I just finished reading April's Voice of the Martyrs magazine. I highly recommend it if you don't receive it already. This month's focus was on North Korea, which was incredibly inspiring. It is unreal how much we take for granted as Americans. The persecution in some countries is intense. I wonder how long 'believers' would attend church in this Joel Osteen Era if we were to suffer real persecution.
I felt led to share this comment from Richard Wurmbrand, founder of Voice of the Martyrs:
"We all have to die. The decision does not depend on us. If nothing follows, the most beautiful life is nothing more than a banquet offered to a condemned man before his execution. He gets dainties and then he is hanged. He may live in an ideal society, but eventually he will rot, forgotten forever by everyone.
Go comfort somebody who is dying in a cancer ward, or his family, with these words: "We are building a happy Socialist society," or "Science achieves great things. We have been to the moon and soon we will be on Venus." There is not much consolation in this. But tell the dying and the bereaved about the heavenly Father and the Christian's hope of living eternally with Him, and you will see the difference.
If the athiests are right and there is no life hereafter, "All our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death" Shakespeare
This past year I have had alot of time to think about things like this and they are very true. When you are faced with the possibility of dying, nothing on this earth really matters except your faith in Jesus. So if you haven't already please repent of your sins and turn your life to Jesus. You will never regret it.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
My short conversations with Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney
As most of you know North Dakota is right in the thick of the Republican Primaries. So, naturally, Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney have shown up in Fargo over the past two months. My wife and I decided to go check it out. The first one I went to was Rick Santorum's event on February 15. Rick Santorum is a very strict Roman Catholic, if you haven't been able to tell by all the contraception talk. When we got to the Holiday Inn we could not believe how many people were there. I think it was somewhere between 1,000-1,500 people. We stood in line for about 10 minutes when we noticed that Santorum was going to walk right by us. I brought some anti-catholic gospel tracts with to give him. They just so the differences between Catholics and Christians like the eucharist, praying to Mary, etc. He finally made it to where we were standing and I gave him the tracts. He said, "Do you want me to autograph these?" I said, "No, there for you." He looked at me funny, shook a few more hands, and than walked into a side room to do a Piers Morgan interview.
Santorum's speech was amazing. My favorite part was where he talked about how when he was in the Senate he brought the Infant Born Alive Act before Congress and I believe he said it passed. He went on to say that the only state to bring a similar bill was Illinois. This bill would stop a baby from being able to be thrown in the garbage if it was meant to be an abortion, or put on a shelf to die. (There have been documented cases of this.) Santorum said that when this bill came to the floor the only state senator to say anything against it was President Obama. He said he could not vote for it because he thought it would affect Roe vs. Wade. The crowd gasped and booed.
After his speech I noticed that there were not that many people around Santorum so I approached him to get his autograph and a picture. He agreed, but the interesting part was he recognized me from earlier. He gave me a face that said, "Oh, you're the character that gave me those gospel tracts." So the moral of my story is if Santorum becomes president I can say that I tried to get him saved. I'll leave the rest up to the Holy Spirit.
My second experience with the Republican Primary was the Mitt Romney Campaign Event at Wrigley Mechanical in Fargo on March 1. As some of you know I have a real serious problem with Romney because he is lying about his positions on social issues. He has been in support of same-sex marriage in the past, and also was to the left of Ted Kennedy on abortion when he sought to defeat him in the Massachusetts Senate Race in 1994. Massachusetts was the first state to approve of same-sex marriages. This was while Romney was governor and he did not lift a finger to stop it. I recently purchased a book called, "Mitt Romney's Deception: His Stealth Promotion of "Gay Rights" and "Gay Marriage in Massachusetts."
So I got to the event fairly early, which was well attended by Mormons. I sat next to a lady who had brought her kids from Minot and had drunk the Kool-Aid on Romney's flip-flopping. She had no idea how bad he really is and had turned her brain off because he's a Mormon. I decided not to get into a theological debate and just have some polite conversation.
