The birds of the sky

So, this is no major biblical study or theology lesson. Just a cool lil story. I was eating lunch at wendys the other day. As I sat in my truck munching on the best fries around, a seagull came to my window, I begin to feed him lil pieces of fries. He was very happy and begins yelling and so on. Of course his buddies caught on pretty quick. But, he would not let even one of them land. So...I felt bad. They where hovering over the parking lot watching me feed this guy. Then I wondered something...see I had seen the one on the ground catch a few pieces when they where close to him. The way a dog will. Then I wondered...will they catch it when flying. I started out by holding the fries up out of my truck window. They started to fly closer but where still all bunched together. I would toss The fry up. And sure enough, one would catch it. Then a funny thing started to happen. As I would hold up the fry they backed off and one at a time would swoop in, I would launch it and the dive bombing gull would catch it every time. I even saw one stop mid dive to grab one I shot over its head. Amazing birds. So smart and built to fly through the worst of weather, which makes them almost like freestyle trick birds. I ended up losing my entire box of French fries but I had a moment with nature u only get once in a great while in the city. Then I thought, if God made these smart, beautiful birds then how much more amazing is he. And if God made this entire world, and all of man kind, how much more amazing is he. If God made all of space and time and all the wonders therein, how much more amazing is he!
Much much more amazing, and things like this only give us a small glimpse of the glory and majesty of our God.

freaked out by the nwo

Revelation 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:  1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.   (KJV - sent from CadreBible)

In a conversation today about current events and where the world is going, I got on topic about the new world order, one world government, currency crashes and the banker take over of the world. I freaked out the person I was talking to and even started to freak my self out. It's scary to think my unborn baby will grow up in a much much different world then I. But as I went on I remembered that the story is written. We know who wins, and if Jesus be your saviour there is no need to worry. I believe the bible and believe when it says religion, governments, and currency will merge that it will happen. There is no need to be freaked out by that though.....our God has the keys to death and hell! I trust him and I trust his word to guide and direct us in these uncertain days ahead.

God is still good.

Everyone knows the prodigal son story, and most would agree that the story shows God to be forgiving to those who come back to him. I refuse to call my self a prodigal son, even though u could draw many similaritys. The difference is that our father is not an earthly father. He does not have to stand by and wait for our return. God continues to follow u and bless u all the days of your life, wither u turn away or stand in awe. Just because you are turned away and can't see the sun rise does not mean it remains night. A very wise man told me recently that God has only ever done good to me constantly. Looking back it'd be easy for me to think differently, but then again, if u know just a hint about who God is....its easy to see. God is good to me each and everyday of my life.

posted from Bloggeroid

is God in black holes?

so i been thinking and what i think is that God is in black holes. here is why. the theory of general relativity explains our world just fine, but even Einstein knew that if nature ever where to form a black hole his theory would brake down. and if u try to use it to explain a black hole it does not work. the theory of quantum mechanics explains the universe at the atomic level. yet alone it also falls short of explaining the black hole. it is believed that the two theories would have to married together to explain a black hole. but when they try and do this the answer that comes from it is to them, total nonsense. basically its infinity+infinity+infinity+infinity+ out to infinity. LOL. sounds like a good answer to me. i have thought for a long time that if black holes are really out there they must be windows or doorways to God and heaven. time stands still, and all of the huge mass of the black hole all focuses down to one point of singularity. something so small and yet infinite that science does not even know how to explain it. to me, it screams of God. also, science believes that the universe began from a big bang that came from one of these singularities. possible i suppose, if God is the source at the center of a black hole it begins to really make sense.... hmmm... just a thought

todays thought

today's thought is not so much about God as it is about people. people are so good at messin up what God has so freely givin us. the bible, see it tells us all these wonderful stories and detailed instructions on how to live out our lives with one another. yet people just cant do it. i know i cant!! but there is no shortage of those who "think" they can. now there in lays the rub, because i don't think God ever meant for us to be able to live life to the letter of his word (only maybe to shoot for it), but if that is true then why are there so many "strong, or mature Christians" willing to point the finger at others as the so called "lost" when they them selves are in a mess of sin, and self deception. and if these Christians so called are yet off the mark..... is there any hope for u and me? i think so, and may God help us to find it.

