Setting the bar infinitely high

Traditional religion has set an impossible standard for us to achieve, and then bases God's love on that standard. That screws everyone up, because on the inside, even the guys who are preaching it are dying of guilt and fear. Let's face it, people are not robots that can be programmed to be perfect Christians. We're all sinners. We all have shameful moments that we don't want people to know about, and whether or not we confess those actions or thoughts, Jesus knows full well that none of us are perfect. Indeed why would we need Him if we were?

--Jay Bakker, son of Jim Bakker

An open letter to sinners

Dear sinner,
If you're reading this, you are a sinner, whether you realize it or not.
Do you find that offensive? We are easily offended when we feel
someone is making judgements against us. "You don't even know
me", "I know that I'm just as good a person as religious people
are", or "don't force your morality/beliefs on me" might be
responses that are triggered. I think those are all valid points.
Yet, because I believe that the Bible is true, I beg you to hear
me out.

I know there are a million different religions in the world,
and even among Christians the differences in beliefs seem to
be endless. I think that to find some kind of meaningful answers,
one has to look at the very basic questions:
1. How did we get here?
Evolution doesn't address the origin of life. The big bang
theory doesn't explain the existence of the universe. The
Bible explains both, as well as the meaning and purpose of
life.
2. What happens after we die?
To the naturalist, this brief existence is all there is. I know
many philosophers and atheists try to put a very brave face
on that, but I think that "eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow
we die" makes life look so empty and meaningless that despair would
be the only conclusion. If we are more than merely physical
creatures, and part of us, the real us, lives on, then we have
more to consider.

Let me, in a very pathetic way, try to sum up the message of the
Bible in a few paragraphs:

God created man, woman, and everything else. The first man
and woman sinned. Their sin separated them from God, and
they became cursed to die.

Fast forward in time, God makes a covenant (a promise or contract)
with Abraham and promises that the world will be blessed through
him. Fast forward some more, God makes a covenant at Mt. Sinai
with Moses and the Israelites, in which he gives them His Law
and promises to bless them if they obey it, which they fail to do.
The sacrificial system, animal sacrifice, is brought in as atonement
(paying the price) for the sins of the people.

Fast forward again, the culmination of everything. God's eternal
plan of salvation fully revealed, His one and only son, Jesus, comes
to the earth, born of a virgin. He lives the life that we cannot live,
a life without sin. He gives his life willingly for a sinful world, so
they can be reconciled to God. He endures torture and a horrible
death on a cross. He became the true sacrifice that the old
testament sacrifices pointed to. He is buried, and three days later
is raised from the dead. He appears to many of his followers
before returning to the right hand of God.

Jesus Christ offers eternal life and forgiveness of sin to all who
believe in Him.

And if you're a sinner like me, that is good news indeed.

Our greatest need

"Many people today are saying, “My religion is the Sermon on the Mount.” Very candidly, the Sermon on the Mount as a religion is making more hypocrites today than anything I know of – because you know you’re not keeping it. If you are honest, you know you are not living by it. But it does reveal to you that you come short of the glory of God." --Vernon McGee

In another place he says again:
"Matthew records the Sermon on the Mount as does no other Gospel writer. Why? He gives it for a people under Law. May I say to you that it's given for people who have a religion. Have you ever noticed that the liberal always goes to it? I've talked to any number of men and women who have said that the Sermon on the Mount was their religion. But I haven't found anybody yet who's keeping it. You'd better change your religion, friend, unless you keep it. Our need is not religion; we need a Savior." --Vernon McGee

There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose all their guilty stains.
-- William Cowper

The beloved Vernon McGee

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy, and faith. (Matthew 23:23)
They argued about little things. I hear questions like this: "Dr. McGee, do you think a Christian could smoke a cigarette?" My reaction is this: Why don't you grow up? What about faith and mercy and judgment in your life? You don't smoke, but what about your life? Is Christ real to you today or are you merely playing a part? Listen to Him:
Ye blind guides, who strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. (Matthew 23:24)
That's a good one! If I had been there, I would have laughed at that comparison.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. (Matthew 23:25)
That sums it all up: What's outside is religion; what is inside - that's Christianity. When you get the inside clean, the outside will take care of itself.
--Vernon McGee

You can't handle the truth

I have seen something else under the sun:
The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.
Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come:
As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so people are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them.

Ecclesiastes 9:11-12

Safety, certainty, and enjoyment

http://www.wholesomewords.org/resources/safety.html

I hear the words of love, I gaze upon the blood,
I see the mighty Sacrifice,And I have peace with God.

‘Tis everlasting peace! Sure as Jehovah’s name;
‘Tis stable as His steadfast throne,For evermore the same.

The clouds may go and come, And storms may sweep my sky—
This blood-sealed friendship changes not: The cross is ever nigh.

My love is oft times low, My joy still ebbs and flows;
But peace with Him remains the same—No change Jehovah knows.

I change, he changes not, The Christ can never die;
His love, not mine,the resting-place, His truth, not mine, the tie.

The Cross still stands unchanged, Though heaven is now His home;
The mighty stone is rolled away, But yonder is His tomb!

And yonder is my peace, The grace of all my woes!
I know the Son of God has come, I know He died and rose.

I know He liveth now At God’s right hand above;
I know the throne on which He sits,I know His truth and love!

--Horatius Bonar, 1861

Frustration and blaming God

After this play, Stevie Johnson posted the following tweet on his twitter page:

I PRAISE YOU 24/7!!!!!! AND THIS HOW YOU DO ME!!!!! YOU EXPECT ME TO LEARN FROM THIS??? HOW???!!! ILL NEVER FORGET THIS!! EVER!!! THX THO...

Not quite the endurance of Job....

There goes the neighborhood

When you get to heaven

you'll likely view many folk there

who'll be a shock to you.

But don't act surprised

or even show a care,

They might be a bit shocked

to see you there.

Paul Wendinger

This is Kari Schwartz's Dad. He passed away recently.

We got to spend time with Kari's parents at her and Ryan's wedding, and several times when they came down to Wichita. Paul was a very friendly, warm and funny person. His band, the Peter and Paul Wendinger band, was and is one of the most respected polka bands in the country. (Believe me, the folks up north take the polka seriously.) Paul and his brother were inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame in 2007, along with 5 other inductees, one of which was Prince. (Yes, the artist formerly known as.)

