tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21117271585898471372024-03-13T16:47:56.865-07:00Public Servant's Announcement My reflections on personally knowing God, what I've learned from and about the Bible, and a few current events in light of a Scriptural worldview.Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111727158589847137.post-87114791684150807642014-02-06T09:09:00.001-08:002014-02-06T09:09:53.572-08:00The Foolishness Of The Gospel...<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I’ve
noticed that with advent of social media, and better yet, the addition of
comment sections at the bottom of every Internet article, there seems to be more
discussion (or argument) between believers and non-believers these days. My
purpose now is not to address the utter <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">foolishness</span></i>
of some believers who almost hatefully engage in these arguments with
unbelievers, as if God needed them to come to His rescue – I’ll save that for
another time. My purpose is to point out the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">foolishness</span></i> of the Gospel itself.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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*** Insert chirping crickets here ***<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now,
one thing that both believers and unbelievers can agree on is that most unbelievers think that the belief
system of Christians is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">foolishness</span></i>.
There are some very pleasant unbelievers who would never state it that way, but
in reality, they think what we believe is absurd. This, by the way, is totally
in keeping with what Scripture teaches:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: purple; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">For
the message of the cross is <b>foolishness</b> to those who are perishing, but
to us who are being saved it is the power of God.</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"> (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+1%3A18-25&version=NIV">1 Corinthians 1:18</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">The truth is that at one time that message
was also </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">foolishness</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"> to those of us <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">who are being saved</span></i></span>. At some point we were <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://publicservantsannouncement.blogspot.com/2014/01/prepare-to-be-mooned.html">illuminated</a></i> and given the Spirit to
understand the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">foolishness</span></i> for what
it really is.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Think of it like this:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LlPbJ6J2u_0/Uu2ClavMAOI/AAAAAAAABbs/uv4t9dcljRQ/s1600/6eace1697c6d6bf8de73efb710d6c4b5db8e70e26e25fa6b122616a2cf4cbf4a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LlPbJ6J2u_0/Uu2ClavMAOI/AAAAAAAABbs/uv4t9dcljRQ/s1600/6eace1697c6d6bf8de73efb710d6c4b5db8e70e26e25fa6b122616a2cf4cbf4a.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">I know how and when to blow my nose. It
comes in handy. I have been trying to teach this amazing technique to my little
boys. I don’t do it to make them laugh and giggle and roll around on the floor
and mock me – I do it because I know it’s for their own good. I blow my nose
for them in all seriousness in order to demonstrate how it is done. But they don’t see it that
way. They just see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">foolishness</span></i>. At
this point in their lives, they are not able to see the wisdom in blowing their
own noses, so they don’t explore it. They just laugh because they think daddy
is being <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">foolish</span></i>. And so I stand
there, looking at them with their runny noses, listening to them struggling to
breath, wishing I could just make them understand – It’s really not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">foolishness</span></i> once you get it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Neither is the message of the cross. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><u>So you believers:</u> just as me arguing with my
boys will not help them learn nose-blowing, neither will you arguing with
unbelievers somehow magically convert them (as if that were really what you
wanted, and not just to prove you were right). Have compassion and patience. I
will return to this some other time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><u>And you unbelievers:</u> just as my boys think that me blowing my nose is foolishness, you think the Gospel message is – but I bet you
eventually embraced the wisdom of blowing your own nose. That's hypocritical. Face the fact that you
do not know everything. If you claim to be open-minded, then open your mind –
and don’t be so quick to disregard <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/foolishness?s=t">foolishness</a></span> </i>as
if you knew better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111727158589847137.post-16346078598803845692014-01-29T18:48:00.000-08:002014-02-01T15:19:16.794-08:00Prepare To Be Mooned<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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There are some things that just intrigue everyone: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Trains, sharks, donuts, and the Moon . . . especially the
Moon.<o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
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</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GRiVEQJY0Ds/Uuau3EoTboI/AAAAAAAABaw/BIUpj6wEKTc/s1600/bigpreview_Bright+Full+Moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GRiVEQJY0Ds/Uuau3EoTboI/AAAAAAAABaw/BIUpj6wEKTc/s1600/bigpreview_Bright+Full+Moon.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Honestly, have you ever heard anyone say, “I just really
can’t stand that Moon up there”?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
No you haven’t. And if you have, I’ll give you a refund.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Since the beginning of Creation, people have looked up at
the Moon in wonder. It’s really easy to understand why too – it lights up the
night sky. It’s because when we are experiencing the night, the Moon doesn’t
escape the Sun’s light:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">But everything exposed by the light
becomes visible – <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-style: italic;">and everything that is illuminated becomes
a light. </span><span class="Apple-style-span">(<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5%3A8-14&version=NIV">Ephesians 5</a>)</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">This is true in
the natural realm. Think about the Moon again. In not-so-scientific terms, it’s
a big ole dead, dusty, dark, round rock. Sometimes it’s completely darkened and
then it gets all lit up again. We call that a full Moon. What was darkened
becomes exposed by the light of the Sun and clearly visible – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">illuminated</span></i>. It becomes a light in even darkest
night the sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">All people start
out like the darkened (New) Moon, receiving no light, reflecting no light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">This is why it is said:<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">“Wake up sleeper, rise from the dead, and
Christ will shine on you.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">The same thing
happens to those who receive Him. They become <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">illuminated</span></i> by Christ. They are like the Moon when it is full of
light. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Jesus Christ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">illuminates</span></i> us much like the Sun <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">illuminates</span></i> the Moon:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Like the Sun,
Jesus is the true <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">light that shines in
the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it</span>.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-style: italic;">In him was life, and that life was the light
of all mankind . . . to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his
name, he gave the right to become children of God<b> – </b>children born
