The Big Fall

Now back to our look at the person and work of Satan .

First ,as was mentioned,he is not equal with God.God is the creator . So Satan was a angel created by God to worship and serve the Lord.

In fact he is described at one time being full of wisdom and beauty. He enjoyed communion with God and was blameless. Even though he walked with God in Eden and was adored in splendor  (Ezek.28:12-15) , he desired more . Unrighteousness was found in him. Allowing pride and arrogance to take sway in his being , he wanted to be like God . Wanting to over throw God and reign , he rebelled (Isaiah 14:12-15) but God casted him out of heaven and banished him for his sin.

In his rebellion many theologians have said he took a third of the Angels with him . They are now demons . So Satan is a fallen angel . His pride led to his fall . A mighty angel , a beautiful one at that . That was Satan .

Next we will begin to look at what some of his activities are and what the Bible tells us about his war with God.

Meant to Be - Steven Curtis Chapman

Amazing song from SCC,who in my humble opinion , is the best around. It is so awesome to hear such a message of hope within this song knowing what he and his family has gone through. It is a testimony to God's sustaining grace found only in Jesus Christ .

For me personally , when I was falling away from the Lord over a 10 year period , I attribute God's grace from stopping me from falling further. But the Lord in that grace ,using discipline and conviction , uses events and people to bring  these things to be. Just like when Nathan , the prophet,confronted David over his sin , to bring about repentance and restoration.

That is what SCC's music did for me. Even at my lowest point , I still went out and purchased his music . A song of his would convict me and I really believe his music was used by God to stop me from going too far off the deep end. There are other events as well , it all coming to a head with my wife's cancer diagnoses, that brought me to repentance. There was also a Christmas gift unexpected of a the DVD of Charlie Browns Christmas that moved my heart as well .

The bottom line , God has been so gracious to me . I do not deserve the mercy He has shown . Sometimes it overwhelms me and leaves me in tears .

Grace , unmerited favor. What more can I say. 

Chris Tomlin ' I Will Rise'

May we rise with praises on our lips , realizing that the reason we gather on Sunday is because Jesus rose from the dead and that changes EVERYTHING .

    [20] But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
(1 Corinthians 15:20 ESV)

Satan -Created

The very first thing that one needs to understand about the person of Satan is that he is not co-equal with God. Many movies or books portray the conflict between God and the Devil as a equal opportunity conflict. That is fiction.

God is the creator . He created all things that exist . The heavens ,the planets,the earth,angels and humans. Satan played no part in this , his existence is from the hand of God .

So first point , created being , not equal with God  .

[1:1] In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
(Genesis 1:1 ESV)

“If you believe in Christ, you have to believe in demons"

The title is from new a horror movie called The Last Exorcism. It is basically about a preacher who is more of a con man than true believer . He is called to perform this exorcism and since he truly believes this is all baloney anyway , he figures he will take the money and run. Needless to say , he encounters real evil , a real demonic possession and in turn , apparently finds his faith as well.

I have not seen this film , so the info I got is from reviews , but the tag line really made me pay attention. It is so true. If one confesses he believes in God of the Bible , then one must hold to not an abstract idea of evil but a real evil.One that is present physically in the form of Satan and his demons.

In the west with all our technology and comforts ,we have seemed to have forgotten about Satan . Its almost like he is a afterthought . But he is real . He is a clear enemy of the gospel . Sure he is presented in media , be it film or music ,but often they are so over the top we do not take it serious . The same for his fallen angels . He has at his command demons .

Over the next couple of days , I want to look into the abyss of evil from a biblical view.To understand your enemy , is to know how not to fall into his deceptions. If you are in Christ , we need not fear but Lucifer is a real enemy . May we stand firm .

I Love Jesus but Not the Church

Recently Anne Rice , the author best known for her vampire novels long before Twilight , renounced her faith . After making a "return" to Christianity about 10 years ago , it seems now she wants no part of the Church. She still says she loves Jesus but not the people or institution called the Church.

First a qualifier. The faith she returned to was Catholicism. A system of belief that rejects the sufficiency of Jesus Christ to save. Along with its false teaching on Mary,purgatory ,the infallible Pope . Well the list could go one. She never in any of her interviews hinted that she had rejected Catholicism .One thing I need to say here . I do believe many who are within the Catholic Church are saved despite the false teachings . They trust in Christ alone , in faith alone ,to save them, despite the dogmas of their Church. 

But now she has had enough . In a very public letter she denounced the Church in large . Not just taking a swipe at Catholics , but by saying the Church is anti-women,anti-gay,anti-life etc.. she painted in very broad strokes , pretty much every Bible believing Church on the planet. But , hey , She still loves Jesus.

But can one love Jesus without loving His church? If He died to establish the Church and call a people out of the world to gather together in His name , to the glory of the Father , the answer should be obvious .

Is the Church anti-women or is she angry God's word revels only men are to serve as Elders . Is the Church anti-gay , or is she really angry that the only God approved sexuality is in marriage between man and woman.  The whole anti-life charge baffles me because , over all ,a general read of history shows the Church ,be it Catholic or Protestant ,have served the poor, the sick ,the weak ,even with threat of death. Many giving their lives . So what is she really saying.

There are only two clear ways to look at what she has said. One , she is encountering the word of God and it is getting under her skin. Perhaps the Holy Spirit is working on her and she is struggling to come to grips with this truth.Many who first come to Jesus are left with many questions as they encounter the truth of scripture. So maybe over time we will see this as a baby , kicking and screaming as they are born .

The other is she loves the idea of Jesus .  The romantic notion of a loving Savior . A hero type figure . Then like many do , cheery pick the Bible to make Him accommodate their own truths. Of course your own truths are lies. God's word is truth ,and any understanding of Him is from His word. Our own notions need to brought under the word.

