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“Selkirk reading his Bible” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
On Wednesday last week I reached a bit of a milestone. Since becoming a Christian I set my mind to reading though The Bible as many times as I could, simply to gain more understanding as to the reasons I came to believe and what it all actually means. During the previous seven months to my conversion, my deliverance, my accepting Jesus as my Saviour, call it what you will, I had read through The Bible from cover to cover in my search for God and to gain understanding. I was determined to read through its pages again for I realised there was much more to learn than just from reading it through once or by selecting abstract passages alone. The whole set of its books must be read because they are inextricably linked. I have honoured that promise I made to myself and throughout my 24 years as a Christian I have read through The Bible now 30 times having just finished reading through from cover to cover again on Wednesday. That is on average more than once a year. Of course I read many of its books and pages in isolation as well as making reference frequently to confirm what other Christians are saying or just for self-edification and reassurance but mostly to learn and to gain understanding. People who make reference to certain passages to perhaps justify their unbelief or their attitude and lifestyles and who have probably not read through The Bible even once do not realise that The Bible cannot be used in this way. The Bible and the messages it contains need to be studied in-depth and that takes time. Although I have read it more than 30 times I am still learning and I am the first to admit that I have much to learn yet. A milestone may have been reached but there are many more of them along the road yet! After a short break I will probably return again to The Book of Genesis and start over.
First of all I must state that as a Christian I have no problem with those who are atheist for I was one once. It isn’t a disease just as much as being a Christian isn’t. Conflict arises where there are social issues and concerns to consider. Christians are people who believe in a deity, a creator who made all things, everything we can and cannot see even ourselves whereas atheists do not believe in a deity and therefore must believe everything we see including ourselves came about by other means. That is simple logic. Christians are under attack when they try to influence how everyone else is supposed to live and which laws we should have to govern our societies. In the case of the UK, Christianity has been the influencing power, whether for the good or in some cases unfortunately for the bad over most of the last two millenia. Our laws are based upon those written in Scripture and from a Christian’s point of view, God-given. At this point I think many, if not all atheists would agree with the basic laws we have but not necessarily all of the others, the ones written in Scripture concerning certain moral and behavioural lifestyles. The Christian believes and agrees with the whole tenet of the law whereas the atheist agrees only in part. As an example, atheists who happen to be homosexual would not agree with what Scripture says about it but may be perfectly in agreement over the law which says, we should not kill (murder). There are many other examples. People will pick and choose from Scripture as it suits their belief system or non-belief system. Either the Bible is wholly true or none of it is. It cannot be both, at least to the believer. Atheism is also a belief system, though many atheists would immediately disagree and this is where they are illogical. Everybody believes in something, including atheists. Ask an atheist what they believe and it will probably be different from another who is an atheist. The real problem starts with Creation. Just how did we get here? This is a question that has been asked since the birth of mankind and there are only two fundamental possibilities. One is that everything was created and the other is that all things have eternally existed and only one of those can be right. When the latter possibility is studied and examined it becomes impossible to believe but when we study Creation as having been created by God everything falls into place quite easily. The more we delve into the Universe and how it came about the more the Creation model appears to be the truth. Unless we consider how the Universe was made we cannot make the decision that God doesn’t exist. If only the atheist would see that. Christians have the faith to believe He does.
This video was originally posted on http://vineoflife.net
People just do not want to admit that God exists even when there is much evidence. I mean it’s ridiculous isn’t it that there should be a God who wants us to know about Him. Those who take the time to watch this short video may turn and say things like ‘There are unseen forces that we know nothing about yet’, or ‘We have much to learn about the human body and its capabilities to heal’. They will make up any story other than face the fact that God really does exist. The Bible says as much. There is a veil which blinds them to the truth and their hearts are hardened. They see with their eyes yet they cannot understand. I know these things for I was in that state before the veil was lifted from my eyes. I always chose not to believe until that one day I began to seek God out and months later it all finally dawned upon me. I became a Christian and if you’d have known the previous version of me you would swear it was impossible. Since that glorious day when I saw and understood I have come into contact with more and more evidence of things like miraculous healing and activity in the spirit realm. You see, if you are not actively following God you are doing something else which keeps you from seeing these things because they are of no interest to you. Here is a remarkable story about God’s angels and the subsequent miraculous healing that followed one man’s rescue from certain death. Take the time to watch this short video.
Jesus Heals … Cancer?? (Photo credit: Better Than Bacon)
I thought you might like to follow the thread which follows the above picture as shown on Wikipedia……….
Why is it sad? There are well documented cases of The Lord Jesus healing people of cancer (for instance, see: www.godhealscancer.com/ ) – the evidence is there if we open our eyes & look, but some people still choose not to believe the evidence, because of the word “God”. Atheism & Secularism are belief systems, not the antithesis of belief. It was G K Chesterton who said: “When people stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing — they believe in anything.”
Am I supposed to go buy that book now? I’ll trust double-blind studies over anecdotal “cases,” no matter how ‘documented’ they are. One of the only studies cited in support of prayer is by R. C. Byrd, and I think the most he could claim is that Jesus Power gives you +6% chance of surviving a specific ailment, or something, which is fishy first of all and hilarious even if it’s true.
You don’t understand what constitutes evidence. You just don’t understand how it works, and how easy it is to delude yourself with anecdotes. That’s sad, too.
My comment was a question, yours is a judgmental statement. What makes you think I “don’t understand what constitutes evidence”, especially as you neither know me, or my background?
If somebody has what the doctors diagnose as inoperable cancer and then as a direct result of prayer and laying on of hands has no sign of the disease, I would call that evidence of a miracle, as would any intelligent person.
Please do not accuse me of being “deluded with anecdotes”, simply because of your own unbelief. I have first hand experience of healing miracles. If you choose not to believe, that is your choice, but please do not insult the intelligence of those who have seen, beyond doubt, the healing power of prayer.
You must remember that Bible believingChristians are NOT some sort of uneducated, gullible sub-culture. Many Christians were once hard hearted atheists. What makes you so sure that you will never change?
“If somebody has what the doctors diagnose as inoperable cancer and then, a few days later has no sign of the disease, I would call that evidence of a miracle, as would any intelligent person.”
Yeesh. Turns out I was right to be judgemental.
There are plenty of intelligent, educated Christians, for sure. I was arguing with a friend one time about the effects of his prayers, and how he could ‘see’ that it worked and that it couldn’t be tested. Twenty minutes later, the conversation drifted, and we ended up both sharing a bewildered laugh at how stupid people were for doing rain dances, for centuries, because they could ‘see’ that it worked but never bothered to really check. Despite being an intelligent guy (more so than I), the irony was lost on him.
People doubt because they have preconceived opinions as to what does and does not constitute truth. It is pride which prevents people from acknowledging the work of God when they see it; pride in thinking that just perhaps the prejudices they have against God’s word are wrong. Also, many non-believers ideas of Christianity are totally deluded, but they refuse to be educated, thinking that they know best.
There are some healings I have seen which go beyond doubt, where even the most atheistic doctors are lost for words. It is these which I would say are the true miracles. Unfortunately, even then, the skeptics will claim that the illness would have got better on its own. Some people refuse to see the evidence of God working, even when it is obvious.
I know this is condescending but, to give a feeling for how you sound to someone like me, I’ll translate your reply:
However, there are some rain storms I have seen which go beyond doubt, where even the most atheistic meteorologists are lost for words. It is these which I would say are the true miracles. Unfortunately, even then, the skeptics will claim that the rain would have come on its own. Some people refuse to see the evidence of the rain dance working, even when it is obvious.
Or, if that seems too far removed (it doesn’t to me), think of analogous ‘translations’ for Islam, Scientology, or the IPU. Like it or not, you’re lumped with them because your explanation is equally unjustified, superficial, and unsatisfying.
You disappoint me, my friend. Just when you were beginning to look at the subject with an open mind, your humanistic fear of anything which cannot be scientifically rationalised begins to rear its ugly head again.
Do you have first hand experience of atomic science, brain surgery, Radio Astronomy, etc. No? But you trust the teachings of those who do. However, when it comes to Christian healing, you have no first hand experience or knowledge of the subject, but you claim to be an expert, able to dismiss out of hand the knowledge of those who do!
