tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27315896107339056282024-03-12T23:23:06.854-07:00The Soul TrapThe Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-71090023477091867532013-05-01T08:44:00.003-07:002013-05-01T08:44:40.334-07:00Response to a Response to a Response<br />
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Pastor Daniel Cox http://wp.me/pVFTo-uS responding to blog post on www.andrewgarcia.com
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Great article! In reading Garcia's article I was struck by the fact that he is only dealing mainly in secondary issues (His point on doctrine not withstanding). They are legtitimate secondary issues that must be faced but not the pressing need of the hour.Yours' however, cuts more to the heart of what I think the deeper issue are. If I may, allow me to add on to several point you made.
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<strong>Point 1)</strong> I feel that we are trying to duplicate the wrong things. We are trying to duplicate the methods of the great men of God and not their walk. On the whole, they walked with God in a powerful way with far more dedication than many of us are willing to commit to. It was their walk with God and the tangible experience with God that empowered all that they did. Their ministries were founded on the supernatural; ours are not. I have to say that the 2nd generation Independent Baptists have, to some degree done us a dis-service. They have implied and out right stated often, that if we just "did" what they and the first generation did, then we could have the same results. Wrong. Results are God's. Our business is to pursue God with the equal and passionate hunger that they did.....and only in that duplication do we have a chance of seeing revival.
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Point2) I believe we have accepted an incorrect paradigm and the following may state more correctly what is true. Mega Churches, <br />
<ul>
<li>A) are not the norm for the history of the Church </li>
<li>B) They are not always the healthiest environment for believers to grow </li>
<li>C) more sheer number rarely produce true and lasting joy in ministry </li>
<li>D) numbers are never a true mark of a spiritual healthy Church
</li>
</ul>
<strong>Point 3)</strong> I believe that our Churches should be "Distinctively Other." By that I mean, I believe it is a false assumption that because our people live in a world of media overload we must counter that with more media. The time has well come for us to be - dare I say it, "Simple." I believe that Christians need a place where the announcements and programs are few and concise. A place where there is a family atmosphere intentionally spiritual and profoundly supernatural. I am not saying that we cant make certain contextual changes - or that we must jettison technology on the whole. But what I am saying is that there is nothing that much "other" or "different" about us if we continually try to match the atmosphere of the world. Church should be holy,distinct and much more supernatual oriented thatn most are. It may be that people are hungrier than we realize for depth and simplicity. The average family is overwhelmed with work, shopping, appointments, balls games, trips, family get togethers, doctor and dentist appointments, holidays and a myriad of other "stuff" - and all this is without the Church schedule.
We don't need to be afraid of being, Biblically Simple - First Century, i.e. Acts 2.42-47
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<strong>Point 4)</strong> Life is what is missing.......we are, on the whole absent of the power of the Holy Spirit. I may, at another time suggest ways to seek His power, but I think any diagnosis that does not start with the obvious absence of the power of the Holy Spirit is a misdiagnosis. Let me share a quote that I think is on point: <br />
<ul>
<li>
"<em>We had done quite a lot of thinking and self-examining the previous few years. It seemed to us that so much of Christianity was being spread by advertising designed to “put across”something, that there as very little genuine recognition of the supernatural. Suppose we had awakened today to find everything concerning the Holy Spirit and prayer removed from the Bible – what difference would is make practically between the way we work yesterday and the way we would work today and tomorrow? What difference would it make in the majority of Christians’ practical work and plants. Where does the supernatural power of God have a real place? Challenged by this we begin the think and look over our own lives and work….”</em>
</li>
</ul>
I believe we must admit that two things are at work. A) we have not paid the price of first generation Independent Baptists in seeking God and desiring deeper devotional nearness to Him B) we are in the Apostasy Scripture said would come. Both of these have combined, I believe, to strip us of our most valuable and precious birth right - the power of the Living and Almighty Holy Spirit. <br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><strong><em>"Fruit growers use baskets, and in the Church we have to organize
methods and programs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re important
and necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>But if the crops fails
and there’s no life in the trees, you’re not going to improve matters by buying
better baskets</u>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vance Havner<o:p></o:p></em></strong></span></div>
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The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-82439508132037182212011-08-24T12:58:00.000-07:002011-08-24T13:07:35.804-07:00I respect and applaud Glenn Beck's "Restoring Courage" event in Jerusalem. I also believe it to be a sad indictment upon the modern Christian Church (in general) in America. How embarrassing that a radio/tv host has more prophetic sense of the times than many of the church leaders of America. What a sad contrast: Glenn Beck places his life and fortune on the line for the cause of the Jewish people. Evangelical Christianity has "Rock the Universe" night with Christian Rock bands at Universal Studios, cruises, newer bible versions than the newer one of last year and the closest thing to hell fire and brimstone preaching anyone can get today is Beth Moore and David Jeremiah. But I digress.
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<br />As much as I can, being a Bible believer, I support Glenn Beck's stand for Israel. But I could not help but notice a glaring omission: JESUS CHRIST. And therein lies the tragedy and the failure of even the most sincere efforts of Glenn Beck and others. The hope for Israel, as the Hope for America and all people of all races is Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God who is the only way by which man can be forgiven of his sins and redeemed unto God.
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<br />Tears came to my eyes as I watched the event unfold. So much zeal but not according to knowledge. Thousands of people looking to God for help and yet failing to see God pointing to His Son, Jesus Christ. Israel, the chosen people of God, struggling for survival - refusing to recall Christ's words when he said: <strong><em>"Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not. Behold your house is left unto you desolate."</em></strong>
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<br />While we should stand with Israel and commend those who support Israel, we can never forget several truths:
<br />1) The Gospel of Jesus Christ is more important than world peace and freedom. Better to live under a Communist regime and die saved through the shed blood of Jesus than to live free and die lost and without Christ Jesus as your Saviour.
<br />2) World peace will only be established upon the literal return and literal rule of Jesus Christ from the throne of David. And we are soon to see these glorious events unfold!
<br />3) Israel will continue to suffer, even more so through the Tribulation, until they receive their once rejected Messiah: Jesus of Nazareth the Son of God.
<br />4) Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ with passion and power!