Jesus said that He came to fulfill the law and the prophets. Jesus said that not one dot could be removed form God's word. So if she has a problem in the Old testament when it teaches against homosexuality or sees a patriarchal conspiracy , then in reality , she has a problem with Jesus.  If she has a problem with what Paul writes or Peter or John , then she has a problem with Jesus because He promised the Holy Spirit would come revealing truth . The apostles wrote according to what was revealed to them .

She says she doesn't like the people in the Church. The Church is made up of  broken,hurting,hypocritical ,failing,weak,stubborn,frail,ill speaking group of sinners ,who are saved because of Jesus Christ. They are being transformed but just as a baby moves on to adulthood , many falls and failures will occur. Even in adulthood we will let people down with words and deeds. Look at the life of any Old Testament saint .

To say you love Jesus and not His Church is a contradiction. The Church is the bride of Christ . He loves her, He died for her and will bring her to glory. If he loved her enough to bleed and die on a cross , then how can we not love , what He loves.

Whatever happens with Mrs.Rice , it will be telling if she ever really believed in Jesus or just the idea of Jesus.  I truly hope that she repents and truly embraces Christ.

I left the Church for 10 years. Needless to say , and I say this without exaggeration , it was the worst thing that I ever did. But God broke me of my pride,exposed my sin and laid me low. So if she is one of His , He will bring about a return and if not , she never was in Christ.

     [19] They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.
(1 John 2:19 ESV)

Your Are What You Eat

Being almost 47 , in school we hardly touched on the food groups . It wasn't until  health class in grade 7 that we got the basics of nutrition . In school today fitness and nutrition is one of the big pushes to try and help kids stay healthy. With the growing concern over childhood obesity and young adults , there is no question the need to at the very least ,educate in an attempt to combat the problem.

The bottom line in my opinion the reason for this onslaught of over weight kids has been the fast food industry . When I was a kid we had a Tasty Freeze and a wonderful fish and chip place near our home ,but that was it. Plus I can only recall going there maybe once a week at the most . They also closed for winter. Now they are opened 24 hrs , they are everywhere . Add that into the mix of shift work , Mom working more outside of home , the cost of organized sports and you have a recipe for disaster.

So the same thing can be said of our minds . As Christians ,according to numerous polls , we have obese minds when it comes to understanding the faith. The White Horse Inn , an excellent radio program , anchored by Michael Horton and his motley crue of fellow reformed minded true Evangelicals, has shown over and over , very few Christians have much content . They may say they love Jesus , attend Church , listen to Christian music but when asked simple questions concerning historic Christian doctrine , they answered in very ambiguous ways.

Why? Because the diet of much that passes off as teaching today is the equivalent of eating Twinkies, Fast Food and Pop . All empty minded calories. From seeker sensitive messages , a lack of actual scripture reading in Church and a fear of that word , doctrine and you have a recipe for spiritual fat minds.

So what is the answer to all this . Just as with our bodies , we need to change the way we do things. If I want to feel healthy and lose the weight or have more energy , one needs to introduce good foods . Add a little exercise and you will get results. So with our walk we need to move on from the milk of the word to the meat. Read the Bible . Let the word become something that you hunger for . Then find good books on theology from trusted writers .  Flex the mind . Find a Church home more concerned about preaching and teaching then programs. Join a small group that is interested in growing in the faith .

Last but not least , pray . Just like lifting weights , a solid prayer life is using a spiritual muscle. It is a personal conversation with your Lord. It is an intimate moment between you and your redeemer. As Paul said we are to pray without ceasing.(1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV). Which means living ones life with a conscience understanding of being in the presence of God everyday.

Is it hard work to grow? Yep. But the pay off will be huge .Besides we have a great personal trainer , the Holy Spirit . We cannot lose . So get flexing.

He Chose the Nails, sung by Wes King

This song says something so profound . He chose the nails. When Jesus laid down His life for the sheep , it was no cosmic accident. From all eternity , God had planned this for His glory . To show His grace and love . When we reflect on this how can we not be moved. That Christ took the wrath due me , due you ,so that we might be forgiven.

How easy it can be to forget the awful price to bring a vial sinner form the pit of hell and wrath , to be cleansed and forgiven. It took the holy Son of God.

I wonder sometimes when I fall into sin , do I realize that my actions placed Jesus there and for my actions He died to wash me clean , to make me righteous by faith . That if  He did not choose the cross, I would stand condemned before a holy God.

He chose the nails , the whip , the cross so that all who will repent and believe in Him might be washed whiter than snow . Who do you trust in today to save you ? We all know we sin. To say other wise makes one a liar.
Stand in awe and bow your head to praise the one pierced for our transgressions .

Sunday , Sunday

Thought I would write on a more personal not today . As I write this and reflect on the day , it has been a really enjoyable one . My lovely wife and I went on a nice little drive to Scots Bay . It was a beautiful day to enjoy. The weather was perfect. Hovering around 24 Celsius , with a slight breeze, it was gorgeous.

Scots Bay is a beautiful spot because it is rarely used . Although it was nice to see a new bridge built for access to the beach. Its quiet and removed from all the flashy tourist type trappings of Halls Harbor.Hey it even has bathrooms .Old fashion ones if you get my meaning. But they are always well maintained. Of course the company was the best.

One thing we have always tried to do in our relationship is to take time to spend a date day or time on a regular basis.So it was a awesome day . God is indeed good.