As if he could get any cooler, he was a farmer too. He will be missed.

http://www.keyc.com/node/44267

http://www.nujournal.com/page/content.detail/id/521408/Paul-Wendinger-----Farmer--musician--travel-guide.html?nav=5009&ref=nf

Flaming bag of theses

http://sacredsandwich.com/archives/870

Catholicism

I recently attended a catholic funeral. Some of the catholic teachings are very strange to me. Some of their teachings have no basis in scripture; i.e., purgatory, the deification of Mary, transubstantiation. However, the catholic folks I know believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, died a sacrificial death, and was raised to life again. They believe that he is their Savior. Compared to that, I'm not sure the differences in beliefs are worth getting too worked up about.

One thing did impress me. There is a difference between churches catholic and protestant that is visually striking. Most Christian churches have one or many crosses prominently displayed. The difference is that catholic churches display a cross with the form of Jesus hanging on it. I don't think I've ever seen a protestant church that does. I think that small outward difference indicates quite a different emphasis on the work of Christ and on our condition as sinners.

I don't think the church I go to would want to have to look at that image of Christ's suffering and death as they sat through a service. It's too hard to tell yourself what a wonderful Christian you are with that staring you in the face. In general, and this is just my opinion, my catholic brothers and sisters seem to have a much more realistic view of our sinful human condition. Again, this could just be my perception, but I find many churches I've attended to simply be a stage where believers come to put their great faith and holiness on display. The idea of confession would never work in a protestant church because the believers are terrified of being thought of as sinners. "What would the Jones' think if they saw us going into the confessional booth?!"

P.S. I know that some say protestant churches don't have Jesus form on the cross because of "graven images" or because they want to view the cross as the symbol of Jesus victory over death. Well, I don't know why it's any more or less graven with or without Jesus form in it. We all know what the cross represents. But the second part I think is just loony. If you want his victory, then put an empty tomb on the wall. But don't take him off the cross. Remember that his death is our victory just as much as his resurrection. "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.--Isaiah 53:5

Take this to heart

A good name is better than fine perfume,
and the day of death better than the day of birth.
It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of everyone;
the living should take this to heart.

Ecclesiastes 7:1,2

Pre-blessed food

The believer's hope

And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. --1 Thessalonians 4:13 - 14

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. --Romans 8:37 - 39

In memory of Matt Murtha

"Help me!" --The fly in "The Fly", 1958

"God helps those who help themselves" --Ben Franklin, quoted in Poor Richard's Almanac in 1757.

Does God help those who help themselves? If they're able to help themselves, why do they need God? What about the helpless? Are they just out of luck? Since they don't have the circumstances or gumption to "pull themselves up by their bootstraps" are they not only helpless but hopeless too?

For You have been a defense for the helpless, A defense for the needy in his distress, A refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat;--Isaiah 25:4

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. --Romans 5:6

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.--Matthew 9:36

But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief,To repay it by Your hand. The helpless commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.--Psalm 10:14

And I will deal severely with all who have oppressed you. I will save the weak and helpless ones; I will bring together those who were chased away.--Zephaniah 3:19

Oh, we dig, dig, dig, dig, dig, dig, dig, dig, dig the whole day long.

There is a mine for silver
and a place where gold is refined.
Iron is taken from the earth,
and copper is smelted from ore.
Mortals put an end to the darkness;
they search out the farthest recesses
for ore in the blackest darkness.
Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft,
in places untouched by human feet;
far from other people they dangle and sway.
The earth, from which food comes,
is transformed below as by fire;
lapis lazuli comes from its rocks,
and its dust contains nuggets of gold.
No bird of prey knows that hidden path,
no falcon’s eye has seen it.
Proud beasts do not set foot on it,
and no lion prowls there.
People assault the flinty rock with their hands
and lay bare the roots of the mountains.
They tunnel through the rock;
their eyes see all its treasures.
They search the sources of the rivers
and bring hidden things to light.

But where can wisdom be found?
Where does understanding dwell?
No mortal comprehends its worth;
it cannot be found in the land of the living.
The deep says, “It is not in me”;
the sea says, “It is not with me.”
It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
nor can its price be weighed out in silver.
It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,
with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.
Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,
nor can it be had for jewels of gold.
Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention;
the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.
The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it;
it cannot be bought with pure gold.

Where then does wisdom come from?
Where does understanding dwell?
It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
concealed even from the birds in the sky.
Destruction and Death say, “Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”
God understands the way to it
and he alone knows where it dwells,
for he views the ends of the earth
and sees everything under the heavens.
When he established the force of the wind
and measured out the waters,
when he made a decree for the rain
and a path for the thunderstorm,
then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
he confirmed it and tested it.
And he said to the human race,
“The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
and to shun evil is understanding.”

--Job 28

Who Cares

Tell me, Jesus, are you angry?
One more sheep has, just gone astray
A hardening of hearts, turning to stone
Wandering off, so far from home
So many children, losing time
Walk in darkness, looking for a sign
Chasing their rainbows, the future looks so bright
Slowly we're losing,
Sight of the light

Who cares?
Who cares?
Who cares?
Tell me who cares?
Who cares?

All alone, out in the cold
Can't look back, am I growing old?
I chose a path, is this my fate?
Am I finding out, the truth too late?

Who cares?
Who cares?
Who cares?
Tell me who cares?
Who cares?

Here I am, a naked man
Nothing to hide with empty hands
Remember me, I am the one
Who lost his way, your Prodigal Son

Who cares?
Who cares?
Who cares?
Tell me who cares?
Who cares?

Am I ever gonna change
Will I always stay the same?
Say one thing
Then I do the other
Same old song
Goes on forever
Rise, rise 'n' shine
A new day is coming
Yes it is

--Nuno Bettencourt, Gary Cherone

Sow a seed of uncommon faith!

Last night I "vegged" out in front of the TV for a bit. Before I turned on "Spaceballs", I was flipping through the channels. I'm getting where I spend a few minutes flipping through the religion channels. I can't help it, it's like trying not to look when you drive by a car accident.

Anyway, the one I stopped on for a minute was the guy trying to get you to sow your "seed of faith" by sending him ...wait for it... 1000 dollars. What really cracked me up was when he said, "there's something that happens at the $1000 level that doesn't happen at any other level." Which probably means his trip to Maui is what happens at that level.

Now to my Jerry Springer final thought: If you were a person with no religious background, how would TV religion color your ideas about faith? TV may not be a temple, but there is no doubt that the money changers have taken up their usual places.