<br />The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-76961962436320136322011-04-15T10:57:00.000-07:002011-04-15T11:03:52.131-07:00<em><span style="color:#660000;">Isaiah 1 -"...sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.....your country is desolate." </span></em><br /><br />I consider it an honor to open in prayer on such an important date as this, April 15th. And it is on this date that we are reminded of both the tyranny and the childish incompetence of our government. Our government has long ago ceased to be a government of the people, for the people and by the people. April 15th reminds us that our government is a now a detached & wicked group of ruling elites who view the American citizen as a purse to be plundered and a people to be manipulated. BUT - as much as we decry April 15th, it is not the date that has hurdled us down this road of national perdition. Rather - we lament our demise today because of dates that represent the rejection of Almighty God. <br />June 25, 1962 Engel v. Vitale - reciting of prayer in school <br />June 17, 1963 Abingtown v. Schemp: Bible reading rejected in school. <br />Jan 22, 1973 Roe v. Wade - Where our nation decided murder of the unborn was more convenient than moral abstinence and purity. <br /><br />**** These are the dates that live in our national infamy. <br /><br />As a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - I declare that we pray, not for Republicans/Democrats, not for Left/Right, not for Taxes, Economy, War on Terror or any of these other issues.......NO Today we pray as a people humbled and sinful before our Creator - we pray as a people that know and confess that the only One who knows how to fix our country is the Founder of our country: Almighty God in the Person of Jesus Christ. <br />We - gathering here today we must repent and seek real revival in our own lives..... <br />· We Must Flee to Christ Jesus for our Personal Salvation <br />· We Must Repent to God for our Carnal and Selfish lives <br />· We Must demand of our leaders an understanding that God and Righteousness are not campaign cliché's but the only and true hope of our Nation. <br /><br />*******We must understand our greatest fear is not China, the Collapse of the Dollar, Obama - - NO! Our Greatest Fear is to Fall into the Judging hands of God whom we have rejected and insulted.The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-66333603685109796522011-04-06T08:35:00.000-07:002011-04-06T08:46:32.276-07:00<p><strong>Genesis 2.1-17 </strong></p><br /><p><strong><span style="color:#660000;">I - Verses 1-3: Two Key Things. </span></strong></p><br /><p><strong><em>1. The Seventh Day i.e. Sabbath </em></strong><em>{NOT for Christians - it was given under the Law in Exodus 20.8 & was a sign between God and the nation of Israel in Exodus 31.13} </em></p><br /><p>A. Type of our Salvation - Matt 11.28 </p><br /><p>B. Type of the Millennium -Is 11.10 </p><br /><p>C. Type of God's Daily Blessings - Jer 6.16 </p><br /><p><strong><em>*** We can "apply" this in that it is wise and healthy to dedicate Sunday to the Lord . </em></strong></p><br /><p><em><strong>2. Sanctify i.e. Sanctified - Jude v. 1 </strong>{The Law of first mention shows us the meaning - it means to be set apart for God's use or purpose.} </em></p><br /><p><strong><em>*** That should be the description of every Christian's life: set part for God's use and purpose. </em></strong></p><br /><p><strong><span style="color:#660000;">II - Verses 4-6: The Lord God. </span></strong><em>{Up until this point it has only been, God. Now we see the wording, "Lord God} </em></p><br /><p><strong>Lord/ Jehovah</strong>: self existent one the reveals himself. </p><br /><p><strong><em>*** NOTICE - that the revealing aspect only comes after creation: Romans 1.19-20 </em></strong></p><br /><p></p><br /><p><strong><span style="color:#660000;">III - Verse 7: Man is Formed. </span></strong><em>{There are a couple of things to be noted} </em>· Man is Triune - salvation is whole man </p><br /><p>· Man is created with age - all creation </p><br /><p>· Man's environment in Eden was much different than today - which throws off carbon & geological dating. </p><br /><p></p><br /><p><strong><span style="color:#660000;">IV - Verses 8- 14 Eden and the Garden. </span></strong><em>ST: There are two things here: </em>1. Eden is the Middle East </p><br /><p>2. God's intention and plan is a Literal Land Kingdom here on Earth and the Middle East will continue to bee the hot spot of Earth until Christ sets up that Literal Land Kingdom. </p><br /><p><strong>EXAMPLE </strong>- 4 Bible Empires, Ottoman, Crusades, Imperial Britain, Napoleon, WWI, WWI, Cold War, War on Terror, WWIII, Armageddon.... <strong><em>*** The Bible is far more up to date that we want to believe or realize!!!! </em></strong></p><br /><p><strong><span style="color:#660000;">V - Verses 15-17 Two Trees. </span></strong><em>ST: There is a difference between "speculation" and "biblical speculation." We are going to engage in the latter!!! </em><strong>**** What were the two trees in the garden of Eden around which so much trouble gathered? </strong></p><br /><p>1<strong> - The Tree of Life: Olive Tree. </strong><em>ST: A "few" reasons why: </em></p><br /><p>· Noah Ark, Gen 8.11, Olive Branch brought back by the Dove a type of the Holy Spirit </p><br /><p>· Olive Oil for lamp in Tabernacle </p><br /><p>· Paul speak of our union to Christ as being grafted into a tree - Olive Tree </p><br /><p>· Mt. of Olives in Christ's ministry:</p><br /><p>Second Coming Discourse Ascension Return </p><br /><p></p><br /><p><strong>2 - The Tree of Knowledge: Grape Tree (vine) </strong><em>ST: a few reasons why: </em>· Noah blessed by Olive/Cursed by Vine · </p><br /><p>Ez 15 states "Vine Tree" </p><br /><p>· Jesus is called 'True Vine (Jn 15) vs. the false vine of the earth (Rev 18) </p><br /><p>· Wine connected with Drunkenness & Nakedness: </p><br /><p>Adam & Eve, Noah, Lot </p><br /><p>· Type of Blood forbidden by God </p><br /><p></p><br /><p></p><br /><p><strong>CLOSING:</strong> <strong><em>regardless of what the trees were we come back to the same formula. God's blessings are on those who ARE what He wants, DOING what He wants, WHERE he wants.</em></strong></p>The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-23466385519584694442011-01-10T07:22:00.000-08:002011-01-10T07:41:44.549-08:00REMINDER: <span style="color:#990000;">Following Christ as a disciple means following the <strong><em>overall lifestyle</em></strong> he modeled for us. It means practicing the kinds of activities and life choices he practiced. Being able to do what Jesus "would do" in any given situation is based upon living like Jesus "did live" in every aspect of life. </span><br /><br /><p><strong>I - Christianity includes the "bodily" component</strong> - IN FACT -you cannot have a full Christian experience without recognizing the reality of the body any more than you could have a "full Christ" without recognizing his real, concrete bodily nature;<br /><strong><em>****There is "concreteness" to the Christian life that is often over looked.<br /></em>EXAMPLE -</strong> <em>"Incarnation" - "Cross" - "Resurrection"<br /></em><strong>SCRIPTURAL EXAMPLES</strong>: <em>Gen 2.17,Proverbs 3.1-2, 3.7-8, 14.30, 16.24, 17.22 I Cor 15.44 Romans 8.13 I Thess 5.23 I John 4.2-3<br /><br /></em><strong>A)</strong> When we fail to <strong><em><span style="color:#990000;">integrate our bodies</span></em></strong> by scriptural means (i.e. spiritual disciplines) into our Christian practise we lose the full power and vitality of the Christian life. WHY? Because the Christian life is meant to be lived - IN THE BODY ( II Corinthians 5, I Corinthians 15 - Philippians 1.20 "...so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body.")<br /><br /><strong>B)</strong> When we fail to recognize the involvement of our bodies we fail to see <strong><em><span style="color:#990000;">sin’s concreteness or true nature and reality</span></em></strong>.<br /><br /><strong>**** Sin and Spiritual Growth has a "concreteness" in our body that can be observed:<br /></strong>• Angry with your wife - roll your eyes<br />• Lust- hold your stomach in, change the inflection of your voice, instinctively brush your hair<br />• Covet/Materialism - nervous, frustration until purchase something<br />• Lying - feel it in our stomach…..<br />• Depression - sleep, facial expressions<br />• Over-Extended - easily mad, physical expression<br /><br /><strong>II - Spiritual Disciplines are "tools" of grace</strong> that help us address the concrete reality of sin and need for spiritual growth in our life –<br />(Fasting, Solitude, Silence, Celebration, Meditation, Memorization, Service, Schedules) - are all concrete tools to help us address concrete problems.<br /><strong><em>*** It is vital to understand that it is "grace" and the direction of the Holy Spirit that infuses these tools with real spiritual power. </em></strong></p><p><strong><em></em></strong></p><p><strong>III - Spiritual Disciplines practised over an extended period of time guided by Biblical truth and the Grace of the Holy Spirit are great tools for concrete growth in our spiritual life</strong></p><p>A) Exposes our true weakness and areas of need. </p><p>B) Allows us to bring Christianity out of the theoretical.</p><p>C) We learn to "grow" in grace<strong><em><br /><br /></em></strong></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>PLAN: The Power of Scheduled Spiritual Activities<br /></strong></span><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>Genesis 2.2-3, Exodus 12.1-2, Lev 23.6, Deut 16.10, 16.13, Acts 3.1, I Cor 16.1<br /><br />A. Schedule theme to pray about throughout the week.<br />B. Schedule 3 quiet times: not talking at God but listening reviewing a portion of scripture or even reviewing something that was preached.<br />C. Schedule 1 Day of Thanksgiving: sharing your thanks, having a thanksgiving meal, journaling, praying.<br /></strong></span></p><p><span style="color:#ff0000;"></p></span>The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-75456540154994761472011-01-03T07:31:00.000-08:002011-01-03T07:42:30.219-08:00<p align="left"><strong>Christianity can only truly make a difference in our lives if it succeeds in two thing:<br />First,</strong> it must answer the problem of <em>“Personal Depravity”</em> before God.<br />John 3.3-8<br /><strong>Second,</strong> it must answer the problem of <em>“Personal Development”</em> towards God.<br />Romans 12.1-2<br /><br /><strong>The Solution to both is met in and through Jesus Christ!<br /></strong>We are Redeemed/Regenerated through the finished work of Christ.<br />We are Transformed/Grow through the ongoing work of Christ.<br /><br /><strong>MAIN POINT</strong>: <em><span style="color:#cc0000;">Following Christ as a disciple means following the <strong>overall lifestyle</strong> he modeled for us. It means practicing the kinds of activities and life choices he practiced. <strong>Being able to do what Jesus would do in any given situation is based upon living like Jesus lived in every aspect of life.