Friday, December 25, 2009
Deeper than Linus
No commentary needed, just put your faith in and trust the Savior, Jesus Christ. Reposted compliments of John MacArthur and Wretched Radio.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Self-Examination
The Character of Genuine Saving Faith
2 Corinthians 13:5, Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
I. Evidences that neither prove nor disprove one’s faith
a. Visible morality: Matt 19:16-21
b. Intellectual knowledge: Romans 2:17ff
c. Religious involvement: Matt. 25:1-10
d. Active Ministry : Marr 7:21-24
e. Conviction of sin: Acts 24:25
f. Assurance: Matt 23
g. Time of decision: Luke 8:13-14
II. The fruit /proofs of authentic / true Christianity
a. Love for God: Luke 10:27, Romans 8:7
b. Repentance from sin: Psalm 32:5, II Cor 7:10, I John 1:8-10
c. Genuine Humility: Psalm 51:17, Matt 5:1-12, James 4:6-9
d. Devotion to God’s Glory: Psalm 105:3, Isaiah 43:7, I Cor 10:31
e. Continual Prayer: Luke 18:1, Eph. 6:18, James 5:16-18
f. Selfless love: I John 2:9ff, 3:14, 4:7ff
g. Separation from the world: I Cor. 2:12, James 4:4ff, I John 2:15-17
h. Spiritual Growth: Luke 8:15, John 15:1-6, Eph 4:12-16
i. Obedient Living: Matt 7:21, I Peter 1:2,22….I John 2:3-5
If list I is true of a person and list II is false or non-evident, then there could be cause to question the validity of one’s profession of faith. If list II is true of a person, then list I will be true as well.
From: Dr John MacArthur Study Bible Index Notes, 1997. Re-posted by Wretched Radio.
2 Corinthians 13:5, Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
I. Evidences that neither prove nor disprove one’s faith
a. Visible morality: Matt 19:16-21
b. Intellectual knowledge: Romans 2:17ff
c. Religious involvement: Matt. 25:1-10
d. Active Ministry : Marr 7:21-24
e. Conviction of sin: Acts 24:25
f. Assurance: Matt 23
g. Time of decision: Luke 8:13-14
II. The fruit /proofs of authentic / true Christianity
a. Love for God: Luke 10:27, Romans 8:7
b. Repentance from sin: Psalm 32:5, II Cor 7:10, I John 1:8-10
c. Genuine Humility: Psalm 51:17, Matt 5:1-12, James 4:6-9
d. Devotion to God’s Glory: Psalm 105:3, Isaiah 43:7, I Cor 10:31
e. Continual Prayer: Luke 18:1, Eph. 6:18, James 5:16-18
f. Selfless love: I John 2:9ff, 3:14, 4:7ff
g. Separation from the world: I Cor. 2:12, James 4:4ff, I John 2:15-17
h. Spiritual Growth: Luke 8:15, John 15:1-6, Eph 4:12-16
i. Obedient Living: Matt 7:21, I Peter 1:2,22….I John 2:3-5
If list I is true of a person and list II is false or non-evident, then there could be cause to question the validity of one’s profession of faith. If list II is true of a person, then list I will be true as well.
From: Dr John MacArthur Study Bible Index Notes, 1997. Re-posted by Wretched Radio.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The TRUE Meaning of Christmas
As we celebrate Christmas, I pray we all remain grounded- or become grounded- in what the 'season' is really about. Its not about Santa or good cheer, but about the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ- who has given those who put their faith in Him and repent of their sins- the ultimate gift-
John 6:40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Death and Dying
Saturday, November 28, 2009
A Message for Law Enforcement
-The below is an outstanding post by Travis Yates from 'The Centurion Papers' (and Ten-Four Ministries)- I could not have said it better, and it bears repeating and reposting!-
Law Enforcement in particular has a nose for what is the truth versus what is a lie and that in and of itself is one of the huge stumbling blocks to Christianity by Law Enforcement.
From being in the profession for over 16 years, I can tell you that for the most part, the Christianity that Law Enforcement is confronted with is generally in one of two camps.
1. The local minister that instead of preaching God's Word, they stand up on Sunday and trash the Police for the latest "story" they may have heard in the community. This same minister will likely stand in front of news cameras or in front of a boycott line and you guessed it. Instead of proclaiming the Gospel, throw mud at the Police.
2. A Preacher that tells the Police, likely at a funeral of one of their own (since that is likely the only time most in Law Enforcement will enter a Church) that "there is a special place in Heaven for Law Enforcement Officers." or "Blessed are the Peacemakers, and you as Peacemakers are children of God."
Both items above are absolute junk and the lost Law Enforcement Officers I meet know it. They can smell a lie. It is there job.
