A Very Convenient and Wonderful Truth

“1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”
John 1:1-4

“3By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.”
Hebrews 11:3

“1God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.”
Hebrews 1:1-3a

“15And He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
Colossians 1:15-17

Upholds all things by the word of His power. In Him all things hold together.
Former Vice President Al Gore (and the rest of us) need not worry about global warming/cooling or meteors striking the Earth or aliens attacking in cool spaceships or even man blowing himself up in a nuclear holocaust.
“Al, buddy. Chill. Don’t let global warming get you hot under the collar. Jesus, whether you believe in Him or not, has all of Creation under control, including what happens on this little planet. Relax.
Where’s your faith, man? What? In mankind being able to solve any problems that he creates? Wow.
And they call us Christians fanatics. Tell you what, take Tipper out for a nice meal, (personal note-all kidding aside, I’ve always liked Tipper. I’ve never seen her being less than gracious, and I think she’s a fine lady. Okay, back to the) a nice meal, and maybe stop by a church next Sunday morning, and hear a sermon about the Sovereignty of God.”

Laughter is

P. I.

Christians in this world must ‘render unto Caesar’ but never surrender unto anyone. Please hear me out.
Noah was politically incorrect. He alone found Grace in the sight of the Lord, meaning that the entire world was wrong headed. Rather than going along with everyone else, Noah did what was right. In a sense, he was a rebel against the world system in place, but actually he was the only faithful-to-God person in a rebellious world.
When we Christians in our age face being termed “Politically Incorrect” because we come up against a world system which is in rebellion against God, all we can do is follow Noah’s example: Do what God tells us to do.
We pay our taxes, support representatives who share our views, obey the laws of our land, whichever land it is where God plants us.
I’m thankful that I live in a country where I have freedom of expression, but I also recognize that many of my Christian brothers and sisters around the world are not free to express themselves without being put to death. When they speak out about Christ, they may be running afoul of the local government, but they are also following Noah’s example: doing what God has told them to do.
And I am certain that God appreciates and will reward their faith.
Once again, at the top of this post is a link to Voice of the Martyrs, which ministers to the persecuted church around the world. I encourage you to look through their site and materials. I have their “The Cross in China” about the Chinese persecuted church, and it is wonderful to hear the stories of the faithful, but also chilling to hear of their persecution. I know that God is working in the hearts of every one of us who are called by His name. May God continue to bless and strengthen you.

Gravitas and Gravitaser

Have you ever noticed that newspapers, etc., love to use pictures of President Bush that just make him look bad? I had to laugh when I saw this one today of Murtha and Pelosi. Have a great weekend!

le

03-10-07 Doug, how about John Adams? or Madison? Love the neck thingies.

International Women's Day

Following is a letter written to the editor of the Arizona Republic, Arizona's largest local paper, which, naturally, the Republic chose not to print. So I take the opportunity to publish this letter written by Matthew du Mée, Legal and Policy Aide for The Center for Arizona Policy, which points out the cockeyed position of an extreme lefty cartoonist. You can see the cartoon by clicking here and searching the archives for February 25.

Dear Editor,
Sunday’s Benson cartoon pictured John McCain gleefully tossing a woman off a rowboat entitled “Roe v. Wade.” The cartoon implicitly equates wanting to overturn Roe with wanting to somehow hurt women. The truth is exactly the opposite. Defenders of abortion on demand have shown time and time again that they are willing to sacrifice the health of women to protect the “right” of abortion. Just look at the evidence. The evidence from numerous studies shows abortion hurts women.
When a law was proposed requiring women to be fully informed about the risks of an abortion, who stood up for women? When funding was proposed for crisis pregnancy centers that give women alternatives to abortion, who stood up for women? When a law was proposed requiring young girls to get parental consent before undergoing an abortion, who stood up for women? In each instance, it was those like John McCain who would like to see Roe v. Wade overturned. And in each instance, defenders of abortion on demand threw women overboard, all in the name of “reproductive rights.”

The left is for leftist causes. Don't be confused.

le

Just a Smidgeon

There's a tendency in the world to think that being just a little dishonest is okay. Fudging a little, omitting a little information, flirting a bit, ignoring a legal obligation with no teeth, not keeping a promise to your child...you know, things that really don't seem to hurt anyone. Just a reminder that the Word says this:

The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out. Proverbs 10.9

I had to laugh when I heard that Mr. Obama "had no idea he had outstanding charges." A few weeks before he announced his presidential candidacy, he finally paid the parking tickets he received from Oct. 5, 1988 to Jan. 12, 1990.