Don't force your beliefs on me!

http://donmilleris.com/2010/04/26/why-doctrine-is-only-half-the-message/

Here's irony for you:
Many years ago, I had a boss who was a Christian. He was very active in sharing his faith. On my second or third day of working for him, he was talking to me in his office, and he told me that he could tell I was not right with God. I was a bit surprised, and he said he knew this because when he interviewed me, I had said "good grief" at one point. He continued by saying, "there's nothing good about grief" and then quoted some verse about controlling the tongue or something.

How did I respond to all this? I wanted to get away from that man as fast as possible. I thought he was a complete nut.

What's the point? Well, as a Christian, I want to share my faith with others. How can I do that without coming across as my old boss did? I don't think anyone is going to respond well to being told they are not right with God. The problem is, those who don't believe in Jesus Christ are not right with God. No one, including me, wants someone else to "shove their beliefs down my throat." If I feel I'm being attacked, I'm not going to be listening to anything they say anyway.
The whole point is that they hear the message in a way that they can be able to receive it.

Maybe I can get one of those planes that writes stuff in the sky to say it for me.

The resurrection of Debbie Habermas

Habermas rubbed his graying beard. The quick fire cadence and debater’s edge to his voice were gone. No more quoting of scholars, no more citing of Scripture, no more building a case. I had asked about the importance of the Resurrection, and Habermas decided to take a risk by harkening back to 1995, when his wife, Debbie, slowly died of stomach cancer. Caught off guard by the tenderness of the moment, all I could do was listen. “I sat on our porch,” he began, looking off to the side at nothing in particular. He sighed deeply, then went on. “My wife was upstairs dying. Except for a few weeks, she was home through it all. It was an awful time. This was the worst thing that could possibly happen.” He turned and looked straight at me. “But do you know what was amazing? My students would call me—not just one but several of them-and say, 'At a time like this, aren't you glad about the Resurrection?' As sober as those circumstances were, I had to smile for two reasons. First, my students were trying to cheer me up with my own teaching. And second, it worked." As I would sit there, I'd picture Job, who went through all that terrible stuff and asked questions of God, but then God turned the tables and asked him a few questions.I knew if God were to come to me, I'd ask only one question:'Lord, why is Debbie up there in bed?' And I think God would respond by asking gently, 'Gary, did I raise my Son from the dead?' I'd say, 'Come on, Lord, I've written seven books on that topic! Of course he was raised from the dead. But I want to know about Debbie!' "I think he'd keep coming back to the same question-'Did I raise my Son from the dead?' 'Did I raise my Son from the dead?' until I got his point: the Resurrection says that if Jesus was raised two thousand years ago, there's an answer to Debbie's death in 1995. And do you know what? It worked for me while I was sitting on the porch, and it still works today. It was a horribly emotional time for me, but I couldn't get around the fact that the Resurrection is the answer for her suffering. I still worried; I still wondered what I'd do raising four kids alone. But there wasn't a time when that truth didn't comfort me. Losing my wife was the most painful experience I've ever had to face, but if the Resurrection could get me through that, it can get me through anything. It was good for 30 A.D., it's good for 1995, it's good for 1998, and it's good beyond that." Habermas locked eyes with mine. "That's not some sermon," he said quietly. "I believe that with all my heart. If there's a resurrection, there's a heaven. If Jesus was raised, Debbie was raised. And I will be someday, too. Then I'll see them both."

--excerpt from "The case for Christ", Lee Strobel

A better covenant

"The time is coming, declares the Lord,
when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant
I made with their forefathers
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they did not remain faithful to my covenant,
and I turned away from them, declares the Lord.
This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
No longer will a man teach his neighbor,
or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,'
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more."

Hebrews 8:8-12

What is the Bible about?

Every man

Is there hope for every man?
A solid place where we can stand
In this dry and weary land
Is there hope for every man?

Is there love that never dies?
Is there peace in troubled times?
Someone help me understand
Is there hope for every man?

There is hope for every man
A solid place where we can stand
In this dry and weary land
There is hope for every man

There is love that never dies
There is peace in troubled times
Will we help them understand
Jesus is hope for every man

--Written by Mark Hall, Bernie Herms, and Nichole Nordeman

Ditto

Salvation roots in the grace of God. For bankrupt sinners with no ground of their own upon which to stand, with nothing of their own to hold up to God for his reward, it is their only hope, but it is their sufficient hope. The encouragement to "come boldly to the throne of grace"[Heb. 4:16] is offered to offenders who are known so thoroughly to God that he discerns "the faults and intents" of their hearts as they stand "naked and exposed to the eyes of him with whom it is our account."[Heb. 4:12-13] We cannot conceal our sin nor self-remedy it. Our one hope, our sure hope, is in the sinless One who not only can feel for humanity in our weaknesses but who has conquered precisely where we have failed.[Heb. 4:4-15]
-– Frank Stagg

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Revelation 22:16-21

Unknown caller

Yesterday,I received a call from "unknown caller" at my google number. It went to voicemail, and this was the message:

"...to the most important question of your life. If you would like to hear the question, stay on the line. If you would like to be removed from our list, we will do so, voluntarily, even though it's not required by law. To be removed from our list, press the number 8 on your phone at any time during this message. The most important question of your life: What will happen to you when you die. If you are unaware of an answer to this question or if you are afraid you will not spend eternity in heaven I have some great news for you. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life, John 3:16. Because God loves and values you so much, He made a way for you to be saved. He Sent His Son Jesus Christ, to die so that mankind could be redeemed from sin. The Bible says, concerning salvation, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God, John 3:3. Salvation doesn't come by joining a church or following a certain religion or doing good deeds, or living a good, moral life. The Bible says there's only one way to receive salvation. You must be born again. By accepting Jesus Christ as your savior. Romans 10:9 says, If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall Be Saved. Romans 10:10 says, with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. So, the most important question of your life. Pray the following prayer and receive Jesus as your Savior. Pray along with me. Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I confess I'm a sinner, and I believe in my heart that Jesus died for the forgivness of sin. I believe that He rose again from the dead. Come into my heart Lord Jesus and take control of my life. I renounce Satan and all of his works. I thank you, Lord, for saving me, in Jesus name, I pray. Amen. Well, praise God. And welcome to the family. If you prayed that prayer, sincerely, from the heart, the Bible says you're saved. It is important to read your Bible and pray every day to your Heavenly Father. Get into a good Bible based church where you can be taught the Word of God. I would like to add you to my prayer list. So If you prayed that prayer, or if you need prayer for yourself or someone in your family or your circle of friends, I would like to..."

