Knowledge

Not so structured, more personal thinking

2008-11-12T20:13:00.001-06:00

Random Thinking

Well, I seem to be running in circles in my emotions here lately. One minute I’ll be up and jumping all around the room and can’t sit still and then other times I’ll be depressed and just can’t seem to move. I don’t know what it is, I promise, I’m way too young for menopause. Paul the Apostle, who wrote most of the New Testament in the Bible, said that he learned how to be content in all situations. He said He knew what it was to have everything and also to have nothing. He was once a rich well known ruler who had killed people for proclaiming they were Christians. He then became a Christian and spent the last years of his life in prison.
I believe the reason for my discontentment and highs and lows in my mood is not because I didn’t take some ADD, ADHD or Bipolar disease medicine. I am not fully sure if those are all legit or not. Have I thought about getting on some sort of depression or mood controlling meds? Yes. I have However; I’ve never truly believed they were good for a person.
Any who, that’s a different topic for a different time. I could talk in circles about medications. My main concern for writing this is to appeal to those who have felt they had too many highs and lows. I want to click with the people who I know feel depressed at night and happy during the day, or visa versa. I just need some assurance there are others out there in the same boat I am.
Now, I mentioned Paul the apostle who talked of this contentment he had learned. He said he had to “learn” it. He was given peace in all life circumstances after he Learned it. (Philippians 4:10-18) This is what I need to learn. I will say I’ve went years living this way. I lived at peace with each circumstance that had come my way, only I fell out of it for a while and then I’d find it again. Before Paul talked about finding contentment in all situations he pointed out to the Philippians to REJOICE! In the Lord always. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH TRANSCENDS ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS. I believe this prior writing is the reason why Paul learned to be content in all situations. He also described the kinds of things we should be thinking of. He said whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—If anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. And the God of Peace will be with you.
When I had that understanding even when times were terrible, I knew I had found what Paul had found. I was teaching a bible study in Carbondale to people of all ages. I remember just studying scripture, and studying other books of religion to answer all kinds of questions to anyone who had any. I remember understanding that the reason for my peace in times of sorrow, and that total calm understanding I had was because I was reading God’s word. I had finally come to terms with the full Sovereignty of God.
He had me where He wanted me. He brought sufferings in my life to make me drop to my knees and call on His name. So that He could pull me up. I had peace in times of suffering because I knew where all this was headed. This life of mine I knew what it was for. I knew that death had no hold on me and my life had meaning. I had total faith in God. It was when I started to loose faith that my mood swings and thoughts of depression would begin to settle in. Faith is where the problem lied.
Paul had faith in God even when he was in prison. He knew God would feed and clothe and give him shelter as he did. Jesus said in his Sermon on the Mount to “Seek First His kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (These things being clothes, drink, or food) He also knew he would find himself eternally with his Maker. He knew what the afterlife had to bring and was sure of what he needed to be doing with his life. Paul knew he needed to make God’s commands, and God’s promises known. He wrote to churches he visited from prison. He knew God was still using him even if he was handicapped by the bars surrounding him. He wrote most of his greatest Letters in Prison. He wrote to the Romans, He wrote to the church of Ephesus, and he wrote to the Colossians. All the best letters I have ever read. They are directly God inspired, and this is probably why I love them so much. However, Paul was the tool God chose to use. Even while in prison.
People, we have purpose. We can have contentment in all situations. I have experienced it. I am not going to the Doc for my Ups and Downs. I know why I can’t keep a straight head and it’s because I was not thinking of things true, right, lovely, admirable, praiseworthy, pure or noble. I was consumed with self. Introspection is not the key to victory. I should be keeping my eyes on Christ. Keep Faith in God and His promises. Let Gods promise of wrath against those who do not call Him Lord encourage you to witness, and Let God’s Promise of eternity spent with him encourage you to serve Him faithfully on earth until death when you can part and live fully with Him. Know His promise that if we keep our eye on His kingdom He will take care of us and to be free from worries. Matthew 6.

If you want to know more about Paul the Apostle you can read many letters he wrote in the Bible Some include: Philemon, 1 and 2nd Timothy, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, Galatians, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, and Romans.
IF you just want an outline on Paul the Apostles life you can go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostle_Paul
Once again, thanks for reading and I will state again, I am not mocking people who are on ADD or ADHD Meds or any kind of hormone medication. I am only stating I understand this is not my problem. I am not chemically imbalanced. Or so I don’t think so. I have done some studies of those certain types of drugs and have considered the value of them. I am only stating that their may be other reasons for your mood swings than some crazy chemical imbalance.
Alright Like I said that’s a different Topic for a Different Time.

Have you Lost Hope?

2008-11-10T21:21:00.003-06:00

Have you Lost Hope?