4th

so i tried to send a fourth of July post from my phone after i had set up mobile blogging and if u saw the post u know it did not work. i took it down because it was all jumbled nonsense. the just of the post was how we need to remember our root's. i know that like most other holidays the fourth has become more about the parties, the fireworks, and bbq's then it is about the day it's self and what it really stands for. i happen to love the United States of America. i love our history of great men fighting for freedom, and fighting against all that is wrong in world. i hate the idea that we might be the generation that is remembered for losing what so many men died for. we have already turned so far from their ideals. i believe we can take our country back and hand down to our children what was given to us, but only by the grace of God.

a poem for the times

this is not the post i am working on, but thought this poem was worth sharing...

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

by Dylan Thomas

1914-1953

not for sale

not for sale is a book by David Batstone. here is a brief run down of the book. "Award-winning journalist David Batstone reveals the story of a new generation of 21st century abolitionists and their heroic campaign to put an end to human bondage. In his accessible and inspiring book, Batstone carefully weaves the narratives of activists and those in bondage in a way that not only raises awareness of the modern-day slave trade, but also serves as a call to action." (provided by Christian audio). i highly recommend you listen to this book. though i must warn that it is not for those who are easily upset. i spend the last two days listening to it and though it has been very hard to hear (there is very graphic depictions of the acts committed to children and women as well as grown men) i have learned so much about a topic i have never even thought about. it has changed the way i think about prostitution and the sex business in general.
you can download the entire book for free this month only at christian audio just click this link to go right to the page. enter FEB2009 as when it asks for your promotion code.
be warned! this is not a fun read. you will learn a lot about very very disturbing facts and personal testimony of the modern day slave trade.

ten bullet points for colossians 3

you have been raised with Christ!
therefor:

1. seek the things above

2. always think on those things

3. put to death your earthy nature
____a. sexual immorality
____b. impurity
____c. shameful passions
____d. evil desires
____e. greed,which is idolatry
4. put off such things as
____a. anger
____b. rage
____c. malice
____d. slander
____e. abusive talking w/ your mouth
5. do not lye, for you are a new man after the image of Christ.
6. as the elect of God, holy and dearly beloved - clothe yourself w/ a heart of:
____a. mercy
____b. kindness
____c. humility - (humbleness of mind)
____d. gentleness
____e. long suffering
____f. bearing with and forgiving one another
7. to all this add love/ it's the perfect bond
8. let the peace of God dwell in your heart
9. let the word of God dwell in you richly
10. whatever you do, wither in word of deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ - giving thanks to God the father through Him.

we dream

We Dream!

So.. what’s so great about people anyway? Well to sum it up in two words... we dream.
I am not talking about dreaming at night as we sleep because I think even dogs do that, though no one can know for sure. I am talking about fantasies, dreams of what your future may hold, hopes and aspirations. As far as I know people are the only creators on earth that do this. And you can tell a lot about someone by what kind of dreams they have. I think we can agree that if you have dreams of riches, you are probably poor and most likely greedy. If your dreams are shallow, you’re shallow. If they are about nothing but sex, you’re a pig. If you dream of power, you are probably weak and a major jerk. But I think most of us have hopes and aspirations for something good. We hope to make a difference in the world, for our lives to make an impact on others in a positive way. These dreams, these fantasies, they are part of what set us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom. Otherwise we would be nothing more then over grown germs living off and at odds with our environment. We would not even be very good ones. Take that dog I was talking about for an example. He can live in harmony with the world he lives in. He can walk around naked in the cold and not die; we would freeze to death the first winter. He can eat just about anything and hunt and kill with his own body. We have nothing in which to hunt with, no teeth to rip and tear an animal as a potential meal. A dog does no damage to the world in which he lives. But he will also never do anything to change that world for good, other then to make a person happy or serve mankind. And so there we see a great conundrum. We are special in that we dream, love, and have the power to think and comprehend. Yet as animals... we suck. Thank God we are more then just animals.

back to it

so, i was away for a bit for the holiday. but i am back and have been working on a few new posts, i will get them up asap. i hope and trust that all who may read this blog had a blessed Christmas and new year!

the shack

well, i am just seeing far to much of this book (in places i care about!) to not comment. i first must say that i have not and will not read it. i do not need to. fiction or not, if it conveys truths about who God is... they had better be biblical truths! and The shack is far from biblical. i am not going to take the time to lay out the story line and pick apart whats wrong with the theology and so on, a great Pastor i know has already done so and I'll link to it. before i do, let me just say that i love to read and i love to study theology and even other non christian views on God. so how can i read about Islam and then say the shack is no good? it's because a book on Islam is not trying to pass it's self off as Christian. the shack does and they are both just about equally heretical.

read the full review here.

video review here

live life and do well...