What do you think of that? And you thought this blog was annoying! Just imagine if I started calling you and leaving voice mail!

Isaiah 11:6-9

The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.

The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,
and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest.

They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.

King of the trees

One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, 'Be our king.'

"But the olive tree answered, 'Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and men are honored, to hold sway over the trees?'

"Next, the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come and be our king.'

"But the fig tree replied, 'Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?'

"Then the trees said to the vine, 'Come and be our king.'

"But the vine answered, 'Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and men, to hold sway over the trees?'

"Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, 'Come and be our king.'

"The thornbush said to the trees, 'If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!'

Judges 9:8-15

Richard Hanes, Oct. 27, 1938 - Oct. 10, 2010

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
earth's joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
change and decay in all around I see;
O thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need thy presence every passing hour.
What but thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless;
ills have no weight, and tears not bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.

Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes;
shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
--Henry F. Lyte, 1793-1847

Black wings

Night, with ebon pinion, brooded o’er the vale;
All around was silent, save the night wind’s wail,
When Christ, the Man of Sorrows,
In tears, and sweat, and blood,
Prostrate in the garden, raised His voice to God.

Smitten for offenses which were not His own,
He, for our transgressions, had to weep alone;
No friend with words to comfort,
Nor hand to help was there,
When the Meek and Lowly humbly bowed in prayer.

“Abba, Father, Father, if indeed it may,
Let this cup of anguish pass from Me, I pray;
Yet, if it must be suffered, by Me, Thine only Son,
Abba, Father, Father, let Thy will be done.”

--Love H. Jam­e­son, 1811-1892

Christianity's image problem

This was the title (I think) of a Time magazine article I was reading. It discussed the results of two polls taken about people's perceptions of Christians. One was taken about 15 years ago, the other only a few years ago. The recent poll showed a much more negative view of Christians. The main complaints were that Christians are perceived to be anti-homosexual, hypocritical, and judgmental. Most of those polled did not attribute those same things to Jesus. Over half of the Christians polled also listed hypocrisy as a complaint.

What do you think, dear reader? (Since I'm pretty sure I don't have more than one.) I would have to agree with the majority of those who responded. Let me explain. The Bible clearly teaches that homosexuality is a sin. The Bible also clearly teaches that pride, lust, greed, gossip, hating your brother, and far too many other things to list are also sin. Why do Christians tend to build pedestals to look down on others and point fingers? I think we are just good at deceiving ourselves about our own sinfulness.

I am a better person than no one. It has taken me all of about 20 years as a Christian to come to the point where I realize that despite my desire to be otherwise, I am simply a sinner. Do I aim to be a sinner? No. But I've come to see that the struggle against the flesh is truly the "yoke that neither we nor our forefathers were able to bear." I can see that without a Savior, I am completely without hope.

What's the bottom line? Shouldn't we proclaim the Good News to all? Jesus Christ died as a sacrifice for ALL of US sinners. EVERYONE who believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. If we say we are without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. I believe that repentance simply means that we understand and accept the fact that we are sinners, that we realize that we are lost. I think that goes hand in hand with believing that Christ did what we are unable to do, and that through faith we partake in His righteousness. He now stands as a mediator between us and God. The cry of Job in Job 9:33 is answered "Neither is there any daysman (mediator) betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both."

Dear reader, if you are a sinner, whether you are a murderer, rapist, child-molester, Satan worshipper, or a prideful person who thinks you are better than any of these, then you are separated from God without Jesus Christ. If you don't believe in God, then I would encourage you to read the Bible. If you don't believe the Bible is true, well, then I guess I don't know where else to start. But if you do believe the Bible, then you must believe that there is coming a day when God will judge the world. Don't go to court as your own counsel! Jesus Christ has already paid the fine for all who believe in him. I hope that you will consider the words of Jesus, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."

Jesus walks on the water

That evening Jesus’ disciples went down to the shore to wait for him. But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!

--John 6:16-21

Jesus performed many miracles, walking on water, healing the sick, raising the dead, turning water to wine, and many more.

Many people have turned healing the sick or "faith healing" into a lucrative enterprise. I wonder why I don't turn on the TV and see preachers walking on water or raising people from the dead. Imagine the ratings!

It was my understanding that everyone had heard

The crossing

We are pilgrims
On a journey through the darkness of the night
We are bound for other places
Crossing to the other side
I will worry 'bout tomorrow
When tomorrow comes in sight
Until then, Lord, I'm just a pilgrim
Crossing to the other side
Jesus will be there to meet me
He will reach his hand in mine
I will no more be a stranger
When I reach the other side

--Roger Miller, 1936-1992

Rock of Ages, no not the Def Leppard song

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee;
let the water and the blood, from thy wounded side which flowed,
be of sin the double cure; save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labors of my hands can fulfill thy law's commands;
could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow,
all for sin could not atone; thou must save, and thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling;
naked, come to thee for dress; helpless, look to thee for grace;
foul, I to the fountain fly; wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath, when mine eyes shall close in death,
when I soar to worlds unknown, see thee on thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee.

-- written by Augustus M. Toplady, a few years before his death at the ripe old age of 38.

Your friendly neighborhood Pharisee

"And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
--Luke 18:9-14

Modern Day Pharisees

Every time we stick our nose up in the air in arrogance at other people;
we may look righteous, like we are looking up to heaven,
but God is not fooled. God knows our hearts.

If we claim we are without sin; we deceive ourselves,
we are modern day Pharisees.

Every time we look down upon people
and place ourselves on a self-righteous pedestal;

and Every time we do not see the value
in each man, woman, or child we are modern day Pharisees.

Every time we think we do more than others,
Every time we think our gifts and talents
are greater than others;

Every time we are prideful, our gifts, our sacrifices
are not acceptable to God.

Every time our pride comes before God;
we are modern day Pharisees.

Every time we ask Christ, “Who is the Greatest?”
Every time we want to have the greatest
most important seat at the table;

Every time we want to wrap ourselves in robes of glory
before others; we are modern day Pharisees.

Every time we treat fellow believers or non-believers with harsh,
judgmental, vindictive words we are not followers of God’s WORD.

Every time we do not encourage and support fellow believers
in their ministry and their mission;
we are modern day Pharisees.

Help us dear Lord to be your people. You taught us to “love one another as Jesus Christ loved us.” When you washed your disciples feet you showed us that there is no greater love than to love one another and to be a servant to one another. Jesus Christ laid down His life for us, to save us from our sins. Help us dear Lord, to give ourselves to you and to others as a holy living sacrifice for your Glory; not ours. Let us always remember that every time we approach God; we come to God with empty hands.