So with that said, if you are new to our small ministry to the Nation's Finest, we will not mix words and we will call a heretic a heretic and a lie a lie. There are too many lies being told and they get in the way of what is truly important, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
As you may suspect, there is more to come on this topic. This ministry is not in the business of doing things to just make folks "feel better". We want to tell you the truth. In a world where truth is one's opinion and simply "relative", we want to tell you the only truth that matters.
Truth
His name is Jesus Christ and he came to Earth more than 2000 years ago and lived among us but there was a difference between Him and the rest of the world. Jesus Christ was God and he left Heaven (John 8:58), humbled Himself and was born of a virgin. He was on an incredible journey. He healed the sick, raised the dead, walked on water, cast out demons, feed thousands with a few loaves of bread. he calmed the storms and confronted the heretics of His day. Simply put, this Man names Jesus did exactly what you would expect God to do if He came to earth as a Man.
Jesus Christ was God. You can deny Him, you can say that makes no sense but the truth is, Jesus did not do these things alone. There were hundreds of witnesses to what He did and more than just the Bible talks about them. Just a quick glance at the history books of the day and the evidences that are apparent to even those that rejected Him, will tell you these things happened.
They will even tell you that the one thing happened that could have only happened if Jesus was God. Approximately 30 years after Jesus was born and lived a perfect life (He never sinned), Jesus was crucified. He was murdered for His claims of being God and the threat that imposed on the Government. All of this happened just as the Old Testament prophesy said it would. Written hundreds of years earlier by the Prophets:
"By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence,and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;" Isaiah 53:8-10
Evidence
More than 300 Messianic prophecies like this were made in the Old Testament and then fulfilled through Jesus' life, death and resurrection. Experts will tell us that the chances of one person fulfilling a mere eight of these prophecies are one-in-100,000,000,000,000,000. For one person to fulfill 48 of these prophecies, the number becomes staggering – one chance in 10-to-the-157th power. Add to that the 250 other prophecies, and it becomes impossible for any other person except Jesus to ever fit that particular sequence of time and events.
You see, Jesus did die but His death wasn't the end and what happened next is why you are hearing about Him. Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day and He showed Himself to over 500 witnesses. Many of them chose to die proclaiming His name in the future years of early Christianity.
Now at this point, you can tell yourself those men were just crazy or all of this was a myth, an urban legend, nothing much more than Santa Claus but you really don't believe that. You can't believe that if you are a logical person and if you are in law enforcement, investigate it yourself. After all, with what is on the line, you would be the crazy one to not look into this Man named Jesus.
So why did Jesus die? He died because it was the only way for the human race to be saved. Now at this point you may be saying that you are a good person, after all you enforce the law, you abhore evil, you do what is right. You are not the criminal. In fact, you lock up the criminals.
Well, that is where you and myself were wrong. We can't look at ourselves the way we or society looks at what is right and wrong. Compared to society in general, maybe you are a good person but you see, this Jesus was Perfect, Holy, Righteous and He looks at right and wrong differently.
In Jesus' encounter with the Rich, Young Ruler (Matthew 19:16-26), He told him that he needed to keep the commandments. Have you ever lied or stolen? Have you always honored your father and mother? Have you used God's name in vain (blasphemy) Have you loved your neighbor as yourself? Has God always been the most important thing to you?
You may say, well I haven't murdered or committed adultery but Jesus said that if you are angry with your brother you are guilty (Matthew 5:21) and if you have looked at someone with lust, you have committed adultery (Matthew 5:27).
What is the point here.
Romans 3:10 says it well: "no one is good, not even one."
None of us can make it to Heaven based on our good works because in God's eyes, we have no good works. The prideful, self righteous are like the rich, young ruler(Matthew 19:16). He was futile in trying to keep the commandments to enter the Kingdom. No one can keep them and that is why a sacrifice had to be payed on the behalf of sinners.
Jesus Christ lived a perfect life and was murdered. He and He alone was that sacrifice. It is because of Jesus that we can have everlasting life. The alternative is Hell, a place where the "worm never dies and the fire is not quenched" Mark 9:48.
The Bible is clear that many will go to Hell.
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Matthew 7:13-14).
Solution
So what is the answer. Jesus Christ is the answer. He is the only answer. This salvation is a Gift. A free gift. You can do nothing to receive it. There is no amount of good deeds you can do; You can't walk an aisle do receive it; Saying a sinner's prayer doesn't give it to you. There is nothing you can do to receive it.
So there it is. There is the truth. I'm not here to give you a soft, candy message that makes you feel good. The Gospel has always and still is divisive.
"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword." Matthew 10:34
But you deserve to know the truth. Jesus did not come to earth and die so that you can get promoted, or get a nicer car, or always be healthy, or have a wonderful life. He died for sinners. On the Cross, He took the Wrath of God. He drank from that cup (Luke 22:42) and He drank every bit of the Wrath that we deserve as sinners. He was a Propitiation for Sin; He payed the price. Isn't that enough?