Romney gave a good speech and afterwards I approached him to get his autograph. The kicker is that I brought the book mentioned above for him to autograph! I wanted to get his reaction to it and maybe argue with him. Romney had five Secret Service agents around him and I raised a pen for him to sign, and they told me, sternly, to put it down. Naturally, I did. I had no intention to stab a potential future president. After that I folded the cover of my book over, budged in front of a few people, and handed it to Romney to sign. He took a look at it and said, "What to do we have here?", he than flipped the cover over and gave a surprised look. He than said to me, "You want me to sign this?!" I said, "Could you please just sign it?" He said, "No, I'm not going to sign something that isn't true and full of lies!" Now I don't remember exactly everything that was said, but that was the gist of it. So as the Secret Service were getting ever more pissed off with me, I decided to back down. I had just been lied to by a potential future president of the United States and was fairly ticked off but decided it wasn't worth it.
The book is full of direct quotes from Romney when he was governor on social issues. For example he says he has never been in support of homosexual marriage. If that is true why did he give an honorary homosexual marriage license to one of his advisors?! He also has many other quotes in it from the Boston Globe and Boston Herald saying that he would not stand in the way of gay rights.
I eventually made my way back to Romney to get his autograph on a campaign placard. Romney didn't recognize me and signed it. I went home completely disgusted with our political process. I pray God will give us some real gody candidates next time.
For those who are curious I will be voting for Santorum at the North Dakota Caucus today because I think he will take a stand for social issues and act like a real man if elected president. I do not think he will be bowing to Saudi kings and Chinese premiers like our current president loves to do. Well I think that's enought writing for one post. Hope everybody enjoyed!
Santorum's speech was amazing. My favorite part was where he talked about how when he was in the Senate he brought the Infant Born Alive Act before Congress and I believe he said it passed. He went on to say that the only state to bring a similar bill was Illinois. This bill would stop a baby from being able to be thrown in the garbage if it was meant to be an abortion, or put on a shelf to die. (There have been documented cases of this.) Santorum said that when this bill came to the floor the only state senator to say anything against it was President Obama. He said he could not vote for it because he thought it would affect Roe vs. Wade. The crowd gasped and booed.
After his speech I noticed that there were not that many people around Santorum so I approached him to get his autograph and a picture. He agreed, but the interesting part was he recognized me from earlier. He gave me a face that said, "Oh, you're the character that gave me those gospel tracts." So the moral of my story is if Santorum becomes president I can say that I tried to get him saved. I'll leave the rest up to the Holy Spirit.
My second experience with the Republican Primary was the Mitt Romney Campaign Event at Wrigley Mechanical in Fargo on March 1. As some of you know I have a real serious problem with Romney because he is lying about his positions on social issues. He has been in support of same-sex marriage in the past, and also was to the left of Ted Kennedy on abortion when he sought to defeat him in the Massachusetts Senate Race in 1994. Massachusetts was the first state to approve of same-sex marriages. This was while Romney was governor and he did not lift a finger to stop it. I recently purchased a book called, "Mitt Romney's Deception: His Stealth Promotion of "Gay Rights" and "Gay Marriage in Massachusetts."
So I got to the event fairly early, which was well attended by Mormons. I sat next to a lady who had brought her kids from Minot and had drunk the Kool-Aid on Romney's flip-flopping. She had no idea how bad he really is and had turned her brain off because he's a Mormon. I decided not to get into a theological debate and just have some polite conversation.
Romney gave a good speech and afterwards I approached him to get his autograph. The kicker is that I brought the book mentioned above for him to autograph! I wanted to get his reaction to it and maybe argue with him. Romney had five Secret Service agents around him and I raised a pen for him to sign, and they told me, sternly, to put it down. Naturally, I did. I had no intention to stab a potential future president. After that I folded the cover of my book over, budged in front of a few people, and handed it to Romney to sign. He took a look at it and said, "What to do we have here?", he than flipped the cover over and gave a surprised look. He than said to me, "You want me to sign this?!" I said, "Could you please just sign it?" He said, "No, I'm not going to sign something that isn't true and full of lies!" Now I don't remember exactly everything that was said, but that was the gist of it. So as the Secret Service were getting ever more pissed off with me, I decided to back down. I had just been lied to by a potential future president of the United States and was fairly ticked off but decided it wasn't worth it.