Hope
Hope is something we all have in many life circumstances. I’ve put hope in my wants and desires in this life and I’ve put hope in wanting my life to play out as I wanted it to.
However, most of my hopes have not worked out the way I would have wanted them to. Most in fact did not go one ounce of the way I had hoped they would.
After reading some scripture about Hope and the things we are actually suppose to put our hopes in, I realize the reason for my original selfish “wishes” did not play out. Before I had read what God had to say about Hope I was almost all out of hope for anything. I had fallen into despair and just couldn’t pull myself out of this “depression” I was experiencing. When I felt I had lost hope I became numb to this world and the people in it. Nothing seemed to astonish me anymore and I just couldn’t seem to pick myself up. That was exactly my problem. I tried to pick myself back up.

Hope
“Hope” is so important to a human Being that when it is lost, people just lay down and die.” William Frankl, the father of Logo therapy, saw this truth while in a Nazi concentration camp .Those that lost all hope of ever getting out died. Those who kept their hope and planned on what they would do when they got out lived. When hope dies in the human heart, the mind and the will to live cease functioning. God has so created us we must hope in order to live.

–(Practical Christianity by Dr. Robert Morey)
This has proven to be true in many people’s lives I know today. I’ve had friends who have tried to run their own businesses, start churches, start evangelism groups, start bible study groups, start new jobs, have several relationships, and change their major 5 or 6 times, etc and they seem to start out doing fine, and then all of a sudden they begin to loose hope and I begin to see a gradual slow downfall of their once exciting future plans. Then these future plans they had for themselves would cease to exist.

What holds for the individual also applies to a family and to a church. When people give up all hope that their family or church will succeed, that family or church will die. Bust as long as there is hope, there will be life. Thus, faith, hope, and love constitute the heartbeat of a person, a family and a church. Just as we would physically die without them, a church will spiritually die without them. The same applies to the spirit of a nation. If the “American Dream,” which is hope, ever dies, our nation will also die. – Robert Morey
This is why I believe Obama might be a decent leader for America in our present time right now. We have many differences in belief on many issues, but I will say that he is a great motivational speaker and I believe this gives American’s hope. I just hope he motivates us to have hope in the right things.

What Is the Meaning of Hope?

Even though hope is often connected with faith and love, can't confuse these three different things (1 Cor. 13)

Hope: concerns the Future (Rom. 8:23-24)
-Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Faith: Concerns the Past and Present (Rev. 1:5-6)
-and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
Love: Concerns the Present (1Cor 13)
- If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong…Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, etc…and now these three remain: faith hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

While my Hopes were only “Wishes” in Greek the New Testament Hope was a word which implied absolute certainty. There was no vagueness or uncertainty connected with this word.

The New Testament word “hope” is:

The inner attitude of joyful and confident expectation and anticipation that everything God has promised in His Word will come to pass.

1.“Inner Attitude” : the way of mentally viewing and responding to life.
2.“Joyful and Confident” : Positive, victorious, assured, inspires joy, stability, etc.
3.“Expectation and Anticipation”: Plan on it and enjoy it.
4.“That everything God has promised in His Word will come to Pass”: What the Bible says about our future will happen!
Number 4. Brings me great hope. Good solid Hope. Everlasting Hope.

There are certain Attributes of Hope

Text The Attributes of Hope

Heb 7:19 A Better Hope (so that we can draw nearer to God)
1st Peter 1:3 A living Hope (Christ gave us New Hope)
Titus 2:13 A Blessed Hope (for his glorious appearance)
1 John3:2-3 A Purifying Hope (We will be as He is)
2 Thes. 2:16 A Good Hope (given to us by His grace)
1 Tim. 1:1 A Christ-centered Hope
(One in which made my hopes mere wishes)
Rom. 5:5 A hope which does not Disappoint
(because he poured love into our hearts.)
Heb. 6:18 A hope set Before Us (In the Gospel) (Col 1:23)
1 Cor. 13:13 An Abiding Hope

What’s some fruit that comes from Hope? How does this Help us live a Christian life? How does this Help us in practical Living circumstances? What does Hope Bring?
A Christian Hope produces Perseverance and steadfastness in the face of trials, tiredness, and temptation. Hope is the thing we cling tight to when we run out of money, when trials become overwhelming, when work has us bogged down, when nothing seems worth living for, etc. When we are against all hope, we can hope and believe. We can be fully persuaded that God has power to do what He has Promised to do. As did Abraham in Rom 4:18. We also can have endurance in these times because of our hope in our Creator! Like in 1 Thess. 1:3
( Rom. 4:18; 1 Thess. 1:3; 2 Thess. 2:16-17; Heb. 3:6; 6:7-12; 18-20; 10:23)

Why do people stop growing and going in the Christian Life?
Answers:
Trials: Personal, Family, Church, Financial, etc.
Tiredness: Physical, emotional, spiritual (in which I feel school and work make me)
Temptation: To pursue personal pleasure, wealth, fame, acceptance of the world, etc.

