"The Bible tells us to love our neighbours , and also to love our enemies : probably because they are generally the same people ." G.K Chesterton .
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Quick Quote
Tuesday will be quote day . It will feature a saying , scripture verse , song , poem and may or not have a little comment about what was posted. Hope they will inform and edify .
Monday, February 13, 2012
Monday Musings
At our Church one of the Sunday Electives that I have been participating in is called Dare to Ask. The premise is dealing with questions people within our Church want to have answered . So far we have dealt with the Bible , Evolution , is the God of the Old Testament the same as the New Testament and yesterday we began to look at Islam .
This has been a great class so far and one that I truly believe is desperately needed. As our culture becomes more hostile and openly so against Christianity , those of us that are disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ need to be able and capable to defend the faith in which we have placed our eternal hope in. With so many conflicting and competing world views as well , the Church must not bunker down and hide within our walls , hoping that the big bad world would just go away.
A good soldier should never be thrown into a combat zone or situation without the proper training and knowledge to fight well . But in many cases those who have been in Church and called themselves Christian , cannot even give a basic defence or a description of the gospel. I believe there faith is sincere , that they truly want to serve the Lord but are lacking in real depth. My Nan , on my mothers side , was a clear example of this. She read her Bible , attended Church , prayed , did all the right things but I recall having conversations with her over very basic things like the gospel , hell , evil etc.. and she was weak in understanding any of those doctrines . It left her in despair at times and she truly suffered for it .
Who is to blame for her and many others just like her ? The blame needs to be laid at the feet of those who have been called to shepherd the flock . They are called to protect , to serve , to teach , to preach , to exhort , to rebuke and defend . Is is not the job for a wimp . But from what I have observed in many situations within my area , the shepherding of Jesus sheep has been performed by hirelings more than men of God who are true shepherds . There have been true Pastors no question , but by and large this has not been the case.
That is why I love helping with the class at my local Church. Over all I hold we have a good group of Pastors who truly want to see the flock grow in depth and knowledge . The whole idea with the electives is to bring a deeper understanding in what they believe and why they believe it. To supplement and help people grow, planting deep roots in the faith .
We need to labour and teach each other so we can stand and defend our Lord . Its not a call for the wimp or the compromiser but one who will take up their cross and follow Jesus daily. Nuff said.
This has been a great class so far and one that I truly believe is desperately needed. As our culture becomes more hostile and openly so against Christianity , those of us that are disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ need to be able and capable to defend the faith in which we have placed our eternal hope in. With so many conflicting and competing world views as well , the Church must not bunker down and hide within our walls , hoping that the big bad world would just go away.
A good soldier should never be thrown into a combat zone or situation without the proper training and knowledge to fight well . But in many cases those who have been in Church and called themselves Christian , cannot even give a basic defence or a description of the gospel. I believe there faith is sincere , that they truly want to serve the Lord but are lacking in real depth. My Nan , on my mothers side , was a clear example of this. She read her Bible , attended Church , prayed , did all the right things but I recall having conversations with her over very basic things like the gospel , hell , evil etc.. and she was weak in understanding any of those doctrines . It left her in despair at times and she truly suffered for it .
Who is to blame for her and many others just like her ? The blame needs to be laid at the feet of those who have been called to shepherd the flock . They are called to protect , to serve , to teach , to preach , to exhort , to rebuke and defend . Is is not the job for a wimp . But from what I have observed in many situations within my area , the shepherding of Jesus sheep has been performed by hirelings more than men of God who are true shepherds . There have been true Pastors no question , but by and large this has not been the case.
That is why I love helping with the class at my local Church. Over all I hold we have a good group of Pastors who truly want to see the flock grow in depth and knowledge . The whole idea with the electives is to bring a deeper understanding in what they believe and why they believe it. To supplement and help people grow, planting deep roots in the faith .
We need to labour and teach each other so we can stand and defend our Lord . Its not a call for the wimp or the compromiser but one who will take up their cross and follow Jesus daily. Nuff said.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Four Basic Things
What would you say are the four real basic things that would at the very least testify that one is a Christian ?
My basic four are as such .
1. One moves from a indifference or an abstract thought of God to a real sense of His being and presence in the world and ones own life. That God comes alive in the person of Jesus Christ . Jesus is loved as your Lord and Savior . Also with this new found understanding of God , ones admission of ones own sinfulness , hell bound deserving nature apart from the blood of Jesus that cleanses of from our sins , will be acknowledged.