Amen

--Osten Aune, Bible Basics

A light, when all other lights go out

Though I am surrounded by troubles,
you will protect me from the anger of my enemies.
You reach out your hand,
and the power of your right hand saves me.

Psalms 138:7

The joy of Bob Ross

Some great Bob Ross quotes:

• "In painting, you have unlimited power. You have the ability to move mountains. You can bend rivers. But when I get home, the only thing I have power over, is the garbage."
• "Oooh, if you have never been to Alaska, go there while it is still wild. My favorite uncle asked me if I wanted to go there, Uncle Sam. He said if you don’t go, you’re going to jail. That is how Uncle Sam asks you."
• "People might look at you a bit funny, but it’s okay. Artists are allowed to be a bit different."
• "That’s a crooked tree. We’ll send him to Washington."
• "The secret to doing anything is believing that you can do it. Anything that you believe you can do strong enough, you can do. Anything. As long as you believe."
• "There’s nothing wrong with having a tree as a friend."
• "Trees cover up a multitude of sins."
• "Water’s like me. It’s laaazy… Boy, it always looks for the easiest way to do things."
• "We don’t make mistakes, we just have happy accidents."
• "We tell people sometimes: we’re like drug dealers, come into town and get everybody absolutely addicted to painting. It doesn’t take much to get you addicted."
• "We want happy paintings. Happy paintings. If you want sad things, watch the news."
• "Well, the little clock on the wall says we’re just about out of time. God bless you my friend."
• "I'd like to wish you happy painting, and God bless my friend."

Come, ye sinners

Come, ye sinners, poor and needy,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity, love and power.

I will arise and go to Jesus,
He will embrace me in His arms;
In the arms of my dear Savior,
O there are ten thousand charms.

Come, ye thirsty, come, and welcome,
God’s free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Every grace that brings you nigh.

Come, ye weary, heavy laden,
Lost and ruined by the fall;
If you tarry till you’re better,
You will never come at all.

View Him prostrate in the garden;
On the ground your Maker lies.
On the bloody tree behold Him;
Sinner, will this not suffice?

Lo! th’incarnate God ascended,
Pleads the merit of His blood:
Venture on Him, venture wholly,
Let no other trust intrude.

Let not conscience make you linger,
Not of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness He requireth
Is to feel your need of Him.

--Joseph Hart, 1759

Hymn 81

Oh beware of fondly thinking
God accepts you for your tears;
Are the shipwrecked saved by sinking?
Can the ruined rise by fears?

Oh beware of trust ill-grounded;
'Tis but fancied faith at most,
To be cured, and not be wounded;
To be saved, before you're lost.

No big words of ready talkers,
No dry doctrine will suffice.
Broken hearts, and humble walkers,
These are dear in Jesus' eyes.

Tinkling sounds of disputation,
Naked knowledge all are vain;
Every soul that gains salvation,
Must and shall be born again.

--From "Hymns composed on various subjects", by J. Hart, 1811.

Christ Alone Sufficient

Remember, sinner, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee–it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee–it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that is the instrument–it is Christ’s blood and merits; therefore, look not to thy hope, but to Christ, the source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Christ, the author and finisher of thy faith; and if thou doest that, ten thousand devils cannot throw thee down…There is one thing which we all of us too much becloud in our preaching, though I believe we do it very unintentionally–namely, the great truth that it is not prayer, it is not faith, it is not our doings, it is not our feelings upon which we must rest, but upon Christ, and on Christ alone. We are apt to think that we are not in a right state, that we do not feel enough, instead of remembering that our business is not with self, but Christ. Let me beseech thee, look only to Christ; never expect delieverance from self, from ministers, or from any means of any kind apart from Christ; keep thine eye simply on Him; let his death, His agonies, His groans, His sufferings, His merits, His glories, His intercession, be fresh upon thy mind; when thou wakest in the morning look for Him; when thou liest down at night look for Him. (The Forgotten Spugeon, Iain Murray, pg. 42.)

Jesus Paid It Some

I hear the Savior say,
“You’re not doing enough;
Work your fingers to the bone,
I will save those who are tough.”

Jesus paid it some
I will do the rest
Sin had left a crimson stain
Now I will give my best

For now indeed I’ll try
To earn your love and grace
I’ll add the works I have
To complete the price you paid.

REFRAIN

And when before the throne
I’ll give my deeds to you,
I’ll hope I’ve done enough
To make you let me through.

REFRAIN (3x just to be sure)

--Stephen Altrogge

Pride: a feeling of self-respect and personal worth

You have abandoned your people,
the house of Jacob.
They are full of superstitions from the East;
they practice divination like the Philistines
and clasp hands with pagans.
Their land is full of silver and gold;
there is no end to their treasures.
Their land is full of horses;
there is no end to their chariots.

Their land is full of idols;
they bow down to the work of their hands,
to what their fingers have made.

So man will be brought low
and mankind humbled—
do not forgive them.

Go into the rocks,
hide in the ground
from dread of the LORD
and the splendor of his majesty!

The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled
and the pride of men brought low;
the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

The LORD Almighty has a day in store
for all the proud and lofty,
for all that is exalted
(and they will be humbled),

for all the cedars of Lebanon, tall and lofty,
and all the oaks of Bashan,

for all the towering mountains
and all the high hills,

for every lofty tower
and every fortified wall,

for every trading ship
and every stately vessel.

The arrogance of man will be brought low
and the pride of men humbled;
the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,

and the idols will totally disappear.

Men will flee to caves in the rocks
and to holes in the ground
from dread of the LORD
and the splendor of his majesty,
when he rises to shake the earth.

In that day men will throw away
to the rodents and bats
their idols of silver and idols of gold,
which they made to worship.

They will flee to caverns in the rocks
and to the overhanging crags
from dread of the LORD
and the splendor of his majesty,
when he rises to shake the earth.

Stop trusting in man,
who has but a breath in his nostrils.
Of what account is he?

Isaiah 2:6-22

Dad

I watched Chet Atkins sing this song last night:



A few years ago, my Dad scared us with a surprise surgery (stints). It was the first time I've ever really had to consider the idea that he wouldn't always be there...

If you're out there in rabidfrog blog land today, Dad, I love you.

The atheist understands.