Why should Trials, tiredness or temptations affect us?
Answer:
When we become “self-centered” and begin to dwell on present problems instead of dwelling on future blessings, and build our security and joy around temporal objects or people, the grace of hope withers within us.
Since perseverance and steadfastness depend on a strong living hope in which our view of the future affects the way we respond to the present, a weakened hope will weaken our dedication to persevere in the Christian life.

What is the goal of life itself? For what should I live for?

Answer: The Glory of God (1 Cor 10:31)
A. The development of Christ-like character qualities in my life (Rom. 8:29; Rom. 5:3-5; James 1:2-4; 2 Pet. 1:3-9: Matt. 5:3-16, etc.)
B. Hope is essential to the development of our character (Rom 5:205).
C. He fruit of the Spirit comes from hope (joy, peace, faith: Rom. 15:13 Col. 1:4-5)
D. The ability to rejoice in the Midst of trials comes from hope (Rom. 5;2-3; 12:12; James 1:2)
E. Boldness in our witness comes from hope (2 Cor. 3:12; 1 Pet. 3:15)
F. We should derive strong encouragement from our hope (Heb. 6:18)
G. Hope is our helmet in the armor of God (1 Thess. 5:8) No wonder I felt depressed I had a piece of my own armor missing. The arrows of the enemy were getting intense.

Hope Gives us the Power to live the Christian Life!!

The Focus of Hope
To what does hope look? Just as faith can focus on the past and love will focus on the present Hope should focus on the Future.

The future meaning things unseen and experienced.

Some of our Future Blessings

1. Revelation (Rom. 8:19)
2. Liberation (Rom. 8:19-21)
3. Vindication (Rom. 8:23)
4. to look forward to the future (Rom8:23)
a. Our resurrection (Acts23:6; 24:15; 26:6-7)
b. Eternal Life (Titus 1:2; 3:7)
5. Justification (Gal. 5:5; Phil. 3:9)
6. Glorification (Col. 1:27; Rom. 8:30)

The Glorious return of Christ

This is the basis of Our hopes
What do we base our hope on? What are the grounds of our hope? Where is the warrant for our hope?

It is sadly possible to have ill founded hopes (Matt 7:21-23)
“A mere profession of faith is sufficient.”
“MY religious works will get me to Heaven.”
“There is no need for a personal relationship with Christ”
It is possible to have a firm and secure hope (Heb. 6:19)
We must have our hopes on the following:
reliable document: The word of God, Scripture, The gospel, the word of truth (Col. 1:5, 23; Titus 1:2-3)
A Historical Guarantee: Christ’s resurrection (1 Pet. 1:3, 21; Acts 17:30-31)
How can we increase Our Hope?
Realize that God wants you to “overflow” with hope. There are degrees of hopefulness. We should strive to increase hope within us. (Rom 15:13) The more we know of God’s Promises the more our Hope will increase, the more we see God come to answer past promises, the more hope we can have in Him. We need the Holy Spirit for this to happen within us.
Recognize that all well-grounded hope comes from God. Thus you must look to the God from whom hope comes. (Rom 15:13) “The God of Hope”
“O, God of Hope, make me to abound in hope. Increase the amount of hope within me.”
In faith, ask God for the filling of the Spirit (Rom 15:13)
As “endurance” or Perseverance” in the Christian life arises of hope, your endurance of trials, tiredness and temptations will, in turn, give rise to more hope. (Rom15:4)
We must also find encouragement from the scriptures.
Encouragement meaning to take someone aside to give them comfort or consolation.
How can scripture encourage us?
. By knowing that even though we are unfaithful to God His faithfulness does not depend on us.

I always find it relieving when reminded of man’s fickleness—the best saints had besetting sins which they never conquered. I call them (Dog Sins) the ones that keep returning and I just never seem to be able to KICK!!! Some scriptures examples include:
Abraham’s problem: Lying
David’s Problem: Lust
Peter’s Problem: Cowardice
Paul’s Problem: anger
No one in the Bible was considered Perfect except Jesus Christ Himself. Paul, David, Peter and Abraham never reached perfection. They never reached a sinless life as Christ was. They strived for this life however they still had their struggles.
CONCLUSION
Only Biblical Christianity can give us a well-grounded and secure hope concerning the future. Western culture has reaped untold benefits from the scriptural hope that good will triumph over evil in the end; the wicked will be punish and the righteous vindicated and rewarded; and that justice will triumph in the end. The only alternative is the ugliness of existentialism, which has the evil triumphing over the good, the wicked set free and the righteous destroyed. Hopelessness and despair are the only things which humanism offers us.
As Christians, we know that we shall live “happily ever after” We look forward to a new earth wherein no evil shall dwell.
But the non-Christian does not have any well-grounded hopes for the future. He can look forward only to what Heb. 10:27; 29, 31, 12:29, describes.
We need a mighty hope which enables us to face anything in this life because we know what life to come will bring. – Robert Morey; Practical Christianity