The question is, do you believe that?
Do you believe that Jesus is the only God and he was raised from the dead?
Do you see your sin as an abomination to a Holy God (Proverbs 8:7)?
Has God enabled you to repent of your sin, turn from your sin(Mark 1:15).
Has God opened your eyes to the mystery of Him and His Kingdom (Matthew 13:11, Ephesians 1:9)?
Do you trust everything to Jesus?
These are the words of Jesus, the Savior of the world: "And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:38).
"Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me' (Matthew 16:24).
How are these things possible? How can a person deny their pride, their lustful thoughts, their sin, their status in the community and believe in Someone that will literally make people hate you (John 15:18)?
Through the grace of God, a gift of God. It is through His love, His glory, for Him and only Him.
Jesus said that you must be "born again" to see the Kingdom of God and that can only happen if God gives you that gift (John 3:3).
Call out to the one true God, Jesus, The Savior that was raised from the dead and ask Him to save you (Romans 10:13).
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
The Disciples of Jesus will be known, they will be different.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).
They will likely not be the ones representing Christianity that you despise, that you think is a joke, that are on television asking for your money or trashing the police.
The Saints of the Savior, my Savior will be different. While still battling sin, they will be on a daily walk with the Lord and a daily process of being made more like Jesus. They will be humble, meek, mild and not of this world (1 John 2:15). They may even be a little "weird" in the eyes of others but there is no doubt that they will stand out and they will love and give and care for you.
They will care for you enough to tell you the truth and that truth may not be exactly what you want to hear but my friend, it is the truth.
I care for you. Many are praying for you.
Law Enforcement in particular has a nose for what is the truth versus what is a lie and that in and of itself is one of the huge stumbling blocks to Christianity by Law Enforcement.
From being in the profession for over 16 years, I can tell you that for the most part, the Christianity that Law Enforcement is confronted with is generally in one of two camps.
1. The local minister that instead of preaching God's Word, they stand up on Sunday and trash the Police for the latest "story" they may have heard in the community. This same minister will likely stand in front of news cameras or in front of a boycott line and you guessed it. Instead of proclaiming the Gospel, throw mud at the Police.
2. A Preacher that tells the Police, likely at a funeral of one of their own (since that is likely the only time most in Law Enforcement will enter a Church) that "there is a special place in Heaven for Law Enforcement Officers." or "Blessed are the Peacemakers, and you as Peacemakers are children of God."
Both items above are absolute junk and the lost Law Enforcement Officers I meet know it. They can smell a lie. It is there job.
So with that said, if you are new to our small ministry to the Nation's Finest, we will not mix words and we will call a heretic a heretic and a lie a lie. There are too many lies being told and they get in the way of what is truly important, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
As you may suspect, there is more to come on this topic. This ministry is not in the business of doing things to just make folks "feel better". We want to tell you the truth. In a world where truth is one's opinion and simply "relative", we want to tell you the only truth that matters.
Truth
His name is Jesus Christ and he came to Earth more than 2000 years ago and lived among us but there was a difference between Him and the rest of the world. Jesus Christ was God and he left Heaven (John 8:58), humbled Himself and was born of a virgin. He was on an incredible journey. He healed the sick, raised the dead, walked on water, cast out demons, feed thousands with a few loaves of bread. he calmed the storms and confronted the heretics of His day. Simply put, this Man names Jesus did exactly what you would expect God to do if He came to earth as a Man.
Jesus Christ was God. You can deny Him, you can say that makes no sense but the truth is, Jesus did not do these things alone. There were hundreds of witnesses to what He did and more than just the Bible talks about them. Just a quick glance at the history books of the day and the evidences that are apparent to even those that rejected Him, will tell you these things happened.
They will even tell you that the one thing happened that could have only happened if Jesus was God. Approximately 30 years after Jesus was born and lived a perfect life (He never sinned), Jesus was crucified. He was murdered for His claims of being God and the threat that imposed on the Government. All of this happened just as the Old Testament prophesy said it would. Written hundreds of years earlier by the Prophets:
"By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence,and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;" Isaiah 53:8-10
Evidence
More than 300 Messianic prophecies like this were made in the Old Testament and then fulfilled through Jesus' life, death and resurrection. Experts will tell us that the chances of one person fulfilling a mere eight of these prophecies are one-in-100,000,000,000,000,000. For one person to fulfill 48 of these prophecies, the number becomes staggering – one chance in 10-to-the-157th power. Add to that the 250 other prophecies, and it becomes impossible for any other person except Jesus to ever fit that particular sequence of time and events.
You see, Jesus did die but His death wasn't the end and what happened next is why you are hearing about Him. Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day and He showed Himself to over 500 witnesses. Many of them chose to die proclaiming His name in the future years of early Christianity.