The book is full of direct quotes from Romney when he was governor on social issues. For example he says he has never been in support of homosexual marriage. If that is true why did he give an honorary homosexual marriage license to one of his advisors?! He also has many other quotes in it from the Boston Globe and Boston Herald saying that he would not stand in the way of gay rights.
I eventually made my way back to Romney to get his autograph on a campaign placard. Romney didn't recognize me and signed it. I went home completely disgusted with our political process. I pray God will give us some real gody candidates next time.
For those who are curious I will be voting for Santorum at the North Dakota Caucus today because I think he will take a stand for social issues and act like a real man if elected president. I do not think he will be bowing to Saudi kings and Chinese premiers like our current president loves to do. Well I think that's enought writing for one post. Hope everybody enjoyed!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Book of Proverbs, Jesus' Forgiveness, Psychology
This morning in church we did a bible study on Chapter 1 of Proverbs. I have never given much thought to this book of the bible until recently. One of my favorite bible teachers, Jacob Prasch, often teaches that the Book of Proverbs is the Christian's psychology book. When I first heard this I found it to be quite interesting since I work in a field where psychology is highly valued. I have never respected psychology because I believe it gives man an excuse for his sin. I believe most, if not all, mental problems come from past sin or hurts in a persons life. I have noticed when I get depressed about something that it usually has to do with something stupid that I did in the past. So what do I do when I feel this way? If I need forgiveness I ask Jesus to forgive me.
In 1 John 1:9 it says, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
No matter what we have done God promises to forgive us. Now I am not using this as a license for sin, but just to tell you that no matter what you have done you can be forgiven. Why would we want to pound the nails into Jesus hands all the more by continuing in sin?
One of the other areas I have a problem with the mental health field is the idea of self-esteem. This is a big thing in James Dobson's ministry or so I have been told. You want some self-esteem? Try this: If you were the only person ever created Jesus would have come and died for you because of your sins! That's right, the Creator of the universe DIED FOR YOU!! How much more self-esteem do you need?
One more area that I believe people get bogged down in mental health related issues is the area of unforgiveness. In the bible Jesus commands us to forgive others:
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15
God will not forgive us if we do not forgive others. I admit at times this is extremely hard but I have noticed that when I forgive somebody a weight is lifted off my shoulders.
Well, that is my rant for the day. So next time you feel that you need 'mental help' just remember the cost that Jesus felt that you were worthy for him to pay.
In 1 John 1:9 it says, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
No matter what we have done God promises to forgive us. Now I am not using this as a license for sin, but just to tell you that no matter what you have done you can be forgiven. Why would we want to pound the nails into Jesus hands all the more by continuing in sin?
One of the other areas I have a problem with the mental health field is the idea of self-esteem. This is a big thing in James Dobson's ministry or so I have been told. You want some self-esteem? Try this: If you were the only person ever created Jesus would have come and died for you because of your sins! That's right, the Creator of the universe DIED FOR YOU!! How much more self-esteem do you need?
One more area that I believe people get bogged down in mental health related issues is the area of unforgiveness. In the bible Jesus commands us to forgive others:
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15
God will not forgive us if we do not forgive others. I admit at times this is extremely hard but I have noticed that when I forgive somebody a weight is lifted off my shoulders.
Well, that is my rant for the day. So next time you feel that you need 'mental help' just remember the cost that Jesus felt that you were worthy for him to pay.