So this may also conclude that non-believers have no real hope in anything if they do not know God. SO therefore we must give them reason for the hope we have in Christ. Know the Word of God, and live like Christ. Give them hope. If you do not hope in God’s promises and proclaim God to them who will?
People Do not give up Hope. If you are having any type of problem with this I would like to talk to you about it. I have been there. I have experience many nights where I had lost all hope in life, in myself, and in people. It was the most depressing consecutive ways of thinking I have ever experienced. I realized that I wasn’t putting my hope in God I was putting hope in EVERYTHING else, and all was failing me. I didn’t know who to trust or who to turn to. Please read the scriptures I have referenced all in which will replenish the lost hope you may have.
Thanks for reading. I hope this lesson really opened your eyes as it did mine.
- Brittany

This lesson was mostly taken from Practical Christianity By Dr. Robert Morey. If you like the flow of things you should check this book out for it is a great resource in things pertaining to Christianity. He is a preacher from California from a church called Faith Defenders. He is a great author and really just makes information understandable. He makes it easy to learn new things and He really studies and knows a lot.
http://www.faithdefenders.com/
you can purchase any of his books on this website.

HELLO Everyone. Long time no read...

2008-11-03T15:32:00.002-06:00

Whats UP? wow. I haven't been on here in probably a year or more. I just thought i'd start posting again... now that i might have a break coming up in school. I have lots on new interesting ideas that i'd like to share and I have been studying a lot of different things. So ... If your not sure how this blogger stuff works I'll let ya know.
If you would like to see what I mostly write about just click one of the article titles on the right of this page. They are all links to different blogs I have written. Mostly a couple of years ago. It has been way too long. I haven't had time for the interent really. Anywho, I'd like to start making time again.
Any ideas on what I should read up, study, and write about next? .... Leave me a comment.
thanks a lot
Brittany

Message to Husbands and Wives

2006-04-30T22:35:00.000-05:00

Ephesians 5:22-33
As head of the church, Jesus embodies and empowers a new community of love: the church, his own body. Here Paul applied Christ's headship to marriage. Christ reverses the enmity that often arises between spouses as a result of the fall Ge 3:16, restoring the original creative order in which husbands and wives complement each other. Paul's understnading of marriage was strongly grounded in creation ***1 Cor. 11:8-9; 1 Ti 2:13*, and he took account of the fall's lingering effects, even among Christians (1Tim 2:14). His burden in Ephesians was to flesh out the manner in which redemtotion in Christ restores the intimate interdependence men and women were created to enjoy in marriage. He called spouses to love one another but emphasized the husband's call to sacrifical love over that of the wife. He called both to respectful submission *Eph 5:21* But emphasized the wife's call to submission more strongly than the husband's. These different emphases have been interpreted in two main ways: 1) they reflect different problems among Paul readers (i.e. husbands have a greater responsibility to love than their wives, while wives have a greater responsibility to submit.) These two trends in interpretation need not to be exclusive to one another.
-Taken from a trustworthy commentary.

Ephesians 5:22-23
What does submit mean?

-To yield, resign or surrender to the power, will or authority of another; with the reciprocal pronoun
-The man is the Head? What does that mean?
-The head - The governor, guide, and guardian of the wife. And he is the Saviour of the body - The church, from all sin and misery.

Ephesians 24-25

-Jesus loved the church. Just to this extent, (jesus loving unconditionally; husbands should love their wives) Col 3:19
-Ephesians 5:26-28 Christ did this for the church.
In These verses Paul outlined the entire process to which Christ has committed himself in his relationship with the church; CHrist has washed her form the defilement of sin and is now preparing her for a glorious destiny with himself. Husbands are called like this to care for their wives.
-How can husbands do this for their wives? Here are some suggestions from Robert Morey in his Book called –Practical Christianity

While there are many ways in which a loving husband can help his wife, the following 30 points give some practical ideas of how to do it.
A husband should:
1. Pray with his wife every day without fail and make sure she has had her private devotions.
2. Praise his wife.
3. Ecourage his wife.
4. Lovingly exhort his wife. (exhort: to give strength, urge, or give advice)
5. Show love and affection toward his wife.
6. Encourage his wife to memorize Scripture, and he should also participate in it with her.
7. Listen with interest to his wife and be willing and able to discuss Scriptures studied in devotions.
8. Allow his wife to have a part in family devotions.
9. Be the supportive role in the family in helping where help is needed.
10.Discuss and decide plans and projects together.
11. Encourage his wife to get involved in church activities and seminars for women.
12. Help his wife to overcome self-centeredness, selfishness, etc.
13. Take the primary role of disciplining the children.
14. Take the leadership in a family night.
15. Pray for each person by name in his family for protection, etc.
16. Set a good atmosphere for his family, such as playing Christian music, tapes, reading books, etc.
17. Walk in the spirit and live unto the Lord, not unto his wife or himself.
18. Find a special Scripture verse daily to give to his wife to meditate on during the day.
19. Set aside a weekly time to sit down and focus on his wife's spiritual growth.
20. Place spiritual verses around the home that could encourage his wife during the day as she labors at home or in her lunch box if she must go out to work.
21. Accept his wife's abilities and talents and accept her as she is and be supportive of her efforts.
22. Remind the wife periodically about her time during the week for her personal ministry of witnessing and sharing with others.
23. Initiate times of singing when riding in the car, working around the home, etc.
24. Help his wife out at home to give her time during the week for her personal ministry of witnessing and sharing with others.
25. Pray for his wife daily and let her know that he prays for her regularly.
26. Be sensitive to his wife's spirit (encouragement and discouragement).
27. Support his wife in her dealing with the children.
28. Encourage his wife to be faithful in church attendance.
29. Have open communication with his wife and listen to her.
30. Lovingly point out his wife's weaknesses and humbly help her deal with them.