Now at this point, you can tell yourself those men were just crazy or all of this was a myth, an urban legend, nothing much more than Santa Claus but you really don't believe that. You can't believe that if you are a logical person and if you are in law enforcement, investigate it yourself. After all, with what is on the line, you would be the crazy one to not look into this Man named Jesus.
So why did Jesus die? He died because it was the only way for the human race to be saved. Now at this point you may be saying that you are a good person, after all you enforce the law, you abhore evil, you do what is right. You are not the criminal. In fact, you lock up the criminals.
Well, that is where you and myself were wrong. We can't look at ourselves the way we or society looks at what is right and wrong. Compared to society in general, maybe you are a good person but you see, this Jesus was Perfect, Holy, Righteous and He looks at right and wrong differently.
In Jesus' encounter with the Rich, Young Ruler (Matthew 19:16-26), He told him that he needed to keep the commandments. Have you ever lied or stolen? Have you always honored your father and mother? Have you used God's name in vain (blasphemy) Have you loved your neighbor as yourself? Has God always been the most important thing to you?
You may say, well I haven't murdered or committed adultery but Jesus said that if you are angry with your brother you are guilty (Matthew 5:21) and if you have looked at someone with lust, you have committed adultery (Matthew 5:27).
What is the point here.
Romans 3:10 says it well: "no one is good, not even one."
None of us can make it to Heaven based on our good works because in God's eyes, we have no good works. The prideful, self righteous are like the rich, young ruler(Matthew 19:16). He was futile in trying to keep the commandments to enter the Kingdom. No one can keep them and that is why a sacrifice had to be payed on the behalf of sinners.
Jesus Christ lived a perfect life and was murdered. He and He alone was that sacrifice. It is because of Jesus that we can have everlasting life. The alternative is Hell, a place where the "worm never dies and the fire is not quenched" Mark 9:48.
The Bible is clear that many will go to Hell.
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few" (Matthew 7:13-14).
Solution
So what is the answer. Jesus Christ is the answer. He is the only answer. This salvation is a Gift. A free gift. You can do nothing to receive it. There is no amount of good deeds you can do; You can't walk an aisle do receive it; Saying a sinner's prayer doesn't give it to you. There is nothing you can do to receive it.
So there it is. There is the truth. I'm not here to give you a soft, candy message that makes you feel good. The Gospel has always and still is divisive.
"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword." Matthew 10:34
But you deserve to know the truth. Jesus did not come to earth and die so that you can get promoted, or get a nicer car, or always be healthy, or have a wonderful life. He died for sinners. On the Cross, He took the Wrath of God. He drank from that cup (Luke 22:42) and He drank every bit of the Wrath that we deserve as sinners. He was a Propitiation for Sin; He payed the price. Isn't that enough?
The question is, do you believe that?
Do you believe that Jesus is the only God and he was raised from the dead?
Do you see your sin as an abomination to a Holy God (Proverbs 8:7)?
Has God enabled you to repent of your sin, turn from your sin(Mark 1:15).
Has God opened your eyes to the mystery of Him and His Kingdom (Matthew 13:11, Ephesians 1:9)?
Do you trust everything to Jesus?
These are the words of Jesus, the Savior of the world: "And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:38).
"Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me' (Matthew 16:24).
How are these things possible? How can a person deny their pride, their lustful thoughts, their sin, their status in the community and believe in Someone that will literally make people hate you (John 15:18)?
Through the grace of God, a gift of God. It is through His love, His glory, for Him and only Him.
Jesus said that you must be "born again" to see the Kingdom of God and that can only happen if God gives you that gift (John 3:3).
Call out to the one true God, Jesus, The Savior that was raised from the dead and ask Him to save you (Romans 10:13).
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
The Disciples of Jesus will be known, they will be different.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).
They will likely not be the ones representing Christianity that you despise, that you think is a joke, that are on television asking for your money or trashing the police.
The Saints of the Savior, my Savior will be different. While still battling sin, they will be on a daily walk with the Lord and a daily process of being made more like Jesus. They will be humble, meek, mild and not of this world (1 John 2:15). They may even be a little "weird" in the eyes of others but there is no doubt that they will stand out and they will love and give and care for you.
They will care for you enough to tell you the truth and that truth may not be exactly what you want to hear but my friend, it is the truth.
I care for you. Many are praying for you.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Vest For Life/ Armor of God Project
Travis Yates, a fellow officer and a strong brother in Christ, heads up Ten-Four Ministries and the Vest For Life/ Armor of God Project. Recently the program received some media attention. It is alarming how many police agencies across our own country (let alone our allies across the globe) either cannot afford ballistic vests or only acquire them piecemeal through temporary funding sources. Two officers from the Philippine National Police (PNP) have already been saved by vests provided by the program. It is also alarming how many police officers do not know Christ. This program seeks to help in both cases, a truly worthwhile endeavor for body and for spirit. Pray about approaching your chain of command in participating in this critical mission.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Does He know you?