Friday, December 2, 2011
TV and the Christian
Over the years I have watched A LOT of tv. Some good, some bad. Over the past year or so I have noticed the Holy Spirit really working on me to put away some of my favorite tv shows. Some them are: That 70's Show, Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The OC, and my lastest One Tree Hill. I have come to the conclusion that I should not be watching any of these shows. In Ephesians 5: 3-4 is says, But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
Paul follows this with a warning, I believe, is for Christians. Ephsians 5: 5-8: "For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.
So according to the Apostle Paul, who I believe to be a pretty strong Christian, we are not to be partakers with those who call themselves Christians, and practice these things.
This is a wake-up call to me because I am probably the most guilty of all the Christians I know of the things listed above. Now I am not judging any of you who read this blog. As I said above I am just as guilty as you.
However, in the times we live I think it is time we start focusing our attention on Jesus and telling unbelievers about his return. If you follow the news you can tell we are living in very interesting times. Europe's financial system is on the brink of collapse. Our financial system is on the brink of collapse. We have world leaders like Angela Merkel (Germany), Nicolas Sarkozy (France), Hu Jintao (China), Dmitri Medvedev (Russia) and the global financial elite (global banking entities), calling for a one-world government, and one-world financial system. You can see Medvedev holding what he believes the new global currency will look like here: http://streetknowledge.wordpress.com/tag/medvedev/
The IMF (International Monetary Union) has created a Special Drawing Right (SDR) that will be used as the precursor to a global currency when the dollar becomes to devalued to be considered the reserve currency of the world. We have countries coming against Israel in the endtimes just like Ezekiel 38-29 said was going to happen. The bible repeatedly talks about that in the endtimes there will be a global government and currency. Maybe it is time we all start listening a little closer.
Paul follows this with a warning, I believe, is for Christians. Ephsians 5: 5-8: "For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.
So according to the Apostle Paul, who I believe to be a pretty strong Christian, we are not to be partakers with those who call themselves Christians, and practice these things.
This is a wake-up call to me because I am probably the most guilty of all the Christians I know of the things listed above. Now I am not judging any of you who read this blog. As I said above I am just as guilty as you.
However, in the times we live I think it is time we start focusing our attention on Jesus and telling unbelievers about his return. If you follow the news you can tell we are living in very interesting times. Europe's financial system is on the brink of collapse. Our financial system is on the brink of collapse. We have world leaders like Angela Merkel (Germany), Nicolas Sarkozy (France), Hu Jintao (China), Dmitri Medvedev (Russia) and the global financial elite (global banking entities), calling for a one-world government, and one-world financial system. You can see Medvedev holding what he believes the new global currency will look like here: http://streetknowledge.wordpress.com/tag/medvedev/
The IMF (International Monetary Union) has created a Special Drawing Right (SDR) that will be used as the precursor to a global currency when the dollar becomes to devalued to be considered the reserve currency of the world. We have countries coming against Israel in the endtimes just like Ezekiel 38-29 said was going to happen. The bible repeatedly talks about that in the endtimes there will be a global government and currency. Maybe it is time we all start listening a little closer.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Jesus on hell and the life of a Christian
Recently I heard of a new book that came out titled, 'Love Wins: A book about heaven, hell, and the fate of every person who ever lived' by Rob Bell. I have a book by this pastor, 'Velvet Elvis', and I remember thinking how uncomfortable I felt about his teaching. I have read a few commentaries on the new book and I have come to find that Bell believes that God loves us so much that in the end he will not let anybody go to hell. I think this is one of the greatest heresies in the world right now. Without there being a hell why would Jesus have to to earth to make right what Adam did wrong? Clearly Rob Bell believes in a different Jesus. Jesus spoke more on hell than any other topic.
Jesus was so serious about avoiding hell that he said this, 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. [44] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. [46] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where“‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched. 49 Everyone will be salted with fire.