not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of
God. </span><span class="Apple-style-span">(<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A1-18&version=NIV">John 1</a>)</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Honestly, I can
only take this little allegory so far. But we all have to admit that no one
ever gazes up in amazement at the darkened Moon. But when the Moon is fully <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">illuminated</span></i>, it is everything it
is supposed to be in all its glory.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">When <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Christ shines on you</span></i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">illuminates</span></i> you, then you will be full.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">And oddly enough, the next full Moon is on Valentine's Day.</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">***Thanks to David Phillips </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><a class="twitter-atreply pretty-link" href="https://twitter.com/johnnykidron" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #116ef9; text-decoration: none !important;"><s style="color: #70a8fb; text-decoration: none;">@</s>johnnykidron</a> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">f</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">or faithfully delivering an inspiring Good Word from the Lord and Chris Bloom </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><a class="twitter-atreply pretty-link" href="https://twitter.com/LChrisBloom" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #116ef9; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><s style="color: #70a8fb; text-decoration: none;">@</s>LChrisBloom</a></span> for the title of the post. Honored to know and serve alongside these brothers. Follow these guys on Twitter.</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111727158589847137.post-65499747058340047722014-01-25T08:00:00.000-08:002014-02-01T15:18:50.477-08:00Show Me<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do your kids ever ask you, “where are we going?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I bet they do, and I bet you tell them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kbOnI1QmtnM/UuPbEqF_hwI/AAAAAAAABYE/9VZotTZcG0I/s1600/scary-road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kbOnI1QmtnM/UuPbEqF_hwI/AAAAAAAABYE/9VZotTZcG0I/s1600/scary-road.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next time, don’t. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Say “I’ll <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">show</i>
you.” I think I’m going to start that with my boys today. It will be good for
them, spiritually.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are just like little kids. We really do have “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">little faith</span></i>” you know. We want to know <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everything </i>before we do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">anything</i>. We want to be able to weigh
the pros and cons to see if the outcome is worth the trip. And often, we decide
before we take the first step if we will bother making the journey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, unless you are an Old Testament prophet – which you
are not – God will most likely not ever show you where you are going. <a href="http://utmost.org/will-you-go-out-without-knowing/">Oswald Chambers</a> even said, "<i>Have you been asking God what He is going to do? He will never tell you</i>." He’s just
not into the personal fortune-telling thing.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And before you argue, go read your Bible; God is doing us a
great big ole favor in this. When he did tell the Old Testament prophets where to go and what to
do, he often told them how horrible it would be, and how useless their
warnings would be. Now, how would you like to know <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> before you moved – and <i>still</i> be expected to obey? Well, don’t
worry. God isn’t going to roll out His full plan for your life for your personal
approval (and we should be thankful for that) because we would surely make a
mess of it. We can only handle little bits at a time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And that’s just it, he moves us a little at a time – by
faith. We all know about Abraham. He “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">obeyed
and went even though he did not where he was going</span></i>.” (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+11&version=NIV">Heb 11:8</a>) He didn’t
say, “<i>LORD, show me where you want me to go</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But that’s what we do. When we pray, we ask (tell) God to
show us things, reveal things to us, give us this peace or that wisdom on this
decision – and in reality, if we are honest, many times we are praying in the
flesh because we have “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">little faith</span></i>”;
we are afraid of what we do not know or understand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead we should pray, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">help
me overcome my unbelief</span>!</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We should pray, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Increase
our faith</span>!</i>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is an easy thing to sit in your chair, or lay in your bed
at night, and ask God to show you where He’s taking you or what He’s going to
do. It requires, and is indicative of “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">little faith</span></i>”. That
should raise some red flags. We should recognize that as praying in the flesh.
Where in the <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A5-15&version=NIV">Lord’s
Prayer</a> does Jesus teach us to tell God to show us the future?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We would be better off asking Him to show us --- Us. We’d be
better off to ask Him to help us to really see our “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">little faith</span></i>” so that we may truly and sincerely desire to follow
and obey Jesus – and <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A1-17&version=NIV"><i>remain in him</i></a> – rather than be consumed with what will
happen next.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Besides, when you take time to think about it, where you’re
going is really inconsequential. You can’t get there without the very air you
breath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And WHO made that?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111727158589847137.post-29167778185710496762014-01-23T09:11:00.000-08:002014-02-01T15:19:31.222-08:00Clean Up This Mess<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have two boys. By definition, boys are messy. Mine are no
exception. As a matter of fact, they are exceptional.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7MBIB_TL5nE/UuFIzSvxbJI/AAAAAAAABX0/YofU3iWp_WY/s1600/Messy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7MBIB_TL5nE/UuFIzSvxbJI/AAAAAAAABX0/YofU3iWp_WY/s1600/Messy.jpg" height="226" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a father, I’ve learned how to deal with the messes they
make (somewhat). See, if I just tell them to clean up their mess, they barely
notice that I am speaking. So I’ve learned not to push it too hard all the time. The
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">best</i> time to bring it up is when they
want something from me. That’s when you see results. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For little kids, it’s hard to make them actually <i>see</i> a mess, because
they are messy. But when you say, “We’re not going anywhere until this mess is
cleaned up” somehow, the scales fall from their eyes, and toys slowly begin to
get picked up (very, very slowly).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We "Big People" are exactly the same way with our Father in Heaven. We
tend to not see the mess we allow to build up in our lives: "petty little sins" that seem so insignificant to us that we forget about them. I’m talking about things
like “white” lies, holding a grudge, and the entire spectrum of socially
acceptable sins and ungodliness within the church (yes, I said it and it’s true).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we want something from God, or when we want to get
closer to God, He will remind us about the mess. He will tell us to clean it up.