Keith and Kristyn Getty - Still My Soul

May we indeed pause and give time for the Lord. So often we can allow even "church" activities to drown out a time to be still . Give heed to to the call to be still and know God. May we indeed do this as we prepare to hear the word preached and Christ glorified .

Bug Eyed and Eager

On the new Iron Maiden album ( yes as like I said before , I still listen to some secular music) there is a song called Where The Wild Wind Blows. The readers digest version is the news is over obsessed with the end times and an older couple in the grips of fear , seeing signs everywhere , prepare a shelter . When they think a nuclear blast has occurred , they lock themselves in. In a moment of despair , knowing that life is over for them , they drink tea. At the very end of the song we find out that what they mistook for a blast was a earthquake and the tea had poison in it . They died in each others arms.

Now in todays world we see end times predictions all the time . Plus with the whole 2012 Mayan calender craze , I'm sure it will get a little loopy. We have always had these type of hysteria. Just read a little history and we can find all sorts of groups and cults , throwing out end of times predictions. Even the secular media have had there own Pope of doomsday , Al Gore with the global warming mania. So it goes deep.

But what gets on my nerves  the most are the late night Christian doom sayers , who twist and manipulate scripture to suit the latest fad. I can still recall one getting overly excited at something that was going on in the middle east at the moment. They are so obsessed with the end times that it makes the gospel a side issue when it should be the central truth. The people who follow these ministries become so engrossed , that they end up like the couple in the song. They are unable to use common sense and discern. Its like they are unhinged from reality.

There is no question about it, history is moving towards an end. The Lord is coming back. The day of the Lord is mentioned over and over again in the Bible. Jesus will return. But we need to keep it in  perspective. If we do not we can ignore the task at hand of sharing the gospel,enjoying fellowship and standing amazed at God's creation.

The Thessalonian Church seems to have been a bit obsessed over the second coming. Some within the Church  were idle , perhaps stopping work, thinking the second coming is close ( this is one view and with the emphasize on the end times, this I believe makes the most sense). What Paul does is tell them to get back to work. Not to be idle. He does tell them to be aware that Christ is coming and be ready. However not to over think it. After all it will be like a thief in the night .

So may we have our eyes open , realizing that there is an urgency in each day , knowing that it is drawing closer but may we see as well the good works , the gospel sharing , the joy of fellowship and be busy about what God has called us to be ,light and salt in a dieing world . Calling sinners to repentance and faith in Jesus, till that day comes.

Forgiven - Sanctus Real

Forgiven , should these words not sound like a sweet song to the ears of weary sinners on the pilgrims path. It has been said by wiser souls than I , that the gospel is not just for the unsaved but the Christian as well. If we would remind ourselves of the grace of God in Jesus Christ , that on the cross He took our sin past,present and future , and nailed to that accursed tree , then perhaps we would live differently. When Paul said he wanted to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified , is it not when we stray from the shadow of the cross , that we either become complacent concerning sin or become overcome with guilt , wondering if Christ has truly forgiven us.

Living in forgiveness should fill us full of peace,joy and point to the glory of God's goodness and love. This life is one of joyful repentance  . In the Lord's prayer Jesus taught us to pray for forgiveness . When we comprehend how much we have been forgiven , then we are apt to be forgiving as well.

What amazing words to hear from the God of the universe , your sins are remembered no more.

Micah 7:19
¹⁹He will again have compassion on us;
    he will tread our iniquities underfoot.
 You will cast all our sins
   into the depths of the sea.

Highway To Hell

Wrong Highway

Hell , it should be a sobering word. But in popular culture so much misinformation exist about the nature of hell . Some outright deny it exists . Sad to say even in within Christian circles there are those who outright deny or downplay it as a teaching in the Bible.

As with the popular song for the title of this blog , many joke about Hell as if its a place to party,have a good time. I have heard it said , all my friends are there so why not go there. But Hell is a place of misery, punishment and as Jesus tells us  ,  ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’( Mark 9:48) Hell is not a place that one should be so glib about going there. 


Another idea is that Satan is the one in charge. He controls the punishment , that he is the master of hell. This theme runs rampant in Hollywood and in music . In some more extreme metal (black metal) Satan is seen as either equal or one who will overthrow God. That Satan rules in hell and is trying to bring heaven down. But Satan or Lucifer is no equal , nor does he rule hell. In fact it s a place prepared for him and his demons, by God.  Revelation 20:10 ...and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Satan is no ruler of hell nor does he have control . Jesus Christ holds the power concerning death and hades(hell) Rev 1:18. 


You have also heard it said hell is really just separation from God . But in truth hell is the very presence of God's holy wrath against sin and rebellion. There is  no place one can go from the gaze of God .Psalm 139:[8] If I ascend to heaven, you are the ,If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! We cannot escape the presence of God . Hell is filled with God's perfect and justified wrath against Satan,his demons and all sinners . We have heard the concept so much that God cannot be in the presence of sin we forget that , everyday God witnesses atrocities . He knows the inner most part of men and women. He sees sin but His holy anger burns against it.  There is nothing more terrifying then for a sinner to be in the hands of a holy God.  As the saying goes you can run but you cannot hide. 


Oh this is a good one. Only bad people go to hell. Thats right , hell is reserved for the bad of the bad . The Jack the Rippers,Hitler,Nero,Ted Bundy's of the world not next door neighbors jack and Jill . What about the little old granny , Nelly who bakes those wonderful pies. They are good people . They don't deserve hell. Surely a loving God will not send them to a place of utter despair and punishment. First off this view does not take 2 things serious enough.The first is the holiness of God. That He is absolutely perfect and to be in His presence He requires the same. The second is it downplays the reality of sin and how it penetrates  our whole person. We sin because we are sinners. 