Photo by Thorsten Grödel, Structurae
Inscription at the Lübeck Cathedral in Germany
Ye call Me Master and obey Me not,
Ye call Me Light and see Me not,
Ye call Me Way and walk not,
Ye call Me Life and desire Me not,
Ye call Me wise and follow Me not,
Ye call Me fair and love Me not,
Ye call Me rich and ask Me not,
Ye call Me eternal and seek Me not,
Ye call Me gracious and trust Me not,
Ye call Me noble and serve Me not,
Ye call Me mighty and honor Me not,
Ye call Me just and fear Me not,
If I condemn you, blame Me not.
-Anonymous
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
You can say you know the President, but you will only get in the White House if he truly knows you. You can say you know Jesus Christ, but you will only enter His Kingdom if He truly knows you. How are you walking? Does He truly know you?
Sunday, November 1, 2009
What do you think? The consequences are eternal.
Having a discussion with a highly respected medical doctor, he asked me if I had any further questions. I looked at the cut away diagram of the human anatomy posted on his office door. As I pointed to the diagram I said "tell me doc, you think that came about by accident?" He said "Not a chance, 5 million years or 50 billion years, the human body is way to complex to have come about by chance."
Monday, October 26, 2009
Welcome home Tito!!
The Lord has answered our prayers and brought MSG Tito Velez back home to us safely from a year plus deployment to Afghanistan with the US Army! There are none happier than his wife Grisel! Welcome home soldier and we thank you and profoundly appreciate your service!
Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
A prayer from our first president
A Portion of George Washington's personal prayers:
“O Most Glorious God, in Jesus Christ, my merciful and loving Father; I acknowledge and confess my guilt in the weak and imperfect performance of the duties of this day. I have called on Thee for pardon and forgiveness of my sins, but so coldly and carelessly that my prayers are become my sin, and they stand in need of pardon.”
“ I have sinned against heaven and before Thee in thought, word, and deed. I have contemned Thy majesty and holy laws. I have likewise sinned by omitting what I ought to have done and committing what I ought not. I have rebelled against the light, despising Thy mercies and judgment, and broken my vows and promise. I have neglected the better things. My iniquities are multiplied and my sins are very great. I confess them, O Lord, with shame and sorrow, detestation and loathing and desire to be vile in my own eyes as I have rendered myself vile in Thine. I humbly beseech Thee to be merciful to me in the free pardon of my sins for the sake of Thy dear Son and only Savior Jesus Christ who came to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Thou gavest Thy Son to die for me.”
"Make me to know what is acceptable in Thy sight, and therein to delight, open the eyes of my understanding, and help me thoroughly to examine myself concerning my knowledge, faith, and repentance, increase my faith, and direct me to the true object, Jesus Christ the Way, the Truth, and the Life, ..."
[from a 24 page authentic handwritten manuscript book dated April 21-23, 1752]
“O Most Glorious God, in Jesus Christ, my merciful and loving Father; I acknowledge and confess my guilt in the weak and imperfect performance of the duties of this day. I have called on Thee for pardon and forgiveness of my sins, but so coldly and carelessly that my prayers are become my sin, and they stand in need of pardon.”
“ I have sinned against heaven and before Thee in thought, word, and deed. I have contemned Thy majesty and holy laws. I have likewise sinned by omitting what I ought to have done and committing what I ought not. I have rebelled against the light, despising Thy mercies and judgment, and broken my vows and promise. I have neglected the better things. My iniquities are multiplied and my sins are very great. I confess them, O Lord, with shame and sorrow, detestation and loathing and desire to be vile in my own eyes as I have rendered myself vile in Thine. I humbly beseech Thee to be merciful to me in the free pardon of my sins for the sake of Thy dear Son and only Savior Jesus Christ who came to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Thou gavest Thy Son to die for me.”
"Make me to know what is acceptable in Thy sight, and therein to delight, open the eyes of my understanding, and help me thoroughly to examine myself concerning my knowledge, faith, and repentance, increase my faith, and direct me to the true object, Jesus Christ the Way, the Truth, and the Life, ..."
[from a 24 page authentic handwritten manuscript book dated April 21-23, 1752]
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Words of Christian encouragement
All the sins of the saints
(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)
"We know that all things work together for good,
to those who love God, to those who are called
according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
All the afflictions, and
all the temptations, and
all the oppressions, and
all the oppositions, and
all the persecutions--
which befall a godly man,
shall work for his good.
Every cross, and
every loss, and
every disease--
which befall the holy man,
shall work for his good.
Every device,
every snare,
every deceit,
every stratagem,
and every enterprise of Satan against
the holy man, shall work for his good.
They shall all help to make him . . .
more humble,
more holy,
more heavenly,
more spiritual,
more faithful,
more fruitful,
more watchful.