<br /></strong></span></em><strong>EXAMPLE </strong>– Being able to play the piano at concert level is not based upon will power in the moment but hours of practice and “discipline.” The concert pianist lives a certain kind of disciplined lifestyle that allows him to play wonderfully in the moment. But it is the discipline that produces the beauty not just the desire or mere will power. </p><p align="left"><em><span style="color:#cc0000;">So then being a disciple of Christ is about pursuing a life style i.e. physical/bodily activities that assissted by God's grace produce the kind of Christ-like character we desire.</span><br /><br /></em><strong>PROBLEMS WE RUN INTO:<br />A)</strong> <strong>We have the faulty idea that failure is due to lack of will power when in fact it is mainly due to a lack of spiritual training.<br />EXAMPLE </strong>– If I am incapable of bench pressing 200 pounds I do not blame “will power” but rather a lack of “muscle build up.”<br /><strong>EXAMPLE </strong>– Controlling my tongue is not just a matter of “will power” but rather a matter of spiritual training or the lack thereof.<br /><strong>**** Remember – that in the spiritual realm, just as in the physical, there is cause and effect.<br /><br />B)</strong> <strong>We often try to start with the fruit rather than the seed.</strong> By that I mean that simply desiring to control your temper won’t work. <em>Self control is the “fruit” not the seed</em>. Loving your spouse more Christ-like is the “fruit” not the seed. Spiritual disciplines, assisted by God’s grace through the Holy Spirit, are the “seeds” from which grow the “fruit” we desire and God intends.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">This Week's Spiritual Discipline</span></strong>: <em><strong>Scheduled Spiritual Activities.<br /></strong>**** Not by accident or emotion; but rather, a scheduled and intentional approach to our spiritual formation in Christ.<br /></em><strong>PLAN:<br /></strong>2 scheduled times of spiritual reading (scripture, biographies…).<br />2 scheduled times of prayer &thoughtfulness: journalling, music, quiet walk (30 minutes each).<br />Journal your thoughts, ideas, feelings<br /><strong>FINAL NOTE</strong>: <em><strong>Don’t be surprised or discouraged by failure. You only realize your muscles are not ready to bench press 200 pounds when you try to pick up 200 pounds! </strong></em></p>The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-78773601018777144462010-07-29T06:57:00.000-07:002010-07-29T07:08:23.799-07:00<div align="left">Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn was a Soviet[ and Russian novelist, dramatist, and historian.<br /><span style="color:#990000;">Partial Text of an Address by<br />Alexander Solzhenitsyn<br />at Harvard Class Day Afternoon Exercises,<br />Thursday, June 8, 1978<br /></span><br /><strong><em>Humanism and Its Consequences<br /></em></strong>How has this unfavorable relation of forces come about? How did the West decline from its triumphal march to its present sickness? Have there been fatal turns and losses of direction in its development? It does not seem so. The West kept advancing socially in accordance with its proclaimed intentions, with the help of brilliant technological progress. And all of a sudden it found itself in its present state of weakness.<br />This means that the mistake must be at the root, at the very basis of human thinking in the past centuries. I refer to the prevailing Western view of the world which was first born during the Renaissance and found its political expression from the period of the Enlightenment. It became the basis for government and social science and could be defined as rationalistic humanism or humanistic autonomy: <em><strong>the proclaimed and enforced autonomy of man from any higher force above him. It could also be called anthropocentricity, with man seen as the center of everything that exists.<br /></strong></em>The turn introduced by the Renaissance evidently was inevitable historically. The Middle Ages had come to a natural end by exhaustion, becoming an intolerable despotic repression of man's physical nature in favor of the spiritual one. Then, however, we turned our backs upon the Spirit and embraced all that is material with excessive and unwarranted zeal. This new way of thinking, which had imposed on us its guidance, <strong><em>did not admit the existence of intrinsic evil in man nor did it see any higher task than the attainment of happiness on earth</em></strong>. It based modern Western civilization on the dangerous trend to worship man and his material needs. Everything beyond physical well-being and accumulation of material goods, all other human requirements and characteristics of a subtler and higher nature, were left outside the area of attention of state and social systems, as if human life did not have any superior sense. That provided access for evil, of which in our days there is a free and constant flow. <strong><em>Merely freedom does not in the least solve all the problems of human life and it even adds a number of new ones.<br /></em></strong>However, in early democracies, as in American democracy at the time of its birth, all individual human rights were granted because man is God's creature. <strong><span style="font-size:130%;">That is, freedom was given to the individual conditionally, in the assumption of his constant religious responsibility</span></strong>. Such was the heritage of the preceding thousand years. Two hundred or even fifty years ago, it would have seemed quite impossible, in America, that an individual could be granted boundless freedom simply for the satisfaction of his instincts or whims. Subsequently, however, all such limitations were discarded everywhere in the West; a total liberation occurred from the moral heritage of Christian centuries with their great reserves of mercy and sacrifice. State systems were becoming increasingly and totally materialistic. The West ended up by truly enforcing human rights, sometimes even excessively, but man's sense of responsibility to God and society grew dimmer and dimmer. In the past decades, the legalistically selfish aspect of Western approach and thinking has reached its final dimension and the world wound up in a harsh spiritual crisis and a political impasse. <strong><em>All the glorified technological achievements of Progress, including the conquest of outer space, do not redeem the Twentieth century's moral poverty which no one could imagine even as late as in the Nineteenth Century.<br /></em></strong><br />____________________________________________________________</div><div align="left">I truly cried as I read this; I pray that God would grant us true revival - because the great need of our nation is repentance. <br /></div>The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-19478473648442256032010-05-20T17:07:00.000-07:002010-05-20T17:11:29.914-07:00Freedom of Speech<strong>Freedom of speech is freedom of thought.</strong> Freedom of speech is more than a right to articulate mere syllables and words; it is a right to think and consequently believe. Speech expresses ideas and ideas are the fruit of unfettered thought. Groups, forces, bureaucracies and philosophical ideologies within our government are seeking to curtail speech and ultimately to control thought. Freedom of speech is <strong>“the”</strong> precious treasure that must be defended at all costs. The loss of this treasure does not just affect us politically but spiritually. For our part, Christians must rouse from our sleep and recognize the dangers facing us in this day. To control our political speech is only a breath away from controlling religious speech.<br /><br /><em><span style="color:#cc0000;">Rev. Charles Turner: "Religious liberty is so blended with civil, that if one falls it is not to be expected that the other will continue."</span></em><br /><br />We as Preachers can no longer treat what is unfolding on the nightly news as just another political turf war between the Republicans & Democrats. We must wake up and see that what we are facing is a fundamental battle between “right and wrong” between “freedom and slavery” between those who are peaceable towards the Christian faith and those who are actively anti-Christian. We are facing the radical and intentional transformation of our nation. Preachers cannot put their heads in the sand no matter how noble a name we give to that sand. It has always been a dangerous balancing act for Pastors to be involved in politics but we must run that risk now in these perilous times. <em><strong>We must run the risk of being “too political” now in order that we may preserve our freedoms tomorrow.</strong></em><br />We must not be afraid to declare from our pulpits that our freedoms as a nation are being plundered. The call to arms is now; the need is now – I fear that far too many Pastors and Christian leaders do not grasp the precipice of chaos and tragedy that we are dangling from. We must rise to take the lead at the Tea Parties. We must contact our local and state and national elected officials and demand of them character. We must warn our people publicly from the pulpit. We must declare openly that while Capitalism has its flaws Communism has spilled the innocent blood of untold millions of Christians. We must unashamedly declare that we are living in a Congressional and Presidential despotism. <strong><em>Preachers – our voices must be heard – lovingly if we can…..loudly if we must….heard at all costs.</em></strong><br /><br /><strong><em><span style="color:#cc0000;">John Hancock: “Tis immortality to sacrifice ourselves for the salvation of our country. We fear not death, we dread nothing but slavery.”<br /></span></em></strong>The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-48901405036863282472010-04-22T07:32:00.000-07:002010-04-22T08:01:14.829-07:00Negative Preachers<strong><span style="color:#000000;">Ezekiel 13.10& 16
<br /></span></strong><span style="color:#000000;"><em>Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter:
<br />To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD. </em>
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<br /></em><strong>One ingredient missing in many pulpits is: Negativity.</strong> I was recently watching a “Glen Beck” episode and he had an open forum show. The people were asking Mr. Beck questions and making comments. One such comment from a lady in the audience that caught my attention was whether or not he was afraid of being <em>“too negative.”</em> Mr. Beck made one of his funny replies but then in a serious tone made no excuse for being “negative.” <em><strong>The implication of his response was that the times called for truth and if the truth was negative – so be it.