2. A love and hunger to learn about God by reading,studying and cherishing His word , the Bible. What before was some book book , bound in leather sitting on a shelf or in a remote corner , becomes the most precious possession you lay your hands on. You delight in reading the Bible . Spending time in God's word shows that one loves and wants to know God . Anyone who calls themselves a Christian but never opens the Bible , is like a man that says he loves his wife while he lives a million miles away , committing adultery with other women. If you love someone , you want to spend time with them .
3. Gathering together with other Christians in a local Bible believing Church to worship and becoming a member. It has been said , one doesn't need to go to Church to be a believer , and that is true but at the same time , I would argue , one who doesn't want to gather to worship the Lord with fellow believers , better question the motives of their hearts that keep them away. It is very clear from the New Testament that local Church involvement is critical to the healthy life of any believer. Christ died for His bride , He loves His Church , should we not also love her as well. It has been said , you cannot have God as your Father , if you don't have the Church as your mother. There is truth in that saying.
4. Ones affections should start to change. In other words , how you act ,behave and conduct yourself in all matters of life will start being conformed to the image of Christ. What one saw as harmless or not sin , will be sinful . In very practical terms , what one watches , listens to and reads will be affected. You will begin to fight your tongue and its ability to lie ,swear and deceive . You will be in war with your old sinful nature and you will know it. With this new affection for the things of God , one will desire to kill the old man and hunger for righteousness. One will grow , sometimes with many a pitfall but if one is truly born again , because the Holy Spirit lives within you , one will persevere and fight on . Always trusting and looking at Jesus as our only hope in completing the pilgrimage in front of us .
Much more could said of each one I have listed but if one calls themselves a Christian and all of these are lacking , you better check your self in because my friend , you are deluded. Nuff said.
My basic four are as such .
1. One moves from a indifference or an abstract thought of God to a real sense of His being and presence in the world and ones own life. That God comes alive in the person of Jesus Christ . Jesus is loved as your Lord and Savior . Also with this new found understanding of God , ones admission of ones own sinfulness , hell bound deserving nature apart from the blood of Jesus that cleanses of from our sins , will be acknowledged.
2. A love and hunger to learn about God by reading,studying and cherishing His word , the Bible. What before was some book book , bound in leather sitting on a shelf or in a remote corner , becomes the most precious possession you lay your hands on. You delight in reading the Bible . Spending time in God's word shows that one loves and wants to know God . Anyone who calls themselves a Christian but never opens the Bible , is like a man that says he loves his wife while he lives a million miles away , committing adultery with other women. If you love someone , you want to spend time with them .
3. Gathering together with other Christians in a local Bible believing Church to worship and becoming a member. It has been said , one doesn't need to go to Church to be a believer , and that is true but at the same time , I would argue , one who doesn't want to gather to worship the Lord with fellow believers , better question the motives of their hearts that keep them away. It is very clear from the New Testament that local Church involvement is critical to the healthy life of any believer. Christ died for His bride , He loves His Church , should we not also love her as well. It has been said , you cannot have God as your Father , if you don't have the Church as your mother. There is truth in that saying.
4. Ones affections should start to change. In other words , how you act ,behave and conduct yourself in all matters of life will start being conformed to the image of Christ. What one saw as harmless or not sin , will be sinful . In very practical terms , what one watches , listens to and reads will be affected. You will begin to fight your tongue and its ability to lie ,swear and deceive . You will be in war with your old sinful nature and you will know it. With this new affection for the things of God , one will desire to kill the old man and hunger for righteousness. One will grow , sometimes with many a pitfall but if one is truly born again , because the Holy Spirit lives within you , one will persevere and fight on . Always trusting and looking at Jesus as our only hope in completing the pilgrimage in front of us .
Much more could said of each one I have listed but if one calls themselves a Christian and all of these are lacking , you better check your self in because my friend , you are deluded. Nuff said.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Monday Musings
This will become another feature on the blog each Monday. Basically it will be a thought or numerous single comments and commentaries about something that has jumped into my mind or another that I may quote. So lets jump into the musing mind if you will .
Apparently in the new movie The Grey , which I have not seen , the lead character is crying out to God to show him some sign or confirmation He is there and He will help. Now the context is this man has been stranded in the north with other rough neckers , after a plane crash that killed many of them . They have been stalked by wolves , pounded by the elements . Plus we see in the past that this man has lost his wife to cancer. His disillusionment is evident at "God" , as he screams out at the tree tops and snow around him. Of course in the movie the only sound he hears or sign he see's is the sound of wind whistling through the grey sky painted with tree that sway in the wind. Death has been the constant stalker , be is the crash , the elements , the wolves or disease. It is all he can see and after his confrontation , he basically says , fine , I will do it myself.