Every prosperity and every adversity;
every storm and every calm;
every bitter and every sweet;
every cross and every comfort--
shall work for the holy man's good.
When God gives a mercy--
that shall work for his good.
When God takes away a mercy--
that shall work for his good.
Yes, even all the falls and all the sins of
the saints shall work for their good. Oh . . .
the care,
the fear,
the watchfulness,
the tenderness,
the zeal--
which God raises in the souls of His saints by their
very falls! Oh the hatred, the indignation, and the
detestation--which God raises in the hearts of His
children against sin--by their very falling into sin!
Oh what love to Christ,
what thankfulness for Christ,
what admiration of Christ,
what cleaving to Christ,
what exalting of Christ,
what drawings from Christ's grace--
are saints led to, by their very falls!
It is the glory of God's holiness, that . . .
He can turn spiritual diseases--into holy remedies!
He can turn soul poisons--into heavenly cordials!
He can prevent sin by sin, and cure falling by falling!
O Christian! What though friends and relations frown upon you,
what though enemies are plotting and conspiring against you,
what though needs, like armed men, are breaking in upon you,
what though men rage, and devils roar against you,
what though sickness is devastating your family,
what though death stands every day at your elbow--
yet there is no reason for you to fear nor faint, because
all these things shall work for your good! Yes, there is
wonderful cause of joy and rejoicing in all the afflictions
and tribulations which come upon you--considering that
they shall all work for your good.
O Christians! I am afraid, I am afraid--that you do not
run so often as you should--to the breasts of this promise,
nor draw that sweetness and comfort from it, that it would
yield, and that your several cases may require. "We know
that all things work together for good, to those who love
God, to those who are called according to His purpose." I
have been the longer upon this verse, because the condition
of God's people calls for the strongest cordials, and the
choicest and the sweetest comforts.
*Compliments of Grace Gems- pilgrim@gracegems.org
(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity,
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness", 1662)
"We know that all things work together for good,
to those who love God, to those who are called
according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
All the afflictions, and
all the temptations, and
all the oppressions, and
all the oppositions, and
all the persecutions--
which befall a godly man,
shall work for his good.
Every cross, and
every loss, and
every disease--
which befall the holy man,
shall work for his good.
Every device,
every snare,
every deceit,
every stratagem,
and every enterprise of Satan against
the holy man, shall work for his good.
They shall all help to make him . . .
more humble,
more holy,
more heavenly,
more spiritual,
more faithful,
more fruitful,
more watchful.
Every prosperity and every adversity;
every storm and every calm;
every bitter and every sweet;
every cross and every comfort--
shall work for the holy man's good.
When God gives a mercy--
that shall work for his good.
When God takes away a mercy--
that shall work for his good.
Yes, even all the falls and all the sins of
the saints shall work for their good. Oh . . .
the care,
the fear,
the watchfulness,
the tenderness,
the zeal--
which God raises in the souls of His saints by their
very falls! Oh the hatred, the indignation, and the
detestation--which God raises in the hearts of His
children against sin--by their very falling into sin!
Oh what love to Christ,
what thankfulness for Christ,
what admiration of Christ,
what cleaving to Christ,
what exalting of Christ,
what drawings from Christ's grace--
are saints led to, by their very falls!
It is the glory of God's holiness, that . . .
He can turn spiritual diseases--into holy remedies!
He can turn soul poisons--into heavenly cordials!
He can prevent sin by sin, and cure falling by falling!
O Christian! What though friends and relations frown upon you,
what though enemies are plotting and conspiring against you,
what though needs, like armed men, are breaking in upon you,
what though men rage, and devils roar against you,
what though sickness is devastating your family,
what though death stands every day at your elbow--
yet there is no reason for you to fear nor faint, because
all these things shall work for your good! Yes, there is
wonderful cause of joy and rejoicing in all the afflictions
and tribulations which come upon you--considering that
they shall all work for your good.
O Christians! I am afraid, I am afraid--that you do not
run so often as you should--to the breasts of this promise,
nor draw that sweetness and comfort from it, that it would
yield, and that your several cases may require. "We know
that all things work together for good, to those who love
God, to those who are called according to His purpose." I
have been the longer upon this verse, because the condition
of God's people calls for the strongest cordials, and the
choicest and the sweetest comforts.
*Compliments of Grace Gems- pilgrim@gracegems.org
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Lest We Forget
We lost 72 law enforcement brothers on 9/11/01. We remember and honor them this day as we do the numerous firefighters and citizens that perished as well. We have been fighting this battle since and it continues today as it will tomorrow and into the future. Let us not forget that evil exists in the world and what our duty is as Christian law enforcement officers. We must bear our spiritual armor and shield as we do our physical armor and shield- with unshakable faith, true courage, unyeilding commitment, heart-felt humility, and most importantly empowerment from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Never forget.