Now, I'm not recommending that people should start cutting off limbs, but this is how serious Jesus takes sin. After all he died a horrible death so we did not have to face this punishment. As I have come to think more about this, I have realized how serious I need to get about getting rid of sin in my life. Paul gives a great take on this in the Epistle to the Ephesians 5:3-5:
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
So no dirty jokes,swearing, foolish talk, and bad tv shows. I recently gave up watching One Tree Hill. It took me weeks, but I managed to do it! The Holy Spirit convicted me about his like you could not imagine. Believe me, I have not mastered all of these I wrote above but through the Holy Spirit convicting me daily I believe I may one day get a pretty good handle on it. It has been very hard for me to do this. However, as Christians, this is what God expects from us.
For Christians that are reading this I would recommend asking the Holy Spirit to convict you about things you are doing in your life that you know are wrong. I hear of quite a few tv shows that people watch who claim to be Christians. We should RUN from these things and not let them get a foothold in our lives. The more things that you give yourself to, the harder it will be to turn away from it. Your witness will be ruined and you will not take sin as seriously.
The apostle Peter gives a great warning about this is 2 Peter: If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."
I'm going to leave you with some words from Jesus in Matthew 5:48, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Does this mean that we can become perfect? No, not in this life. I swore today. I thought quite a few mean thoughts about people today. (With the debt commision debacle today it was mostly aimed at politicians.) Am I proud of it? No. However, I know it's wrong and as the days go by I have noticed that I don't do it as much. Believe me, if it weren't for my faith in Jesus, it would be much, much worse.
So getting back to my main point, please do not take lightly the grace God has given us these few years that we are on this planet. Now is the day of salvation.
Jesus was so serious about avoiding hell that he said this, 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. [44] 45 And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. [46] 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where“‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched. 49 Everyone will be salted with fire.
Now, I'm not recommending that people should start cutting off limbs, but this is how serious Jesus takes sin. After all he died a horrible death so we did not have to face this punishment. As I have come to think more about this, I have realized how serious I need to get about getting rid of sin in my life. Paul gives a great take on this in the Epistle to the Ephesians 5:3-5:
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
So no dirty jokes,swearing, foolish talk, and bad tv shows. I recently gave up watching One Tree Hill. It took me weeks, but I managed to do it! The Holy Spirit convicted me about his like you could not imagine. Believe me, I have not mastered all of these I wrote above but through the Holy Spirit convicting me daily I believe I may one day get a pretty good handle on it. It has been very hard for me to do this. However, as Christians, this is what God expects from us.
For Christians that are reading this I would recommend asking the Holy Spirit to convict you about things you are doing in your life that you know are wrong. I hear of quite a few tv shows that people watch who claim to be Christians. We should RUN from these things and not let them get a foothold in our lives. The more things that you give yourself to, the harder it will be to turn away from it. Your witness will be ruined and you will not take sin as seriously.
The apostle Peter gives a great warning about this is 2 Peter: If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."
I'm going to leave you with some words from Jesus in Matthew 5:48, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Does this mean that we can become perfect? No, not in this life. I swore today. I thought quite a few mean thoughts about people today. (With the debt commision debacle today it was mostly aimed at politicians.) Am I proud of it? No. However, I know it's wrong and as the days go by I have noticed that I don't do it as much. Believe me, if it weren't for my faith in Jesus, it would be much, much worse.
So getting back to my main point, please do not take lightly the grace God has given us these few years that we are on this planet. Now is the day of salvation.
God's Holiness,Hell
For a long time I have struggled with how God could let one of us human beings suffer in hell for all of eternity. To be honest I still don't think I have my head completely around it. Recently, I listened to a sermon from one of my favorite pastors, Bill Randles. He is pastor of Believers in Grace Fellowship in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He made quite a few very interesting points in a sermon I listened to recently.(believersingrace.com) One of them was that "Can you imagine that just sinning once against God is worthy of eternal damnation, and how unbelievably awesome he must be?" I never really thought of this before. How many of us would be ashamed to do something to offend the President of the United States, in his presense? (I personally would love to with the current one, but that's another story.) Now just think of sinning against God, your creator? God is so holy that someone who sins once against him cannot be in his presense. No wonder Isaiah said this after being in the presense of God, "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." Isaiah 6:5
This makes me think of my own life and all the things that I have done. How many times in my life have I had unclean lips? How many times today?!