Yes God is love but it is a holy love and is not disconnected from His wrath against sin. Who among us can say without impunity that we have not sinned . That we have not broken a commandment . We can't even keep New Year resolutions let alone God's holy standards. It doesn't take much prodding to get even the best person to admit they are not perfect. The word of God clearly reveals all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That we all have turned aside to our own way . That no one does good , not EVEN ONE. Yes we may look good on the outside and most never perform the type of atrocities of a Hitler or Bundy ,but when Jesus was preaching about the law He took it further than just the external. If you hate in your heart , you kill . If you lust in your heart, you have committed adultery. Plus since the wages of sin is death and we all die , therefore we are all sinners. 


Hell is not a place you want to be. Nor is it reserved for the bad of the bad because we are all unholy. So what must we do to escape hell and the wrath to come? Repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. He came to be our sin bearer . He came to rescue ,redeem and save . But remember , yes we are saved from hell, yes we are saved from sins just penalty but ultimately we are saved by God from Himself in the death and resurrection of Jesus. 


We need to hear about the wrath of God and hell a little bit more . We need to hear of God's holy anger against sin . We need to hear about how serious sinners we are . Finally , we need to hear about the one who came to die in the sinners place , the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world . There is no in between. One is either on one road or the other. May it spur us to pray for the lost more and share Jesus more. 

Get It Right ....Please

I still listen to some secular music from time to time. I'm discerning but do not think we need to shut out all forms of art unless its "Christian". Something I have written on before . But one thing that drives me crazy is when they write a song with references to religion or put images together like U2 did , when Bono wore a scarf with at least 5 religious symbols together and blur the lines . The implication is that all religions are the same. That the "god" is all the same.

Before I truly believed in the Christian faith , I was aware of other religions. At one time I had about the same thought process. I really didn't think there was much difference. Believe what you want because its all part of the same soup , right.

But since then ,  having had time to read and compare religious systems , it was very easy to see the clear differences they had . Not only the concept of God but also the matter of the after life and the nature of salvation.So for an artist to sing lyrics or imply all religions are one , is the height of ignorance.

Plus it doesn't take much to show the massive difference , all you have to do is talk about Jesus Christ. The person of Jesus stands out , that it destroys any notion of the "sameness". How can you honestly read the message of the Bible . The message of God coming down in the Son , Jesus , to die on the cross for our sins as the same as Hinduism ,Islam, Judaism,Buddhism .

The one thing all the other religions have in common is that its all about you. It is either seeking self enlightenment , achieving an emptying to reach nirvana , doing good works and hoping the scales tip in your favor. Christianity is about it all being done for you . Its not climbing up to God or becoming a God but God , in Christ entering this world to save you.

So if you mention religion, please have the intelligence to at the very least acknowledge the vast differences. Better yet , as Larry Norman wrote , Why don't you look into Jesus, he's got the answer.



[6] Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
(John 14:6 ESV)

Hard Fact

Just something to chew on . Hell . If you say you believe in the Bible , then the reality of hell has to be something that you hold is a truth. More to come .....

Time Stand Still

When we are young we want to be older. Who cannot recall being told you can only stay up so late , bike so far , have the car on a certain night etc.. Then we all have probably uttered these words ,  wish I was older.Knowing that  then we could do what we wanted to do . How really foolish .  We really have no effect on time. It marches on at its own pace. But even more foolish is wishing it to move faster.

As we grow older , grayer or balder (hey I have embraced my baldness) the one thing we then wish for is it to slow down. We understand with each ticking second that its one second closer to having to bid farewell to someone we love. It can be the goodbye of a child moving out , having grown to adulthood and going off to college or one day saying farewell to a loved one at a grave . Life is one long goodbye. 

As I reflect on my sons getting closer to moving onto their own lives and realizing that my Dad is 70 , I was in a moment of reflection . Realizing that I would like to slow the clock down . But since I cannot, I truly want to enjoy each day   , not taking any moment for granted. If it is having breakfast out with my wife whom I adore , going for a drive or playing around with my sons, chatting with my Dad , enjoying a visit form my brother or sister and having coffee with a good friend. Should we not savor those times.

Having lost my Mom almost 18 years ago , I do not presume on how long one may have. Only the good Lord knows . Each day is a day of His forbearance and grace. As the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 3 states ;

        For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 

[2] a time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

  [3] a time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to break down, and a time to build up;

  [4] a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

  [5] a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

  [6] a time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

  [7] a time to tear, and a time to sew;

a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

  [8] a time to love, and a time to hate;

a time for war, and a time for peace.

 (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 ESV)

As a human we will go through all these stages . Sometimes it will seem more than others . However should we not as Christians love more ,give more,forgive more and glorify God more in all our endeavors.That includes finding ways to share the gospel to those around us who do not know Jesus Christ. 

Time will march on . But we can indeed slow it down  by looking around to enjoy the gifts God has given to us from His creation to family and friends. I do not want to live with regret when it comes to those I love . Nor do I want to live with regret with those I do not know , may I treat them as image bearers of God as well. 

Matthew Smith - Calmer Of My Troubled Heart (Hallelujah)

This song really speaks to my troubled soul. Love the lyrics . We all need the peace only Jesus Christ can bring in this crazy life we live.

Money Makes the World Go Round

You have heard the saying , money cannot buy happiness. No doubt one could surround themselves with examples, but at the same time , you can find studies which show those with money suffer less stress,better health and longer lives. Plus it annoys me to no end that the most who have muttered those platitudes, are those who have no worries about money. They vacation , have decent cars or 2 , their children are into everything , well you get the picture.