-How can wives do this for their husbands?
A wife should:
1. Support his decisions and not listen to the children's complaints, but encourage them to obey their father.
2. Remind him to have family devotions.
3. Help her husband memorize Scripture.
4. Do all within her power to get her husband to come to church regularly.
5. Play Christian music when the husband comes home form work to quiet his Spirit.
6. Place a Scripture verse in her husband's lunch.
7. Refer to the Bible for solving problems and present these to her husband.
8. Place biblical pictures or verses on the walls in the home as a means of creating a godly atmosphere in the home.
9. Make wise suggestions for prayer or devotions.
10. Encourage her husband to be involved in discipleship programs.
11. Share with her husband the Scriptures that blessed her that day.
12. Pray for her husband and let him know she prays for him regularly.
13. Pray with her husband every day.
14. Lead a godly life before her husband.
15. Encourage her husband to attend spiritual retreats or seminars for men.
16. Have special times of worship and thanksgiving to God with her husband on special occasions of the year (such as birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, etc.)
17. Ecourage her husband to have his private devotions
18. Find Scriptural ways to come to her husband with problems
19. Search out the Scriptures and find some way to help her husband if he comes home with gripes about his job.
20. Have a good attitude toward her husband.
21. Not nag her husband.
22. Trust in her husband's judgment and leadership.
23. Be enthusiastic about building Scripture into the life of her family.
24. Be eager to have family worship and be willing to stop whatever she is doing in order to do so.
25. Be honest about her needs.
26.Share her husband's vision and support it.
27. Encourage her husband to get involved in the church leadership programs.
28. Be supportive of "family nights."
29. Lovingly point out her husband's weaknesses and humbly help him to grow in grace.
30. Be the key to her husband's enthusiasm.

Just reading these makes me want to get married so badly, I can't wait for a Husband who would treat me as Robert has suggested. Praise God.

28-32
AS their own bodies... Christ and the Church. Paul called for husbands to love their wives as their own bodies because he understood that the "one flesh" of Genesis 2:24 prefigured Christ's becoming "united to his wife" (v. 31) , the church. Husbands are to imitate Christ, who intimately united the church to himself, covenantlly bound his own identity to hers and bestowed upon her pride in her place alongside himself "in the heavenly realms" 2:6.

Eph 5:29 Nourishes and Cherishes

-Husbands are to clothe and feed their wife, just the same as they feed and clothe themselves. For his wife’s body is now his own.
-5:31=Gen 2:24,
-By mystery, here, we may understand a natural thing by which some spiritual matter is signified, which signification the Spirit of God alone can give. So, here, the creation and union of Adam and Eve, were intended, in the design of God, to point out the union of Christ and the Church: a union the most important that can be conceived; and therefore the apostle calls it a great mystery.

-Eph 5:33
-Nevertheless - Πλην· Moreover, or therefore, on the consideration of God’s design in the institution of marriage, let every one of you love his wife as himself, because she is both naturally and by a Divine ordinance a part of himself.
-That she reverence her husband - Let the wife ever consider the husband as her head, and this he is, not only by nature, but also by the ordinance of God. The apostle streeses these matters very much, because they are very important.

Thanks for reading.
If any of you have more to say on marriage *because this was only mainly from Ephesians. Feel free to type up a blog about it for me to read... or leave me a comment.

Love, Sex, and Lasting Relationships

2006-04-23T14:31:00.000-05:00

Love, Sex, and Lasting Relationships

Just as a rose's beauty fades, so does a woman or mans. A relationship based soley on physical attraction isn't a relationship at all. In a true loving relationship, no matter how much one's looks change the love will not. Will you hold on to the one you love over time or when their appearances begin to fade will you throw them away as if you would a meaningless dead rose? Love a person for their soul that occupies the human body.

Everyone wants love. In Fact, our search for love is the number one theme of today’s popular movies, music, and storylines for books. And this is nothing new. As we know from ancient Greek literature, the Old Testament and the writings of William Shakespeare, love has always been a major part of the human life.
Well Since it is so prevalent in today’s society, then why are we so bad at it? Why are there so many divorces? Why is there so much adultery? Why are most songs about love, about break-ups, or painful relationships? Wouldn’t you think we would have this “love” thing down pat by now, since it has been around for so long in our world’s history.