It was you, not me who first mooted the strange idea of linking Christian healing with native American rain dances. For someone who eschews “superstition”, you seem to have a fixation with this particular tradition. Your analogy is very tenuous, so let me offer another “translation”…
“Or, if that seems too far removed (it doesn’t to me, because I’m open to any discussion except on the subject of Christianity, because I’m an expert on it), think of analogous ‘translations’ for Islam, Scientology, Humanism, Secularism, Atheism, or the IPU. Like it or not, I’m lumped with them because my explanation is equally unjustified, superficial, and unsatisfying”.
Touche?
You can’t have a balanced, open discussion if you are not open to listening to all explanations. There are many testimonies to the fact that Jesus DOES heal. Your argument relies on providing evidence that Jesus does NOT heal. If you cannot provide this evidence, your comments stand on shaky ground. In other words, either put up, or shut up. Your preconceived prejudices on the subject of Christian healing, together with your arrogant assumption that all Christian views are “wrong” are serious blockages to your supposed search for rational enlightenment.
Do you have first hand experience of atomic science, brain surgery, Radio Astronomy, etc. No? But you trust the teachings of those who do.
If there were Hindu astronomy, Christian astronomy, Secular astronomy etc, and they all arrived at different conclusions via the same means, we’d both be sceptical about those means. That situation would suggest that the methodology doesn’t separate what is true from what is false.
The fact that we don’t have Christian astronomy versus Islamic astronomy bodes well for the methodology of science; it factors out the human bias as much as possible, and humans can be pretty biased depending on what culture/era they’re born in. If you were transported to India as an infant and raised there, you’d have a totally different set of beliefs incompatible with Christianity. Would you be saved? If not, who’s ‘fault’ is it then?
The question of whether prayer increases one’s chances of surviving cancer is a scientific question, because you’re positing both an observable cause and an observable effect. People have done these intercessory prayer studies for all kinds of illnesses, and the double-blind studies invariably find no relationship. This doesn’t rule out Jesus healing people, it just means that whenever scientists are watching ol’ J.C is content letting people (and their families) suffer horribly drawn out deaths.
However, when it comes to Christian healing, you have no first hand experience or knowledge of the subject, but you claim to be an expert
I am most certainly not an expert, and don’t ever intend to be, for the same reason I’m not an expert in Scientology. You’re not an expert in Scientology, so how can you discount the power of their Tech? Maybe because you think they’re a cult espousing totally retarded nonsense made up by a second-rate sci-fi writer? (okay, now I’m speaking for you, sorry…). Again, you trust what people have to say if you trust their methodology, and that’s why I trust what scientists have to say, and not what Scientologists or Christians think happened.
Anyway, you said the analogy between rain dancing and prayer was tenuous, but I don’t understand what distinguishes one “cause->effect” hypothesis from the other.
There are many testimonies to the fact that Jesus DOES heal.
Don’t conflate testimonials with evidence. Double-blind studies are evidence, and they speak volumes. Someone who just goes around witnessing ‘miracle healing’ doesn’t have any perspective on all the times healing didn’t occur, because they’re not paying attention.
Your argument relies on providing evidence that Jesus does NOT heal. If you cannot provide this evidence, your comments stand on shaky ground. In other words, either put up, or shut up.
I tried to bypass this kind of silliness with the IPU link. Maybe you can put up or shut up about the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Ugh, these replies are getting longer and rehashing standard arguments. Go do some reading. I have to work.
Your comments on the IPU and the Flying Spaghetti Monster are totally spurious. Atheists do not actually believe in these things, they are just a childish “insult” thrown at people whose faith they do not, cannot, or will not share. That is their choice. Atheism is NOT “anti belief”, it is simply another belief system. I can tell that you are getting nervous, when you throw casual “insults” like “do some reading”. I have read much more on the subject that you have, otherwise I wouldn’t take the stand I now do. As I have said, you do not know me, my background or qualifications, so you should think before you speak/type.
In the paraphrased words of St. Paul; “If we [Christians] are wrong, we are to be pitied, but in the end, have lost nothing. If You [non-believers] are wrong, you will have lost everything. The choice is yours, but are you prepared to take that chance?
I too have a life outside YouTube and it appears we’re not going to convince each other. I will pray for you.
The point of IPU and FSM is to show you what it’s like to argue with a believer. I could go on and on pretending to believe in strict Pastafarianism—challenging you to prove me wrong, “Pasta has spread all over the world, where’s the evidence that FSM doesn’t exist?” and so forth—all to show you what it’s like to face a ridiculous statement like “YOU must provide evidence that Jesus does NOT heal.” Don’t dismiss the comparison—use it to gain perspective and to avoid sounding similarly ridiculous yourself.
I’m sure you’ve read a lot on the subject of religion, but I’m suggesting you read on the subject of refuting religious arguments. If you want to convince a sceptic to reflect on his or her biases, you’ve got to do better than parroting standard nonsense like Pascal’s wager and “atheism is just another belief system” (you know the quote “atheism is a religion like ‘not collecting stamps’ is a hobby”).
Besides, atheism is a conclusion, not a ‘system’. Anyway, except for its effects on politics all of this is just philosophical, so no sense getting too upset about it. Have a nice life.
Who’s getting upset? All I am saying is you cannot be conclusive. Like most Christians, I have made the transition from non-belief to belief. You may do the same one day. In the meantime, your use of insults and claimed “conclusions” is unnecessary, unhelpful and uneducated. God bless.
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How stubborn are the hearts who refuse to claim the truth, who refuse the free gift of everlasting life through Jesus Christ who took upon himself the sins of the world, even your sins, so that all who believe in him and the One who sent him shall be saved and have that everlasting life! If it was a free gift of £10,000 you’d take it………this free gift is for eternity!
A picture of Pisgah Baptist Church in Four Oaks, North Carolina, USA.
There are many things in this life that hold no interest for me and this is the same for everyone on the planet. We can’t all like the same things or have the same interests right across the board. I hear people talking about their hobbies and interests and sometimes those things coincide with mine but not always. For so long in my life I couldn’t understand why people went to church on a Sunday and I felt it was more to do with their traditional habits than their belief in God. Of course at that time I had no interest in God so going to church meant nothing to me. When I actually started going to church on a regular basis it was a ritual for me, it meant nothing spiritually and it was more to do with my children. For reasons not known to me at that time I felt pushed to take them along but wasn’t quite sure why. The children enjoyed going, which helped and I felt happy that they were learning the traditions of men, not realising they were learning about God and Jesus Christ too! As I sat in the pews my experience was one of listening but not understanding. It was simply what I did on a Sunday morning. Before too long we moved away to where we live now and I found another church to attend on a Sunday. Both of these two churches were Methodist. It was during my first year at the second church that I began to take an interest in God and I read the Bible from the beginning to the end for the first time. This ultimately lead to me conversion and I had a ‘born again’ experience. I also began to attend a Pentecostal church about this time. These events are listed in my pages above for those who wish to know more so I won’t elaborate here. My life was changed completely for the better once I became a Christian believer and my sole wish was to tell others about this pearl of information I had discovered so they too might benefit by coming to God as I had done. This desire to ‘preach the Gospel‘ has stuck with me ever since and really it should be the desire of every born again believer! So I witness to people given every opportunity. You might ask why we Christians want others, complete strangers to know about God and salvation but there is a new driving force within us called the Holy Spirit empowering us and there is a new love in our hearts for those who don’t know. Writing about God in a Blog is a very easy thing to do, far easier than speaking with people face to face but I enjoy doing both. I expect a lot of rejection for my efforts for many say in their own way, ‘It’s not for me’, as if it were a hobby or a pastime for me, something I just do as a hobby or because I have an interest in Christianity. Christianity isn’t anything like Islam or Buddhism, Hinduism or any other ‘religions’ for it is the only one with the promise of eternal life. Believing in a deity, is difficult to accept for many people so they dismiss it out of hand. It is only by openly pursuing God that He will be found though. We have to make the effort and earnestly seek Him. Saying that God doesn’t exist doesn’t mean He doesn’t but people will say the opposite,’believing in God doesn’t mean He exists either’. Well I didn’t know avocados existed before I saw one! The difference is that I can take avocados or not as I please without any consequences but this isn’t the same for God. If I don’t take hold of His free gift of life everlasting in Jesus Christ I will pay the consequences and these consequences will last an eternity! There will not be a second chance so why take that chance? Why gamble with your destiny? No, Christianity isn’t just a hobby or an interest, it isn’t all about going to a church or following the traditions of men as many do. It is about salvation, ETERNAL SALVATION. Pooh-pooh the idea if you think that isn’t true and I know many of you will do exactly that. It won’t stop me trying to get through to you though because I know the gift is very much worth accepting.