"The only function the law has in this theology is to make certain that everyone is guilty, not to actually give people guidelines to lead an innocent, socially agreeable life. It's law in name only; it's really nothing but a trap." --blackwolf72

This is a post that an atheist made on a blog I was reading. He is really quite "spot on" for the most part. I would argue that the law did indeed give guidelines to live a just life, because the scriptures say "So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good." --Romans 7:12. Going back a verse, "for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me." --Romans 7:11

But the other part is absolutely right. "Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God." --Romans 3:19

So then, what do we Christians teach about law-keeping? Do those around us believe that becoming a Christian means all your past sins are forgiven, and now you must keep the whole law in order to "maintain" your salvation?

"Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God." --Romans 7:4

Not what my hands have done

Not what my hands have done can save my guilty soul;
Not what my toiling flesh has borne can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do can give me peace with God;
Not all my prayers and sighs and tears can bear my awful load.

Your voice alone, O Lord, can speak to me of grace;
Your power alone, O Son of God, can all my sin erase.
No other work but Yours, no other blood will do;
No strength but that which is divine can bear me safely through.

Thy work alone, O Christ, can ease this weight of sin;
Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God, can give me peace within.
Thy love to me, O God, not mine, O Lord, to Thee,
Can rid me of this dark unrest, And set my spirit free.

I bless the Christ of God; I rest on love divine;
And with unfaltering lip and heart I call this Savior mine.
His cross dispels each doubt; I bury in His tomb
Each thought of unbelief and fear, each lingering shade of gloom.

I praise the God of grace; I trust His truth and might;
He calls me His, I call Him mine, My God, my joy and light.
’Tis He Who saveth me, and freely pardon gives;
I love because He loveth me, I live because He lives.

--Ho­ra­ti­us Bo­nar, 1861

Do you ever feel like you're not able to face the challenges of life? Well, you're right.

Not what I am, O Lord, but what Thou art;
That, that alone, can be my soul's true rest;
Thy love, not mine, bids fear and doubt depart,
And stills the tempest of my tossing breast.

It is Thy perfect love that casts out fear;
I know the voice that speaks the It is I,
And in these well-known words of heavenly cheer
I hear the joy that bids each sorrow fly.

Thy Name is Love! I hear it from yon Cross;
Thy Name is Love! I read it in yon tomb:
All meaner love is perishable dross,
But this shall light me through time's thickest gloom.

It blesses now, and shall for ever bless;
It saves me now, and shall for ever save;
It holds me up in days of helplessness,
It bears me safely o'er each swelling wave.

'Tis what I know of Thee, my Lord and God,
That fills my soul with peace, my lips with song;
Thou art my health, my joy, my staff, my rod;
Leaning on Thee, in weakness I am strong.

More of Thyself, Oh, show me, hour by hour;
More of Thy glory, O my God and Lord;
More of Thyself in all Thy grace and power;
More of Thy love and truth, Incarnate Word.

--Horatius Bonar (1808-1889)

Time flies

How can I possibly know whether or not I'm saved? What must I do to be saved?

All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. --1 John 4:15

He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. --John 1:10-12

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. --John 3:16

There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. --John 3:18

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. --Acts 2:21

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. --Romans 10:13

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. --Acts 16:31

"Then they said unto Him, What shall we do that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent." --John 6:28, 29

Thank God for His Word, and for the great teachers like Harry Ironside

That is, we experience death to the world, death to the law, death to sin, in order that we may live a heavenly life down here in the liberty of grace, manifesting that holiness which the Spirit alone imparts. This indeed is to know the power of His resurrection.
This was the truth which the apostle pressed upon the young preacher, Timothy, when he wrote exhorting him to "lay hold on eternal life" (1 Tim. 6:12). And this is the ideal which, I am persuaded, the majority of Christians have before them from the very moment of their conversion; yet many of them have to confess with sorrow that they never seem to realize it practically. What, then, is the trouble? Why is it that so few of us know the power of His resurrection in our daily lives? May I suggest again three things?

Causes of Defeat
First, it takes us so long to get to the end of ourselves! Even after we have realized that "the flesh profiteth nothing" (John 6:63), so far as earning salvation or justification is concerned, we still imagine that, saved by faith in Christ, we are to be made perfect by the flesh. So we endeavor to harness our carnal nature and to bring it into subjection to God by law, forgetting that the Holy Spirit has declared: "The carnal mind ... is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7).
Therefore we struggle on, vainly endeavoring to please God on a merely human plane, "doing our little best" to work for Him and to glorify His name, only to learn at last that this old nature of ours is as incorrigibly weak at the end of years of Christian testimony as it was at the beginning. This discovery has a tendency to cast us into doubt and gloom and to make us wonder whether we have ever been converted at all, or whether everything is a hopeless sham. At such times we are tempted to give up the conflict, to cease witnessing for Christ, and to sink back to the low level of that world from which we sought deliverance. But "He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:6). He, the blessed Holy Spirit, holds us fast. Deep in our hearts we know, through the inward witness, that we have passed from death unto life; that a great change has taken place; and that, unsatisfactory as our actual experience may be, we are the children of God. With many there is then the tendency to assume that there is no real way to escape from the hopeless conflict as long as we are still in the body. This leads to a settling down to a low level of Christian living, as though it were the best we could expect to be under existing circumstances. Yet the Spirit of God is constantly seeking to make us dissatisfied with such a state and to long for something better. Little by little we come to the place where we are ready to admit the hopelessness of the flesh: "I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing" (Rom. 7:18).
Then, in the second place, comes another step, one that we are generally very slow to take. We have to learn that, just as we were saved through the blood of the Cross, so we enter into a life of victory through the death of the Cross. When George Muller was asked on one occasion how he accounted for the marvelous way in which God had set His seal upon his work throughout the years, he replied in substance: "There came a day when George Muller died, and then God began to work." This is the experience into which we all need to enter. Judicially, we have died with Christ; His death was our death; but we are so slow to realize this practically and to say "Amen" to that which God has already declared to be true. Perhaps we try — try to die to the flesh, try to die to selfishness, try to die to ambition. But alas, we find in the hour of stress that we are just as much alive as ever! It is a great thing when we learn experimentally, in the presence of God, that we have died, and when in faith the soul can exclaim: "I am crucified with Christ" (Gal. 2:20). Then the struggle is over, for nothing is expected of a dead man.