"all men die, not all men really live" (mel gibson - braveheart)

in my last post i asked the question, "are you ready?". and what i meant by that was are you ready to die. of course no one can even talk about death without thinking about life. they are two sides of the same coin, with life comes death. that which is not alive can not die. one always comes with the other (at least in this life, that is true). i have been asking my self, "self! what does it mean to really live?" as America's pastor would say "do i have a purpose driven life?" well, i know i do not want a purposeless driven life! but i think it's more then just finding your purpose. man kinds purpose is easy, it's to Glorify God and enjoy him forever! or as John Piper would say, Glorify God "by" enjoying him forever. and that kinda of answers the question, how do i glorify God? Dr. Piper would say "God is most Glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him". and that sounds good. but whats hard is putting it to practise. what is the pragmatic outworking of that first lesion in the Westminster catechism - "Q. 1. What is the chief and highest end of man?
A. Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God,and fully to enjoy him forever".

well, i don't know. know the answer should sound something like this, "you pray and read your bible everyday and then serve in your local Church, preach and witness". the problem with this answer is that it is not always that simple. i happen to believe that everyone has different callings, and i think most would agree with that. so the working out of how to best Glorify God is personal(though i do think everyone should be ready to give an answer for the Hope that lyeth in them). this much i know for sure, you have to stay in the fight! if you give up and give in to your flesh, it's over. your finished. stay in the fight and God will work it out through you. it's the hardest life, but for those who know Jesus Christ, it's the only life!!!

quote of the day

"Evidently, you do not realize what a wretched person you truly are, and what an offence your depravity is in the holy sight of God, if you can feel nothing in response to the atoning death of God's son."
without a quickened awareness of our depravity, we are Pharisees at best, though most of us are far worse. the best we can approach is a religious performance that brings glory to us and leaves us looking down on everybody else.

quote from,
whats so great about the doctrines of Grace? (pg 31)
by: Richard D. Phillips

are you ready?

if Jesus Christ where to return in the next 12 hours, and you knew it with out a doubt. what would be the things you would want to set right, what would you stop doing or what would you start to do? if your thinking of something right now then the chance is that there is something you may need to work on(everyone should be thinking of something). now we know that no one gets into heaven by just having a cleaned up life, by no means is that what i am implying here. we are all redeemed one way and one way only, by the grace of God! by Grace through faith, not of works lest any man should boast (eph 3:8-9). so that's not what i mean when i ask "are you ready?" what i mean is, if He came and you stood face to face with the sovereign Lord of all that is, He who knows all your darkest thoughts, could you say i lived as best i knew how? i do not expect to be perfect when i die, Isaiah was a mighty prophet and he cursed himself when he saw God! his sin was manifest before his face instantly and he is totally destroyed by it. Praise God we have the righteousness of Christ to cover our filthy lives. but, if we can glorify God better, or give up a sin, or be more zealous for his Gospel... we ought to! lets not just do what we think is enough to get by and still call ourselves Christian. lets not fall into a cold emotionless orthodoxy where we simply do what we have always done because it's what we have always done. make every moment of your life a striving to be closer to Him, to follow Him, to worship Him, to praise Him, to love Him, and to Glorify Him! for he is worthy to receive honor and Glory and Praise forever and ever! lets not be taken by surprise when our Lord comes. let's be ready and waiting, with the prayer on our lips... even so come Lord JESUS!!!

now what?

Psa 33:8, Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 9,For he spake, and it was [done]; he commanded, and it stood fast. 10,The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. 11,The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 12,Blessed [is] the nation whose God [is] the LORD; [and] the people [whom] he hath chosen for his own inheritance. 13,The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. 14,From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. 15,He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works. 16,There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. 17,An horse [is] a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver [any] by his great strength. 18,Behold, the eye of the LORD [is] upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; 19,To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. 20,Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he [is] our help and our shield. 21, For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. 22, Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.