<br /></strong></em>The day in which we live demands truth. And if that truth be negative we are derelict in our duty as ministers if we gloss over it and make light of it for fear of being labeled, “negative.” Such was the case of the false prophets of Ezekiel’s day. They scorned a message that emphasized God’s wrath. They mocked the tears and fearful strains of Ezekiel’s message – but history has proven Ezekiel correct. I have been reading The Log College by Archibald Alexander. Here is an account of the attitude and preaching style of Rev. John Tennent, during the First Great Awakening:
<br />
<br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"><em>
<br /><blockquote>
<br /><p><span style="color:#cc0000;"><em>“…he was very awakening and terrible to
<br />unbelievers in denouncing and describing with the most vehement pathos and awful solemnity the terrors of an offended Deity, the threats of a broken law, and the miseries of a sinful state. <strong>And this subject he insisted much upon, because he, with many others, found it the most effectual and successful means to alarm secure sinners.”</strong></em></span><strong> </strong></p></blockquote></em></span>This kind of preaching has never been common but it is even less so today. We as preachers are subtly urged to be pleasant, jovial, engaging and helpful. We are “allowed” to take our conservative stand as long as it is in the appropriate way and manner. The message must be positive; negativity will drive people from Christ – so we are told. Yet, even a cursory investigation of the great awakenings and revivals of history reveal to us a completely opposite picture. It was not a light hearted casual manner that the Holy Spirit used to awaken the people; rather, it was a declaration of the glory & terror of the Living God that drove men to be healed through the balm of Calvary.
<br />All true revivals have in them to some degree the fear of God’s wrath, judgment, justice and terror. Certainly our goal is not to leave the sinner in such a state of despair….perish the thought! Our goal is to bring men to Christ Jesus and see the grace of Christ applied to the wounded heart! But how can such hearts be healed that have never been wounded? How can men flee to Christ unless they are fleeing from hell? How can people truly recognize the error of their ways without being informed they are, in fact, in error? I was recently listening to a very popular Christian band. This particular song I was listening to was talking about a young lady that was pregnant out of wedlock and how that when she came to church she was looked down upon and treated unkindly. The song was chastising the Church to be more kind and forgiving and to share the love and forgiveness of Christ. My immediate thought is that this song was written by people that have no actual concept of what is going on at the front lines of Christianity. For every one Church that may treat a young lady in such an unkind way I could point out many more churches where a young lady pregnant out of wedlock could go and never feel the least bit of discomfort over her sin. No – I refuse the premise of the song….and the very premise of the modern Church thought along these lines. We are to be kind, forgiving and gracious. We are to help such a young lady. But sin is sin! And it is vital - scriptural - that such a young lady (or any sinner) be warned and brought to a place of humility and subjection before God. Notice how Samuel Blair recounts the attitude of those being touched by God during a revival:
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<br /></strong></em></span><span style="color:#cc0000;"><em>
<br /><blockquote><span style="color:#cc0000;"><em>“I had opportunity of speaking with a great many
<br />of those who afforded such outward tokens of inward soul concern…..I found that
<br />with by far the greater part their apparent concern in public was not a
<br />transient qualm of conscience or merely a floating commotion of the affections;
<br />but a <strong>rational fixed conviction of their dangerous perishing state.”
<br /></strong></em></span></blockquote></em></span>
<br /></em></strong></span>These are the words of a Godly man preaching during a time of great outpourings of the Holy Spirit. Yet today this kind of preaching and attitude is foreign. We have replaced the Awakening style and attitude of preaching with an attitude that is, jovial and light. But is the condition of the sinner and of our Nation one that calls for jovial and light? Ten thousand times no!
<br /><strong>We need negative preachers because the truth we are facing in our nation today is negative.</strong> I know that is not the popular thing to say, and I know that I will be misunderstood by some and considered out of balance by others. But we need men of God who see the danger of the day; men who can see the Babylonians breaching the walls; men who can warn us to flee to God for He alone is our fortress and it is God alone whom we have grieved. <strong>We need a generation of preachers that will rise up and proclaim truth – even if it is negative.
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<br /></strong><strong></strong>The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-65662288438215423492010-03-23T13:03:00.000-07:002010-03-23T13:06:41.735-07:00<span style="color:#3333ff;"><span style="color:#333399;"> </span><span style="color:#990000;"> In year gone by we heard the shrieks of “conspiracy nuts” warning us of the things we now see unfolding before our eyes. The recent vote and passage of health care reform, Government bail outs, the unprecedented actions of the Federal Reserve, Government ownership of car companies and a host of other actions have left us stunned and incredulous. America is in grave danger. What we are witnessing unfold before us is the intentional dismantling of a system based upon Christian ethics and morality. And in its place we see the installation of a new world system that is based upon humanism and Godlessness. The shrieks of the “nuts” now sound more like clarion calls of warning.<br /> Yet, as Christians, we must look beyond the politics and see the true cause of the demise of our nation. We are disintegrating as a nation not because of our political choices but because of our moral choices. The news pundits on the right would have us believe that it is all because of Barak Obama or the Democrats. But this national decay and destruction has been a long time in the making. We have sown with indifference in the face of God and now we are beginning to reap the harvest. It is hypocrisy to blame the Democrats, the Republicans, Washington or Wall Street. We are to blame: you and I. As long as our stocks were safe, our investments were growing and our 401ks and mortgages were untouched we were blissfully happy. There was the frustration with certain aspect of society; but there certainly was not the outrage and righteous anger we now see. The great tragedy of our time is that our “righteous” anger has been stirred –not by moral outrage by financial frustration. Where has our “anger” been as believers and conservatives? God was kicked out of our schools, homosexuality was crammed down our collective throats, sexual immorality ran rampant and abortion has claimed millions of lives. Where was our righteous anger then? The tragedy that I see is that the Conservative movement: i.e. the “Tea Party” movement (which I am a part of) has excluded themselves from any wrong doing and taken a moral high ground position – of which we are not worthy. We must ask ourselves this question: what were we doing when we had prosperity and freedom? What happens if a new group of politicians takes over Washington and taxes are lowered and health care repealed and life goes back to “normal?” Was that normal righteous? Were our schools, homes, churches and morals as a nation so good two years ago? The Tea party movement, the Conservative resurgence and all other political movements will fail miserably if we do not return to the foundation that acknowledges our moral responsibility before Almighty God.<br /> Simply resetting the nation to a Pre-Obama administration is not the answer. We stand on the precipice of something far more vast and in a time far more important. What we are seeing is the hand of God being removed from our shores; We must return to a day in which God was feared....not just shown lip service. Today, I was at a local college where I take courses. An older man in our class began to talk about the health care reform bill being passed and how that our country was being taken away from us. The rest of the class (mostly young twenties) laughed at him out loud. They thought him to be a nut. But they do not see that history stands against them; and far more terrifying is that God stands against them. Our privileges were given to us as a nation because of our recognition and accountability to God. We must recognize that this is more than a political issue; we are facing darker days ahead unless we address the moral poison that has nearly strangled our nation.<br />So how do we do this? While rallies and marches on Washington may or may not affect politics, how can we as a people “under God” return to living in the light of the knowledge and authority of our “Divine Maker?”<br /><strong>I – Repentance for our sins and indifference to God</strong>: not confessing our nations or others sins: ours!<br /></span><span style="color:#990000;"><strong>II –Radical Commitment to Living the Christian truths and morals on a day to day basis regardless of its cost to our status in society.<br />III – Return to morality and righteousness being the most important truth.</strong><br /><strong>IV – Re-engaging the political world with the truth of morality and the Judeo-Christian ethic. </strong></span><em><span style="color:#990000;">Personality, Parties and Promises must all kneel to the primary issue: morality and fear of God.<br /></span></em><strong><span style="color:#990000;">V – Recapturing our Children’s education.<br />VI - Revival: the all-powerful hand of God working in our midst.