I have no problem with them having these things . But just shut your mouth about how money can't buy you happiness. Be honest , yes its straight up damn good to have the things we have and its the money that gives us the opportunity to do so. Embrace the green and don't condescend to those who don't. We know your full of it when you try to make those who can't do the things you do . 

Look , OK I'm happy you got an education or have a skill that allows you to get decent coin. There is nothing wrong with that. But don't pretend it doesn't also come with many advantages over someone slaving away at minimum wage. 

Yes we are very blessed in the west to have healthcare and social programs that protect the poor here . Mark my words if we didn't , we would be no different then any 3rd world country. 

Now you might be saying, where is he going with this? I confess right here and right now , I'm no fan of capitalism . Even though many Christians seem to think its comes from God's hand , I have yet to read a convincing argument based on the Bible. Nor am I a fan of socialism , it has shown itself to be faulty as well.So where am I going .

Look I confess I royally failed to explore my talents in my younger years , which has left me in a mid life crisis of what to do. So when I see many people I know doing well and working at rewarding careers , I do struggle with envy , regret and can I say the word as a Christian , despair . Look I know money cannot save, and yes I know the verse about what profits a man etc.. I get it . But I'm a man that still struggles with real sin in my life.

Like it or not money does make this world go round . It can be a great tool for good , to help the poor in 3rd world countries,food banks . But not having much in a western culture obsessed with status and things, its hard sometimes to not fall under that truck . 

So Bad , So Bad

Nothing profound to reflect on today , unless its a crime to make a movie so bad that in truth , all involved should be charged for wasting good film. I guess at the very least it gave some employment. The movie I'm thinking about is Jaws:The Revenge . 

Now I truly believe the first Jaws is one of the best movies of all time. It had suspense,great acting, cool camera work and it made me jump out of my seat. It was one of the first true event movies. Still recall waiting in line with my cousin Greg and childhood friend Jim, in Wolfville at the Acadia Cinema . The theater was packed . For 2 hours it took us on a thrilling ride. Needless to say it was boxoffice phenomena . I. still recall at the end of the movie having left more popcorn on th floor from jumping and Greg having squeezed his Nibs into a blob of goo. Fun time. 

Needless to say success always breeds a sequel and so out came Jaws 2 . Decent movie taken on its own but not as good as the original. Once again it was fairly successful and then we had Jaws 3D . A laugh out loud film . But no it didn't stop there . Oh it should have but then the topper of horrible came with Jaws :The Revenge. A movie so bad that the rubber shark should sue the cast for being the best actor in the film . 

Why I wasted time watching this waste of time is beyond me. But if you ever want a good laugh , check this piece of rotten fish out. No question one of the worst films of all time. So in my minds eye there  are really only 2 Jaws films. The other 2 exist only in an alternative reality . Now if we could just burn those films . 

Connecting to the Lost

Have you ever asked yourself , how can I reach the lost? If you have not asked yourself that question , then you better check your pulse. If your a Christian ,you should have a real hunger to see others repent and come to Jesus . It should be a burden of your heart .

But how and what can one do. Some cults have those annoying door knockers , who seem to show up when its the most annoying time . In general , I do not really think this type reaching out works very well . Most people are so burnt over by these methods that its hard to get a foot in the door , so to speak.

 Lets face this fact , most people do not see the church as they used to . At one time it was a place to attend for guidance . Not really what worship is about but it was why many went  . Oh now they may send children to Sunday school to receive "moral" instruction , but the church has lost its place in the center of the community.So what can one do ? Look around , step back and see where you are. The place you find yourself is the place you can minister. If we expect the lost to come to us and go , tell me about Jesus, we are  deluded.

The natural man is in suppression of the truth of God . They hate God . They need to hear the good news delivered to them. This can start by opening our eyes. Who in your sphere of life does not know the Lord .Make no assumptions based on church attendance either. Do they know the Lord Jesus Christ, understand the idea of what it means to be born again .So what can one do ? Look around , step back and see where you are again. That is your mission field. Your family,your friends , your workplace and yes , even casual encounters. Let them know you really care about them. Share in their lives . Don't be all self righteous . Be a friend to sinners.Even in casual encounters , your attitude and the way your interact could one day come back to bear witness . What happens if that person sees you walking in or out of your church.


[34] The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
(Luke 7:34 )

Jesus mixed with sinners .He walked , talked and ate with them . He comes to us . We need to do the same . God has given us the great privilege of allowing us to enter into the wonder of sharing the gospel . We all were once in the same bout , lost in need of someone to share the gospel with us. So do not separate from the broken around you. Find ways to connect . Love them and in conversations , find ways to mention God, Jesus and the truth of the gospel. Invite them into the conversation, listen and not to get a notch in your Bible Belt , but because you care for them and their souls destination.

What Is Your Security

Little children usually have a security item . It could be a toy , a pillow , blanket or whatever , children will hold on to something to comfort them when they are stressed or scared. It could be a thunder storm. when they are sick or if they are away from their parents if they have to stay in the hospital. I have no recollection of this story , but apparently I had a "pinky". It was a boys doll . I can't remember it but thats what I'm told.Who does not recall Linus from Peanuts and his famous blanket.

As we grow older , we may put away the little things of a child but adults are really no different . We seek comfort form something . It could be food,money, sex,possessions ,status or whatever , we still seek something for security . But all these things are completely temporary. They only satisfy for so long. 

However there is a security that cannot ever break,bend or not satisfy . No matter who you talk to , they know that life is not quite right. That even we are not right. That life seems so uncertain.We all want a safe and secure place to run to .  

The scripture reveals the truth that we live in a fallen world , full of the marks of sin. That we have rebelled against God , breaking our relationship . Ever since Adam and Eve were thrown out of the garden , we are in a world of tooth and claw. So as a children and adults we need something to cling to . Unfortunately we seek idols  over the only one who can give us the security. 

