice, but I'm kind of glad that I did not get it. I have been thinking about this a lot lately and I have finally decided what I want to do for the time being. I want to be a Windows Sys Admin, those jobs generally pay better and I'm good at it too. I just hope I can get into a job that will give me some serious Unix hands on experience. So if you have a job and you want to hire a Sys Admin, preferably in the Colorado Springs area, contact me! In the mean time, I updated my resume for this position I am going to pursue and I have been applying at a few jobs. Focus on the Family just happened to have a similar job opening show up on their website so I applied for that. Of all the jobs that I applied for, that is the job that I hope I can get. Even if they don't pay as much as some of the others, I would look forward to working in a Christian environment and especially at a job that is so close to my home. In the summer I could ride a bike to the job in about 20 minutes, or be lazy and drive the 5-10 minutes to the building. Some friends of mine know someone that works there, so hopefully I can get ahold of that person for a recomendation to help get my foot in the door.

We will see what happens, just please pray for me that I will find the job God wants me to be in. The shift work that I am doing now is tiring me out a lot and my sleep schedule has been completely off this last week. I don't know how long I can keep up these hours and the long drive. Plus, the longer you have to drive each day the higher the chance for an accident, especially when tired after a 12 hour shift. This week someone from our building got into a head on car accident outside work and is in ICU. Please pray for her, for God's healing if He wills, but most importantly that their family will be comforted and that she will come to know the Lord if she doesn't already. It just goes to show that you never know what may happen that will take the lives of a loved one, or a co-worker, or even ourself. No matter how tragic the incident may be, it is so much worse that we, the body of Christ, did not take the oppertunities that we had to share the gospel message with them. The latest statistics say that less than 2% of Christians evangelize (quoted from the Way of the Master) so if we don't reach out to those that we know, the chances are that nobody will.

Romans 10:13-15

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how
shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear
without a preacher?
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How
beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad
tidings of good things!

Oh that we may preach the gospel boldy to this lost world. I heard a quote from Charles Spurgeon that said something like "If this world does leap into the lake of fire, may they do it by leaping over our bodies trying to stop them, if they do want to go into the burning pit of hell, may it be with our arms wrapped around their knees trying to hold them back.." Why do we let this world blindly walk over the cliff of eternity into the pit of hell while we stand by and watch? How can the Christians of this world be so cruel? How can we care about our own comforts so much that we would not get up from our lazy boy chairs in front of our televisions or computers to stop these people from running into eternal damnation! How cruel the body of Christ has become in these last days... we have all the authority and power of the world, we can heal the sick, cast out demons, and offer Jesus's blood stained hands to these people to bring salvation and eternal healing, but we would dare not do that because we would be made fun of or feel scared.

How many people do crazy stunts for the feel of fear? Going on roller coasters, jumping out of an airplane, doing insane jumps with skateboards and motorcycles, we even go to horror movies that have the very purpose of scaring the living daylights out of us, but when it comes to saving the dying....

I guess in the end it doesn't really matter... let those who live in their sin spend an eternity in a place seperated by the grace of God, a place where they mourn over the truth they realize they have rejected, a place of nashing of teeth and burning of flesh... none of that really matters as long as we Christians are comftorable.

Really what it boils down to is a simple mathematical equasion. (m > c) Where m is our concern for our own comfort, and c is our concern for others. If we could just learn to care more about the lost than ourselves, to have a heart full of compassion then no excuse will keep us from sharing the gospel. Like a firefighter who runs into a burning building to save a family of 4, knowing that he may die and not even save them, but his care and concern for them is far greater than his concern for himself. Or like the Chineese Christian who recently went missing while trying to smuggle Bibles into China, the concern for getting the gospel to those who needed it far outweighs the concern for himself. We in America rarely face such drastic consequences, so what are we afraid of?