</span> </strong></span>The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-75826633445485064032009-09-05T05:43:00.000-07:002009-09-05T05:44:54.264-07:00Healthcare Letter: a letter written by Christi Tillis to Glenn BeckI have a BRCA1 genetic mutation. Approximately 1 out of 500 women carry this mutation, drastically increasing their chances for cancer. At 31, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Thanks to a compassionate, cooperative team of doctors at Moffitt Cancer Center, I was able to choose how I wanted to battle the disease. Because of my increased risk, I was aggressive with my early, Stage 1 cancer, opting for a bilateral mastectomy, chemotherapy, reconstruction, hysterectomy, preventative drug therapy, and routine follow up care. Other oncologists have told me that much of my treatment was unnecessary, but I wanted to be certain that, if my cancer ever comes back, I will be able to say that I did everything I could. If it returns, it won’t be because of inaction on my part.<br />I have a daughter that is 8 years old and she has a 50/50 chance of inheriting my genetic mutation. She can test for that genetic mutation as early as 16. If she tests positive, she can choose to surgically remove her breast tissue and ovaries preventatively, reducing her chance of developing cancer dramatically. She could also choose to try preventative drug therapy or increased surveillance with frequent mammograms and testing. These are all options that she would have at her disposal in today’s world of cancer treatment.<br />I am terrified that the healthcare system is about to take one giant step backward and these options will not be available for my daughter. Instead, Anna will have to undertake a treatment plan designed for her by a board of doctors, insurance representatives and possibly even government bureaucrats and their decision will undoubtedly be based primarily upon cost.<br />Today, I heard a report that says that in Great Britain, the drug I take to reduce my chance of developing a recurrence, Arimidex, is not widely prescribed to breast cancer survivors because it is expensive. I searched online for verification, but I couldn’t find it… but I did find this quote:<br />“In the U.S., women have a 63 percent of living at least five years after diagnosis, and men have a 66 percent chance—the highest survival rates in the world. These figures reflect the care available to all Americans, not just those with private health coverage. In Great Britain, which has had a government-run universal health-care system for half a century, the figures were 53 percent for women and 45 percent for men, near the bottom of the 23 countries surveyed.” Quoted from Would Universal Healthcare Wreck Cancer Treatment? <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2174722/pagenum/2">http://www.slate.com/id/2174722/pagenum/2</a><br /><br />People in their twenties or thirties like me, never stop to consider that they will get old and they will become one of these statistics. They only look at the cost of coverage. Although my coverage is expensive, I always felt like my insurance company had my best interest at heart. I would continue to find a way to pay for my insurance no matter how much my premiums go up because I know the value of private medical insurance when you need it.<br /><br />I wanted to tell you that I appreciate your stand and your voice against Obamacare. Please don’t give up the fight… my daughter is counting on people like you.The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-34807087458478402132009-08-29T19:31:00.000-07:002009-08-29T19:49:55.762-07:00Average American<div align="left">I was reading Glenn Beck’s “Common Sense” when I came across a statement that caused much reflection. He stated in regards to the corruption of Washington leaders, <em><strong>“By lowering our standards for them, we’ve lowered the standards for ourselves.”</strong></em> <span style="color:#000000;">I believe this is inaccurate. </span> In today’s political atmosphere, there’s a push towards a Neo-Marxist transformation of our Democratic Republic. Radicals have replaced Statesmen, Community Organizers have replaced Community Leaders and Czars rule the land where once Senators legislated. I do not dispute the dangerous Marxist agenda that is being thrust down the throat of the country. Yet it is the ignorance of history that assumes our generation is the only generation to face attacks from ideologues such as these. Our nation’s history reflects the constant presence and persistence of radicals that have sought the destruction of the American way of life.<br /> <strong><em>Our country is in great trouble today but not merely due to the new found power and influence of Marxist radicals; rather</em></strong>, <strong><span style="color:#cc0000;"><span style="color:#000000;"><em>it is due to an ongoing spiritual deterioration of our people: the average American</em></span>. </span></strong> Beck’s statement should be written:<span style="color:#000000;"> <strong>“By lowering the standards for ourselves, we have lowered the standards for them.”</strong></span> The primary place where blame is to be identified is not Washington, Wall Street, Hollywood or even Academia: <strong>it is in the “Average American.”</strong> Those who are protesting, fighting and scared for our country are exactly the ones who must step to the front line and hear with humility the declaration of our guilt and complicity in our nation’s demise. Our leaders are corrupt, but they are only reflections of a society that has become corrupt.<br /> Note for exampe, DEBT – how can the government lead us into national debt beyond our wildest dreams? How can they justify spending money that they do not have for things that they do not need? When did it become acceptable governmental business practice to destroy our future, the Dollar and the economic fabric of our society? These are legitimate questions. This September 12, thousands will gather at Washington to revolt against a government in debt, spending money they don’t have and exercising no fiscal discipline whatsoever. HOWEVER, <em>many of those same people will return to their homes, themselves in needless materialistic debt themselves!</em> Not legitimate debt such as a car or home, but debt accrued through the unbridled American frenzy for all things new. The average American household is in debt for such "vital" things as: Wii’s, Blackberries, big screen T.V.s, new furniture (as opposed to the ancient 3 year old furniture) and an endless list of other-things. Are we not reaping in government what we have sown in our personal lives? We as a people have spent years accumulating life crushing debt. After decades of self-absorbed spending, is it any wonder that the day has come that the government insanity of debt has finally come to reflect the personal insanity of debt? <br /> Consider HYPOCRISY – the self serving attitude of our government leaders oozes from the television screen every night. Their principles are based upon expediency; their standards grounded upon convenience. They hypocrasy is a revolting stench. But are we any better? Is it not the height of hypocrisy that it is money that has called us to protest? Many “Christian Conservatives” have gathered at recent town hall meetings protesting against higher taxes. But where were the marches on Washington when God was removed from the school system? Where were the marches of the people when Roe v. Wade was being enacted? Where has our righteous indignation been as moral filth has flooded our homes, schools, neighborhoods and lives? <strong><em>Where? — We were making and enjoying money!</em></strong> <strong><em>We were intoxicated with materialism. </em></strong> Now, the true opiate of the people is being threatened; and only now do we wake to call Washington hypocrites for disturbing our own hypocrisy.<br /> Dreaded MARXISM – is threatening our nation today. At the core of Marxism/Communism is Godlessness. But the Marxists in our nation are only taking the next logical step that our own Godlessness has led them to. They are only putting into action the idea that has been in the minds average Americans. <strong><em>Today Marxism rejects God’s reality in our lives because yesterday we have rejected God’s authority in our lives.</em></strong> We are fearful that the new movements in this nation are going to oust God from our nation. <strong>They are, in fact, only ousting the “memory” of God, for God has been long ago been forgotten.</strong></div><div align="left"> The national catastrophe at our door step is the result of people – <strong><em>average Americans </em></strong>. It is the result of the “American Way of Life” without God. It is easier for our conscience to blame “them”; but they are nothing less than our own reflections. <strong><em>Washington, Hollywood and Wall Street are what they are because deep in our hearts we are what we are - Sinners. </em></strong> If we are going to see any hope for our nation, it begins in repentance. Let each individial and each home enter into private repentance before God – this is our only hope. </div>The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-89980183825275886972009-07-15T10:57:00.000-07:002009-07-15T11:02:32.482-07:00"The Beautiful and Damned"Gloria and Anthony are sad characters from a sad story written by a sad man: "The Beautiful and Damned" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The story, no doubt, is intensely, autobiographical regarding Fitzgerald’s own marriage and decent into debauchery. The two main characters, Gloria and Anthony, have everything in the world going for them – humanly speaking. Yet, their tale is one of drunkenness, emotional torture and unhappiness. It is a tale told in a thousand different ways in a thousand different lives around us every day.<br />There is in this story is a brief dialogue between Gloria and Anthony. Gloria is discovered by Anthony to be following a trendy new religion based upon reincarnation. He is flabbergasted and thinks that she is being silly and foolish.<br /><strong>Anthony</strong>: <em><span style="color:#cc0000;">“….if you must have faith to soften things, take up one that appeals to the reason of someone beside a lot of hysterical women. A person like you oughtn’t to accept anything unless it’s decently demonstrable.”