English: Norwood Green in spring. These lovely daffodils are often “harvested” for Mothers’ Day. Sad that “Mothering Sunday” should be so abused.
Sunday marked the anniversary of the birth of our youngest son. He is now 28 years old. He paid us a visit of course in order to give his mum a small gift as it was also Mothering Sunday, another of those annual events that have become fashionable to observe in the last century, possibly half-century? The tradition goes back quite a few hundred years in fact (check the link below this post). Time flies by rather quickly these days, well obviously it doesn’t but it seems to as we get older. Monday, today as I write this, is back again and it only seems like yesterday it was Monday. In my part of the country it is very sunny with only a few clouds in the sky but it is bitterly cold in the strong north-easterly wind making the 1 degree temperature seem minus 7! It is very pleasant in the sunshine and in fact I have to close the curtain for a few minutes as I sit writing this for I cannot see the screen. I have just been out to do a small job locally and have returned home because there are no other jobs scheduled. I am in two minds as to whether a trip to the pub for lunch is on the cards. I will decide later. I didn’t wish to get out of bed this morning but my commitment to work forced me to. Actually, I have been trying not to spend too much time in bed and getting more active instead. For the first time this year I saw the sun shining into my bedroom which faces more or less north-easterly. As the sun rises progressively from a more northerly point until the summer solstice it gets to shine more and more into my room in the early hours after sunrise, another good reason for getting out of bed. The job I had to do was very simple indeed and took next to no time to do once I’d visited the supplier for the part I needed. The elderly gentleman asked me if I would like a drink and I accepted. He is 75 years old but doesn’t look anything like it and he was surprised to learn that I was 67. He admired the fact that I don’t look my age either. He asked about my history as an electrician and commented on the fact that it was unusual for a woman to have been trained as an electrician way back in 1962! I had to concur but said nothing more about it. He seemingly supports the idea that women should be able to do anything that men do in the workplace. I have to agree with him. He then asked about my faith for he remembered that I am a Christian from a previous visit to do another job for him last year. He was intrigued and asked questions so I gave him the ‘full monty’ as they say, explaining the Gospel message and what it means to be a Christian. He asked about other faiths too and I explained what God says about them in the Bible. So most of my time with him was spent chatting rather than working but I think it was time well spent. Another good reason for getting out of bed and meeting people! I take every opportunity to spread the Gospel message for I know only too well what I was like before I became a believer.
1 Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come
and the years approach when you will say,
‘I find no pleasure in them’– 2 before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars grow dark,
and the clouds return after the rain; 3 when the keepers of the house tremble,
and the strong men stoop,
when the grinders cease because they are few,
and those looking through the windows grow dim; 4 when the doors to the street are closed
and the sound of grinding fades;
when people rise up at the sound of birds,
but all their songs grow faint; 5 when people are afraid of heights
and of dangers in the streets;
when the almond tree blossoms
and the grasshopper drags itself along
and desire no longer is stirred.
Then people go to their eternal home
and mourners go about the streets.
6 Remember him – before the silver cord is severed,
and the golden bowl is broken;
before the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the wheel broken at the well, 7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from,
and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 ‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher.[a]
‘Everything is meaningless!’
The conclusion of the matter
9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.
11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails – given by one shepherd.[b]12 Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them.
Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.
13 Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.
Footnotes:
Ecclesiastes 12:8 Or the leader of the assembly; also in verses 9 and 10
Many of the people I know have no belief in God despite how many times they are witnessed to. A brick wall surrounds them, their eyes are open but they cannot see, their ever-open ears hear nothing, their lives are all they see. They are born, they live and then they die as if for no reason whatsoever. According to their hearts they are all here by accident, by chance, by some fluke of nature and are simply a product of a universe they know nothing about or where it came from. The universe with all it’s galaxies came from somewhere, it was created. In the same way we were created too. God declares He is the creator of all things and He did it all through Jesus Christ and by His Spirit. God spoke and it happened. God speaks today and things happen. Those who know God will know these things but for those who don’t, they remain in ignorance. God however loves all His creation and would have none of us perish or be outside of His love. Unfortunately many do not accept this and place themselves in great danger, not in this life but in the next. We are all sinners and as such deserve nothing from God but in His mercy we may obtain forgiveness and everlasting, yes EVERLASTING LIFE if we repent and accept the one He sent, Jesus, as our Saviour. Without Jesus we are doomed to eternal punishment, Throughout The Bible we are told about this message, this Gospel, this good news but it is up to us to respond. In the final page of Revelation, the last book in the Bible, God calls out to those who have yet to come to Him through Jesus. A final warning and a final invitation. Why? Because He loves you!
Revelation 22
Epilogue: invitation and warning
12 ‘Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
14 ‘Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practise magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practises falsehood.
16 ‘I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.’
17 The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: if anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
20 He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’
I may through my time and place of birth be part of Western Christian Culture, but I wouldn’t say that I was a Christian, even though I have many personal standards that are not greatly different from those a Christian would stand by.The often conflicting dogma of competing faiths is really hard to understand, and very offputting. I can readily see why some look for their own direct connection with God, or their own version of spirituality, and stay away from conventionally-organised religion.I also see why, despite private reservations on the detail, it is a very human thing to come together and share a moment reflecting on a higher realm quite separate from everyday life. Occasionally I want that kind of company. But usually I want to be alone when I go into a holy place. Sometimes I light a candle in a cathedral, and think of my parents, if I do no more. I could light a similar candle at home; but somehow in a church or cathedral I feel that my thoughts will travel immeasurably further.Despite my very secular position as an outsider, I do care about the Anglican Church‘s internal arguments about bishops. The Church is still a major force in British society, at least in so far as people look to it to set a moral standard. I want it to be relevant and inspirational, something even I can come to, leading and inspiring society with a focus on love and harmony and charity and justice and spiritual advancement. And not divided in a damaging war between what looks awfully like the old and dusty and hidebound versus the new and bright and freethinking. A war that may cripple the status and effectiveness of an important and stabilising national institution. That’s my concern: the weakening of things that cement our society together.As for the dispute itself, some questions now that I can’t see the answer to. First, am I right to suppose that if the Bible said explicitlythat both male and female bishops (and archbishops) were appoved of by God, and that He didn’t care about sexual orientation, the argument would then simplify to who in particular had the best qualifications for the job? It looks however as if the Bible doesn’t say that at all.All right then. Second, third and fourth questions: should ancient Biblical words matter more than the insights of serious religious thinkers in more recent centuries, including our own? Does the accumulated experience of two thousand years really count for nothing? And how is it that some people can be disqualified by chance events during their conception and embryonic development? Surely God, if you believe in Him, did not intend that.I certainly do want to see women bishops and archbishops, and I don’t mind at all what any candidate’s sexual orientation is, so long as they are people I’d respect, and have the right qualities for the job.
Psalm 119:105 “Your Word is a Lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Photo credit: UnlockingTheBible)
First of all Lucy there is no salvation without Christ Jesus and without having the Holy Spirit there is no connection with God. Going to a church building will not make anyone’s thoughts travel further and neither does lighting a candle make any difference. God knows your thoughts before you think them but if you’ve no relationship with Him He does not hear you. The early Church recognised that fact by the Word of God, the Old Testament, as the New Testament had not been written. Many of the early members saw Jesus first hand and the things he did and saw the fulfilment of the Old Testament before their very eyes. They were taught from the Old Testament and knew it well for they were Jews. When the first apostles and disciples taught them it was from the Old Testament with admonition through the likes of Paul by his letters to the church groups scattered around the eastern Mediterranean (see letters to Corinthians, Ephesians etc). As Christians we must obey the word of God otherwise we make a mockery of His word, this is why it is important to follow the teachings in Scripture without turning to the right or to the left or being persuaded from outsiders (secularists, atheists and so on) to oblige them in their agendas. This is why the Church is struggling because it is wandering from the truth. The word of God is the same as it always was and is not subject to the whims and fancies of a modern society. Changing the word of God to suit the times makes a mockery of it. The truth will always be the truth.