A lot of why Christians don't share their faith is because of the churches today. The churches teach that Christians should live rich and happy comftorable lives (which, by the way, is nowhere in the Bible). So that is what Christians do, they try to get rich, be happy and comftorable. That is why this generations churches are producing Christians that will tell God on the day of judgment "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' and then be told by God "'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" (Matthew 7:22-23)

I will end here and say good night. May God bless you and give you the compassion to reach out to the lost.

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If we are the Body of Christ

Casting Crowns, who is now one of my favorite bands, has a great song that should challenge every Christian by the words that it speaks. Let's have a look at the lyrics and I will comment about them.

<============================>

It's crowded in worship today
As she slips in trying to fade into the facesThe girls teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know

It is the Christians job to witness to the world, but on the occasion where someone is curious enough to come to the church, we have such a great oppertunity to be a witness. Instead of us having to go out and look, that person comes to us! And then what do we do? We find any reason that we can to make that person feel uncomftorable, because of how they are dressed or some other dumb reason.

Then what have we done? We have driven someone away from Christ! How do you think our Lord Jesus likes us driving those away from Him that He has suffered so much for to draw to Him!

Chorus:
But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way

Who is doing the work of Jesus when His body is sleeping or indulging itself in the things of the world? We are His workers, but we don't care! Do we not care that Jesus suffered and died to free us from sin? Do we not care that we have been given such a great gift in having a relationship with God? Do we not care that so many people, that God loves, are in bondage to sin while we walk around blindly trying to fade into the world?

The Christian church today is more concerned with our own comfort than we are that those around us are going to hell. We like to be a part of our own church club that doesn't allow any outsiders who might look or think differently than we do. It's sad how far from God's will that our church has fallen.

A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat and quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgmental glances
Tells him that his chances are better out on the road

I know of stories like this, where someone comes in with tattoo's or isn't properly dressed by our standards, and we make them feel uncomftorable to the point where that person wants to leave! Instead of judging someone for how they are dressed, let's share Christ with them first. If we convince the person to change their outside, how they dress or cut their hair or to give up smoking, they can still be on the road to hell. But if we share Jesus with them, then they will follow Jesus and be saved! Then they will allow Jesus to work in their life and their appearance will change to reflect the change in their heart.

So tell me, which is more important? That the person follows Jesus, or follows the exact rituals, principles and political lines that we do?

Chorus

Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the body of Christ

Chorus

Jesus is the way

Think about this last line... "Jesus paid much too high a price, for us to pick and choose who should come..."

Think of the sacrifice that God has made to allow people to come to Him, and how can we even think to make the decision of who should come to Him? Isn't that Jesus's decision instead of our own? We need to share the gospel, with everyone that we can, and then let that individual make the decision on if they want to come or not.

<============================>

Once again I will post the words to this song, just read the words and think about what they are saying:

It's crowded in worship today
As she slips in trying to fade into the faces
The girls teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know

Chorus:
But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way

A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat and quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgmental glances
Tells him that his chances are better out on the road

Chorus

Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the body of Christ

Chorus

Jesus is the way

<============================>

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Give God the Glory

An excerpt from "The Man God Uses" by Chuck Smith

It must have been a sight to see! The lame man who had been sitting at the gate of the temple begging for alms day after day, literally for decades, was now walking around, leaping into the air, and praising God (Acts 3:8)! Every person in the city had walked by htis man over and over again throughout the years, maybe occasionally dropping a coin or two into his hand. His frail frame was undoubtedly a familiar sight, linked with the whole experience of going into the temple in Jerusalem.

All of a sudden one day, this man is dancing around, yelling at the top of his lungs, hugging Peter and John, and generally creating a major disturbance in the daily routine of hte temple. The news must have spread like wildfire throughout the crowd! Luke factually states in Acts 3:10, "...they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him."

The story continues in Acts 3:12:
"So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: 'Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?'"

In other words, Peter was saying to them, "You men are Israelites! Don't you know the power of your own God? People from foreign countries who aren't acquainted with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob could conceivably be amazed by this event, byt why should you be surprised?"