</span></em><br /><strong>Gloria:</strong> <span style="color:#cc0000;"><strong><em>“I don’t care about truth. I want some happiness.”<br /></em></strong></span>When I read that statement I felt as if I was reading into the soul of the writer, into the soul of a million lives, into the soul of a neighbor. As sad as it may seem the character Gloria was honest – happiness was the goal not truth.<br />In reading this there was several thoughts that came to mind.<br /><strong>One </strong>– This is the heart of all those that are without Christ. Too often we speak of the lost as if they are searching for God and only need to be shown the way. Sentimental this may be it, but it is incorrect when viewed next to the bible’s description of the sinner: “there is none that seeketh after God.” The reality is that what the world is seeking is happiness not truth. Yes, the sinner may find out by experience that the pleasures of life do not lead to true happiness. But this does not mean that when they come to Church they are “seeking God.” They are seeking God only in relation to how much happiness God can bring to their lives. The sinner sees himself at the center of the universe: a god. He sees only his need of happiness as the end of all. This desire is often covered over with religious verbiage, moral platitudes and emotional upheaval – but in the end the search is not for reconciliation to God but happiness for self. I believe this, in part, explains why there is so much need for the “extras” to attract people into Church. There has been plenty of blame for low Church attendance lain at the foot of the Church herself. The may be true in part, but it must be balanced with the fact that the sinner is not interested in anything except “self” happiness. Because of this the Church unfortunately many times caters and cowers to the desires of sinners: happiness. Don’t tell me about God’s glory; fix my marriage so I can be happy. Don’t bother me about Heaven and Hell; teach me how to get out of debt. Don’t waste my time in listening to strong doctrinal preaching; wash me away in melody so that I can forget my problems. Happiness is what the sinner wants. It is wise for us to be aware of this reality. Interest in Church, bible studies, Church activities and other such things does not necessarily mean that one is interested in God. It is not until they are touched by the truth that their desire changes. Church often can merely be another in a long line of attempts to be happy.<br /><strong>Second </strong>– The Church does not peddle happiness it proclaims truth. I do not say that there is no happiness in the Christian life; I say that happiness is a secondary benefit to seeing, knowing and experiencing the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. The sinner is looking for happiness; the Church offers Christ. The sinner is consumed with a desire for immediate and earthly comfort; the Church declares eternal and spiritual blessings. The sinner wants freedom from guilt as a consequence; the Church preaches forgiveness and regeneration through the blood of Christ. Everything the Church has to offer is diametrically opposed to what the sinner wants – but is desperately what the sinner needs. As a Church we must never forget that though the truth we offer may be distasteful to some it is nevertheless what is needed for all. The Church is not called to be another means of happiness; we are called to be the pillar and ground of the truth. Christ is the way, the truth and the life. The danger for many of our Churches is that we are so desirous to reach the sinners with the gospel that we are emphasizing happiness over truth. We Christ in terms that emphasize how He can make their marriage better, finances better, parenting better, work experiences better, emotional baggage better – and yet – we fail to emphasize that all these things are secondary to the truth. The truth: mankind’s sin, God’s wrath, Christ’s death as the only way of forgiveness and a life lived in following Christ – this is what must be emphasized. Does it not appear to be bait and switch in some cases? We tell the sinner that Christ will make your life happy; yet, upon trying this new form of happiness the sinner is faced with anything but happiness. Instead of happiness there is discipline, self-denial, trials, sacrifice, testing, mortification and suffering. “This is the happiness I was promised,” the sinner thinks. When we appeal to the sinner to come to Christ for happiness have we not in essence lowered Christ down to every other means of happiness they have tried?<br />Christ Jesus is not offered for happiness first. Christ Jesus is offered for eternal life, for redemption for deliverance from the judgment of God.<br /><strong>Third </strong>– Real happiness necessitates truth. The line between delusion and happiness is truth. I recently had to visit someone in a mental ward. In walking down the hall to their room I passed many who were clinically insane. I was surprised to see how many of these people appeared to be genuinely happy. Their faces were aglow, their lives seemed worry free and they were enjoying the world in which they lived. The problem was that the world in which they lived was not real. I see, as a Pastor, so many people in counseling or in one on one conversation that are, simply put, delusional. They have so craved happiness that they have sacrificed truth. They are not interested in the truth of God’s word, rather, they are interested in what gives them happiness now. The way to real and lasting happiness is not in a pursuit of happiness as an end, but in a pursuit of God.<br />“…in the presence is fullness of joy’ at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.” Psalms 16.11The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-84709299932658918282009-06-09T12:06:00.000-07:002009-06-09T12:14:15.330-07:00Funeral Service June 9th 2009.<div align="left">James 4.14 “…For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” </strong></strong><br /><br />The Bible asks us a very serious question – <em><font color="#cc0000">“what is your life”</font></em> – and answers it in an equally serious way – <font color="#cc0000"><em>“it is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away.”</em><br /></font>One may be rich or poor, good or villainous, popular or unknown, successful or failed, live a long life or never live beyond the warmth of the cradle, but regardless of the stature of any life – it will soon vanish and pass away. The richest and longest life, when compared to the scope and weight of eternity, is only a vapor. The Bible in no uncertain terms teaches us that our lives are fleeting and the most important thing is to be prepared to face God. When we leave this life and enter into the realm of eternity – the most pressing question will be, “are you prepared to face and be judged by God.” The vastness of eternity will dwarf the fullest life; and you can fill this life with all of the pleasures and pursuits that a person could, yet, in the end, this life will fade away and eternity will stare each of us in the face.<br /><strong>Knowing the brevity of life as we do so keenly today I want to share with you the most important truth in all of this life and the next to come.<br /></strong>In the beginning of time God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the beautiful paradise of God here on this earth. Every good thing was provided for their pleasure and fellowship with God. God commanded only one thing: “don’t eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” All of God’s love and blessings were at hand and God only commanded one rule to be kept. To break this rule meant death. Yet, despite the goodness and severity of God, Adam & Eve sinned against God and ate of the fruit of the forbidden tree. That very moment something happened to mankind: man became sinful. Because of Adam’s sin every man and woman since Adam has been born into this world stained and corrupted in their souls by sin. Mankind sins in actions, attitude and aptitude. Mankind is corrupted and desperately wicked. And let us be careful not to be ambiguous when we say – mankind. You and I here today are sinners before a holy God. We are unable to keep God’s law and we are unable to measure up to God’s demands. Therefore we are separated from God and condemned to the judgment of God in the Lake of Fire. You may be here this morning and be religious, good, kind, charitable and an all around good person – but in the sight of God – our best is as filthy and corrupted rags. We are sinners; and the penalty for sin is death. It is death physically and death spiritually. Lost and undone mankind finds he is groping through life, rebellious and an enemy to the one that loves him.<br />But in the midst of this condemnation and curse of sin God gave a promise of redemption to Adam & Eve – and consequently humanity. God hung two coats of animal skins on Adam and Eve signifying that only through a blood sacrifice could sinful man have fellowship and forgiveness with Holy God. Throughout all the Old Testament countless thousands of animal sacrifices were given, all pointing to the day when the one perfect sacrifice would come to take away the sin of the world. That perfect sacrifice is Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Christ came to seek and to save the lost. Many of you here are familiar with the story how that Jesus was arrested, accused and wrongly sentenced to death. Christ was whipped without mercy, beaten, stripped naked and nailed to the cross. The physical suffering was unimaginable, yet that paled in comparison to the spiritual suffering Christ endured. There on Calvary Jesus Christ bore in his body the wrath of God against sin. All of the crushing weight, all of the terror of an angry God and the entire just penalty for sin due unto us – Jesus took into his soul: “…thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin.” There on Calvary Christ paid for the sins of the people and yielded his life as the only and complete sacrifice for sin. If our story ended there I would have nothing to preach and nothing to believe, but the story does not end there. Three days later Jesus Christ arose from the dead a living loving Savior able to save any that come to him. Christ ascended back into Heaven and for 2000 years the gospel has been proclaimed to all: “….come and take of the water of life freely.” Forgiveness of sins, escape from the wrath of God, peace and hope and fellowship with the Lord is through faith in the blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.