People are not excluded from the Kingdom of God, provided they accept Jesus as their Saviour and reject the sins of the flesh and that is the crunch isn’t it? God indeed did not intend that we should be the way we are, sin came into the world and remains in the world until Christ Jesus returns. I believe in God but do not seek to influence His way of doing things. Can the pot dictate what the potter does?
The last sentence in your post I assume is rhetorical for it has to be from someone outside of the Church.
Shirley Anne
To continue with the thread click on http://lucymelford.blogspot.co.uk/
A Kranz (wreath) of Kölsch beer. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Recently I made the decision to quit drinking alcohol altogether. I explained the reason for that decision in another post a few days ago. It won’t stop me visiting the pub as there are many non-alcoholic drinks available. When I last stopped drinking alcohol I didn’t touch a drop for thirteen years and was never tempted to do so. When I did resume it was a choice I made and not a temptation. I had misinterpreted what was written in The Bible regarding alcohol and it’s consumption. It was a genuine mistake and I wasn’t trying to justify my decision to have the occasional drink. A little of what you fancy does no harm does it? Well that was my thinking but now I have learned that thinking was in error. Apart from the fact that quite often a little of what you fancy leads to a lot of what you fancy and before you know it you’ve had way in excess. Not a good idea. References to drinking wine abound in Scripture but in fact the term ‘wine’ is a misinterpretation for it wasn’t really wine as we know it. It was fruit juice, possibly slightly fermented but nothing like the wines we have today which are quite potent. So I made the decision to stop drinking alcohol completely this time. I last went to the pub on my birthday, that was Wednesday last week and sat in one of the corners, in fact right behind where I had to sit because the place was quite full, was the Christmas tree, still bare as it had only arrived that morning. A few weeks ago I spoke to an acquaintance of mine who I first met in the pub and he talked about the approach to Christmas. I told him that I will not be visiting the pub over the Christmas period which would probably be from the beginning of December. He naturally asked why so I told him. Once the decorations go up in the pub I stop going there until they are taken down, which will be in January. He looked a little perplexed when I told him that I didn’t like the falseness and insincerity that surrounds Christmas and that people celebrated it for all the wrong reasons. He knows I am a Christian. Essentially the whole event is riddled with pagan rituals and themes and is a far cry from it’s intended purpose which is celebrating the birth of Christ, something that most certainly will not be celebrated by imbibing huge amounts of alcohol in a pub. I don’t wish to be a part of that. It seems they have already decided to decorate the place and it is still November! So it is no more pub for me for a while.
Probably all my readers will be aware by now that I am a Christian but I do not fill this site with religious content, that is reserved for my other site at Minkyweasels Musings but from time to time I do post here on religious themes. I am fascinated with Bible prophecy, well I am fascinated with all of God‘s Word of course and I am always delving into Scripture. I know I have read the entire Bible from cover to cover at least 28 times and learn something new each time I read. I am currently reading through the Bible yet again. A large proportion of the Bible is dedicated to prophecy, probably one-third so it is a subject that should be taken very seriously, especially as much of what is prophesied has actually happened. As a Christian believer I know that all prophecy will be fulfilled, God’s will be done. The reason all prophecy hasn’t been fulfilled is that some of it is reserved for the future and what God has already planned will happen. Many of the prophets in the Old Testament foretold of future events which were fulfilled but some of those future events refer to things even in our own future. When John was being held captive on the island of Patmos in the Mediterranean Sea he saw a vision from God and was inspired to write down all he saw. This resulted in the entire prophetic Book of Revelation,
Revelation 1 New International Version – UK (NIVUK)
Prologue
1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw – that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
The time is near. This is making reference to the ‘end times’ as prophesied in the Book of Daniel and elsewhere in Scripture, a time in the future, their future. We are living two thousand years after John’s prophetic vision and much speculation has been given as to whether the ‘end times’ refer to the present day or a few years hence from now. Descriptions of those end times seem close to what is now going on in the world and indeed can only be referring to modern times when we analyse what is written.
Daniel 12 (NIVUK)
The end times
12 ‘At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people – everyone whose name is found written in the book – will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.’
‘Many will go here and there to increase knowledge’. Think about the Internet. The Book of Daniel was written almost 2600 years ago. In Matthew’s Gospel, written a little less than 2000 years ago a better description, the words spoken directly by Jesus is given…
Matthew 24
New International Version – UK (NIVUK)
The destruction of the temple and signs of the end times
24 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 ‘Do you see all these things?’ he asked. ‘Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.’
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’
4 Jesus answered: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, “I am the Messiah,” and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth-pains.
9 ‘Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
15 ‘So when you see standing in the holy place “the abomination that causes desolation,” spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand – 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.21 For then there will be great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now – and never to be equalled again.
22 ‘If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.23 At that time if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Messiah!” or, “There he is!” do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you in advance.
26 ‘So if anyone tells you, “There he is, out in the desert,” do not go out; or, “Here he is, in the inner rooms,” do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
29 ‘Immediately after the distress of those days
‘“the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.”
30 ‘Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
32 ‘Now learn this lesson from the fig-tree: as soon as its twigs become tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
The day and hour unknown
36 ‘But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[f] but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand-mill; one will be taken and the other left.
42 ‘Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
45 ‘Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, “My master is staying away a long time,” 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
I have highlighted some of the passage just to point out some key things but all of what is written and spoken by Jesus will come about. There will be no excuse for not taking heed to the words of prophecy for they are a warning to unbelievers to repent and turn to God. Imagine being in a building that is on fire and refusing to use the emergency exit because you think there is a better route. Well there isn’t, there is only one way out and that is through Jesus who is holding open the door for you waiting for you to walk through it! Below is a short video worth watching. Several videos automatically follow this one, should you wish to watch them leave it running. May God open your eyes and your heart to His truth.
The written word, The Bible is the word of God. There are no other collective writings that come anywhere near the truth it contains. Many have tried to dispute it, many have tried to disprove it, many have tried to destroy it. All have failed. God even says in His word that Heaven and Earth may pass away but the word of God will never pass away. Those who do not believe in God do so at their own peril, especially as there is so much evidence for God‘s existence. I invite unbelievers and believers alike to watch these three short videos about the amazing facts contained within The Bible. By no means a comprehensive collection of facts they are nevertheless a good point from which to start if one wants to learn what The Bible is all about. There are three videos in all and the links connecting them are on each one. They are not very long. Don’t be so stubborn that you won’t at least view the first one, if you do watch it you will most probably want to view the other two. Here is the first….
“But if I were a Christian homosexual, I think this one question would disturb me the most: am I trying to interpret scripture in the light of my proclivity, or should I interpret my proclivity in the light of scripture?” (Morris, 1978)
Introduction
At the heart of the so-called “Gay Theology”, is the claim that the Bible does not condemn homosexual acts that occur within the context of loving, committed, enduring homosexual relationships.
I came across this post some time ago and thought I would reblog it here. In the face of secular assertions that homosexuality is perfectly normal and for believing Christians who likewise think The Bible doesn't condemn homosexual acts, even if they exist within a loving relationship, the article proves these fanciful ideas to be completely wrong. As Christians we must expose such evil and sinful nature and be witnesses to those heading for eternal damnation in the hope they will repent and turn to Christ Jesus.
Shirley Anne
Now I am not preaching hate here. My aim in this post is to reach out to those who in their own wisdom do not consider themselves to be sinners, ignoring or disbelieving in God. We are all sinners and that is a fact. I am a sinner, so are you. My sins have been covered and dealt with by Jesus Christ, are yours? I reach out in love, I have no personal axe to grind with anyone’s lifestyle but I am concerned for those who may be going to eternal damnation simply because of their stubborn hearts. Hear the word of the Lord your God…..
I am pulling no punches but turn away if you don’t value you future. Oh yes, you do have a future when you depart this existence. The choice is yours, as it has always been. There are many verses in The Bible I could quote to those who turn their backs on God, to those who have false religions and philosophies, to those who have no belief at all, to those who believe in other gods which aren’t gods at all, to those who believe in karma and re-incarnation, the immoral, the sexual deviants, the liars and cheats and ….well the list is endless. You know who you are. The verses below (and all of Scripture) were directed at the Israelites who constantly turned their backs on The Lord but of course they are intended for all mankind. God used Israel as an example for all of His creation and these are the words of the One and only, the Almighty, the only God, who was and is and shall be forever, the I AM……..