But the Lord comes , opens the stony hearts of dead sinners,gives them new fleshy hearts and rescues them from the one thing we need security and protection from , His wrath against sinners .  That would be all mankind . In Jesus Christ we are secure . We are forgiven because of the cross. We are raised with Him in His resurrection , justified . No one can take us from His hand.  

No matter what life throws at you , God can be your rock . Trust me I this one . Having watched the amazing love and security I witnessed when my wife battled cancer , it is no delusion. 

 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,

 my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

 (Psalm 18:2 )

Blown Tires and Rocky Roads

You have probably heard this one before , come to Jesus and live the abundant life . Come to Jesus and He will make all things right. Life will be better in every way. Really . Is that what the Christian walk is really like . Well unless you stick your head in the sand , you know that not only is that not true on a experiential level , but God's word makes no claims that it will be that way. In fact , it tells us the opposite. 

Before I was a believer I really had no real conviction over sin. If I lied , it could be justified in some way . If I hurt someone , it may for a bit make me feel bad but you adopted an attitude of dog eat dog baby. If I lusted after a woman you could let your mind go wherever . Pleasure through whatever means really should be the mantra for the unsaved man or woman . In fact there are whole movements to free up our beings away from any notion of sin/guilt. 

The fact is apart from a changed heart , one made aware of ones sin before a holy God , you can pretty much suppress whatever guilt you may have over a sinful desire or action. 

But what happens to a believer . You are made painfully and acutely aware of your sin. If you do sin , your whole being groans . Until you confess and repent , seeking God's forgiveness . Psalm 51 is a good example of this . David was wasting away , over his unconfessed sin. I can recall sinning before I was a believer , and to be honest I never lost much sleep over it . Most saints of old , who I would consider giants of the faith whos lives I would consider truly godly, would lament their unrighteousnesses . The more they grew in the faith , the closer they drew to Christ , the more the knowledge of the sin that still lived within them became apparent.

The we have the passages of Scripture that deals with taking up your cross and following Jesus daily. It is a dying to self and living solely for the glory of Christ. That the world will hate you because of your faith in Christ. The road is narrow , it is not an easy road . There is no gaurentee of world pleasure . A life of ease.


[13] “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. [14] 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

The road to life goes only through Jesus Christ. Listen the way is hard . Jesus said hard. Few will find it . Hard because you will fight with your sin (Romans 7) . You will be persecuted and suffer for the gospels sake . The world will try to seduce you , the devil will want to devour you and your flesh , the sinful nature, you need to crucify the old man. It is a fight , a war . Not for the faint of heart .

Plus you can still fall into sin , you can get sick , become depressed , feel despair and live in poverty. So what and how does the real abundant life work. It is not about stuff , it is all about Christ. Even when we fall into sin or struggle with the old self , we rejoice because we have an advocate in Jesus. We run to Him and ask not only to forgive us , but transform us . When we are down or depressed , we look up and say with the Psalmist , that even though I feel so far away from you God , I know you are my rock , my salvation . You will be my shepherd of my soul.

[66] After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. [67] So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well [68] Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, [69] and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
(John 6:66-69)

After Jesus had said some pretty hard things , many deserted Him . So in this portion of scripture , He ask the  12 if they would turn away as well . Peter said where would they go . That Jesus has the words of life .That he is the hole one of God .

On the this walk , this pilgrims progress , many days we will have a road of bumps,wash outs,valleys ,ditches and ultimately we all will walk through the valley of the shadow of death . But may we realize the love of God towards a repentant sinner , when we are made alive in Christ . He has the words of life , He willingly went to the cross to save His lambs . The road may be hard but His grace will be sufficient to sustain us . Plus we have a helper , the Holy Spirit who indwells us . God is with us .

I will let Jesus have the last words.  May His words help on this pilgrims road.



18] And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,[20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
(Matthew 28:16-20)

Slipping Away

There is a story , I wish I could remember form which book or sermon I heard it from , about a Chinese Emperor sending out spies to see what type of music and writings were being performed to get a feel for the morality of the people. The more sensual and debased pointed to a culture in deep moral decline.

Having grown up in the 60's and 70' mainly , I still recall TV ,music and movies being fairly tame. Yes you had swearing and some sexual situations in movies, but in general ,it was pretty tame.  Plus there was a clear distinction between good and evil . Even movies like Jaws or The Omen seem pretty lame to the new kids out there watching films.TV didn't start getting more risqué till the late 70's . Even then I remember pretty strict guidelines for swearing and sex.Even in music , although influenced by the 60's free love movement , still maintained a certain tongue and cheek approach and there were many artist that one could still listen to that didn't go there. 

However since the  80's , if I was a Chinese Emperor sending out spies , I would recoil in horror at what is on TV, in the Theaters, on our MP3's  and now even on our computers . The graphic violence in TV,Music,Movies seems to have exploded within the last 25 years. Unlike Psycho and the infamous shower scene, that shocked people then without really showing much , today the movies need to show every gut wrenching detail. Movies like Hostel,Saw show gore beyond description. Bands like Cannibal Corpse write lyrics not fit to be read .

Then you have sex . Movies , TV and the Internet are filled with pornography at the click of a remote or mouse. Then on TV shows every deviant form of sex is promoted as normal. From living together,to promiscuousness ,to homosexual and  lesbian love being passed off as normal , you have direct and blatant attack of God's given standard of what is healthy sexuality. Man and woman , married in a monogamous relationship.Plus we have had the rise of the bad guy being cheered for. That he is the "good"guy .