There are times we simply want Him to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">restore
to us the joy of our salvation</span></i>, but He will tell us to deal with the mess
we’ve left behind first. Oh, you can come as you are alright, but that ain't the end of it. It may be that we need to spend some time in
solemn confession, but it may require restitution be paid, or even more
horrifying – a heartfelt apology to someone we've wronged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the
Lord would not have listened;<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">but God has surely listened and has heard
my prayer.</span></span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"> (Ps 66:18-19).<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first part of that verse can be translated many ways,
but it literally means <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">If I </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #030f19; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">looked and saw</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"> sin in my heart</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #030f19;">,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"> which basically means <i>If I hadn’t dealt with the mess first.</i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #666666; color: #030f19;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">If
you read</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+66&version=NIV" style="color: #030f19;">Psalm 66</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">, you’ll see that almost the whole thing is a celebration – a
very happy man praising the LORD. And then he gets to the end:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #030f19;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Come and hear, all you who fear God;</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Courier;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">let me tell you what he has done for me.</span></span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">He has good
reason to be overjoyed:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Praise be to God,<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">who has not rejected my prayer<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">or withheld his love from me!</span></span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Who doesn't want to be like that? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Each of us may have a mess to clean up that we’re just not seeing. Ask the Father to show it to you and help you clean it up so you can get moving.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">-- I know I can never refuse my boys when they ask me for help.</span></div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111727158589847137.post-2558721544236559782013-12-19T08:47:00.000-08:002014-02-01T15:19:47.995-08:00Christianity, Persecution, Blessing<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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The persecution of Christianity in its simplest terms,
historically and worldwide, can be outlined progressively:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
1. Social Persecution<br />
2. Legal Persecution<br />
3. Violent Persecution</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dg8I-brtqbA/UrMhfSNhJxI/AAAAAAAABWI/8-37FvPu-CE/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-12-19+at+8.25.42+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dg8I-brtqbA/UrMhfSNhJxI/AAAAAAAABWI/8-37FvPu-CE/s400/Screen+shot+2013-12-19+at+8.25.42+AM.png" height="246" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graphic from<br />
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/publiccatholic/2013/03/degrees-of-christian-persecution-where-does-america-fit/</td></tr>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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Where are we in America?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Social persecution of Christianity is commonplace – even
fashionable. Disapproval, insults, hatred, ridicule and criticism. By and
large, the media will not tolerate any expression of Christianity.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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We have been wading into the waters of Legal persecution of
Christianity for years. How many court cases have targeted or successfully
hampered the free expression of Christianity? The Gospel of Peace is now
officially “hate speech”.<o:p></o:p></div>
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At least we haven’t experienced Violent persecution yet . .
. or have we? Take some time and see for yourself. It’s buried, but it’s there.
In this country there have been an increasing number of violent crimes and
murders against Christians for no other reason other than their faith. But if
Social persecution already exists, which it does, you can expect the media to
avoid such stories like the Plague.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Whether you are a Christian or not, you need to know how
this relationship works. Numbers of people are really inconsequential.
Temperature is what matters. The spiritual temperature of Christianity is
almost always directly proportional to the degree of persecution.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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CHRISTIANS! Have you ever noticed that the capstone of
Jesus’ Beatitudes is this:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">“<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><i>Blessed are you
when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against
you because of me.<b> </b>Rejoice and be glad, because great is your
reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were
before you.</i></span>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Everyone wants a
blessing, but they won’t take what the Lord gives. Stop fighting and arguing
with those whose understanding is darkened. Stop useless boycotts with no power
behind them. Stop feeding your natural desire to get even and win and stand up
for your rights. Stop wasting your life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">READ THE WORD. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">DO WHAT IT SAYS. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">GET READY.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111727158589847137.post-53567077735459293472013-04-17T19:30:00.000-07:002014-01-27T06:52:09.996-08:00Perilous Laughter...Good for you?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">I had a rough day today. My littlest boy is sick, and I don't feel well. I didn't sleep good last night. The country appears to be falling apart. Whine, whine, whine, etc. Anyway, I came across this note I wrote on Facebook back on Friday, April 24, 2009. I don't think it was a coincidence either that I happened across it on a bad day almost 4 years later. Thank you LORD. Y'all enjoy:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aicIbUvE5tw"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2TEjYzupKDw/UW9aAoBA68I/AAAAAAAABTc/bRy-c2g_iEU/s1600/exploding-whale-taiwan_6.jpg" height="268" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aicIbUvE5tw"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Bad day for the guy with the scooter</span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Have you ever remembered something that was kind of funny when it happened, but when you remembered it, it was the funniest thing of all time? That happened to me while I was eating my lava-hot left-overs today.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Just to set this up, Sunday evening when we were all at the Ponstein's house, there was a show on about a dead whale that exploded in the middle of a city in China or something. That's funny, but that's not it. Wednesday night, me, Chris, and Tommy were talking about that show, and all of the possible scenarios that would have accompanied this Chinese inner-city whale explosion. It took about 5 minutes for us to get as silly as a bunch of little girls.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Well, as I was eating, I remembered our little silly session, and one thing in particular that was a little bit funny to me at the time. It doesn't even matter what it was, what was amazing was how funny it was this time. I started laughing hard, like comedy club hard. Next thing I knew I blew Dr. Pepper out my nose and my arms are all sticky, and I'm laughing harder than ever. Now I'm doing that crying, coughing, choking laughing, and to make matters worse, I'm also laughing at how funny my own laughing is. I almost fell out of my chair. That kind of laughing could kill a person.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">What's weird is that it made me think of a verse in the Bible:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 19px;">A glad heart makes a cheerful face,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 19px;"><i>but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. </i>(Proverbs 15:13)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; line-height: 19px;">There's plenty of us that have things going on that can make us sad and crush our Spirit. I read that</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 19px;"> "The indulgence of a disposition to sighing tends to destroy life. Every deep sigh throws off a portion of the vital energy." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">That's the truth. Anyone who's ever been down knows that it sucks the life out of you.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">It's much better to have a glad heart, even if you almost die from laughing. There's another verse that says:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 19px;">All the days of the afflicted are evil,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 19px;"><i>but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.</i> (Proverbs 15:15)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">I can't control all the circumstances in my life. I can't just decide not to be afflicted if tough times are here for a spell. But because of God's Spirit in me I can have a good attitude, and I can be cheerful even when it may seem to some there's no reason to be. I'm thankful for those little laughing episodes, and all the cheerful and silly people I know that lift people's spirits.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">So, in the words of Meher Baba (capitalized on by Bobby McFerrin in the 80's):</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; line-height: 19px;">"Don't worry, Be happy."</span></span>Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111727158589847137.post-17972205967170392852013-01-18T11:06:00.000-08:002014-01-27T06:50:39.103-08:00A Door of Opportunity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C27eOJkTADk/URm6eZ1DuSI/AAAAAAAABSw/71QTDC6gVL0/s1600/stock-footage-opening-old-door-to-the-nature-in-ancient-wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C27eOJkTADk/URm6eZ1DuSI/AAAAAAAABSw/71QTDC6gVL0/s1600/stock-footage-opening-old-door-to-the-nature-in-ancient-wall.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>. . . a great door for effective work has