But as I was reading about this scene , I thought wait a minute . Its not as if God is removed from the suffering. When Jesus Christ , the second person of the trinity came , He clothed himself with humility and human flesh. He was tempted in all ways as we are , but completely sinless . He knew hunger , He knew loss and He was intimate with suffering. Instead of this man crying out to a grey sky , if he had fixed his eyes on the cross , then the grey skies would have been pulled away , he would have seen himself as a hostage to sin and death but that a cross took that away . The blood , the broken body buried and that third day when Jesus rose form that tomb , declared victory that we are given , by His grace , over the wages of sin and death. Its not that God hasn't answered man , He has . Its just that we are dead in sin and hate Him . So we scream at Him , while he take delight in Him crucified , we rail and spit just like the Jews and the Romans did .
But God in His mercy , by His grace , even while we are screaming at Him , opens our dead hearts . At that moment instead of yelling , our voice turns to laments of forgive me a sinner , undeserving of your love . The grey turns to light and the brilliant beauty and majesty of Christ embraces and surrounds us . We are not alone in death or suffering or anything . God is indeed with us .
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
(1 Peter 3:18 ESV)
Apparently in the new movie The Grey , which I have not seen , the lead character is crying out to God to show him some sign or confirmation He is there and He will help. Now the context is this man has been stranded in the north with other rough neckers , after a plane crash that killed many of them . They have been stalked by wolves , pounded by the elements . Plus we see in the past that this man has lost his wife to cancer. His disillusionment is evident at "God" , as he screams out at the tree tops and snow around him. Of course in the movie the only sound he hears or sign he see's is the sound of wind whistling through the grey sky painted with tree that sway in the wind. Death has been the constant stalker , be is the crash , the elements , the wolves or disease. It is all he can see and after his confrontation , he basically says , fine , I will do it myself.
But as I was reading about this scene , I thought wait a minute . Its not as if God is removed from the suffering. When Jesus Christ , the second person of the trinity came , He clothed himself with humility and human flesh. He was tempted in all ways as we are , but completely sinless . He knew hunger , He knew loss and He was intimate with suffering. Instead of this man crying out to a grey sky , if he had fixed his eyes on the cross , then the grey skies would have been pulled away , he would have seen himself as a hostage to sin and death but that a cross took that away . The blood , the broken body buried and that third day when Jesus rose form that tomb , declared victory that we are given , by His grace , over the wages of sin and death. Its not that God hasn't answered man , He has . Its just that we are dead in sin and hate Him . So we scream at Him , while he take delight in Him crucified , we rail and spit just like the Jews and the Romans did .
But God in His mercy , by His grace , even while we are screaming at Him , opens our dead hearts . At that moment instead of yelling , our voice turns to laments of forgive me a sinner , undeserving of your love . The grey turns to light and the brilliant beauty and majesty of Christ embraces and surrounds us . We are not alone in death or suffering or anything . God is indeed with us .
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
(1 Peter 3:18 ESV)
Thursday, February 2, 2012
My Goofy Day
Thursday is going to be my "goofy day" from now on. It will feature a fun song , a clip or something that I hope will make one simply smile. Isn't it cool how God gave us the gift of laughter and a smile.
Anyway , this cute little song opened the Muppet Movie . I still recall , sitting in the Paramount Movie Theater in Kentville ,N.S in 1979 with my 1st cousin Greg ( more like a brother to me really) waiting for this movie to start. Here we were among many younger kids , two 16-18 year old , mullet wearing rockers , laughing and really enjoying this great movie. Fun times.
This song is such a hopeful and uplifting tune that I recall heading over to our local record store and picking up the single. I still love this song . It just makes me smile. Enjoy.
Fun Fact : This song was named the 74th best movie song of all time by the American Film Institute.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The Countdown
The Hobbit is the movie for me to see in 2012. I had hoped Peter Jackson would return to Middle Earth and open up the tale of Bilbo , Gandalf and the Dwarves. The 3 Lord of the Rings movies ( which I see a one lomng epic ) are my all time favorite films. Tolkien's world was done justice in Jackson's films and I'm sure returning to middle earth will be a wonderful adventure.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Trust for the Lord is Good
As I thought about what I have written yesterday , this song as I was listening to it really boiled it down to the issue. Doubt , despair ,questions and hard times can try and strangle out the fact , God is good. Perhaps it is a matter of trusting and resting in the Lord .
Beautiful song by Matt Hammitt who has know a thing or two about trusting the Lord amid struggles and heartbreak .
Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him, and he will act.
(Psalm 37:5 ESV)
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