This is exactly the way we so often behave in the face of miracles, even today. By our own confession, we believe that God created the heavens and hte earth and every living creature in them, but when we hear of a quadriplegic walking out of a hospital, it challenges our credulity. Is it any more difficult for God to heal a cripple than it was for Him to create Adam out of the dust of the earth? Do we really believe what we claim to believe?

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Spurgeon Gold

I am reading a book right now written by Ray Comfort called "Spurgeon Gold". The book makes quotes and comments about many of the great sermons that Charles Spurgeon gave. If you like the sayings in this post, PLEASE pick up the book. There are so many things being left out of this post that are absolutely invaluable pieces of wisdom.


Charles Spurgeon says about his ministry "My main business is the saving of souls. This one thing I do." Ray Comfort states "I hope this publication advances Spurgeon's main business; that its words will not just delight your taste buds. May they energize you to reach out to the lost. God forbid that they should add fat to the theological obesity of many...Time will take you and me into eternity. If we are trusting in Jesus Christ, we have a moral obligation to reach out to the unsaved while there is still time. This was Spurgeon's great passion, and I pray that it is yours. This gold is not meant to sit on the shelf of a rich man. If it does, then it becomes worthless. Its real value will be seen in its being spent on the cause of the Kingdom."

So sit back and enjoy some of these pure pieces of spiritual gold that will hopefully encourage you to have a heart for those around us that are lost and for serving our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.

---

To try to win a soul to Christ by keeping that soul in ignorance of any truth, is contrary to the mind of the Spirit; and to endeavor to save men by mere claptrap, or excitement, or oratorical display, is as foolish as to hope to hold an angel with bird-line, or to lure a star with music. The best attraction is the gopsel in its purity. The weapon with which the Lord conquers men is the truth as it is in Jesus. The gospel will be found equal to every emergency; an arrow can peirce the hardest heart, a balm which will heal the deadliest would. Preach it, and preach nothing else. Rely implicitly upon the old, old gospel. You need no other nets when you fish for men; those your Master has given you are strong enough for the great fishes, and have meshes fine enough to hold the little ones. Spread those nets and no others, and you need not fear the fullfillment of His Word, "I will make you fishers of men."

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The Reason Sinners Live


Read the Ten Commandments, pause at each one, and confess that you have broken it in either thought or word or deed. Remember that by a glance, we may commit adultery; by a thought, we may be guildy of murder; by a desire, we may steal. Sin is any want of conformity to perfect holiness, and that want of conformity is justly chargeable upon every one of us. Yet the Lord does not, under the gospel dispensation, deal with us according to Law. He does not now sit on the throne of judgment, but He looks down upon us from the throne of grace. ... Instead of destroying offending man from off the face of the earth, the Lord comes near to us in loving condescension, and pleads with us by His Spirit, saying, "You have sinned, but my Son has died. In Him, I am prepared to deal with you in a way of pure mercy and unmingled grace."


O sinner, the fact that you are alive proves that God is not dealing with you according to strict justice, but in patienct forbearance; every moment you live is another instance of omnipotent long-suffering. It is the sacrifice of Christ that arrests the axe of justice, which else must execute you.

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A Plea to the Lost

Remember, last of all, that the Law, which is so sharp and terrible to men when it only deals with them for their good, will, if you and I die withouth being brought to Christ, be much more terrible to us in eternity, when it deals with us in justice for our punishment. ... He will be at once the Lawgiver, the Judge, and the Savior; and you that have despised Him as the Savior will have to appear before Him as your judge. No such judge as He, His justice will be clear and undiluted now that His mercy has been scorned. Oil is soft, but set it on fire, and see how it burns! ... If you turn the Lamb of Zion into the Lion of the tribe of Judah, beware, for He will tear you in pieces, and there shall be none to deliver. Rejected love will change its hand. The pierced hand was outstretched with invitations of mercy, but if these be rejected - O sirs, I am telling you solemn truth, and hear it, I pray you, ere I send you away - if from that hand that was pierced you will not take the perfect salvation, which He is prepared to give to all who confess their guilt, you will have to receive from the selfsame hand that blows of that iron rod, which shall break you into pieces as a potter's vessel. Fly now, and kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish from the way while His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him! Amen.