Deuteronomy 32:1-43
1 Listen, you heavens, and I will speak;
hear, you earth, the words of my mouth. 2 Let my teaching fall like rain
and my words descend like dew,
like showers on new grass,
like abundant rain on tender plants.
3I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! 4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.
5 They are corrupt and not his children; to their shame they are a warped and crooked generation. 6Is this the way you repay the Lord, you foolish and unwise people? Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you?
7 Remember the days of old;
consider the generations long past.
Ask your father and he will tell you,
your elders, and they will explain to you. 8 When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,
when he divided all mankind,
he set up boundaries for the peoples
according to the number of the sons of Israel. 9 For the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance.
10 In a desert land he found him,
in a barren and howling waste.
He shielded him and cared for him;
he guarded him as the apple of his eye, 11 like an eagle that stirs up its nest
and hovers over its young,
that spreads its wings to catch them
and carries them on its pinions. 12 The Lord alone led him;
no foreign god was with him.
13 He made him ride on the heights of the land
and fed him with the fruit of the fields.
He nourished him with honey from the rock,
and with oil from the flinty crag, 14 with curds and milk from herd and flock
and with fattened lambs and goats,
with choice rams of Bashan
and the finest grains of wheat.
You drank the foaming blood of the grape.
15 Jeshurun grew fat and kicked;
filled with food, they became heavy and sleek. They abandoned the God who made them and rejected the Rock their Saviour. 16 They made him jealous with their foreign gods and angered him with their detestable idols. 17 They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God – gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your ancestors did not fear. 18 You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth.
19 The Lord saw this and rejected them
because he was angered by his sons and daughters. 20 ‘I will hide my face from them,’ he said,
‘and see what their end will be;
for they are a perverse generation,
children who are unfaithful. 21 They made me jealous by what is no god
and angered me with their worthless idols.
I will make them envious by those who are not a people;
I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding. 22 For a fire will be kindled by my wrath,
one that burns down to the realm of the dead below.
It will devour the earth and its harvests
and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.
23 ‘I will heap calamities on them
and expend my arrows against them. 24 I will send wasting famine against them,
consuming pestilence and deadly plague;
I will send against them the fangs of wild beasts,
the venom of vipers that glide in the dust. 25 In the street the sword will make them childless;
in their homes terror will reign.
The young men and young women will perish,
the infants and those with grey hair. 26 I said I would scatter them
and erase their name from human memory, 27 but I dreaded the taunt of the enemy,
lest the adversary misunderstand
and say, “Our hand has triumphed;
the Lord has not done all this.”’
28 They are a nation without sense,
there is no discernment in them. 29 If only they were wise and would understand this
and discern what their end will be! 30 How could one man chase a thousand,
or two put ten thousand to flight,
unless their Rock had sold them,
unless the Lord had given them up? 31 For their rock is not like our Rock,
as even our enemies concede. 32 Their vine comes from the vine of Sodom
and from the fields of Gomorrah.
Their grapes are filled with poison,
and their clusters with bitterness. 33 Their wine is the venom of serpents,
the deadly poison of cobras.
34 ‘Have I not kept this in reserve
and sealed it in my vaults? 35 It is mine to avenge; I will repay.
In due time their foot will slip;
their day of disaster is near
and their doom rushes upon them.’
36 The Lord will vindicate his people
and relent concerning his servants
when he sees their strength is gone
and no one is left, slave or free. 37 He will say: ‘Now where are their gods,
the rock they took refuge in, 38 the gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices
and drank the wine of their drink offerings?
Let them rise up to help you!
Let them give you shelter!
39 ‘See now that I myself am he! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand. 40 I lift my hand to heaven and solemnly swear: as surely as I live for ever, 41when I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand grasps it in judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and repay those who hate me. 42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
while my sword devours flesh:
the blood of the slain and the captives,
the heads of the enemy leaders.’
43 Rejoice, you nations, with his people,
for he will avenge the blood of his servants;
he will take vengeance on his enemies
and make atonement for his land and people.
Hear the words of the Lord YOUR God. Turn away from all the lies and falsehood that is your religion, all the things which will take you down on Judgement Day. Satan would have you believe in anything but the truth, that’s his job, that’s his nature and you don’t even realise it! Have a laugh, dismiss what I am saying, live your life the way you please but there WILL be a price to pay and you will not like it. REPENT before it is too late. Once you die it will be too late.
Procrastination is the thief of time so the saying goes. Don’t put off till tomorrow what can be done today is easy to say but not always possible to do I have often found. My intentions might be spot on and my ability enough for the task but my inclination may not be synchronised. Too often other things get in the way and all good intentions are left on the shelf and sometimes forgotten about. Time is the precious commodity common to all of us. What we do with our time is entirely our own responsibility, we can either make the most of it or waste it but we don’t get another shot at it, once gone that’s it!
The Bible tells us that there is a time for everything and everything has a time. In the Book of Ecclesiastes chapter 3 we see….
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and
a time for war and a time for peace.
There is time for getting things done too. A few years ago my life changed in a special way when I came to understand God and accept His offer of salvation through Jesus Christ. It took me 43 years or so to reach that conclusion and do something about it. We all like to think we know all the answers but none of us do. There was a time, a special time for me to turn around my life and follow Jesus. Other people have their own special times for things to happen in their lives too. The small things in life I believe have their time too. Take for instance my bedroom. Ten years ago, well almost ten years ago (Late November 2002) I returned home from Thailand after undergoing gender re-assignment surgery and when I did I moved into the bedroom in question. The bedroom was once shared with my spouse when we were married but for many years I hadn’t slept in there. Some movements within the family resulted in our eldest son using the room for a few years but whilst I was away the room had been decorated and he had switched to another room in the house. I took the room for my own use and personalised it. Although the room had been nicely decorated it still needed a new carpet and a new bed. At the time I had other considerations to think about and I left off doing anything about it for a couple of years. About three years ago I finally decided to buy a new carpet and have it fitted. I already had a couple of new beds together with a lot of other furniture stored in the house because I had planned to buy a place of my own when we sold the house but that never materialised and I have remained living here instead. One thing that used to annoy me was the curtain (drapes) rail which used a pulley system to open and close the curtains but it had been broken for some years and the curtains had to be moved separately. It wasn’t a problem but I promised myself that one day I would replace the rail. On Friday last week the curtains pulled free of the rail and were damaged slightly in the process. I slept on it and on Saturday morning decided to buy a new rail and fittings. I got up early so that I could use the treadmill and it was mid-morning before I drove to the store and return with the new rail. After lunch I carried out the repairs to the curtains. They needed some stitching and I had them done in no time. I removed the old rail and brackets but had to carry out some repairs to the woodwork before I could fit the new rail. It took me around two hours to complete the work and now finally my bedroom is completed. I could have done the job years ago and should have done so instead of putting it off. Things have a habit of coming back at you. Old sayings like a stitch in time saves nine show us that leaving things undone can be our own undoing. We can end up doing more than we would have done had we done it sooner. Our time is then wasted. We may lose many things in life but the most precious of commodities is the time given to us and none of us know how much time has been given to us. Procrastination will thieve us of that time if we let it.
English: the first of the Epistles to the Colossians (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Colossians 2:8 says, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”
People around the world believe in all sorts of things, different religions, philosophies and ideas. Many deny the existence of God or think of Him in a different way than is shown in The Bible. Many will say their god is the same for all faiths but that is far from the truth. There is but one God and He is the one described in Scripture. People say there are many paths to God but God says differently and this is shown in Scripture. I know people who dabble in astrology and read their ‘stars’ on a regular basis yet still claim to be believers in God. God specifically tells us that He hates spiritists and mediums and all those who dabble in the magic arts and He says that for a reason, they are all of the devil. You cannot have your feet in two different camps. I know people who follow eastern religions or philosophies which have their roots in eastern religions and yet they claim to love God. God specifically warns us not to follow such religions but it seems the Word of God means nothing to them. They are prepared to follow the traditions of men rather than the Word of God. In fact there are numerous man-made religions around these days which have nothing to do with God at all. Where do they get their ideas from? In essence people are searching for the truth and are easily drawn into false teaching and ideas. For a time I was side-tracked when I began my search for God but by His Spirit I was guided to the truth. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. Many follow religions and philosophies because they speak of love, peace, harmony, unity of spirit and the fact that we are all part of the universe but the message they receive is deceitful and empty. The message promises nothing. For some apparent reason, which is completely irrational, some people are under the misconception that they will be born again repeatedly until they reach perfection. This is the belief system of Buddhists, Theosophists and others. The belief is a man-made tradition and has nothing to do with the truth. God says it is appointed for man to die once and then there is judgement but for those who believe in Christ Jesus there is the promise of a resurrection to eternal life. Why settle for a lie invented by man? Don’t search for the truth in these false religions for that is exactly what the devil would have you do. Seek God with all your heart and He shall be found. Read His Word and know the truth. Read The Bible and put away wrong thinking.