In this post I’m going to talk about some possible solutions to creating long lasting relationships. I will first talk about Hollywood’s perspective on Love and Then God’s perspective on Love and relationships. I am only talking about Hollywood’s perspective, because Hollywood is a big part of our culture. Many of their ideologies begin to wear off on society and they become our way of living. If the current movie doesn't have blowing someone up, or kung fu fighting, its a love story. It is a huge power controlled by a few select people of society that run are in charge of what society listen to and watch for most part of their day.

Hollywood’s formula for lasting, Loving relationships.
1. Find the right person
2. Fall in love
3. Fix your hopes and dreams of future fulfillment in that person
4. If failure occurs, repeat steps 1,2, and 3

God’s prescription: Eph 5:1-2
1.Become the right person
2. Walk in Love
3. Fix your hope on God and seek to please Him through your relationship
4. If failure occurs, repeat steps 1,2, and 3
The very first step is more about Marriage is not so much FINDING someone but BEING someone.
Many younger people of today are always worried about whether or not they are going to find that right person they should fall in love with. But what a person ought to think about is becoming the right person first before even looking for someone to satisfy themselves.

Ask yourself this question. What are some qualities you would want in your future husband, or wife?
Now that you’ve answered that question ask yourself this question. Do I possess these qualities?
If you don’t, then you should consider working on yourself for someone else first before running out there and wanting to FIND that right person.

We all know how Hollywood usually portrays relationships a little bit differently than quote “real life”. Most movies usually have happy endings of relationships in love stories. Well, most of them are far-fetched. A typical storyline for a movie would be something like this:
Susie was working her 8-5 shift at the local coffee shop. She was just washing the diner tables when suddenly this gorgeous guy named Johnny walked in. Immediately their eyes locked and they exchanged smiles, and fell in love. He asked her out that very night, they went out to a movie, and then later went to her place. They usually sleep together, have sex and wake up happy lying in each others arms. They go through slight hardship throughout the movie but always end up together in the end.
The end.
What is this saying?
Movies are creating love to be some kind of magical love spell that just happens instantly. Love at first sight ideology. When in fact the movies are about two young people of the opposite sex that think one another are physically attractive and are infatuated. They have sex that night because that was the main motive to begin with. It is a message of two people wanting to only satisfy themselves. Most chick flick fans are anxiously waiting for the "right One" to come their way. So the teenagers of today are on the prowl, they are always constantly searching for the Right Guy or Girl to come into their lives so they can be fulfilled. So they can have that right guy/girl come to satisfy them. This puts them in the position of being rather selfish because they are only searching for that right person to satisfy themselves. So they may experience this Love that Hollywood is pumping out of the movie screen. Therefore, we have Tom looking for a girl and Jane looking for a guy to experience love. When you have one saying "ME ME I WANT" and the other saying the same thing of course the relationship isn’t going to work out. Soon something rotten will happen like Jane starts seeing someone else and that doesn't sit right with Tom so he thinks maybe she just wasn't "the right one".

Hollywood’s Formula for love goes something like this.
Imagine it being in a pyramid with the number one important factor being on bottom and of most importance, to least importance.

1 . Physical.
2. Emotional
3. Psychological
4. Social
5. Spiritual

God’s prescription
Same pyramid different importance.
1. Spiritual- Ask yourself if this person committed believer?
2. Social- Observe the person in social settings, with you and other people
3. Psychological- Get to know each other
4. Emotional- Keep your emotions behind God’s lead.
5. Physical- Come together physically
- Dr. Robert Morey Says today’s idea of love is first physical beauty, sexual appeal, love and sex, then marriage.
- But he says The Biblical pattern is first Faith, Godly Character, Marriage, then Love and sex.

We should now step back from reading and ask ourselves an important question. Check to see the different influences that have shaped the way you approach love. If we don’t examine where our ideas come from, and if we’re not careful we end up believing things without examining the truth behind them.
I am one for chick flicks. I enjoy watching them, because its about what I want to believe is love. But I must ask myself…. Are these movies healthy for me to continually feed myself with Hollywood’s way of thinking?
For example Friends the TV show taught me that sex is common in dating relationships.
God’s truth says that Sex is a healthy normal part of a marriage relationship.

To know the difference of Love or Infatuation
Please read my other post Part 2 of love, sex and lasting relationships.
Love or Infatuation?

Love or Infatuation???

2006-04-22T14:55:00.000-05:00

PART 2
Love, sex, and lasting relationships

Love or Infatuation????

The problem with our society, is infatuation is commonly mistaken for love.
Even though you read these you still need to examine your love or infatuation closely, because sometimes our emotions are so misleading we can still be confused.

AM I IN LOVE?