Music has become so debased and vulgar that what Elvis did to shock back in the 50's by shaking his hips , looks like a Sesame Street dance . It seems we are heading in a spiral of debauchery .

So what are we to do ? As Christians we are called to be salt and light , helping stop the tide of the depravity around us . But one of the first things we need to do is realize that what we see around us is normal for the natural man . Paul addressed this in Romans when he talked about God handing men and women over to their sins . In a way it is a judgment. God lifting His restraining hand against sin ,and letting the lust of that person take over.

 First  we need to realize that what we see around us is the outworking of the sinful nature. Pagans will be pagans . Second we must be discerning about all that we watch,listen to . I'm not saying that we need to turn only to Christian TV,music or movies (some of it is horrible anyway)but be mindful of the message its sending. I have no problem with art talking of what the real world looks like around me, but does it go well beyond , pushing the boundaries of decency . Is it violence for violence sake, how graphic is the sexual encounters and what is the world view. Does it portray a fallen world honestly or does it push a world view onto us. This is happening huge when it comes to the acceptance of gay relationships. Just turn on your TV.

Jesus interacted with the culture around him. He ate with prostitutes ,liars,thieves(tax collectors). Paul as well quoted from poets of his day . But what we must be is in the world but not of it. We need to show a dying world how the gospel works itself out in what we watch ,listen to and love . This is a tension that can sometimes choke the life from our faith. The world is seductive. We need to be willing to cut off anything that could cause us to stumble.

This world needs the gospel . The life transforming message of the cross of Christ. So let us instead of lamenting and entering our bunkers , what  we need to do is live real lives before the world . Showing how we once were sinners , in love with all that sin could offer. That we placed idols of sex,money,power etc.. and loved them instead of our creator. But God in His mercy and grace , opened the grave to show us our dead rotting sinful selfs in light of His holiness , the wrath that was due us for sin in everlasting hell . Then pointed to that place on Calvary where Jesus took my sin , one who was made sin on my behalf , so that I might be forgiven and given His righteousness. That will transform , that will bring light to the darkness.

So to keep us pure may we trust in Christ and reflect on this passage of scripture to help us remain in the world but not of it .

    [8] Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. [9] What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
(Philippians 4:8-9 ESV)

How Deep by Sovereign Grace Music

As we prepare our hearts to gather for worship , may we rest in the knowledge of God's amazing love.



[35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? [36] As it is written,      

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

  [37] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, [39] nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8:35-39 )

Bring Down The Thunder ......Not !

 Remember the story of Jonah. Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh . So he fled in hopes of getting away from God's call to go and preach repentance. Well God used a extreme method , being in the belly of a whale is not my idea of a good time , to get Jonah to Nineveh. Jonah brings God's message , the people repent and what does Jonah do ? He gets angry . God rebukes him for his anger and shows He is a God of mercy.

Even the story of Sodom and Gomorrah is one of God's patience in the presence of great wickedness. Abraham pleads with God if he can find at first 50 righteous men , then it gets lower and lower. God's mercy is amazing considering the evil within the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. In the New Testament John and James want to call down judgement against an Samaritan village the would not receive Jesus . But Jesus rebukes them .


[51] When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. [52] And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. [53] But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.  [54] And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” [55] But he turned and rebuked them. [56] And they went on to another village.
(Luke 9:51- 56)

The point is God is full of grace and compassion . He is slow to anger. He takes no delight in the perishing of the wicked . Should our response be the same when we encounter those who are against the gospel .

Over the last couple of years atheism has been reinvigorated with what has become called their own four horsemen. Samuel Harris,Daniel Dennett , Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens. They have no real new arguments but with their militant push and flare , have gotten much attention. Hitchens is perhaps the most visible. An excellent journalist and one who has wit,charms and bombast. His bestselling book ,"God is Not Great", received much press. I could quote numerous sayings , but needless to say his disdain towards Christianity is well documented. He is a clear enemy of the gospel.

Just little over a month ago , he revealed he has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer . Needless to say , it is a very nasty type with a very low 5 year survival rate. To say there have been a few Jonah ,John and James in the ,"I'm a Stupid Fundy" ,announcing this is as a judgement of God against his blasphemies would be an understatement, they are from the nut wing groups and although vocal, they are a small minority. Is it  from God , yes . God is sovereign over all . Is it a judgement , yes in the sense we all are under the curse of sin and death. We know the wages of sin is death. But before we are so condemning ,  we were sinners just as hell bound , just as guilty.

So understanding grace , should we not extend that same grace to Hitchens in his time of need . Listen to the words of Christ.

[43] “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
[44] But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
(Matthew 5:43-44)


        [35] But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be         great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. [36] Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
(Luke 6:35-36)

What we should do is love him , showing him the truth  of Christ by praying for him . Pray the Holy Spirit will awaken his dead heart to the light of Jesus Christ . That the same God he does not believe exist but hates at the same time , extends grace and mercy . He is an interesting man and in some ways reminds me of someone who would be very interesting having a pint of ale with .

So may the Lord Jesus Christ make Himself known to Hitchens and bring him to the same repentance of sin that the city of Nineveh experienced and I have. All for God's glory.

Its Not About Winning

Every Christian is called to be a witness . A witness of course in the courts would be called to give testimony to what they saw pertaining to the case on the docket . It could be an expert like a CSI or a person who is privy to information.  As a believer we are called to the task of bearing witness to the truth concerning Jesus Christ. No one is exempt from this task . The world is, as we once were , hostile to God . It hates Jesus Christ . Therefore we are called to the task to bear witness to God's truth found only in Christ . 