Does anyone really believe that he didn't think he could just be a little dishonest back in 1990? Ignore the tickets and get away with it? Wouldn't it be better just to admit he walked a crooked path in 1990 and apologize, instead of pretending he didn't remember 17 parking tickets? Why would anyone feel the need to be dishonest about that?

Just as a matter of full disclosure, I've had a parking ticket. It was two years ago and I remember getting it. I paid it. I also got a speeding ticket. I fought the law on that one, and I won. I remember it quite distinctly, even though it was twenty years ago.

le

The Opposite of Insult is Outsult

“16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 17For in it God’s righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.
18For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, 19since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. 20From the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse. 21For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened. 22Claiming to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.
24Therefore God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” Romans 1:16-25

Recently I was once more called “Arrogant”, which is like so much water off a goose’s back. But it did set me to thinking about why we Christians seem arrogant to others. We are called to humility, not arrogance. What’s going on?
What is going on is the difference being indwelt of the Holy Spirit makes in a person. To the world, the best ‘Christians’ are those who don’t get in their way, won’t make an issue of sin; one who doesn’t trust that the Bible is God’s Word, or, if pressed, admit that there is a God at all.
That is the sort of ‘Christian’ who is accepted by the world.
I’ll give you a hint, kids: Those ‘Christians’ are so easy for you to accept because they do not have God’s Holy Spirit within them.
A true Christian, indwelt by His Spirit, will humble himself before God. He does this not only because he is required to do so, but because in his spirit he recognizes that God is real, is truly there, and is fully deserving of our worship.
The world believes that we are fools, prostrating ourselves before an empty altar.
Unsure of anything, they consider it the height of arrogance to believe that God is there.
“20From the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse.”
Our friend Jake recently said something to the effect: “They (Christians) are right because they think they are right. And they think they are right because they are right.” And Jake is close to correct. It’s better stated: “They (Christians) are right because they think God is right. And God is right.”
Who is arrogant?

Rest Not Wrest

I was reminded of a verse tonight while posting a comment at a friend’s site-
“7 Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.”
Psalm 37:7-8

Resting in the Lord is hard to do when we feel that we must DO something. Think of Sarai convincing Abram that they should go the route of surrogacy to gain an heir. God wasn’t working fast enough for them. We know how well that turned out.
God is not obligated to bless every endeavor that occurs to us. A wise man once said, “Work is a form of nervousness.”
God is the judge of our works, the paltry piffle we accomplish during our lives. Be ready to share the Gospel as the Lord leads. But don’t strive, and don’t fret; those are signs that you’re going on your own strengths and abilities rather than trusting God to bring the increase. As the verse above says, “Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.”
There was once a successful ministry when fell into error because they got so busy “working for God that they forgot about God”. They were going 24/7/365, beaming the Gospel on satellite around the globe, leading prayer conferences, printing Bibles, sending missionaries…and it all fell apart.
Another ministry which is still limping along, striving and fretting, has moved from the Gospel message to a message of “Don’t trust your Government.” All in the name of Christ. I think that that ministry is also doomed to fail.
Here’s the simple: Trust God, Pray and remain malleable, allowing God to mold you as He sees fit. He’ll let you know when He’s done perfecting you. After you’re perfected, you won’t be fretting anyway, so why not give it up now?

Judas Missed The Singing

Judas missed the singing
He didn’t have a part in the song.
While he was out betraying
Christ and His eleven
Were Praising God
Praising God in a song.

But Judas with his evil heart
Never had a place~
Never sang a note~
Would never, no never
To Christ belong.

Christ and His eleven
Were twelve strong voices
Praising God
Praising God with a song!

But Judas missed the singing
Will never add a note~
Will never find a place~
Will never ever join us in our song.

(refrain)
Christ and His eleven
Were twelve strong voices
Praising God
Praising God with a song!

But Judas missed the singing
Will never add a note~
Will never find a place~
Will never ever join us in our song!

Peanut Butter Baked Potato

How foolish is the concept of "Discovery".
It's as if the world doesn't become real for any of us until we have experienced it.
"I found this little coffee shop down on Bay Street-you have to try their Mocha!"
"I never knew how dirty a country ________ was until I visited-trash all over the place."