Hope in God, not man. no matter what happens in America in the up and coming term, God is still in Heaven, still in control, still Lord of His creation. he builds up and tears down the rulers of men, and if this is His will (and it must be because it happened) then it's good. we must pray for our leaders, pray for Obama's safety, pray for his wisdom, but most of all pray for his salvation!

Hope in God, and may God get the Glory, great things he hath done!

vote vote vote, kill kill kill

Mat 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 18:5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
Mat 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Mat 18:7 Woe unto the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!
Mat 18:8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
Mat 18:9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

with the election a week away, it is all we hear over and over.... Vote Obama, he is the one, the saviour of America, republicans bad democrats good bla bla bla!

listen, i really could care less about his economic plans and taxes that reflect socialism. the man has supported the most radical abortion laws ever purposed. and on that one single point alone he is disqualified for my vote. i can not and will not ever vote for a pro choice candidate. the man has innocent blood on his hands and i will not take part in the slaughter of babies!

say what you will, and support what ever political party you want. but do not vote pro choice! listen to your conscience and follow what God tells you.

if Jesus Christ said it is better that you tie a huge rock to your neck and toss yourself into the lake, rather then offend....not kill... just offend one of these little ones. what do you think the happens to those who kill the little ones?

that the minisry be not blamed!

2Cr 6:3 Giving no offense in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:

when i first read this, the thought that came rushin in was of the great scandals that our faith has endured through the years. prostitutes, homosexual relationships, drugs and fornication, as well as major financial scandals within the Christian leadership. when the world looks in at such things they do not blame man kind, or the depraved nature of man. they point to the Christian ministry and say it's all this way. and so the offense is made and the ministry gets the blame. a solid Christian testimony is more to be protected then any other point of your walk (other then your relati0nship with God, which always comes first!)it can take a life time to earn the trust of people and one mistake to lose it forever. people tend toward remembering the bad that people do and not the Good. they assume the worst.

the very next thing i thought:

what was the one thing that takes place in churches that brings offense, and blame to the ministry? hypocrisy! i know that most of the so called hypocrisy that the world slaps on the Church is misunderstandings gone bad. but my friends... not all. i am guilty of reading this text and thinking about major sin and the cataclysmic falls of high profile preachers. and as i do so there is strife and divisions among us. they see it, and sometimes get caught up in it. nothing stumbles a new Christian (or a potential convert) more then to find out that the people they are going to for help, are no better then they are. and when they see us as Christians who are no better then lost men the ministry takes the blame!

let us not spend to much time worrying about the pastors who are on a direct path toward disaster. they have been and always will be there. but we can make a major difference in the way the world see's the Church by being Christ to them. by Loving sacrificially. And when they come into the Church by being what the bible says we are and what they come looking for, Christians. that the Lamb who was slain may receive the reward of his suffering, and God may be glorified!

quick thought

as i study the institutes of the christian religion, i have come across a wealth of knowledge. i could write about the first ten chapters for the next year i suppose and not run out of things to say. instead of doing that, i have decided to just give a quick thought that is sparked in my reading.

right now i am in the 13th chapter of the first book, knowledge of God. the Trinity.

Calvin brings up a good point about using extra biblical words to explain God and scripture. it's totally fine! well, he does not use those words...but, in so many words that's what he says. there is nothing wrong with using words that do not appear in the bible just so long as the truth they convey is there. we can no deny that there is a Father, Son, and Spirit. but we need words that can qualify these truths for us. so, feel free to explain things in your own words.
just but be sure your clearing up a truth that really is there.

let us not forget today - tomorrow!

today is 9/11, we as Americans all know what that means. we all remember the very spot we where when we heard the words, " America is under attack!" let us not forget to pray today, pray for the families of those lost that day and in the war that followed. let us pray for the safety of our nation. you know nations rise and fall, no nation lasts forever. that was a hard thing for me to come to terms with, but i settled when i remembered that God is in control. He is the one who lets nations rise and fall and in the end His Will will be done! all of the nations of this world will come to an end in that day. and though that sounds scary it's not. Because God will be our temple and the light of that kingdom. with that said i do want to remind everyone that this does not mean we stop praying. God had ordained that through Christian prayers and actions His Will is done. let us not forget today - tomorrow! let us pray! and let us take hope in Him, rest in Him, and continue to trust in Him!