Ephesians 6:12-18 - For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Ever Vigilant
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Worthy Commentary
Religion Is Just A Patsy
from the September 01, 2009 eNews issue
http://www.khouse.org
Religion is often blamed for the miseries of the world. An "Imagine No Religion" billboard has just gone up in St. Louis, and most people get the point even if they disagree with it. If it were not for religion, after all, there would have been no Spanish Inquisition, no Taliban, no World Trade Center bombing, no human sacrifices to various and sundry gods. Religious wars would be conspicuously absent from world history and nobody would follow cult leaders in sipping down toxic Kool-Aid. Richard Dawkins' book The God Delusion spends the first page of the Preface going through the evils that have been done in the name of religion. Yet, while atheists love to blame zealous believers for the world’s sufferings, they have missed the true problem. Yes, much earthly evil has been done in the name of one deity or another, but religion isn’t the real problem. The real problem is …. human nature.
Religion is a convenient scapegoat for the atheist, who wants to justify himself in a world of believers. The atheist has a serious problem in blaming the evils of the world on religion, though. For every complaint against religious people, there are plenty of complaints to be made against the faithless.
Have people been slaughtered in the name of religion? Certainly. Yet, the Crusades are a drop in the bucket compared to the massive death toll caused by atheistic regimes. The leaders of the French Revolution shoved God out of their social justice crusade, and the result was a blood bath. Stalin is responsible for the deaths of at least 20 million of his own people, and Mao Zedong's death toll runs upwards of 40-70 million. From Pol Pot in Cambodia to the Kims in North Korea, governments freed of "religion" – those utopias of atheistic communism - have murdered millions upon millions of people. People of various religions continue to fight all around the world, but, anti-God governments streamline human death. Any time people get starry-eyed about imagining "no religion too" they need a little history lesson.
The problem isn’t religion or even lack thereof. The problem is humanity. Human beings have this propensity for violence and greed, for self aggrandizement and selfish laziness. We struggle – and sometimes succeed - to overcome these things, but they are there inside us. As Paul writes in Romans 7:21-24:
"I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"
We all have that destructive sin nature inside us by birth. It’s there, and we spend our lives fighting it. If we were naturally good, it would be easy to be good and kind, generous and patient. If we were naturally good, it would be a heavy effort to be rotten. But, we find that we are just the opposite, always struggling to do what is right and constantly falling into that corruption that most people want so desperately to avoid.
Even the atheist wants to avoid the corruption, as far as his own conscience dictates. Atheists have consciences too, after all. Paul writes:
"For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;" -Rom 2:14-15
Atheists and humanists are quite capable of morality and moral decision making. Yet, in rejecting the True God, atheists and humanists make themselves their own gods, and because they have no greater yardstick to measure by, it often happens that they reject one evil only to turn around and embrace something far worse. The poor in France had good reason for anger against the spoiled aristocracy and opulent church in the late 18th century. But, having only man’s reasoning to depend on, and hearts full of vengeance, thousands of innocent people were murdered. The atheist has nobody but himself and the local legal system to help him do the good he wants to do, and that can lead easily into gross error. Humankind has excellent thinking ability, but we can easily use that brainpower to justify doing the evil we want to do rather than the good we should.
Yet, the atheist is not too far off when he looks at the religions of the world and feels massively unimpressed. Religion is not the salvation of the world. Religion can be useful in that it provides a framework in which to live, and gives people rules of right and wrong outside themselves. Yet, religion itself cannot change the human heart or free humans of their natural destructive tendencies. In fact, some religious sects actually promote violence and destruction.
Paul didn’t find the answer to his dilemma in religion. He found the answer in the person of Jesus Christ. He found his answer in the Spirit of God, working in human lives to cleanse and free and make new. And the Spirit of God is real, and He is powerful, and He continues to change millions of lives today. If more atheists were truly aware of the reality of God's Spirit to heal and to transform, Richard Dawkins would sell fewer books.
"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." - Gal 5:16,22-25
Life on this planet is hard, and Jesus never promised us anything different. He said we would have many troubles in this world, but he also said he had overcome the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. If we are filled with the Spirit, walking hand-in-hand with our King and Savior, His light is going to shine out of us to the lost and the dying. And if, in the midst of our own struggles and suffering, the reality of Christ is alive and well in us, anybody who is watching will see the difference between the truth and the false religions that have caused so much grief through the years. If people can see Christ in us, they won't want to imagine a world without him.
"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body." - 2Cr 4:6-10
from the September 01, 2009 eNews issue
http://www.khouse.org
Religion is often blamed for the miseries of the world. An "Imagine No Religion" billboard has just gone up in St. Louis, and most people get the point even if they disagree with it. If it were not for religion, after all, there would have been no Spanish Inquisition, no Taliban, no World Trade Center bombing, no human sacrifices to various and sundry gods. Religious wars would be conspicuously absent from world history and nobody would follow cult leaders in sipping down toxic Kool-Aid. Richard Dawkins' book The God Delusion spends the first page of the Preface going through the evils that have been done in the name of religion. Yet, while atheists love to blame zealous believers for the world’s sufferings, they have missed the true problem. Yes, much earthly evil has been done in the name of one deity or another, but religion isn’t the real problem. The real problem is …. human nature.