**Ray Comfort: "It is amazing that we hesitate to talk about the wrath of God, for fear of making sinners feel fearful. The fear they fell this side of the grave will be nothing compared to the fear that they feel when they stand before Almighty God." **

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Hatred of Goodness


For which of his good works, for which of his generous words, for which of his holy deeds will they fasten His hands to the wood, and His feet to the tree? With unreasonable hatred, with senseless curelty, they only answer to the question of Pilate, "Why, what evil has he done?" "Let Him be crucified! Let Him be crucified!" The true reason for their hate, no doubt, lay in the natural hatred of all men to perfect goodness. Man feels that the presence of goodness is a silent witness against his own sin, and therefore he longs to get rid of it. To be too holy in the judgment of men is a great crime, for it rebukes their sin. If the holy man has not the power of words, yet his life is one loud witness-bearing for God against the sins of his creatures.

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A plea to the Unsaved


There are some of you standing in these aisles and sitting in these pews, who I feel in my soul will never have another invitation, and if this be rejected today, I feel a solemn motion in my soul-I think it is of the Holy Ghost- that you will never hear another faithful sermon, but you shall go down to Hell impenitent, unsaved, except you trust in Jesus now. I speak not as a man, but I speak as God's ambassador to your souls, and I command you, in God's name, trust Jesus, trust now. At your peril, reject the voice that speaks from Heaven, for "he that believeth not shall be damned." How shall you escape if you neglect so great salvation? When it comes right home to you, when it thrusts itself in your way, oh, if you will neglect it, how can you escape? With tears, I would invite you, and, if I could, would compel you to come in. Why will you not? O souls, if you will be damned, if you make up your mind that no mercy shall ever woo you, and no warnings shall ever move you, then, sirs, what chains of vengeance must you feel that slight these bonds of love. You have deserved the deepest Hell, for you slight the joys above. God save you. He will save you, if you trust in Jesus. God help you to trust Him even now, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

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Finding the Right Church


If you wait for a perfect church, you must wait until you get to Heaven; and even if you could find a perfect assembly on earth, I am sure they would not admit you to their fellowship, for you are not perfect yourself. Find out those people who are nearest to the Scriptures, who hold the truth in doctrine and in ordinance, and are most like the apostolic church, and then cast in your lot with them, and you will be blessed in the deed.

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Prayer for the Unsaved


If you really desire that men should be saved, pray for them. It is an empty wish, a mere formality, if you do not turn it into prayer. ... Oh, for more prayer! Let us cry to God in secret, and in the family, and in all our assemblies, that God would save the sons of men.

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The Necessity of Preaching


Suppose that we do not preach the gospel and warn the wickend man, so that he turns not from his iniquity. What then? Hear this voice: "He shall perish, but his blood will I require at thine hand." What will my Lord say to me if I am unfaithful to you? "Where is the blood of those people who gathered at Newington Butts? Where is the blood of that crowd that came together to hear you speak, and you did not preach the gopsel to them?" Oh, it where better for me that I had never been born than that I should not preach the gospel! "Woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel" of Christ, for men perish where there is not the Word of God!

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Genuine Conversion


If we labor for souls, we must not be content unless souls are really saved, for the apostle says, "For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God." Well, does not that satisfy you, Paul? They are zealous for God. They are red-hot. "No," says he, "not unless it is in the right way. They have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge." We feel very thankful when we see tears stream down the cheek, but you know, people cry at the theatre, and there is not much in it. Pray God it may not end in a shower of tears; but that the heart may bleed as well as the eyes weep. It may happen that we have induced our hearers to give up some outward sins. So far, so good. But it is written, "You must be born again;" and if this vital change is not experienced, all outward reformation will land them short of Heaven.