There is a war going on in the ranks of human beings and especially those who are Christians. The greatest problems we face as Christians in trying to witness to the unbeliever are generated by ourselves………….
The offices of The Gazette newspaper on Saint Catherine Street, Montreal, Canada. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
“But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.” Psalm 103:17-18NIV1984
Christianity in Transition and Karma (an article written in The Montreal Gazette recently by a friend of mine…..I pray for her daily)
With more than 1,000 people protesting in a demonstration on Sunday against a North Carolina pastor who made anti-gay comments last week, some of his 100 or so congregants applauded him in church, according to a report on msnbc.com. Apparently, though, leaders of other churches are trying to distance themselves from him, feeling that his outrageous statements will hurt their more moderate anti-gay efforts.
Sigh . . . When will all these folks understand that not everybody believes their Bible is the inspired work of a god and that their interpretations of it are relevant or realistic? Really, where do these folks get off thinking that they can impose their superstitious belief system on everybody else? Of course they have a right to believe what they want, but they simply should not have a right to use their beliefs to spread hate and discrimination. It’s obvious to me that much of Western society is in transition (there’s that word again). Many people have moved on from the superstitious belief system expounded by people like the North Carolina pastor who preaches fire and brimstone if you don’t believe what he does. But some haven’t moved on. Still, fundamentalists are not united on these issues — some are far more liberal than others. Those with extreme views are becoming more and more isolated, which is probably why their extreme comments go viral sometimes. Which is not to say the essential message of Christianity is lost or irrelevant. The bottom line has always been to love thy neighbours, regardless of who they might be. It’s the bottom line in most spiritual schools of thought — and those religious institutions that lose sight of it ultimately lose followers. Which explains why only 100 people are showing up in that North Carolina church while more than 1,000 were protesting against the pastor outside the Justice Center . . . Sounds like karmic justice to me.
Jillian
The great lost chord of modern civilization is forgetfulness of the fact in nature of universal brotherhood, which means not merely a sentimental or political brotherhood; it means that we are all of one common cosmic or spiritual origin, and that what affects one affects all . . . – G. de Purucker (end of article)
Whilst in some respects I understand what Jillian is saying I feel she is missing the point somewhat. Many of us will have heard about the North Carolina pastor who voiced such an unloving sermon and as a result will now thinking his opinions are those of the true Christian Church. They are most emphatically not! In her article Jillian agrees that and indicates that the main anti-gay movement within the Church has been harmed by what this pastor has said and I agree with her on that point. However the Christian message has never been one of hate thy neighbour, whether gay or not. Many Christians think that just because Scripture shows us that homosexuality is a sinful way of life that it gives them the right to judge and condemn participants. It doesn’t! Neither is it appropriate to marginalize people for believing in other things or making a stand against their rights to behave as they wish. A true Christian does not do these things. A true Christian reaches out in love whilst being a faithful witness for Christ Jesus. This means pointing people to what God is saying and what God is commanding from us all. Decisions on lifestyle and belief always should rest with the individual. Being a witness does not mean pushing the faith down the throats of unbelievers but it is a duty and a commandment to explain and deliver the Gospel message to non-believers. From a Christians point of view it should be as an encouragement for sinners to repent, not something to turn them further away!
Jillian mentions (quite correctly) that not everyone believes that The Bible is the inspired Word of God but what she should have said is that non-believers in God think that way. Christians believe it is, or SHOULD do. I read Jillian’s posts quite frequently and I have found her to be very caustic sometimes when writing some of her articles. Firstly, in this article, she appears to accuse all Christians of being ‘fundamentalists’ as if being a fundamentalist was wrong. It isn’t wrong for Christians cannot turn away from the fundamental teachings encompassed in Scripture, they either have to believe it is God’s Word or not. Some conflicts do arise in interpretation sometimes but the tenet of content is unaffected. Remember, fundamentalism isn’t an invitation nor a free ticket to stir up hatred and discord with non-believers. Secondly, Jillian renders Scripture and belief in the Faith as all superstitious nonsense. This is a personal and direct attack on the Christian faith and ultimately God. Personal opinions should be kept out of good journalism. Present the facts and let the people choose one way or the other. This should be the case in presenting The Gospel too and it would be wiser for all those ‘fundamentalists’ to consider that fact.
Jillian redeemed herself in her concluding remarks though recognising that what has been voiced by an over-zealous pastor is not what the Christian message is all about nor is it the same opinion of all people of the faith or anyone with an inkling of common sense and humanity. Love thy neighbour even if he has six heads four arms and is green-skinned!
The war is not between human beings. It is a spiritual war being waged out of our sight and it is a war for souls, lost souls who need redemption.
“But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.” Psalm 103: 17-18 (NIV 1984). I just wish Christians would remember to obey his precepts and do all things in love as He commands, maybe then the unbeliever will respond to the Gospel.
1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven
on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.
3 All have turned aside,
they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.
The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God…’ Psalm 14:1
The atheistic fool. It’s said, ‘An atheist can’t find God for the same reason a thief can’t find a policeman.’ Sometimes pride is at the core of atheism. Without God, you become your own god, which means there’s no higher power than yourself! But the God of the Bible proves His existence in three ways: 1) Creation. Many people are in prison today who weren’t caught at the scene of the crime, and no one actually witnessed the crime. What proved they did it? Fingerprints! DNA! Creation carries God’s fingerprints and DNA. ‘Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name…’ (Isaiah 40:26 NLT). 2) Calvary. In creation you see God’s power, at the cross you see His love for you. In creation you see His hand, at the cross you see His heart. 3) Conscience. ‘Gentiles…even without having heard it…demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right’ (Romans 2:14-15 NLT). Conscience is like having a Bible in your soul; no one was born without one. Voltaire, the French atheist, said, ‘It took twelve fishermen to build Christianity. I will show the world how one Frenchman can destroy it.’ After Voltaire died, the home in which he had lived became Europe‘s most famous Bible distribution centre. Bottom line: Voltaire is dead; our God lives! Atheism is the greatest gamble of all. After all, what if there is a God and you stand before Him one day?
11 May 2012
Don’t Be a Fool (2)
‘…Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee…’ Luke 12:20
The ambitious fool. Jesus told the story of a successful farmer who said, ‘…I will pull down my barns, and build greater…’ (v. 18). Evidently he was a good businessman and planner. But then he said: ‘I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee…So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God’ (vv. 19-21). This man had a plan for time, but none for eternity. He thought about himself, but not God. He paid attention to his body, but not his soul. It’s said that the average body has enough phosphorus to make eight hundred thousand match heads, enough sugar to go into sixty cubes, enough salt to cover twenty spoons, and enough iron to make about ten dollars’ worth of nails. The rest is just dust and water. When you pamper, promote and protect the part of you that will only live seventy or eighty years and neglect the part of you that will live on in either heaven or hell, God says you’re a fool. This man told himself he had ‘many years,’ but God said, ‘This night thy soul shall be required of thee.’ Don’t you realise that an accident, a blocked artery, a stray bullet, a plane with engine failure or a drunk driver could take you out in an instant? Wise up! The question is not will you die, but when? And are you ready to stand before God?