How to Triumph
Yet in the Word of God we are exhorted to strive, and to "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Tim. 6:12). How shall we do this if we are dead? Ah, now we come to the third point, to that which the apostle expresses in our text. We are called to know Christ, the living Christ, and the power of His resurrection working in us, overcoming our enemies, defeating the world, the flesh, and the devil, and leading us into a life of triumphant victory. Then the soul exclaims: "Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2:20). Thus the soul's quest is attained. Resurrection life is enjoyed even in a mortal body, and the risen Christ is seen in those whom He has purchased with His blood. This is bliss indeed — a foretaste of that which will be ours eternally in the city of God!

Copied from Care for God's Fruit-trees and Other Messages by H.A. Ironside. Rev. ed. New York: Loizeaux Brothers, [1945].

I would have to clean up my act. I'm not a good enough person to become a Christian.

These words are a paraphrase of what my high school coach told my Mom when she was presenting the gospel to him. He felt that he wasn't living a good enough life to try to be a Christian. How tragic! Have not we Christians failed in presenting to those around us who we really are and what the good news of the Bible really is!

I wish I could find the quote from Vernon Mcgee but I can't. What he said was basically that sinners are the only group for which God made any arrangement. Guess what? If you're a sinner, then there is good news for you! If you're not a sinner, then I know of no plan of salvation or good news for you.


Sinners Jesus will receive;
Sound this word of grace to all
Who the heavenly pathway leave,
All who linger, all who fall.

Sing it o'er and o'er again;
Christ receiveth sinful men;
Make the message clear and plain:
Christ receiveth sinful men.

Come, and He will give you rest;
Trust Him for His word is plain;
He will take the sinfulest;
Christ receiveth sinful men.

Now my heart condemns me not,
Pure before the law I stand;
He who cleansed me from all spot,
Satisfied its last demand.

Christ receiveth sinful men,
Even me with all my sin;
Purged from every spot and stain,
Glory I shall enter in.

Erdmann Neumeister (1671-1756)

Holiness: the false and the true

This is a MUST READ for anyone who was brought up in a works-based Christian faith or anyone that is striving to reach what is known in Christian circles as "sinless perfection". It deals with holiness teachings. Actually, I think it would be a great read for everyone.

http://www.inchristalone.org/PDFiles/Ironside.pdf

Don't let your hearts be troubled

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.”
“No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”

Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

John 14:1-14

Turn and Be Saved

Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning. (Joel 2:12)

The word "turn" means "repent." God says to His people whose hearts are turned from Him, "Repent." Repent means primarily to change your mind. You indicate a change of mind by turning around. The by-product of repentance will be fasting, weeping, and mourning. Unfortunately, a great many people think that if they go down to an altar and shed enough tears, they are converted. Well, I went through that process as a boy and found it to be absolutely meaningless.

And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. (Joel 2:13)

You see, this was to be a heart experience, not some outward gesture. Actually, the Mosaic Law forbade the priest from tearing his garments. Repentance was not to be shown by being a fanatic. The tear was to be in the heart.

Now he gives the reason for turning to the Lord: "For he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil." In the Books of Exodus and Jonah, I deal more thoroughly with the question of what it means when God repents. When Israel was in Egypt, it looked as if God changed His mind. He sent plague after plague to Egypt to give Pharaoh the opportunity to repent and turn to Him, but he didn't. Also in Jonah's day, God sent Jonah to preach to the Ninevites that He would destroy the city. However, Ninevah repented and turned to God; so God did not destroy the city. It looked as if God had changed His mind after He said that He would destroy the city, but He did not change His mind. God is immutable. He is always gracious; He is always merciful, and He is always slow to anger.

My friend, you can always depend upon God. He never changes, He is immutable; but when a sinner repents and turns to Him, God says in effect, "You were under My judgment, and I was going to judge you, but now that you have turned to Me, I will not judge you." God is always gracious and ready to forgive.

My friend, the only way we can come to Him is to come as sinners wanting to turn from our sins. If you have been turning from God and now will turn to God, all you have to do is call upon Him and He will save you. "... Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved ..." (Acts 16:31). You don't need to do anything but that. You don't need to join a church, go through a ceremony, or promise Him something. You simply turn as a sinner to Christ for His mercy.

-- Dr. J. Vernon McGee

No justice

So there is no justice among us,
and we know nothing about right living.
We look for light but find only darkness.
We look for bright skies but walk in gloom.
We grope like the blind along a wall,
feeling our way like people without eyes.
Even at brightest noontime,
we stumble as though it were dark.
Among the living,
we are like the dead.
We growl like hungry bears;
we moan like mournful doves.
We look for justice, but it never comes.
We look for rescue, but it is far away from us.
For our sins are piled up before God
and testify against us.
Yes, we know what sinners we are.
We know we have rebelled and have denied the Lord.
We have turned our backs on our God.
We know how unfair and oppressive we have been,
carefully planning our deceitful lies.
Our courts oppose the righteous,
and justice is nowhere to be found.
Truth stumbles in the streets,
and honesty has been outlawed.
Yes, truth is gone,
and anyone who renounces evil is attacked.

Isaiah 59:9-15

That can't be right, I'm such a good person! Not like that tax collector....

Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.

For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws. For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.

So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.

James 2:8-13

Works or faith?

Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. David also spoke of this when he described the happiness of those who are declared righteous without working for it:

“Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sins are put out of sight.
Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”

Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith. But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised, or was it before he was circumcised? Clearly, God accepted Abraham before he was circumcised!

Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their faith. And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)

So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.

Romans 4:1-16

Faith or works?

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?

Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.

Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.

James 2:14-26

Man of Sorrows

"Man of Sorrows," what a name
For the Son of God who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim!
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood;
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Guilty, vile, and helpless, we,
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
Full redemption—can it be?
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Lifted up was He to die,
"It is finished!" was His cry;
Now in heaven exalted high;
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
When He comes, our glorious King,
To His kingdom us to bring,
Then anew this song we'll sing
Hallelujah! what a Savior!

-Philip Paul Bliss (1838-1876)

The Substitute

It is not by incarnation but by blood shedding that we are saved. The Christ of God is no mere expounder of wisdom; no mere deliverer or gracious benefactor; and they who think they have told the whole gospel, when they have spoken of Jesus revealing the love of God, do greatly err. If Christ be not the Substitute, he is nothing to the sinner. If he did not die as the Sin-bearer, he has died in vain. Let us not be deceived on this point, nor misled by those who, when they announce Christ as the Deliverer, think they have preached the gospel. If I throw a rope to a drowning man, I am a deliverer. But is Christ no more than that? If I cast myself into the sea, and risk my life to save another, I am a deliverer. But is Christ no more? Did he but risk his life? The very essence of Christ’s deliverance is the substitution of Himself for us, his life for ours. He did not come to risk his life; he came to die! He did not redeem us by a little loss, a little sacrifice, a little labour, a little suffering, “He redeemed us to God by his blood;” “the precious blood of Christ.” He gave all he had, even his life, for us. This is the kind of deliverance that awakens the happy song, “To him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.”