<br /><strong><em>That is the Gospel!</em></strong> But please hear me very closely. <em><font color="#cc0000">Knowing the Gospel is not the same as being Saved. One may know the Gospel completely and entirely and yet die and be lost in hell forever.</font></em> Allow me to illustrate what I mean. Suppose with me that I am in the Gulf of Mexico drowning. I could know a great deal about life vests. I could know how they are made, what they are made of, what their purpose it – in fact I could strongly support the cause of life vests and even have given my allegiance to life vests, go to meetings about life vests and even sing songs about life vests. None of that, however, is going to save me. Only having the life vest on will save me.<br />My dear friends gathered here today in such sorrowful times. Because of our sins we are drowning and lost on the sea. It is having Christ as your Savior alone that will save you from the overwhelming waves and billows of God’s wrath. Do you have Christ: “he that hath the Son hath life; he that hath not the Son hath not life.” Is Christ your Savior, your Lord and your all? Without a saving experience in Jesus Christ you are forever lost regardless of how much you know about Jesus. If God were to unfurl the realm of eternity before our eyes we would hear one constant plea: “believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.” From the sinister depths of hell to the glorious heights of heaven, men and angels alike would echo in our ears pleading with us to flee to Christ, to repent and to trust in Jesus Christ and his blood alone for forgiveness. Today, if Mr. - - could speak he would likewise tell you eternity is real, heaven and hell are real, life is a vapor quickly passing away. Seek Christ as your Savior and cross the great divide with peace and joy.<br />I stand today as a messenger of God. Christ Jesus loves you; Christ Jesus has died for you and has made a way of hope and forgiveness. Flee to the one who loves you enough to die for you. Flee to him in your heart and plead to Christ: “….be merciful to me a sinner.” I can assure you on the very Word of God that there is a loving Savior who will come to you, heal your sins, forgive you and give you peace with God. For Mr. - - his choices have been made and his soul’s destiny has been sealed. He stands now in the hands of God. Yours, however, has not. Today is the day of salvation; today is the day of Christ’s love made open for you. Let us pray. </div>The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-28562130887371568722009-05-07T11:23:00.000-07:002009-05-07T11:28:49.020-07:00National day of Prayer Message May 7th, 2009<div align="left"><strong><span style="color:#cc0000;">Message Delivered on the National Day of Prayer in Palmetto Historical District<br />Isaiah 1:10-18<br /></span></strong><br /> I have been asked to bring the homily today for our community’s observance of the National Day of Prayer. I count it an honor to do so. When the Mayor’s office asked me to bring the homily I jokingly replied that, “I was not sure what a homily was but that I would be glad to preach.” They agreed; and that is what I intend to do: to preach in the allotted time God’s eternal truths for our day and need.<br /> Truly we are living in times when answers to prayers are desperately needed. I suppose that throughout the generations people have felt that their times and their troubles were the worst and signaled the end. I cannot answer for their part, but for our part I can say without caution or qualification that we are desperate times: times that our nation has never seen before. We are, today, in need of the intervention and power of a holy God. Abortion has stained the hands of our nation with the blood of innocents that can never be washed away nationally; Sexual sins (homosexuality, fornication & adultery) are rampant and there are few if any to blush at the foul and vulgar images laid bare for all to see; Violence like an acrimonious stench is permeating the air that we breathe; Materialism has made us financial vagabonds and slaves while our homes have become storage vaults for “stuff” rather than havens of love. Our once great Nation is being led, for the greater part, by men who are moral jackals roaming the halls of our once great government. Religion is making little difference as a whole on our nation; the sanctuaries are larger, the programs are more relevant, the use of technology is more accessible – yet – for all these things are land is void of prophets who stand without fear or favor and declare the goodness and severity of God in august passion. We need God to rend the heavens and come down among if ever we are to see more glorious and righteous days. We need God to answer Prayer<br /> Yet just because we gather to pray is no guarantee that God will answer. God is not an automated being forced into action by the mystic energy of prayer; nor is God inconsistent with Himself so that His love and mercy trumps and lays aside His holiness and justice. Prayer is only answered when God’s Conditions are met. One may pray a thousand prayers, gather in all the prayer days one can hold in a year, weep and lament- yet never hear from God or see the hand of God move. Prayer is never answered unless the conditions for God to answer prayer are met. What are those conditions? What and how are we to adjust to God and relate to God so that we can with assurance and trust and know that God both hears and acts upon the prayers that we offer Him this day?<br /> <strong> First, God only hears our prayers when we come to Him on the grounds of Jesus Christ the Son of God.</strong> It is the cross of Calvary that grants one access to the Throne of God. You can be religious, ethical, moral, charitable and sincere yet none of these things will grant you access to the ear and heart of God. Mankind is sinful: sinful by nature and sinful by the standard of God’s law. Sinful man cannot have access or fellowship with a Holy God. God’s word states that God will not “<em>look on sin”</em> and we are separated by our own sin and His holiness. The only mediation, the only way sinful man can have access to a holy God is through the sacrificial death of His Son, Jesus Christ. Christ died for sins; Christ died to appease the ire of God; Christ died to satisfy the demands of the law. It is only when you have a saving encounter with Christ that you have right and access to God. Today, regardless of your religious affiliation, regardless of your own assessment of your righteousness – if you do not have Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord – you are eternally lost and God will not hear your prayers however noble and sincere they may be. Today – the one great prayer that should be uttered from a broken and repentant heart is: <em>“God be merciful to me a sinner.”</em> Mercy is available through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.<br /> <strong>Second, God only hears the prayers of those repentant of sins</strong>. The Bible says: <em>“if I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear.”</em> Far too many Christians are far too quick to ask God to do something without acknowledging our sins and failure before Him. I have two children whom I love dearly. I love to see them happy, blessed and fulfilled. But though they are my children and though I do indeed want to bless them they are required to be obedient in order to have full access to those blessings and joys a father has prepared. So it is with us as Christians. As Christians today we have embraced convenience, relevance, worldliness, selfness and indifference- rather than embracing a life lived and dedicated to God. We all fail as Christians. But we are not to ignore or shrug our failures off as if they were pesky annoyances. We are to come to God and ask for his forgiveness; we are to be humbled and sorrowful for our sins; we are to recognize that God is not be trifled and that holiness is a key and vital component to relationship and blessings from God.<br /> <strong>Third, God only hears prayers when the lips praying match the heart.</strong> Matthew’s gospel states: <em>“this people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” </em> Another passage states: <em>“Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things I say.” </em>Yet again Christ states: <em>“If ye love me keep my commandments.”</em> It is not one day of prayer but a life of prayer that captures the ear of God; it is not one worship service Sunday morning but a life of worship that moves the heart of God; it is not words gloriously spoken that stirs God to move on our behalf. It is our heart – passionately in love and willingly obedient – that rouses the jealously of God for His people’s behalf. We say a great deal and say it well, but do we live great and live it as well? The question before us today is what will our heart and motives and lives be like after this ceremony is over? Have we no shame? Are we not embarrassed by our own hypocrisy? We pray and feel religious, but ignore the one thing God demands: <em>“thou shalt have no other gods before.”</em> From Mt. Sinai’s thunderous peaks, across the expanse of time, down through the valleys of the Grand Canyon and across the tree gilded edges of the Blue Ridge – God’s warning echoes to us from sea to shining sea: <em>“thou shalt have no other gods before me.”</em> <br />Do we not realize that man may look upon these proceedings today as religious and noble, but God looks upon the heart? Obedience is better than sacrifice; prayer without the corresponding action is a futile enterprise. I declare unto you as a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that if we are to secure the ear of God this day we can only do so on the conditions God has set: sinners finding salvation in Christ alone, Christian’s repenting and dealing with sin and God’s people living what they claim they believe. Please allow me to close in prayer.