The absolute fool. Abner slew a man called Asahel, whose brother happened to be Joab, King David’s number one general. So Joab was out to take Abner’s life. The tragedy of this story is that Abner was within reach of Hebron, one of the six cities of refuge. But instead of running into that city and enjoying its protection, he allowed the enemy to catch him outside the gates and kill him. ‘They buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept…and said, ‘Died Abner as a fool dieth?’ (vv. 32-33). Abner was the absolute fool. Why? Because unlike the atheistic fool who did not believe in God, or the ambitious fool who had no time for God, he knew what to do-but didn’t do it. There were no rivers to cross, no mountains to climb, and no price to be paid. The gates of Hebron were open; all he had to do was go in and stay there. Imagine being given a gospel tract with these words on the cover: ‘What must I do to be lost?’ Then opening it and finding that page is-blank. You don’t have to do anything to be lost! But you must do something to be saved: ‘…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…’ (Acts 16:31). When Mary brought the newborn Christ to the temple, an old priest named Simeon held Him in his arms and said: ‘Now I’m ready to die, because I have seen the Saviour of the world…’ (Luke 2:25-32). In order to die right you must meet Christ, embrace Him, and acknowledge Him as your Lord and Saviour. Why don’t you do it today?
People today, as in days of old, refuse to turn to God. Their minds have become corrupt and they follow after falsehood and lies. They worship other gods, which are not gods at all and forget the creator who is God. Believing that all they need to do is be ‘good’ and that will be enough. Believing that their ways are best, rejecting what God actually says and expecting Him to ignore it. They will have no excuse, they will have no-one to intercede on their behalf because they reject the only one who can, Jesus! The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, get wise before it is too late.
A woman spying on a pair of male lovers. China, Qing dynasty. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
How often I read about people condemning those of the faith for being outspoken, for standing up for Jesus, for upholding the truth that is contained in The Bible, for adhering to God‘s word. They are ridiculed and mocked whenever they open their mouths. Recently, and many times in the past too, I read an article whereby a Christian was being mocked for speaking out against homosexuality, that is the practice of it rather than the condition itself. God tells us in several places in His word that He abhors homosexuality but it falls on deaf ears for some. It isn’t just homosexuality either, it is many things that people do against the will of God. Rather than admit to God’s truth being right they will either simply deny His existence and thus nullify whatever is written in Scripture or they will try to twist the truth to suit themselves. They wish only to hear what they want to hear and disregard everything else. It is to be expected for it says as much in Scripture that people will act this way. They will read this passage too yet it will fail to register with them because there is a veil over their eyes preventing them from seeing the truth of Gods word…..here is a passage from Scripture describing this very attitude. Remember, The Bible is a prophetic collection of writings too……….
2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage —with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
People turn to other faiths and religions because these religions often present them with no challenges. They turn to speaking in the name of love but that love is of the human kind, it isn’t the love for and of God. If it were they would be obedient to His will. ‘Let there be peace on earth and goodwill toward all men, let us live together in harmony, let us tolerate the behaviour of others’ is a recipe for coming against the wrath of God. Do your own thing, deny your Maker, make up your own rules, believe in falsehood and lies for God has even given you that choice but it is to Him that you will have to answer. Do you really want to be facing God’s wrath? It is of no use trying to put your own interpretation to Scripture or accuse anyone who knows God’s word to be the truth to be doing so. What you need to be doing is getting into God’s word yourself, turning away from all that is unrighteous and inviting Jesus into your heart. Then you will be able to see, the veil will be lifted from you eyes and those itching ears will no longer need scratching!
A couple of years ago my ex. and I met for the first time with a person I had only previously known via the Internet. Initially we were treated very well but as the time we shared together passed by I could sense some friction between us. It is hard to live with some people even for a short time and I guess she saw us, that is E and myself as being difficult at times. I also sensed it was more to do with E than it was to do with me. When we visited with her she had only two bedrooms and only two beds. This made the sleeping arrangements rather difficult as E and I could not share a bed and E needed the spare bed more than I did. That meant I either had to share the other bed with our host or sleep on the sofa. I chose the sofa. I could not share a bed with my host no matter how innocent the invitation, it just didn’t feel right. I was left therefore to fend for myself. Not very good hosting on the part of my friend I thought however I managed to find some blankets and settled down on the sofa. I spent three nights on that sofa and each night I was disturbed by the cat who wanted to share my sleeping arrangements. E required to eat something in order to take some of her medication which did make it awkward sometimes. I felt my friend found it difficult to accommodate E’s needs at times and it showed in her reactions. My friend, our host, slept in until almost lunchtime each day leaving us to fend for ourselves with nothing to do to wile away the hours. I found an old guitar, tuned it and sat on the veranda playing quietly to kill the time but was scolded later by my friend for disturbing her sleep-in. Some host! It is fair to say that we had some great times together despite all of this. Our visit only lasted three days and my friend had to return to work whilst we continued our holiday from the hotel we had booked. My friend brought us back to the city but not to our hotel, she decided to drop us off on the opposite side of the square from where the hotel was situated which meant that we had to struggle a little with getting back to the hotel with our luggage. I knew from that moment that our friendship had ended but I still love her and she will always be my friend. I still think about her and I do not hold anything against her, in fact she figures in my prayers every day along with all others I know who are not Christians. She ranks amongst those, especially some of my friends and acquaintances, who won’t or don’t accept Christ as their saviour preferring as they do to trust in their own understanding of who God is or believing in some strange philosophy that has nothing to do with God. What they fail to understand is that God says differently for there is no other name under heaven by which we can be reconciled to God other than through Jesus. It is so simple and yet people cannot see it. It isn’t surprising though as these things are recorded in the Bible but we pray nevertheless. God acts when we pray in accordance with His wishes. My hope is that all those I pray for will eventually realise their need in Christ and turn to him one day.
Where is this world headed? The future of mankind is often the subject of debate with many different views on offer. Some place our future in the hands of science and technology and our own abilities as human beings, others may say it is all in the hands of God, some even think we might be overtaken by aliens and yet others have no real opinion regarding our future or how it will pan out. The secularist will say that our future is entirely in our own hands and in a way that is perfectly true, we do determine our own fate, we are free agents. However, with all the unrest that’s going on throughout the world it seems to me that we do not learn by our mistakes. The idealised ‘utopia’ many consider to be the goal we are aiming for can never be achieved by our own efforts, history shows that we constantly keep making the same mistakes. There is war of one kind or another in many diverse places and according to a report I read a few years ago there are around 34 skirmishes in the world at any one time. We talk about brotherly love and goodwill to all others but we never seem to achieve it. Mankind is inherently sinful, we just cannot help ourselves. We simply find it difficult to live in harmony. Disputes often arise based upon race, religion, ethical standards, lifestyles and a host of other things simply because we are so diverse in our outlook and we are often reluctant to accept our differences. Everyone wants to have their say, promote their views but not everyone wants to leave it there. If we are seen to be different from those around us it can lead to friction, rejection even hatred. There is a future for mankind but it may not be the one we expect. For believers in God and Jesus Christ there is a future that non-believers want to believe, favouring their own but that is to be expected. The Bible is a collection of books covering many things but around one-third of it is prophecy, things that have been foretold before they happened and things yet to come to pass. For instance many of the prophecies have already been fulfilled long after they were written down and based on this fact we can assume with confidence that the remainder of the prophecies will, one day, be fulfilled. Even so just knowing this won’t make a skeptic believe until it actually happens by which time it will be too late to do anything about it. It’s like we have the knowledge that there is a bomb somewhere that is going to explode one day but we turn a blind eye to it and hope everything will be alright. The bomb could explode tomorrow, next year, twenty years into the future but for those who doubt or put the information to one side it will come as a great surprise when it does. To the open-minded amongst us it would be useful to know exactly what these as yet unfulfilled prophecies are so preparations can be made. The link below will reveal that information.
I thought you might like to follow the thread which follows the above picture as shown on Wikipedia……….
Comments and faves
politbike(62 months ago)
Why is it sad? There are well documented cases of The Lord Jesus healing people of cancer (for instance, see: www.godhealscancer.com/ ) – the evidence is there if we open our eyes & look, but some people still choose not to believe the evidence, because of the word “God”. Atheism & Secularism are belief systems, not the antithesis of belief. It was G K Chesterton who said: “When people stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing — they believe in anything.”
Better Than Bacon (59 months ago)
Well, you know why I think it’s sad.
Am I supposed to go buy that book now? I’ll trust double-blind studies over anecdotal “cases,” no matter how ‘documented’ they are. One of the only studies cited in support of prayer is by R. C. Byrd, and I think the most he could claim is that Jesus Power gives you +6% chance of surviving a specific ailment, or something, which is fishy first of all and hilarious even if it’s true.