Greek meanings of love are:

Eros-This is need love. This is based upon physical attraction and fulfillment. This love is necessary for marriage to succeed; however, marriage cannot be kept only by eros.
Proverbs 5:15-19

Phileo-This is friendship love. This is friendship love based on reciprocal sharing of time, activities, the home, hobbies, games, and other objects of common affection.
Romans 12:9-13

Agape-This is giving love. This is supernatural love. It is a love where one would give their life and all for the other.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Storge - family love, the love of good friends or family

For help to see whether love is infatuation or not I looked this up out of a book on love and infatuation,. The author gave a few tests to see the difference. So here they are. I believe they are wise to consider, but I will add this is merely a man’s opinion of ways to test if one is infatuated or in love. He said he has observed and went thorough both. So don’t take this as all truth, just suggestions.

Is it love or Infatuation?

Test 1 TIME!!!
Love grows, and all growth requires time. Infatuation may come on suddenly.

Test 2 Knowledge.
Love grows out of an appraisal of all the known characteristics of the other person. Infatuation may arise from an acquaintance with only one or a few of these characteristics.

Test 3 Focus
Love is other-person-centered. It is outgoing. It results in sharing. Infatuation is self-centered.

Test 4 Singularity.
Genuine love is centered on one person only. An infatuated person may be “in love” with two or more persons simultaneously.

Test 5 Security
An individual in love tends to have a sense of security and a feeling of trust after considering everything involved in his relationship with the other person. An infatuated individual tends to have a blind sense of security based upon wishful thinking rather than upon careful consideration, or he may have a sense of insecurity that is sometimes expressed as jealousy.

Test 6 Work
An individual in love works for the other person or for their mutual benefit, He may study to make the other person proud of him. His ambition is spurred and he plans and saves for the future. He may daydream, but his dreams are reasonably attainable. An infatuated person may lose his ambition, his appetite, and his interest in everyday affairs. He thinks of his own misery. He often daydreams, but his dreams are sometimes not limited to the attainable and are given free rain. At times the dreams become substitutes for reality and the individual lives in his world of dreams.

Test 7 Problem-Solving
A couple in love faces problems frankly and attempts to solve them. If there are barriers to their getting married, these barriers are approached intelligently and removed or circumvented. In infatuation, problems tend to be disregarded or glossed over.

Test 8 Distance
Love tends to be constant. Infatuation often varies with the distance between the couple.

Test 9 Physical attraction and involvement
Physical attraction is relatively smaller part of their total relationship when a couple is in love, a relatively greater part when they are infatuated. When a couple is in love, any physical contact they have tends to have meaning as well as be a pleasurable experience in and of itself. It tends to express what they feel toward each other. In infatuation, physical contact tends to be an end in itself. It represents only pleasurable experience devoid of meaning.

Test 10 Affection
In love, an expression of affection tends to come relatively late in the couples relationship. In infatuation, it may come earlier sometimes from the very beginning.

Test 11 Stability
Love tends to endure. Infatuation may change suddenly, unpredictably.

Test 12 Delayed Gratification
A couple in love is not indifferent to the effects of postponement of their wedding and do no prolong the period of postponement unless they find it wiser to wait a reasonable time; they do not feel an almost irresistible drive toward haste. Infatuated couples tend to feel an urge toward getting married. Postponement is intolerable to them and they interpret it as deprivation rather than preparation.

I'm going to Vomit!