</div>The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-73950246399726151972009-04-17T13:41:00.000-07:002009-04-17T13:48:35.844-07:00"Waiting for it to Change"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIIgJ2IkgT_fGVVhvB1Wc39Z1vwM1EXGR_xfHbYNPwhQA1mWvzneVmYVVCYSo5YbqjkkQ6Lp7O0JbTc28ZWxRbfI4AYadOdSxe7mWKOu0lnTkDtetGCkSAfsNakYXpf22PlD-zHQj7A/s1600-h/Forest.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325764288734266002" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwIIgJ2IkgT_fGVVhvB1Wc39Z1vwM1EXGR_xfHbYNPwhQA1mWvzneVmYVVCYSo5YbqjkkQ6Lp7O0JbTc28ZWxRbfI4AYadOdSxe7mWKOu0lnTkDtetGCkSAfsNakYXpf22PlD-zHQj7A/s320/Forest.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">I was recently reading the book, Atlas Shrugged, when I came across an interesting scene that caught my attention. Dagny Taggart is riding a train that comes to an unscheduled stop in the middle of nowhere. The reason for the train stopping was due to a broken red signal light that was stuck in the on position. Dagny Taggart is impatient and ready to get the train moving again. Her discussion with the conductor, who stopped the train for an hour, is an interesting one: </span></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><div><br /><em><span style="color:#9999ff;">Conductor: “I don’t think the signal is going to change. I think it’s busted.”<br />Dagny Taggart: “Then what are you doing?” (<span style="font-size:78%;">She asks this with frustrated impatience.)</span><br />Conductor: “Waiting for it to change.”</span></em> </div><div><br />The signal light was broken and it was not going to change. But the conductor was so paralyzed that he was willing to wait for it to change even though he knew it wouldn’t.<br />The conductor’s absurdity seems to be common. There are some signal lights that are broken, yet, we look on in vegetative inaction waiting for a change. Marriages, parenting, spiritual lives and relationships are stuck in the on position but not working. The strange thing is not the failure of the signal lights, but rather, those who stand there complacently staring: the minutes and moments of life passing them by.<br />Waiting for the signal light to work is not reasonable. How can one define the madness of our social and personal apathy? Watching a red light that you know is broken –“waiting for it to change”.</span></div>The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-56141462521392566332009-04-16T07:55:00.000-07:002009-04-16T08:13:24.121-07:00Judges 17 Question<div align="center"><span style="color:#3333ff;"><em>The real reason I decided to drop you a line is that I am not making any sense out of Judges 17 thru the end of the book of Judges. I keep asking why this story is in the Bible. I understand what it's saying, but can't understand what it ties into. Can you tell me? </em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">As far as Judges 17 – is concerned there are several reasons and principles that I think can be drawn from the passages:<br /><strong>First </strong>– it shows the ugliness and sin that Israel was engaged in. Very often “sin” is abstract and theoretical in our thinking but in these stories we see sin in its real nature and gore. Sin affects lives. And I feel when I read those passages that we see sin in it effects and consequences.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">And that is important to remember. Sin is not just a religious idea that only has bearing upon the conscience prone to religion. Sin has real results in the world and in the lives of humanity.<br /><strong>Second </strong>– it shows the decay of a people who took God for granted. Israel had every reason to live right, yet, they chose to go down the path of hedonism and heathenism. As Christians we are always in danger of having all the outward trappings of faith and yet not experiencing the inward transformation and reality of that faith. There is a danger of living on the symbols and the past rather than living on the strength of a current and vital relationship with Christ.<br /><strong>Third </strong>– what is most interesting is the phrase “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” I feel like that is a perfect statement and illustration of where “relativism” leads to. They were not intending to do wrong per say, they were doing right – what “they” thought was right. So the Bible says: “there is a way which seemeth right unto man but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Right is only truly right when it is according to God’s commands and principles. In this current day and atmosphere everyone assumes they are doing right; however, that is a false assumption. Man is not bent naturally towards right; man is bent naturally towards sin. That is why it is so vital to make sure that our opinions, feelings, actions and attitudes, no matter how religious we may think they are, are in fact in line with scripture.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><strong>Fourth </strong>- these passages show us that God's grace and justice deals with man on the stage of human experience. By that I mean that these people in the Bible were not "characters" without feeling, without context, without psychological baggage and without the struggles of human existence. God's work of redemption and man's interaction with God is not played out in a vacuum. In passages like these we see God's grace in that He is dealing with man in all of man's failure and frailty - and how vile that can be the text clearly shows. True Christian experience is a human experience. Christian faith and obedience to God is not just something we "think" about in our private studies and church pews on Sunday morning. The Christian life is lived amidst the collisions of life and death, sin and righteousness, victory and struggle. We must not allow the Bible and its teachings to be separate from our lives, but rather, it must shape our lives and direct our lives as we live. </span></div>The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-83645553311037408962009-04-14T20:00:00.000-07:002009-04-14T20:26:29.411-07:00<span style="font-family:georgia;">In the fury and bluster of troubled times there is, for Christians, a danger of becoming carried away with the moment and losing sight of eternal biblical principles that transcend political principles. This is just such a time. I do not believe that Socialism, nor any of its off shoots, is a viable political approach. The founding political principles of America has been and is the best, although not without problems, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">political</span> approach to the human experience. <em>But Socialism is not the great danger facing America.</em> The cries of angst against bigger government, bail outs, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">environmentalism</span> run rampant and political corruption are things that should not be our greatest fears. In short, Socialism will not destroy our nation - <strong>Sin will.</strong> It is not the political corruption in the halls of our government, but rather, the moral corruption within the the walls of our homes that will bring this nation to its knees. It is not bigger government but bigger "religion" that hides the face of God. Christianity has flourished under an array of political schemes: monarchies, oligarchies, republics, democracies and dictatorships. It is righteousness not rightness of politics that procures the blessings of God. Political change, no matter how noble is not the true and deepest answer to the issues we are facing. The only real issue is not grass roots political change but <em>grass roots spiritual transformation</em>. <strong>Christianity transcend politics.</strong> True morality and spiritual power is the result of an encounter with God and not the result of legislation. Tomorrow many Christians will attend "Tax Tea Parties" but that will, in the end, have little lasting impact. Far better would it be for Christians to attend prayer meetings, fast and seek God. We are facing times that call for a "rending of the heavens" if ever we are to be saved. We are facing challenges that can no longer be dealt with by newer methods. I believe it is very dangerous for Christians to be swept away in the fight for American <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Capitalism</span>. The fight is not against flesh and blood. The fight of faith is one of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">righteousness</span>. We must keep our focus <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">clear</span> and balanced. Socialism may be a symptom; but Sin is the disease. Only Calvary, only truth can truly cure the disease.</span>The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2731589610733905628.post-44166150987106886542009-04-14T19:40:00.000-07:002009-04-14T19:52:31.287-07:00What in the world is a, "Soul Trap."The "soul trap" was a phrase used to describe Whitefield's Tabernacle in the eighteenth century. That was a time when "souls" were brought under conviction & conversion through the power of the truth and the Holy Spirit. They were captured for Christ by His power alone. In these days of political dismay, economical trouble and anxiety at every turn, it is easy to be distracted from the real issues at stake. For all the symptoms we are faced with today, two things are true. First, this is not the first time in history great problems have faced a nation. Second, the real answer and cure has always been and will always be mankind rightly related to God through saving faith in Christ Jesus. This blog may deal with a myriad of issues: some personal, some political, some practical. But the answer to the true problems we are facing must always bring us back to the Gospel. The need now is not simply political reformation, more church programs and methods, lower taxes, health care reform -the need now is for churches to once again become "soul traps" - places where men and women are captured by the weight, reality and love of God displayed through the cross of Christ.The Soul Traphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17812588262770012361noreply@blogger.com1