The tendency of the world’s religion just now is, to reject the blood; and to glory in a gospel which needs no sacrifice, no “Lamb slain.” Thus, they go “in the way of Cain.” Cain refused the blood, and came to God without it. He would not own himself a sinner, condemned to die, and needing the death of another to save him. This was man’s open rejection of God’s own way of life.

-From God’s Way of Peace, 1862, Horatius Bonar

What faith isn't

So faith is not our righteousness: it merely knits us to the righteous One, and makes us partakers of His righteousness. By a natural figure of speech, faith is often magnified into something great; whereas it is really nothing but our consenting to be saved by another: its supposed magnitude is derived from the greatness of the object which it grasps, the excellence of the righteousness which it accepts. Its preciousness is not its own, but the preciousness of Him to whom it links us.

Faith is not our physician; it only brings us to the Physician. It is not even our medicine; it only administers the medicine, divinely prepared by Him who "healeth all our diseases." In all our believing, let us remember God's word to Israel: "I am Jehovah, that healeth thee" (Exodus 14:26). Our faith is but our touching Jesus; and what is even this, in reality, but His touching us?

Faith is not our savior. It was not faith that was born at Bethlehem and died on Golgotha for us. It was not faith that loved us, and gave itself for us; that bore our sins in its own body on the tree; that died and rose again for our sins. Faith is one thing, the Savior is another. Faith is one thing, and the cross is another. Let us not confound them, nor ascribe to a poor, imperfect act of man, that which belongs exclusively to the Son of the Living God.

Faith is not perfection. Yet only by perfection can we be saved; either our own or another's. That which is imperfect cannot justify, and an imperfect faith could not in any sense be a righteousness. If it is to justify, it must be perfect. It must be like "the Lamb, without blemish and without spot." An imperfect faith may connect us with the perfection of another; but it cannot of itself do aught for us, either in protecting us from wrath or securing the divine acquittal. All faith here is imperfect; and our security is this, that it matters not how poor or weak our faith
may be: if it touches the perfect One, all is well. The touch draws out the virtue that is in Him, and we are saved. The slightest imperfection in our faith, if faith were our righteousness, would be fatal to every hope. But the imperfection of our faith, however great, if faith be but the approximation or contact between us and the fullness of the Substitute, is no hindrance to our participation of His righteousness. God has asked and provided a perfect righteousness; He nowhere asks nor expects a perfect faith. An earthenware pitcher can convey water to a traveler's
thirsty lips as well as one of gold; nay, a broken vessel, even if there be but "a shard to take water from the pit" (Isaiah 30:14), will suffice. So a feeble, very feeble faith, will connect us with the righteousness of the Son of God; the faith, perhaps, that can only cry, "Lord, I believe; help mine unbelief."

Faith is not satisfaction to God. In no sense and in no aspect can faith be said to satisfy God, or to satisfy the law. Yet if it is to be our righteousness, it must satisfy. Being imperfect, it cannot satisfy; being human, it cannot satisfy, even though it were perfect. That which satisfies must be capable of bearing our guilt; and that which bears our guilt must be not only perfect, but divine. It is a sin-bearer that we need, and our faith cannot be a sin-bearer. Faith can expiate no guilt; can accomplish no propitiation; can pay no penalty; can wash away no stain;
can provide no righteousness. It brings us to the cross, where there is expiation, and propitiation, and payment, and cleansing, and righteousness; but in itself it has no merit and no virtue.

Faith is not Christ, nor the cross of Christ. Faith is not the blood, nor the sacrifice; it is not the altar, nor the laver, nor the mercy-seat, nor the incense. It does not work, but accepts a work done ages ago; it does not wash, but leads us to the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness. It does not create; it merely links us to that new thing which was created when the "everlasting righteousness" was brought in. (Daniel 9:24)

Excerpt from, “How Shall Man Be Just With God?”
Horatius Bonar
Published 1873

Pick a church and win a prize!

There are many, many, many different Christian churches you might attend. With so many different practices, traditions, and beliefs, how can you possibly pick just one?!
Eastern Orthodox Churches
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Assemblies of Yahweh (Easton Rapids, Michigan)
Assemblies of Yahweh
Assemblies of the Called Out Ones of Yah
Bible Study Association
Church of God (Jerusalem)
House of Yahweh (Abilene, Texas)
House of Yahweh (Odessa, Texas)
Missionary Dispensary Bible Research
New Life Fellowship
Scripture Research Association
Workers Together with Elohim
Yahweh's Assembly of Messiah
British Israelism
Anglo-Saxon Federation of America
British-Israel-World Federation (Canada), Inc
Calvary Fellowship, Inc
Christian Conservative Churches of America
Christian Identity Church
Christian Research
Church of Israel
Church of Jesus Christ Christian (Aryan Nations)
Covenant, the Sword and the Arm of the Lord
House of Prayer for All People
Kingdom Identity Ministries
LaPorte Church of Christ
Ministry of Christ Church
National Association of Kingdom Evangelicals
New Christian Crusade Church
Prophetic Herald Ministry
Remnant of Israel
Tabernacle of the Phineas Priesthood
Southcottites
Israelite House of David
Israelite House of David as Reorganized by Mary Purnell
Yahweh's New Covenant Assembly
Other Adventists
Christadelphians
Christian Nations - Eagle Warriors
Church of God (Reinersten)
Kingdom of God on Earth Within Man
Remnant Church
Restored Israel of Yahweh
Shiloh True Light Church of Christ
Star of Truth Foundation
True Church
Latter Day Saint movement (Mormonism)
Aaronic Order
Church of Christ (Bickertonite)
Church of Christ (Cutlerite)
Church of Christ (Temple Lot)
Church of Christ with the Elijah Message
Church of Jesus Christ in Zion
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints*
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)
Community of Christ**
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Restoration Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Restored Church of Jesus Christ
Sons Aumen Israel
True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days

What do they all have in common?
The bad news: Attending any of them (or all of them) will not save you!

The good news: Many of these churches will tell you about the One who can save you, the Savior Jesus Christ. Also, in many of these churches you will find folks who believe in Jesus Christ, and you can find great encouragement in gathering together with them.