One thing however, it is not about winning the argument. Lets face the truth , when we start to be more vocal about our faith , opposition will come. Sometimes the dialogue can be very respectful but more and more it is not. In  fact it can become very heated. Now I'm not saying one needs to be weak and speak like a wimp. Passion is great but it most never get into a insult session . If the conversation begins to spiral out of control or a trade off of points , it is time to end it . Try always to bring it back to Jesus Christ and  the cross.

I cannot say that I have been great at keeping my emotions in check .I have said things and realize that at times it was not about witnessing and sharing the gospel, but about winning the argument . That is when it can get quickly out of control. We honor God by witnessing in a manor that glorifies Him .

 1 Peter 3:15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect...

May this passage always frame our chance to share the gospel. The focus needs to be on Jesus , why He came ,what He did and the hope of eternal life .Then it most be done with gentleness and respect. The best way to not go off the deep end is to know the gospel. You can't be expected to know every objection but you can at the very least have a general defense.Stay on focus . Ask Questions as well to show the weakness of the positions they may hold.

Be honest and staright forward and let God be God. Realize that you can't save no one . Your points can't convince anyone . But the Holy Spirit can take the word and open a dead heart. All we are called to do is bear witness of the hope within us .

Lastly , do not sugar coat the gospel . The message of the cross is offensive . Just as we were once a unrepentant sinner , at war with God , so are they . If they hated our Lord , then even that little gray haired lady can become just as hateful or more so , then that long haired ,Tattooed youngster . Never make assumptions . An unrepentant sinner come in all shapes,colors and sizes . So don't worry about winning but bearing witness to God's amazing grace . What an honor it is .

Functional Fools

     Psalm 14:1
                    The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”.......
                  

Today I was watching a little bit of Richard Dawkins , the radical atheist. But it caused me to think ,in reality most people are functional atheist. People go about the day without any real thought of God. They may say they believe in God but really show no outward sign of that reality.

In fact most often from my observations God and Jesus Christ become a swear word than any type of praise or worship. This goes for the poor to the rich . To the uneducated, to those with degrees. They are all equally functional fools. That is until disease or death comes calling and then , watch the Lord speak come flying. Oh Lord help me through or the classic , I know he/she is in a better place . Really?

Only the hardest of hearts totally reject God in times of trouble. The saying there are no atheist in a foxhole is mostly true . But in general most live day in day out without any real thought of God.

Christians can live as a fools as well. Often we frame our week with Sunday and our trip to a church but we should be living our lives Corem Deo , before the face of God. If we live each day without thinking,reading and praying , how are we any different.

May we show a dying world what its like to live before the face of God , with the hope of Christ anchoring our lives .

Wake Up Sleeper

"Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world." 
— C.S. Lewis

This quote from Lewis echoes the idea that it is better to go into the house of the mourning than one of mirth or gladness.

[2] It is better to go to the house of mourning
      than to go to the house of feasting,
      for this is the end of all mankind,
      and the living will lay it to heart.
 (Ecclesiastes 7:2 ESV)

How often do we really have what is important laid out before us when times are full of success,money and prestige. When things are going well ,we tend to not think of "bad" things. In fact there is a whole power of positive thinking movement still having sway over people . The sad thing it is even present in the Church.


However when we are faced with suffering or the reality that no matter how positive we try to make ourselves , death is the end of us all , the grave is the great equalizer. As Lewis points out , pain awakes a sleeper to begin to look at the bigger picture . It is then that one may start to ask what is life about,why are we here and is there a God or life after death.

Plus it also strips away all the dross of life . What we think is vital will become trivial. When it all can be stripped away , the real mirror to our souls is revealed.

In the western  world where we hide from, as much as we can,  pain,suffering and death , we cannot ultimately dodge it. We will face it . The question is ? Do you hear God waking you from your slumber and your need of a Saviour.

Even on the Bad Days

Worship of the Lord is something we are commanded to do . It is not an option. The fact that God endows us with breath , life and all we have should be enough to want to spend time worshiping the God of all creation. The  command to have no other gods except the one true God , points to this fact. Go through the Bible and read about the people of God offering worship. It is something that should be as natural as breathing.

Now I attend a church , to remain nameless , that has a very loose atmosphere. We have no real call to worship, little public reading of scripture and the service is often more seeker friendly , than God centered . The music is modern praise and worship , with very few hymns. The sermons are hit and miss for me  . Often focusing on sermon series , with exhortations to live like Jesus . I would prefer more straight exposition.

It is very frustrating at times because I would prefer a more structured service that would promote a more holy and reverent  view of God we worship. The issue is not the style of music. Sovereign Grace Music and artist like Matthew Smith have shown that you can use electric guitars,drums and still maintain solid worship songs with depth in lyrics .So why do I keep going?

First because it is still good to gather with the saints to worship. Second , we are not to forsake the assembling together . Third , we are commanded to partake the Lord's supper till He comes again. Fourth , even if the sermons are not expository masterpieces , it is still good to hear the word preached. Fifth , even the Lord commended the faithful saints in weak churches ( read about the Churches in Revelation). Sixth , lone ranger Christianity is a self made myth to hide away in your own delusions , and guess what , your not perfect so get over yourself. Seventh, we are to honor those put into places of leadership . I truly like and respect our Pastors . I may not see eye to eye theologically , but see their heart to serve and love of the Lord.

But the most important is that the Church is established through the blood of the lamb , Jesus Christ. It is the place were redeemed sinners , gather and witness to a dying world each Sunday ,the life,death and resurrection of the Son of God.  It maybe weak, it may be faulty to human eyes and even foolish , but it is the bride of Christ . Who am I not to love her . For if Jesus can love me , then I can love my Church . We  one in that we are made holy not of ourselves  , but by His blood.