opened to me, <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>and there are many who oppose me.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><i>1 Corinthians 16:9</i></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Apostle Paul wrote those words to the
Corinthian church that he established sometime after he arrived in Ephesus to
work. He ended up staying longer in Ephesus than he did anywhere else in all
his missionary journeys. It sounds like he was pretty excited about what God
had in store for him. But it’s also a curious verse, mainly because of the last
part, “and there are many who oppose me.” Is that supposed to be good, or bad?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, people, especially Christians, are
fond of the old “door of opportunity” expression. I’ve heard lots of church
folks say that a door has been opened to them – this door, that door. But I
have never in my life heard anyone say it like Paul did. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Think about all the “doors of
opportunity” Paul went through after he met Jesus. With most of those he passed
through, he planted a new church. But the opposition got tougher as he went. As
a matter of fact it became flat out life threatening. By the time he made it to
Ephesus, he had passed through countless “doors of opportunity,” planted dozens
of new churches along the way, and at times had to run for his life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, what’s this about a “great door for
effective work” that opened up to him? Well, I don’t exactly know for sure, but
while he was in Ephesus, he and his disciples held discussion daily for two
years so that “all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard
the word of the Lord.” If that ain’t a great door for effective work, I don’t
know what is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who was against him? Oh, just the people
that started a citywide riot against him in Ephesus – estimated population:
250,000 persons. They were angry because Paul had “convinced and led astray
large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province
of Asia,” and it was killing their idol business.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So here’s the point of it all. It comes
down to a question. Can there be “a great door for effective work” that is not
accompanied by opposition? And I’m not talking about that crybaby opposition
you’ll get just for being alive in this world. I’m talking about trouble.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think there are a variety of doors that
open up to believers. I think one taken most often is not one that the Lord has
opened up to them. That door usually leads to greater comfort, personal
success, prestige, money – worldliness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think the “great door for effective work”
is at first sight, ugly. I think it is surrounded on both sides by trouble. I
think there is nothing attractive about it – to the mind that loves things of
this world. But the door is transparent to those who truly – and I mean truly –
love the Lord, Jesus. They see the Lord’s will carried right on through to the other
side. They see the trouble too. They also know the scorn they will endure for
passing through. But it’s worth it. They pick up their cross, and follow their
Lord . . . and they suffer for it. And he’s pleased with them.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111727158589847137.post-4530814411914912262013-01-11T12:56:00.001-08:002013-01-11T12:56:35.737-08:00-isms
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>“Ism’s, in my opinion, are not good. A person
should not believe in an ‘ism,’ <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>he should believe in himself. I quote John
Lennon: ‘I don't believe in Beatles. <o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I just believe in me.’ A good point there.”</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>~ Ferris Bueller</i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
This
comes from one of the greatest movie monologues of all time: the “<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">How to Fake Out Parents and Avoid School”
discourse from</span> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ferris Bueller’s
Day Off</i>. Now, I don’t take much stock in anything John Lennon believed in,
but I’ve always been in one accord with him and Ferris on their stance on isms.
I’m not an ism guy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
First
let me clarify something. I’m against a certain kind of isms, not words spelled
with i-s-m. For example, pr<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">isms</i> are
nice. Once upon a time, I gave my wife one in the form of a diamond engagement
ring. Sch<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">isms</i>, well, maybe that’s not
the best example, but I’m sure if you do your homework you’ll see that some
good has come of them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
So what
is an ism? Well, a definition might be best. Have a look.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R0k_tVcMp1k/UPB2GJQ8r5I/AAAAAAAABNU/lJlo-RdBKh8/s1600/definition_ism_1A.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R0k_tVcMp1k/UPB2GJQ8r5I/AAAAAAAABNU/lJlo-RdBKh8/s1600/definition_ism_1A.png" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
***Actually,
–ism (suffix) and ism (noun) are two different things. Feast your eyes. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-02bZhDyHeyc/UPB2XnSC64I/AAAAAAAABNc/39DDCpSvwMg/s1600/definition_ism_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-02bZhDyHeyc/UPB2XnSC64I/AAAAAAAABNc/39DDCpSvwMg/s1600/definition_ism_2.png" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
</div>
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<br /></div>
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The
latter is the one that Bueller, Lennon, and me believe is not good, but I’m
coming at it with a Christian worldview. Now you might say, “What about
Calvinism or Arminianism? You must believe in one or the other if you are a good Christian.” My answer is this: I<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">sm’s,
in my opinion, are not good. A person should not believe in an ism. Before you
burn me in effigy, hear me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Bible is the revelation of God to
people, and a great deal of it requires that you have the Holy Spirit residing
in you to understand it. That means anyone, given they are regenerated, can
understand anything the Bible has to say by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. No degree necessary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">On the other hand, Christian isms are the
constructs of men to simplify the Bible. They sum it up, and make things nice
and neat. They are meant for good – to teach sound doctrine. But the
unregenerate are capable of fully understanding these systems and arguing them
until they are blue in the face every bit as much as a Christian is. It turns what God gave us into something man made. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">It’s like this: God gave us what we are
supposed to know about him in a treasure chest called the Bible. It takes
effort to get to know him. Then smart men simplified the treasure chest down into a
basket – but they came up with different looking baskets. The problem is that
you have believers looking in one basket or another for treasure, and
that’s not what God intended. He gave us the treasure chest. I'll say it again. A person should not believe in an ism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">A person should believe THE WORD. No matter
what this person or that person says, you don’t need an ism. You'll be just fine without an ism. Generally speaking, the -ists are usually the ones pushing their isms anyway. They will argue it will keep you from heresy.
Hogwash. Heresy from believing the other guy's ism maybe. I’ll take the guidance of the Holy Spirit over an ism any day of the week and
twice on Sunday. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">To sum it up, isms, in my opinion, are not
good. Leave the isms to the ists, and bury your nose in The Word. Let the Holy
Spirit teach you. God gave you a treasure chest. Don’t settle for a basket. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111727158589847137.post-32233515707537609932012-12-30T09:31:00.000-08:002012-12-30T09:31:06.820-08:00WWJD?
