Barack Hussein Obama is nearing the presidency and society has seemed to turn a blind eye to the controversy that follows this man. Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Tony Rezko, Louis Farrakhan etc..... Are we so blinded by the media that we cannot see this man for what he truly is? What about ACORN? What about Jeremiah Wright? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M-kD0QdRJk click on this link and see for yourself the hate that this man spread for years. Then he goes onto the View and denounces his pastor of 20 years, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPTl4s_xIDY&feature=related, what?!? My wife has been in our church now for 26 years, all her life. If she came to me tomorrow and said that he (our Pastor) was "more of a crazy uncle" and that the things he has said to her, for 26 years, didn't really have that great of an impact on her life I would have her committed, that's crazy!
This truly blows me away on one hand that this man might be president, but at the same time it doesn't. I guess we'll find out in 6 days......
10.29.2008
10.16.2008
let us fight
2 Corinthians 10:4-6
4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
In any fight there must be a delineation of the opposing forces and what they stand for. When a man or woman is truly living out their faith and walking the witness of Jesus Christ the enemy in the fight is satan. The way satan attacks is through sin and temptation, which leads to sin.
The world (meaning society, satan and anything opposing to God) tells us to be inward focused and seek after that which satiates one's self. Christianity says to serve and love others, to place others before yourself. The word of God (Bible) says to remain pure sexually and to protect that purity (1 Corinthians 6:18-20) and to honor God with our bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 12). Society says its just sex and to stop being so "up tight" about it. When this is said I realize that it is said out of a complete ignorance and misappropriation of one's focus.
So as Christians we must always be ready to fight. We must arm ourselves with love, authority of God's word and truth. We must never forget that this message that we live is ridiculous to those who don't know God.
1 Corinthians 1:18
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
So let us not be surprised and taken off the foundation that God has set us on when the world mocks the gospel, it's to be expected. Always love with a reckless abandonment and do not hold back. Let the light of God shine in your life (Matthew 5:14-16).
4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
In any fight there must be a delineation of the opposing forces and what they stand for. When a man or woman is truly living out their faith and walking the witness of Jesus Christ the enemy in the fight is satan. The way satan attacks is through sin and temptation, which leads to sin.
The world (meaning society, satan and anything opposing to God) tells us to be inward focused and seek after that which satiates one's self. Christianity says to serve and love others, to place others before yourself. The word of God (Bible) says to remain pure sexually and to protect that purity (1 Corinthians 6:18-20) and to honor God with our bodies as a living sacrifice (Romans 12). Society says its just sex and to stop being so "up tight" about it. When this is said I realize that it is said out of a complete ignorance and misappropriation of one's focus.
So as Christians we must always be ready to fight. We must arm ourselves with love, authority of God's word and truth. We must never forget that this message that we live is ridiculous to those who don't know God.
1 Corinthians 1:18
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
So let us not be surprised and taken off the foundation that God has set us on when the world mocks the gospel, it's to be expected. Always love with a reckless abandonment and do not hold back. Let the light of God shine in your life (Matthew 5:14-16).
10.14.2008
Truth
This word, or concept, has seemed to have fallen to the side of the road as of late. What does it mean? Is it a relative term to the individual or is it a constant? Should it be a constant?
Truth:
1 archaic : fidelity , constancy b: sincerity in action, character, and utterance
Truth should be a constant. When I married my wife I committed myself to her in every way. To love her, stand by her in sickness and health, etc.... the truth of the matter is that I have bonded myself with her for the rest of our lives. This is a truth. This is a constant. In today's society marriage is becoming more of a whimsical thought. There seems to be less and less weight carried in one's spoken word of commitment.
Truth cannot be relative. Two plus two will always be two. And for those of us who know now and for those who will learn, God will always be God.
Truth:
1 archaic : fidelity , constancy b: sincerity in action, character, and utterance
Truth should be a constant. When I married my wife I committed myself to her in every way. To love her, stand by her in sickness and health, etc.... the truth of the matter is that I have bonded myself with her for the rest of our lives. This is a truth. This is a constant. In today's society marriage is becoming more of a whimsical thought. There seems to be less and less weight carried in one's spoken word of commitment.
Truth cannot be relative. Two plus two will always be two. And for those of us who know now and for those who will learn, God will always be God.
10.13.2008
He must increase but I must decrease
Denying one's own self for the gain of Jesus Christ is an awesome thing. When someone truly realizes that they must decrease their lives (self interest, personal gain, work, family, friends, etc...) so that God can increase its a very freeing realisation.
In John 3:30, "He must increase, but I must decrease."
It's only when this is done and we deny ourselves that we can truly love all people out of a Christ like nature. This love is a love that is not self seeking in any way, that is not self gratifying or boastful to any measure. If love is not out of a complete attitude of service to the recipient then it could be argued that it's not truly love.
The writer of Philippans had an extraordinary understanding of this and counted all things as loss to the glory of Christ.
1Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.
2Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. 3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— 4though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Truly this is how I desire to live out this life.
God help me.
In John 3:30, "He must increase, but I must decrease."
It's only when this is done and we deny ourselves that we can truly love all people out of a Christ like nature. This love is a love that is not self seeking in any way, that is not self gratifying or boastful to any measure. If love is not out of a complete attitude of service to the recipient then it could be argued that it's not truly love.
The writer of Philippans had an extraordinary understanding of this and counted all things as loss to the glory of Christ.
1Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.
2Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. 3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— 4though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Truly this is how I desire to live out this life.
God help me.
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