Religion is a convenient scapegoat for the atheist, who wants to justify himself in a world of believers. The atheist has a serious problem in blaming the evils of the world on religion, though. For every complaint against religious people, there are plenty of complaints to be made against the faithless.
Have people been slaughtered in the name of religion? Certainly. Yet, the Crusades are a drop in the bucket compared to the massive death toll caused by atheistic regimes. The leaders of the French Revolution shoved God out of their social justice crusade, and the result was a blood bath. Stalin is responsible for the deaths of at least 20 million of his own people, and Mao Zedong's death toll runs upwards of 40-70 million. From Pol Pot in Cambodia to the Kims in North Korea, governments freed of "religion" – those utopias of atheistic communism - have murdered millions upon millions of people. People of various religions continue to fight all around the world, but, anti-God governments streamline human death. Any time people get starry-eyed about imagining "no religion too" they need a little history lesson.
The problem isn’t religion or even lack thereof. The problem is humanity. Human beings have this propensity for violence and greed, for self aggrandizement and selfish laziness. We struggle – and sometimes succeed - to overcome these things, but they are there inside us. As Paul writes in Romans 7:21-24:
"I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"
We all have that destructive sin nature inside us by birth. It’s there, and we spend our lives fighting it. If we were naturally good, it would be easy to be good and kind, generous and patient. If we were naturally good, it would be a heavy effort to be rotten. But, we find that we are just the opposite, always struggling to do what is right and constantly falling into that corruption that most people want so desperately to avoid.
Even the atheist wants to avoid the corruption, as far as his own conscience dictates. Atheists have consciences too, after all. Paul writes:
"For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;" -Rom 2:14-15
Atheists and humanists are quite capable of morality and moral decision making. Yet, in rejecting the True God, atheists and humanists make themselves their own gods, and because they have no greater yardstick to measure by, it often happens that they reject one evil only to turn around and embrace something far worse. The poor in France had good reason for anger against the spoiled aristocracy and opulent church in the late 18th century. But, having only man’s reasoning to depend on, and hearts full of vengeance, thousands of innocent people were murdered. The atheist has nobody but himself and the local legal system to help him do the good he wants to do, and that can lead easily into gross error. Humankind has excellent thinking ability, but we can easily use that brainpower to justify doing the evil we want to do rather than the good we should.
Yet, the atheist is not too far off when he looks at the religions of the world and feels massively unimpressed. Religion is not the salvation of the world. Religion can be useful in that it provides a framework in which to live, and gives people rules of right and wrong outside themselves. Yet, religion itself cannot change the human heart or free humans of their natural destructive tendencies. In fact, some religious sects actually promote violence and destruction.
Paul didn’t find the answer to his dilemma in religion. He found the answer in the person of Jesus Christ. He found his answer in the Spirit of God, working in human lives to cleanse and free and make new. And the Spirit of God is real, and He is powerful, and He continues to change millions of lives today. If more atheists were truly aware of the reality of God's Spirit to heal and to transform, Richard Dawkins would sell fewer books.
"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." - Gal 5:16,22-25
Life on this planet is hard, and Jesus never promised us anything different. He said we would have many troubles in this world, but he also said he had overcome the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. If we are filled with the Spirit, walking hand-in-hand with our King and Savior, His light is going to shine out of us to the lost and the dying. And if, in the midst of our own struggles and suffering, the reality of Christ is alive and well in us, anybody who is watching will see the difference between the truth and the false religions that have caused so much grief through the years. If people can see Christ in us, they won't want to imagine a world without him.
"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body." - 2Cr 4:6-10
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Vest For Life
Law Officer magazine recently posted an article by Travis Yates of 10-4 Ministries about the Vest For Life/ Armor of God Project. I suggest checking out this program at one of the links on the right hand side of the blog. This worthwhile program gets used/ refurbished vests, otherwise slated for destruction, into the hands of police officers (world wide) who do not have a vest. It also introduces the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the officers as well. It may be worth the time to speak to your chain of command and find out if your department would be interested in participating. Article link below-
http://www.lawofficermagazine.com/news-and-articles/articles/lom/0508/vested_for_life.html
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Gut Check- Are you counting the cost?
Matthew 5:10 - Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Luke 14:28 - For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—
Philippians - 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Please pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
Pray for Tito and our Troops
Please keep Tito and all our troops who are serving in harms way in your thoughts and prayers. Our brother Tito currently serves bravely in Afghanistan in defense of our nation. God bless you and keep you and speed you home.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
-1.jpg)