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e0Zw1yRQjyw/UOB4wTMwNDI/AAAAAAAABGQ/p0vAYPSF8O4/s1600/0694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e0Zw1yRQjyw/UOB4wTMwNDI/AAAAAAAABGQ/p0vAYPSF8O4/s1600/0694.jpg" height="165" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Do you remember that
popular Evangelical catch phrase from the 90’s? I do. I never liked it – then,
because I was busy acting like a heathen, and now, because anyone who has even
read just a few pages of the gospels knows that the disciples blew it every
time they tried to predict WJWD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Well, I guess there’s
one thing that we can be Scripturally certain that Jesus would do if he were
still walking the earth today. He would be making disciples.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UNTfRENS7dA/UOB4E75c9II/AAAAAAAABGI/TD2sbX6-NNg/s1600/Jesus_slogan2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UNTfRENS7dA/UOB4E75c9II/AAAAAAAABGI/TD2sbX6-NNg/s1600/Jesus_slogan2.png" height="246" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">GO… Make Disciples… That
is what Jesus said, that is what Jesus did, that is what Jesus passed on, and
that is most certainly what Jesus would ‘be for’ if he were still physically
present with us. We know for a fact that he is still for that because he lives,
and so does his command to his disciples to GO and Make Disciples. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Jesus didn’t merely suggest
that his followers preach repentance, evangelize the lost, or teach clever lessons…
His earthy ministry surely wasn’t limited to just making pleasant choices in a
social context either. He expected much more. He expected us to pour our very
lives into a new generation of disciples just as he poured his very life into
the Twelve. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">The Church in America
today is practically clueless when it comes to Scriptural, Jesus-commanded
discipleship. I admit that I certainly don’t know it all, but it is because
generations before me quit making disciples the way Jesus did it. People love
to say what wrong with this country… there’s your problem right there. We need to re-discover
true, biblical, Jesus-commanded, apostle-obeyed, early church-experienced
discipleship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111727158589847137.post-66122683114631694132012-12-19T11:00:00.000-08:002013-02-11T19:55:42.075-08:00Whatever Happened to Jesus’ Church?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9OQ1JTnei_E/URm8g220VkI/AAAAAAAABTE/p9EiofYVezk/s1600/Jerusalem+city+walls+ii.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9OQ1JTnei_E/URm8g220VkI/AAAAAAAABTE/p9EiofYVezk/s1600/Jerusalem+city+walls+ii.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jerusalem's Golden Gate.</td></tr>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">…on this
rock I will build my church, </span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;">Matthew
16:18</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Jesus
said he would build <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">his</i> church, and
that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the gates of Hades</i> would not overcome
it. What does that mean? Maybe a better question is this: Is the church today
the anything like the one that Jesus describes here?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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First,
let’s table the discussion about the identity of ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this rock’</i> for the time being. Suffice to say that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the rock</i> that Jesus spoke of was the
revelation of himself as “<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">the
Messiah, the Son of the living God.” The rock that Jesus’ church is built on is
none other than the gospel. “It is the power of God that brings salvation to
everyone who believes,” because “in the gospel the righteousness of God is
revealed” (Romans 1:16-17).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">So, Jesus’ church is built on a message.
Hmmm. Is the church today built on that message, or is it built on more than
that? Think very carefully about that for a moment...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Well, apparently the gates of Hades are no
match for this church Jesus builds. </span>In the time Jesus lived, Hades was clearly
understood as the unseen realm of the dead. The living had a natural fear of this
realm of the dead, which no man knew anything about. So, Jesus likened it to a
fortified city that his contemporaries would have been familiar with. These
fortified cities had massive defensive walls, and some cities even had a double
wall. These walls could be up to 20 feet thick. You might think that would make
the city gate the weak point, but think again. The doors were immense, designed
to withstand battering rams. Some cities even had a double set of gates so that
if the attacker broke through, they were hemmed up at the second gate and
slaughtered. In sum, conquering a fortified city meant the attacking force must
display a fierce and resolute commitment to vanquish his enemy, notwithstanding
heavy casualties.<br />
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aPTQB6urP6k/UP8La34rtPI/AAAAAAAABQE/H1pRA69haD0/s1600/lachish_fig13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aPTQB6urP6k/UP8La34rtPI/AAAAAAAABQE/H1pRA69haD0/s1600/lachish_fig13.jpg" height="171" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artist's reconstruction of the city gate at Lachish</td></tr>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">So, the church that Jesus built was not a
cowering group of saints hiding from the darkness in the world, but a fierce
and resolute attacking force committed to breaking down the gates of the Enemy.
Did you catch that? The church – with Christ at the Head – is the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">aggressor</i>! The church is the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bully</i>! The church has picked the fight
with the Enemy where he is fortified and can do the most damage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Now here’s a question for you: Is your
church really attacking the Enemy where he is fortified in this world? Be honest.