Every momentous and mimentous "Discovery" in our lives God has seen from the beginning of His Creation. While we are basing our lives on our own extremely limited experiences, God, if He chose to, could tell us the number of pebbles sitting in a pool of liquid on a mountaintop on Alpha Centauri. Of course, He would use the name He gave Alpha Centauri, not the man made moniker.
Rather than trust in my own abilities (which, along with life itself are gifts from God) strengths and weaknesses (more gifts), I trust in the God Who created me, created us.
Who do we look to in this world for Wisdom? Wizened old heads passing on their life experiences.
And they could be wrong-dead wrong.
Instead, 'discover' for yourself the wisdom of God, found in His Word. The deeper you look, the more you ask of the Holy Spirit to illuminate the scriptures, the humbler you should become. Which brings you to the greatest discovery of all : That God loves you, and has a place for you in His Creation.

"Topeka!"

Find the Differences!

This one's not too hard, I promise. Study these two pictures and find the four cleverly
hidden differences. If you find them all, use them in alphabetical order to complete
this sentence:
"_____ _____ __ and ___"
Good luck, friends!

Oil

Well, this has been an interesting few days. I don’t want to write about my conflict with Rand, but I also don’t want to just go merrily along, pretending that there is no conflict, or that it hasn’t affected me.
I feel sad for Rand, but the sadness is tempered by the knowledge that God does not leave us where we were or where we are- though we may not see the progress, the Holy Spirit is working to conform us to the image of Christ, all of us who are called by God. And sometimes that means rubbing the rust off our halos. Meaning that we can get proud about the silliest things, and God knows that our correct attitude is humility, bowing down before Him. God has humbled me every time I get a big head, and He does the same for each of us.
The Gospel message is that God loves us enough to send His own son to die in our place, to be the only acceptable sacrifice for our sins.
We are called to share the Gospel, however God gives opportunity, in season and out. If we are indeed led by God, as the Bible makes evident on every page, we are to edify, build up the body of Christ by encouraging each other, lifting each other up in prayer…and by correcting a brother who seems to be getting off track.
Which brings us back to the current conflict. It does not edify the body of Christ for one believer to scorn, disparage, insult the efforts of other believers, to judge those efforts as lacking in comparison to our own.
That’s just pride talking, and pride is sin.
What I asked Rand to do was to humble himself before God, repent of his pride, and I feel that is going to happen, not because Rand is a good guy (which he is), but because God will not be thwarted in any work, including the conforming of us to the image of Christ.
The immediate response is, “Doug, aren’t YOU guilty of judging Rand’s works?” and the answer is yes.
Absolutely. But with one major difference-I was willing to just let it go, let Rand do his thing, but God wouldn’t let me. God nudged me to confront Rand on this. And I did so, knowing that the response from Rand would be that I was attacking him, instead of trying to help.
Peter had kind words for Paul, even after being confronted by him-may God continue to work in each of our lives to His Glory.

Modern Day Rapunzel

Modern Day Rapunzel
In your
Isolated tower-when will they
No longer be enough? Your
High window view, and
Wishes that remain only wishes?

Something keeps you kicking away the ladders
Of the ones who’ve tried to rescue you-
(Certain that they couldn’t be sincere?)
As for me, I’ll stand here off and away
And let the sweet wind carry
My message to your ear.

If I would
And you would
Trust to love
We might relax enough to allow ourselves
To learn how to care.
Life is too grand a gift to be spent
Herded into a box, as you must admit
That you are, there.
You must
Let down your hair
Let down your hair
To breath free air.

Ginger and Fred

Fred and Ginger should have always been “Ginger and Fred” as Ladies first should be the rule. Here is a photo from their first movie together, “Flying Down To Rio” in which they had second billing after Gene Raymond (I’m sorry, but….who?) and Dolores Del Rio. It may have had plot holes you could fly an airplane through, but it holds up well, and has great charm, all thanks to Ginger and Fred. Dolores was beautiful, but couldn’t emote, and Gene Raymond, try as he might, never could make any impression-he hardly shows up in his own film.
Merian C. Cooper, the producer had quite a busy 1933-among the 29 (!) movies he produced that year (according to IMDB.com) the standouts were “King Kong”, “Morning Glory”-Katharine Hepburn’s first Oscar winning performance, and “Flying Down To Rio”.
Ginger Rogers was magnificent, and she well deserved every accolade presented her.
Fred could do it all, with sort of an off hand charm and pleasantness, but without Ginger he would only have been a memorable specialty dancer. The dancing was wonderful, but ticket buyers in the 30’s and 40’s (and DVD buyers in 2007) wanted to see them together, falling in love on the screen.
Ginger in her autobiography makes casual mention of the five or so husbands she collected over the years, and glosses over troubled times as if they were no big deal, that’s life and all of that. All of our idols have feet of clay. But I appreciate Ginger and Fred, and all the fun and entertainment they have brought into the world.