What makes me think that I am so great that I should get to spend all eternity with the Creator of the universe? How arrogant us humans can be! If God just created us for his own amusement, like a game of SIMS, what right would I have to argue with him? I didn't create me. I don't have any right over myself. Only my Creator does. In Paul's epistle to the Romans we get a some perspective on this,
Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Romans 9:18-24
So if the clay does not have to right to say to the potter, "Why have you made me this way?",why should we expect any different from God? I'm not trying to say that God is a jerk either. Quite the opposite. He sent his son, Jesus, to die for us so that we could be in heaven with him for all eternity. Just think that the Creator of the Universe thought highly enough of you and me that he sent his Son to die for you? This is why I have such a difficult time with depression. Granted, I know some people have genetic defects, etc. I currently work in this field and I see it every day, but shouldn't the idea that if you were the only sinner on earth that Jesus would've came to die for you be enough? I'm sure some will say, "Well not everybody is going to believe in Jesus." This is not an excuse, IT IS THE PROBLEM! Everybody needs Jesus. It is part of our fallen human condition. Man is so prideful that he thinks all he needs is himself. That is such a joke. We are here today, gone tommorow. Just look at myself. I have cancer. Although unlikely, it could spread all over my body and I could be gone in months. I'm 27 years old. Readers, we have no guarantees in this life. Please accept Jesus now while you still have time. Life on this planet is so short. You never know if tommorow that your number could be up.
This makes me think of my own life and all the things that I have done. How many times in my life have I had unclean lips? How many times today?!
What makes me think that I am so great that I should get to spend all eternity with the Creator of the universe? How arrogant us humans can be! If God just created us for his own amusement, like a game of SIMS, what right would I have to argue with him? I didn't create me. I don't have any right over myself. Only my Creator does. In Paul's epistle to the Romans we get a some perspective on this,
Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Romans 9:18-24
So if the clay does not have to right to say to the potter, "Why have you made me this way?",why should we expect any different from God? I'm not trying to say that God is a jerk either. Quite the opposite. He sent his son, Jesus, to die for us so that we could be in heaven with him for all eternity. Just think that the Creator of the Universe thought highly enough of you and me that he sent his Son to die for you? This is why I have such a difficult time with depression. Granted, I know some people have genetic defects, etc. I currently work in this field and I see it every day, but shouldn't the idea that if you were the only sinner on earth that Jesus would've came to die for you be enough? I'm sure some will say, "Well not everybody is going to believe in Jesus." This is not an excuse, IT IS THE PROBLEM! Everybody needs Jesus. It is part of our fallen human condition. Man is so prideful that he thinks all he needs is himself. That is such a joke. We are here today, gone tommorow. Just look at myself. I have cancer. Although unlikely, it could spread all over my body and I could be gone in months. I'm 27 years old. Readers, we have no guarantees in this life. Please accept Jesus now while you still have time. Life on this planet is so short. You never know if tommorow that your number could be up.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Please do not let Newt Gingrich fool you. Michelle Bachmann is the only true conservative in this race.
Sorry, conservatives. Newt is just as bad as Mitt Romney. He just hides it better. Global warming commercials with Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, etc. Saying that the Paul Ryan budget plan was 'right-wing social engineering.' In '07 he visited with Hillary Clinton and said that they had a lot in common with their views on a single-payer health system. I could go on and on, but I'm sure you get the picture. Even though she is a horrible campaigner, Michelle Bachmann, would seek to accomplish what most conservatives want. The sad thing is she and the media torpedoed her campaign. Bachmann made the statement last month that to get the country back on the road to solvency we would need to cut 46.8% of the federal budget NOW! She is the only tried and true conservative in the race. If she could get the country back on the path to fiscal responsibility, I could care less about her gaffes.
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