What does your congregation do together that is the equivalent of suiting up
for war and attacking the very gates of Hell? If you can’t answer that with
something substantial, your church probably doesn’t resemble the one Jesus had
in mind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">People wonder what’s wrong with this
country today, not realizing that the American church has become far too
comfortable. Like King David who stayed home to take it easy while Joab took
the men into battle, the American church has for the most part done the same
thing. The hard truth is that we enjoy all the material blessings while the persecuted church of the
does the dirty work – making real disciples. They are the reason Christianity
is still spreading in the world. You know why? The gospel. It’s what Jesus’
church is built on and when it’s the only thing, there’s no doubt it’s the most
important thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111727158589847137.post-80117063173819297292012-12-01T12:48:00.001-08:002012-12-01T12:48:57.667-08:00Live Second
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ngr6pyfsUYM/ULprYCFzCAI/AAAAAAAAA8k/s8I-oFIhBc0/s1600/542632_10151116137322337_2044248367_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ngr6pyfsUYM/ULprYCFzCAI/AAAAAAAAA8k/s8I-oFIhBc0/s1600/542632_10151116137322337_2044248367_n.jpg" height="400" width="250" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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As
some of you may know, I’ve been with e3 Partners and I am Second for a couple
of years now. I’ve got some exciting Christmas-time shopping news for you: there’s a new
book on the shelves, and you need to get a copy… or two. It’s called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Live-Second-Ways-Jesus-First/dp/1400204801/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354393833&sr=1-1&keywords=live+second+365+ways+to+make+jesus+first">Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First</a></i> by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/imdougbender?fref=ts">Doug Bender</a>. The book <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">springs from the <a href="http://www.iamsecond.com/">I am Second</a> website, which itself has become a sensation with over 10 million
unique hits and .5 million social media followers. Doug creates our discussion
guides that go with the films, and he previously wrote the bestselling book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Am-Second-Stories-Changing-Lives/dp/1400203732/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354394009&sr=1-1&keywords=i+am+second+real+stories.+changing+lives">I am Second: Real Stories. Changing Lives</a>.</i>
It was a huge success, and he spent 8 months as a bestselling Christian author.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Well, we expect
even bigger success from Live Second. I’m part of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Live Second</i> book launch team, and all of us on the team know how powerful
the I am Second films and materials are; they really do have an impact on
people. We’ve all received advance copies of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Live Second</i> and have been reading through it. Many of us have
posted reviews. You can read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/review/R2D9LV4S1YVVL7/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=1400204801&nodeID=283155&store=books">my Amazon.com review of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Live Second</i> here</a> (please leave feedback for me). But our goal is not to merely sell books, it is
to put <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Live Second</i> on the New York
Time best sellers list. Let me explain.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Having a best
selling Christian book is great, and we are thankful for that. While we do
expect the book to do well among Christians, it is not something that is taken
for granted. But what we want, and are praying for, is for the book to get into
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everyone’s </i>hands. Just as the title
says, the book is designed to make the reader second, and Jesus first. Wouldn’t
it be cool if <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Live Second </i>topped the
most prestigious <i>secular</i> best seller’s list? Do you realize what that would
mean? Think about that for a second…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Can you help? Yes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Should you help?
Absolutely! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
This book is far more than a devotional; it is a guide that
actually teaches you how to make Jesus first in your life. It also challenges
you to act on what you learn, rather than just giving you a warm and fuzzy
feeling for the morning. The design is to grow a disciple of Christ based on
reading the word of God and obeying it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
So, what can you
do to help make that happen? I’m glad you asked.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
1. Buy the book
between 12/9 and 12/15. This will help its rating. Keep the receipt and email it
to promo@iamsecond.com to get over $100 worth of free stuff from I am Second and two
free webinars with the author, Doug Bender. Also, buy gift books, and give the
receipts as gifts as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
2. Share this blog on
Facebook, tweet it, +1 it, email it, just get it to your friends, family, and
church so they know about it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
3. Copy the promo
postcard and save it on your computer or phone. Share it, tweet it, text it, +1
it, and email it to friends. You can print them and pass them out at church,
Bible study, work, etc. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vF99S-zzcCk/ULprbjB8d7I/AAAAAAAAA8s/pcS16kcedkI/s1600/Live+Second+Post+Card+%2528by+Brandy+Hart%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vF99S-zzcCk/ULprbjB8d7I/AAAAAAAAA8s/pcS16kcedkI/s1600/Live+Second+Post+Card+%2528by+Brandy+Hart%2529.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a;"><br /></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111727158589847137.post-59398740629007111202012-11-13T12:16:00.000-08:002012-11-13T12:20:26.410-08:00The Ten Commandments of Bible Buying<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j9vo1PimBuA/UKKetjEOk_I/AAAAAAAAA58/-3EflWlDGgo/s1600/oldbible.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j9vo1PimBuA/UKKetjEOk_I/AAAAAAAAA58/-3EflWlDGgo/s1600/oldbible.JPG" width="465" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first Bible I ever bought - and yes, that is duct tape. I broke several Bible-buying commandments on this one, but the LORD was with me. It has served me well. I still use it, although it stays on the desk now due to its condition. I have bought many Bibles since this one, but this was the best. I can still close my eyes and remember where certain verses are positioned on pages in this Bible, even though I have carried many others. I will always keep this book.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
I
used to think there was a “perfect” Bible out there. Before you get your
theological panties in a wad, what I mean by that is, version, style, features,
etc. I’ve bought lots of Bibles looking for just the right one, and
unwittingly, broken every Bible buying commandment possible. So, save yourself
some money and mental anguish, practice a little self-disciple and patience,
and you’ll get it right the very first time. Here’s a little guide on how to
buy a Bible.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b>I. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible on a whim.</b> “Oh, that one looks nice.” That’s never a good
idea. Very high probability this one just ain’t going to be the perfect one if
you’re serious about reading the Bible. Seriously, you are buying a Bible, not something
of the dollar menu.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b>II. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible based on appearance.</b> I drive a beat up ’93 Toyota
4Runner, but it’s reliable. Sometimes I even pass brand new cars that are broken
down on the side of the road. You wouldn’t pick a spouse based on looks would
you---don’t answer that. The point is, you can’t judge a book by its cover.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b>III. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible without doing your homework first.</b> Think! What do you
want <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">in</i> a Bible? Study notes? Center
references? Jesus’ words in red letters? Decide what you want, then shop. There
is enough variety out there these days to either completely satisfy you, or get
mighty close.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b>IV. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible under coercion.</b> In other words, you don’t need to feel
compelled to get the one that “theology guy” tells you is “the best.” There are
lots of different versions, ranging from more formal to more functional (i.e.
word-for-word to thought-for-thought). “Theology guy” may have acquired a version
bias, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but you may not share his views.