You don’t understand what constitutes evidence. You just don’t understand how it works, and how easy it is to delude yourself with anecdotes. That’s sad, too.
politbike(59 months ago)
My comment was a question, yours is a judgmental statement. What makes you think I “don’t understand what constitutes evidence”, especially as you neither know me, or my background?
If somebody has what the doctors diagnose as inoperable cancer and then as a direct result of prayer and laying on of hands has no sign of the disease, I would call that evidence of a miracle, as would any intelligent person.
Please do not accuse me of being “deluded with anecdotes”, simply because of your own unbelief. I have first hand experience of healing miracles. If you choose not to believe, that is your choice, but please do not insult the intelligence of those who have seen, beyond doubt, the healing power of prayer.
You must remember that Bible believing Christians are NOT some sort of uneducated, gullible sub-culture. Many Christians were once hard hearted atheists. What makes you so sure that you will never change?
Better Than Bacon (59 months ago)
Yeesh. Turns out I was right to be judgemental.
There are plenty of intelligent, educated Christians, for sure. I was arguing with a friend one time about the effects of his prayers, and how he could ‘see’ that it worked and that it couldn’t be tested. Twenty minutes later, the conversation drifted, and we ended up both sharing a bewildered laugh at how stupid people were for doing rain dances, for centuries, because they could ‘see’ that it worked but never bothered to really check. Despite being an intelligent guy (more so than I), the irony was lost on him.
politbike(59 months ago)
People doubt because they have preconceived opinions as to what does and does not constitute truth. It is pride which prevents people from acknowledging the work of God when they see it; pride in thinking that just perhaps the prejudices they have against God’s word are wrong. Also, many non-believers ideas of Christianity are totally deluded, but they refuse to be educated, thinking that they know best.
There are some healings I have seen which go beyond doubt, where even the most atheistic doctors are lost for words. It is these which I would say are the true miracles. Unfortunately, even then, the skeptics will claim that the illness would have got better on its own. Some people refuse to see the evidence of God working, even when it is obvious.
Better Than Bacon (59 months ago)
I know this is condescending but, to give a feeling for how you sound to someone like me, I’ll translate your reply:
Or, if that seems too far removed (it doesn’t to me), think of analogous ‘translations’ for Islam, Scientology, or the IPU. Like it or not, you’re lumped with them because your explanation is equally unjustified, superficial, and unsatisfying.
politbike(59 months ago)
You disappoint me, my friend. Just when you were beginning to look at the subject with an open mind, your humanistic fear of anything which cannot be scientifically rationalised begins to rear its ugly head again.
Do you have first hand experience of atomic science, brain surgery, Radio Astronomy, etc. No? But you trust the teachings of those who do. However, when it comes to Christian healing, you have no first hand experience or knowledge of the subject, but you claim to be an expert, able to dismiss out of hand the knowledge of those who do!
It was you, not me who first mooted the strange idea of linking Christian healing with native American rain dances. For someone who eschews “superstition”, you seem to have a fixation with this particular tradition. Your analogy is very tenuous, so let me offer another “translation”…
“Or, if that seems too far removed (it doesn’t to me, because I’m open to any discussion except on the subject of Christianity, because I’m an expert on it), think of analogous ‘translations’ for Islam, Scientology, Humanism, Secularism, Atheism, or the IPU. Like it or not, I’m lumped with them because my explanation is equally unjustified, superficial, and unsatisfying”.
Touche?
You can’t have a balanced, open discussion if you are not open to listening to all explanations. There are many testimonies to the fact that Jesus DOES heal. Your argument relies on providing evidence that Jesus does NOT heal. If you cannot provide this evidence, your comments stand on shaky ground. In other words, either put up, or shut up. Your preconceived prejudices on the subject of Christian healing, together with your arrogant assumption that all Christian views are “wrong” are serious blockages to your supposed search for rational enlightenment.
Better Than Bacon (59 months ago)
If there were Hindu astronomy, Christian astronomy, Secular astronomy etc, and they all arrived at different conclusions via the same means, we’d both be sceptical about those means. That situation would suggest that the methodology doesn’t separate what is true from what is false.
The fact that we don’t have Christian astronomy versus Islamic astronomy bodes well for the methodology of science; it factors out the human bias as much as possible, and humans can be pretty biased depending on what culture/era they’re born in. If you were transported to India as an infant and raised there, you’d have a totally different set of beliefs incompatible with Christianity. Would you be saved? If not, who’s ‘fault’ is it then?
The question of whether prayer increases one’s chances of surviving cancer is a scientific question, because you’re positing both an observable cause and an observable effect. People have done these intercessory prayer studies for all kinds of illnesses, and the double-blind studies invariably find no relationship. This doesn’t rule out Jesus healing people, it just means that whenever scientists are watching ol’ J.C is content letting people (and their families) suffer horribly drawn out deaths.
I am most certainly not an expert, and don’t ever intend to be, for the same reason I’m not an expert in Scientology. You’re not an expert in Scientology, so how can you discount the power of their Tech? Maybe because you think they’re a cult espousing totally retarded nonsense made up by a second-rate sci-fi writer? (okay, now I’m speaking for you, sorry…). Again, you trust what people have to say if you trust their methodology, and that’s why I trust what scientists have to say, and not what Scientologists or Christians think happened.
Anyway, you said the analogy between rain dancing and prayer was tenuous, but I don’t understand what distinguishes one “cause->effect” hypothesis from the other.
Don’t conflate testimonials with evidence. Double-blind studies are evidence, and they speak volumes. Someone who just goes around witnessing ‘miracle healing’ doesn’t have any perspective on all the times healing didn’t occur, because they’re not paying attention.
I tried to bypass this kind of silliness with the IPU link. Maybe you can put up or shut up about the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Ugh, these replies are getting longer and rehashing standard arguments. Go do some reading. I have to work.
politbike(59 months ago)
Your comments on the IPU and the Flying Spaghetti Monster are totally spurious. Atheists do not actually believe in these things, they are just a childish “insult” thrown at people whose faith they do not, cannot, or will not share. That is their choice. Atheism is NOT “anti belief”, it is simply another belief system. I can tell that you are getting nervous, when you throw casual “insults” like “do some reading”. I have read much more on the subject that you have, otherwise I wouldn’t take the stand I now do. As I have said, you do not know me, my background or qualifications, so you should think before you speak/type.
In the paraphrased words of St. Paul; “If we [Christians] are wrong, we are to be pitied, but in the end, have lost nothing. If You [non-believers] are wrong, you will have lost everything. The choice is yours, but are you prepared to take that chance?
I too have a life outside YouTube and it appears we’re not going to convince each other. I will pray for you.
Better Than Bacon (59 months ago)
The point of IPU and FSM is to show you what it’s like to argue with a believer. I could go on and on pretending to believe in strict Pastafarianism—challenging you to prove me wrong, “Pasta has spread all over the world, where’s the evidence that FSM doesn’t exist?” and so forth—all to show you what it’s like to face a ridiculous statement like “YOU must provide evidence that Jesus does NOT heal.” Don’t dismiss the comparison—use it to gain perspective and to avoid sounding similarly ridiculous yourself.
I’m sure you’ve read a lot on the subject of religion, but I’m suggesting you read on the subject of refuting religious arguments. If you want to convince a sceptic to reflect on his or her biases, you’ve got to do better than parroting standard nonsense like Pascal’s wager and “atheism is just another belief system” (you know the quote “atheism is a religion like ‘not collecting stamps’ is a hobby”).
Besides, atheism is a conclusion, not a ‘system’. Anyway, except for its effects on politics all of this is just philosophical, so no sense getting too upset about it. Have a nice life.
politbike(59 months ago)
Who’s getting upset? All I am saying is you cannot be conclusive. Like most Christians, I have made the transition from non-belief to belief. You may do the same one day. In the meantime, your use of insults and claimed “conclusions” is unnecessary, unhelpful and uneducated. God bless.
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How stubborn are the hearts who refuse to claim the truth, who refuse the free gift of everlasting life through Jesus Christ who took upon himself the sins of the world, even your sins, so that all who believe in him and the One who sent him shall be saved and have that everlasting life! If it was a free gift of £10,000 you’d take it………this free gift is for eternity!
Shirley Anne