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The Crucifixion


Cowardice! cowardice! cowardice, craven, base lies at your door, O humanity! The Christ who was like a sheep-harmless and defenseless- was treated as if He had been one of the wild beasts of the forest. Who could have had the heart to smite Him who gave His back to the smiters, and His cheeks to those who plucked off the hair? O humanity! If I stand at the bar to impeach you, I scarce know where to commence the indictment, and, having commenced it, I know not where to close it. How fallen, dishonored, infamous are you, O humanity! Low, depraved, heinous, indeed, have you become that you could put the Messiah Himself to death, and crucify the Lord of Glory.

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False Converts


Who was it that added Judas, and Ananias and Sapphire, and Simon Magus, and Demas to the church? Who was it that stole forth by night and spread tares among the wheat? That evil spirit is not dead, he is still busy enough in this department, and continually adds to the church each as are not saved. His are the mixed multitude that infest the camp of Israel, and are the first to fall a lusting; his the Achane who bring a curse upon the tribes; his are those of whom Jude says, "Certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this condemnation." These adulterate the church, and by so doing, they weaken and defile it, and bring it much grief and dishonor.

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The Purpose of the Law


The business of the Law is first to teach us our obligations to God. Let us ask ourselves if we have ever heard the Law teaching us in that way. Brethren, read the Law of Ten Commandments, and study each separate precept, and you will find that in those ten short precepts you have all the moral virtues, the frull compass of your accountability to God, and of your relationship to your fellowmen. It is a wonderful condensation of morals. The essence of all just decrees and statustes lies there. Perfection is there photographed, and holiness mapped out. No one has ever been able to add to it without creating an excrescence, not a word could be taken from it without causing a serious omission. It is the perfect Law of God, and tells us exactly what we ought to be; if we are in any degree deficient, we are to that extent guilty before God. Now, when the Law comes to a man's conscience, it reveals to him the divine standard of right -holds it up before him - makes him look at it - and apprises him that the Commandments do not merely refer to acts and deeds, but with equal force to the words and thoughts from whence they proceed.


**Note from Ray Comfort: "It is a Perfect Law (see Psalm 19:7) of a perfect God that demands moral perfection. That is what we are commanded to warn every man, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus."

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I think that's enough for now, take these words to heart and pick up this book "Spurgeon Gold" by Ray Comfort.


May God bless you as you seek to save the lost!

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Following Jesus

Do you ever wonder why so many people are hostile to Christians, when Christians lay down their lives to help others? It is because we claim to be followers of Christ and the world hates Jesus Christ.

Why does the world hate Jesus? Jesus tells us why in the eye witness account of John:

John 7:7
"The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil."

For those who want to believe that they are good people and evil is not a result of themselves but of others, then this would be an offensive statement. People love their sin too much, and they do not want those sins pointed out as being wrong. This is why people hate Jesus so much, not because Jesus was a bad person (because He was perfect!) but because they don't want to think that they are bad people.

If you are not a Christian and you are reading this, God does say that you are a sinner, but He doesn't just accuse and condem you. Jesus provided a way for us to be forgiven of our sins. Follow Jesus, repenting of your sins. Realize that you have wronged God and ask for forgiveness then follow Jesus, who was given to us by God, confirmed by many prophecies, miracles, and being raised from the dead.

If you are a Christian, turn away from your sins! Jesus told us to live in the light and repent from our sins.

Romans 6:22
By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?

1 John 3:6
No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.

John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

If you follow Jesus, then you will produce good fruit. Analyze your life to see if you are producing that fruit, to see if you are following Jesus, and to make sure that you are not living in a lifestyle of sin.

John 15:4-8
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

If you follow Jesus, then give up your sinful lifestyle and follow Jesus. Read the Word of God and apply it to your life. Know the love that God has for you, and for others, and the forgivness and grace that God has paid the price to extend to you.

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