Stores (<a href="http://www.allbibles.com/bibleversions.asp">and websites</a>) have charts explaining the different versions, and you
need to check those out before you buy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b>V. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible without reading it first.</b> There’s no excuse for not
knowing if you like this book before you buy it. With their “<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203&version=NIV;NASB">Add Parallel</a>”
feature, <a href="http://BibleGateway.com/">BibleGateway.com</a> makes it too easy to compare different versions to
skip this step. Would you buy a car without test-driving? Isn’t God’s Word more
awesome than a car? Test-drive your Bible.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6WMc_zg1bIw/UKKlMlsATxI/AAAAAAAAA6U/GdG6ssQwIL0/s1600/photo-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6WMc_zg1bIw/UKKlMlsATxI/AAAAAAAAA6U/GdG6ssQwIL0/s1600/photo-1.JPG" width="357" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I never could enjoy this Bible. I bought it when I was into study notes, and boy, it is chock full of them. The design makes reading it painful. You can clearly see the print on the pages underneath, which is very distracting. The Scripture goes into the crease, making it very difficult to read. Not only that, every handful of pages has even more notes that come halfway up the page (which you can see a hint of on the left). I should have done my homework.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<b>VI. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible just because your pastor preaches from it.</b> You don’t have
to have the same version, even if it does make reading along a little tricky at
times. It’s actually a good thing to have a different version, because you will
pick up on the way the interpreters have struggled to translate a word, or
verse. You will want to really dig into those, and it makes for some good
study. Even better to have several different versions in a Bible study group.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b>VII. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible online without holding, handling, touching, and looking
at the real deal.</b> You can’t look at a thumbnail picture and know how a Bible
will feel, if you can see through the pages, if its really the size of the
Chinese phonebook, or if its little gilded edges are going to give you paper
cuts every time you flip a page. You need to hold it, touch it, and see it. If
it is what you want, then price it online… but be very, very cautious if you
order. Best advice is to copy the ISBN, and all the product details you can.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b>VIII. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible that is not easy on the eyes.</b> What I mean by that is how
it looks when you open it up and read it. Are the words too small? Do the words
from the page underneath distract you (show through)? Does the writing in
Psalms go all the way into the crease so that as you lean over to read, you end
up falling out of your chair and dislocating your shoulder? Remember: If it’s
just a little bit aggravating to read, you won’t read it… get a Bible that has
pages easy on the eyes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b>IX. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible with prejudice in your heart against certain styles and
versions.</b> Believe it or not, this is especially true with styles. Some folks go
looking for a specific style or version with tunnel vision. Don’t be guilty of
discrimination against Bibles! Look around and see what really suits you. Step
out on a limb and pick up the “old folks,” large print Bible… You might like
it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b>X. Thou
shalt not buy a Bible that does not satisfy your needs.</b> Think back to the I and
III commandments – don’t settle for less because you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really want one today</i>, or you will end up with buyer’s remorse over
a Bible (a dreadful feeling). You’re going to want to mark this thing up with
notes and highlights… If you have to buy another, you are faced with a dilemma:
“Do I transfer everything into my new Bible? Do I just start over?” Trust me,
it’s a lot easier to take an extra couple of days, or even weeks, and find the
right one to begin with.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
To
wrap it up, just keep a few things in mind. This is a serious purchase…
Alongside prayer it is your primary means of communication with the Father. If
you plan to read it (and why wouldn’t you?), it will likely take you a year or
more. If you are buying a Bible for the right reason, basically, it is to get
to know what God has revealed about Himself. You aren’t trying to impress
anyone with your Bible. You are the expert on the kind of Bible you need. Get
the one that works for you.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Let
me know how this works out for you.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111727158589847137.post-42567183190739512762012-11-06T09:32:00.000-08:002013-01-22T14:10:30.822-08:00Keep It Classy...<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
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“I met those of
our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them,<br />
1. To
vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
2. To speak no
evil of the person they voted against: And, <o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: center;">
3. To take care
their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side.”
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="right" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: right;">
~John
Wesley, October 6, 1774<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bLTDUAHWvGs/UP8OKzDn0aI/AAAAAAAABQY/NeMUOWFfI4E/s1600/mudslinging.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bLTDUAHWvGs/UP8OKzDn0aI/AAAAAAAABQY/NeMUOWFfI4E/s1600/mudslinging.gif" height="320" width="297" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
A
friend with good sense brought this quote to my attention today, and it just
needs to be passed on.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
With
social media having more of an impact than ever, this has been the ugliest
presidential campaign season that I have ever seen. Some friends of mine (like
in the real world) have completely changed over the past few months. Some have
turned into annoying political pundits. Some have sprouted horns, spewing hate
about the other candidate and his supporters every chance they get. Many have
un-friended and been un-friended on Facebook because of their views, or more
accurately, because of the manner in which they present their views. Some have
gone anti-government, some anti-America. Some have just gone insane. A very few,
probably the wise ones, have been silent.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
I’m
really not surprised by the actions of some of my acquaintances that do not
claim to be Christians. Why should I be? Should I expect a man without the
Spirit of God in him to carry himself in the same way that a man with the
Spirit of God in him would? Certainly not. So when a couple of my non-Christian
acquaintances have acted like eloquent philistines, not only abusing free
speech, but the very gift of speech that God gave them, I am not surprised.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
However,
I am disturbed by the behavior of some professing Christians as of late. If you
saw just their political posts on Facebook in the past few weeks, you couldn’t
distinguish them from the likes of Bill Maher. Some have insulted our
President, made disparaging remarks about the opposing candidate and his
supporters (both sides), and worst of all, engaged in the latest form of
gossip: RE-POSTING… Posting unconfirmed stats, images, etc. usually just to
tear someone down. This is both liberal and conservative Christians doing this,
and it is utterly disgusting.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
If
you are now, or have been doing this, you need to know that this is sin against
God on a number of points. First of all, no matter how you or I personally feel
about any given president, the Bible clearly teaches that we are to give him the
respect and honor he is due (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%2013:6-7&version=NIV">Romans 13:6-7</a>). That’s non-negotiable, and if you
can find a biblical loophole on not loving or respecting another person, be
sure to let me know. Second, the Bible clearly teaches that God is the One who
puts leaders in their position of authority (<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%2013:1-5&version=NIV">Romans 13:1-5</a>). You may have been
taught all your life that your vote matters, but it doesn’t matter as much as
God’s, and we would all do well to keep that in mind. Third, Christians may give
unbelievers cause to blaspheme the name of the Lord when they deviate from what
the Bible teaches on our relationship to the governing authorities. Christians
should be model citizens. When unbelievers see us behave contrary to the plain
and clear teaching of Scripture, they rightfully call us hypocrites, but to
their detriment, they also attack God. Fourth, relationships are strained
damaged, broken, and sometimes completely severed. The Bible teaches that God
will not accept your worship as long as someone else has something against you
(<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205:21-26&version=NIV">Matthew 5:21-26</a>)… You need to make things right with them, or your days of
being right with God are over. Let that sink in for a second.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Look,
it takes one to know one. I’ve had to do some confessing of my own. But
afterward, it made all this that much more ugly. Take some time… Do it now.
Don’t wait. If you have some things you need to confess to God, tell Him, and
don’t get caught up in that business again. We all need to get our hearts right
more than anything else.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
(Thanks to Kirsten for the post title)</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111727158589847137.post-54411546076704791422012-10-24T19:29:00.000-07:002013-01-22T14:27:09.219-08:00Bible Reading Tip #00001: Purpose<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QMyhyj1GojE/UP8SDs5algI/AAAAAAAABQs/xlAirRrWmOI/s1600/Open-Bible-with-Pen-On-It.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QMyhyj1GojE/UP8SDs5algI/AAAAAAAABQs/xlAirRrWmOI/s1600/Open-Bible-with-Pen-On-It.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
A
little while back, everyone went nuts over the book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Hunger Games</i>. You may have read it (I confess – I did). Why do
we read? There are really very few basic reasons:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
</div>
<ol>
<li>Instruction</li>
<li>Curiosity</li>
<li>Education</li>
<li>Pleasure</li>
<li>Escape</li>
</ol>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Of
course, there are other reasons, but many of them can be sub-categorized under
the five motives listed here.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
We
read all kinds of stuff: books, letters, news articles, menus, license
agreements… oh well – four out of five ain’t bad. Anyway, you get the idea. We
have a purpose for reading all of those things, but the truth is, many of us
don’t pick up the Bible with purpose. Rather, we approach it kind of like a
Christian zombie… like something we are instinctually drawn to without any
brain activity involved.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Think
about this: Have you ever decided that you wanted to start reading your Bible, but
you didn’t know where to start? That’s because you didn’t have direction, and
you didn’t have direction because you didn’t approach it with purpose. When you
pick up a menu, you are looking for something to eat. Sometimes you are more
specific; you are looking for something meaty and cheap… if you are a man. So
you direct your eyes toward the meat entrees under $7.50. Purpose and direction
go hand-in-hand.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
The
truth is that many people simply feel obligated to read the Bible, and just
wander mindlessly into it. Well, obligation is good. The only reason is has a
negative connotation is because folks often feel lost when it comes to getting
started. Some even resort to the old tactic of covering their eyes and opening
the Book at random to find a starting place. Now I’m not saying God doesn’t
show you things that way, but you are going to end up reading a whole lot of
Psalms.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Now,
pay close attention to this part. It is perfectly okay to approach reading the
Bible like you would any other piece of literature. That doesn’t make the Bible
less holy. On the contrary, it means you should have that much more purpose for
picking it up and reading it. Know why you plan to read the Bible before you
grab it. Is it for instruction, curiosity, education, pleasure, or escape?
Believe it or not, all of those are legitimate reasons to read the Bible – if
you don’t believe me, get your Bible out and prove it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Real life example of purpose:</b> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
I am
currently reading Isaiah. My reason for reading Isaiah is that I want to be
more familiar with the prophets. I plan to read the Major Prophets first, then
the Minor Prophets. So my main reasons would be instruction, curiosity, and pleasure.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Get you some purpose: </b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Don’t
just pick up the Bible, read a handful of random verses, and call that reading
the Bible – you wouldn’t do that with any other book. Look at that list of five
reasons above, ponder it, and pray. Think about where you are, what you know,
what you don’t know, what you are curious about, what interests you, and so on.
Which one of those five reasons strikes a chord with what your soul needs? Why?
You’re well on your way to purpose!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pick a Book and start reading:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Purpose
is one thing, but you ain’t going to live forever. If you have trouble making
decisions, remember – this is the Bible… you can’t go wrong. I knew I wanted to
be more familiar with certain prophecies, so I decided to start with Isaiah. Pick
a book a read it. And yes… Read the whole book. Read big chunks just like you
would with any other book until you finish. Don’t you go one-verse-at-a-timing
now, or it will take you 65 years to read the whole Bible.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">One book at a time:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
“I’m
going to read the whole Bible…” Yeah, and you’ll wash out in Leviticus if you're not careful. Of course, reading the entire Bible is the ultimate goal, but let’s
be honest: We are a self-absorbed, easily distracted culture that is severely
impaired when it comes to self-discipline. Don't set the bar too high. It's a lot easier to follow through with reading separate books repeatedly than it is to read the entire Bible over the course of a year or longer. Commit
to one book at a time, and I mean commit dadgummit! How’s this for a commitment
– I will not put gas in the car again until I finish reading Deuteronomy!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Try
it out, let me know how things are working out for you.<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<!--EndFragment-->Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2111727158589847137.post-66495860292251856672012-10-22T19:48:00.000-07:002012-10-29T13:41:32.219-07:00What's This Then?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
It
seems that every new blog must have some sort of explanation or mission statement
for its commencement. I am not a conformist by any means, but I must admit, it
is hard to resist giving a little preview of what I have in mind here. So, without
further ado, I shall conform.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They</i> say “everyone has at least one book
in them,” and some even go so far as to say a “good” one. I have noticed that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">they</i> never go on to say that everyone
gets that one book published, receives a big ole check, and eats steak instead
of frozen pizza for the rest of his days. Well, we won’t try to figure out who <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">they</i> are at the moment, but I do enjoy
writing different kinds of things, and I feel like there is certainly enough
there to fill a volume or two.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
I
am a Christian man, and you can usually pick up on that, whether I write something
serious, or humorous. I have also always loved to teach, to help others
understand, and if possible, be there for that moment when someone finally
“gets it.” Writing is one way to do that. I have to small boys that I look
forward to teaching more complicated things one day (if they will listen). But
the truth is that as fast as time flies, tomorrow is not guaranteed. So, I
figured that the best thing to do was to bring all these things together.
Whenever I have something serious to say, or something humorous and uplifting,
or a word of instruction that could be of help to someone – maybe even for my
boys one day – this is where it will be. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
This
is free of charge. I do consider myself a servant of others, and try to
practice it consistently, though I confess it is hard to do. Therefore, I offer
this as a public service, and from this point forward, each post that follows
will be a public servant’s announcement from yours truly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Harperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08256888915338534634noreply@blogger.com0