2006-04-22T02:47:00.000-05:00

I want to vomit!
Sorry if that's sickening, or too straight forward, I am only telling the truth.
Ok, this... is going to be different than any of my other posts. I feel like I want to tell other Christians something. So, this might not be as structured as my other writings.
I feel like I want to vomit! Today was going great. I had a great lunch, coffee with friends, ate out with my parents and things were going good.
Then, I was going to hang out with some other friends at one of their houses. Well it turns out, there was a huge party going on there, and I thought it was only going to be me and a couple of friends. Needless to say there was alcohol there that people brought in. I got hit on by like 4 drunk guys, yelling “hey baby, come give me your number.” I felt like vomiting, because I did nothing about it. I simply stayed there for an hour, and then left feeling disgusted without even saying goodbye to any of my close friends.
Seriously I am getting so worked up over this. I just see things in black and white right now. I seriously do. I know what God wants from me as a true and faithful servant and I’m sinning if I do not obey what He wants me to do. Most of it I can't do ... But most of it with God's help I can.
As a Christian, I think people act the way they truly believe. I believe in a hell. I believe that some of those people in that house were going to hell, because they weren't forgiven by God yet. THEN WHY ON EARTH WASN'T I PROCLAIMING TRUTH WHILE I WAS THERE!?
-Rom 2:19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,
Paul also said to question your faith and examine yourself.
-2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
Well tonight has really tested my faith. Why don’t I care enough about people to actually tell them what is up!? I must seriously not be compassionate. I must have no sincere love for those people. Tonight I showed them I could care less about their eternal state. Maybe it is because I thought they were all too drunk to even know what I was saying? Maybe that's just my excuse.
God calls us to be separate from the world. He calls us to live holy lives.
-2Ti 2:21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
He tells us to tell others about Him. He also says, for what does darkness have in common with light.
-2Co 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
No wonder I don’t ever fell comfortable when I find myself in those types of situations.
Seriously, Christians need to listen up now. We need to stop being selfish and wanting to "enjoy life" Our life here on earth is but a mist, nothing but a vapor.
-Jam 4:14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
It is like snapping your fingers compared to eternity. We Must be on our guard at all times.
-Mar 13:33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.
We must be in God's word always, so we can have answers for the hope we have to the lost and dying world.
-1Pe 3:15 but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you;
Seriously, 150,000 people die a day. Why on earth are we selfish so called Christians wanting to "enjoy life". This may sound extreme to those who are reading. BUT I will say God blesses us while on earth as well as in Heaven.
-Psa 144:15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!
We aren't called to have lives we are going to hate NO. BUT we aren't called to live every second of our lives just for ourselves. In Ecclesiastes, Some think It was Solomon who wrote this but whoever the author (different topic for a different time), Ecc:9-7-10
-Ecc 9:7 Go, eat your bread in joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.
Ecc 9:8 Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head.
Ecc 9:9 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.
Ecc 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.
Here he is not saying these things are what we should do, but the meaning in vs 7 is often used in a way by some Christians who say God wants us to just enjoy life. But in its context, it really means to seize every possible pleasure and enjoyment while you can, because you won’t be able to work, invent, think, or know anything in Sheol, where you are irreversibly heading. I looked up the meaning of Sheol and it means “underworld,” “the Land of the dead,” or “the shadowy place of the dead” So really the author was not speaking these things as a command, but rather saying .. why not, we are just going to die anyways, eat drink and be merry enjoy life.
-Pro 17:24 The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
I hear so many Christians even nowadays saying these very things. I’m so sick of that mentality. I truly am. Paul said he learned how to be content in all situations.
-Phi 4:11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
I shall do the same, I should realize how much I’ve been forgiven. I truly love God for all he has done for me and find pleasure in following Him, and his commands even if life gets rocky.
There is also a passage in Luke 12:16-22

-Luke 12:16 And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully,
Luk 12:17 and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?'
Luk 12:18 And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
Luk 12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.'
Luk 12:20 But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?'
Luk 12:21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."
Luk 12:22 And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.
Luk 12:23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.

The rich man wanted to just kick back and enjoy life, and what did Jesus reply with?

So this mentality “Enjoy life to the fullest and seek your own pleasure and fullfill those desires”. We should say NO!! CHRISTIANS OF TODAY, WE DONT HAVE THAT MUCH TIME ON EARTH TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL TO EVEN 1/5 OF THE WORLD! Peoples lives are at stake, its just going to be a matter of if Christians,(myself included) care enough. If you truly believe in a Heaven and a Hell, Truly Deep down then we shall live the way God wants us to, it would be insane of us not to warn friends, family, and strangers of Hell. Why can't we just let go of the world instead of having one foot in the world and one foot out of the world? Why be selfish. Am I even making sense right now? I'm not saying Christians can go to parties as long as they witness. Or anything like that.
-2Co 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
(none)
I’m also not saying that Christians should try pulling themselves out of the world and start some cultic community. I am only saying, if a Christian finds themselves in ANY PLACE Church, a party, a bar, a movie theater, a friends house, and they truly are concerned for others eternal lives, they should consider how they act, what they say, if they share the truth or not with the person they are coming into contact with. They should also ask the main question. Am I glorifying God with my words? I’m not an extremist. I am being honest. A friend pointed out scripture to me today that said,
- 1 Corinthians 10;31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

For we Christians not need to be selfish. Paul continues in saying
-1 Corinthians 10:32-33 even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
Personally I'm DONE going to places where there are going to be a bunch of drunks shouting “Hey baby.” I never enjoy it I am always just compromising to “hang out” when really I’m not even “hanging out at all” I’m always just sitting there feeling crappy trying to hide my feelings. These people really need the truth. I'm just saying, Christians & (I) need to be more bold and stand up for the God that gave them life, be a light to the darkness; If they truly believe it wholeheartedly.
I’m done. So… the topic of this post was… hmm… evangelism, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil, believers being yoked with unbelievers, and uhh.. ya. Pretty much a lot.
Alright its 3 in the morning and I’m tired.
So Goodmorning
Thanks for reading.

MY favorite chapter! Ephesians 5:1-21

2006-04-19T20:05:00.000-05:00

Ephesians 5 : 1-21
Author~ Paul The Apostle
Written between 60 and 61 A.D.
Written to~ The Christians in Ephesus
Ephesians 5:1-2
•Why did Paul say be an imitator of Christ?

• He wants us to strive to be like Christ, because he is our perfect Creator! Right before Paul said this he was describing how Christ is compassionate and kind to others and forgiving. Those are awesome characteristics that God also wants us to imitate. God has so many GOOD characteristics that we need to learn from such as, patience, gentleness, tenderness, being rightly just, and merciful, etc. Just think God has all of the fruits of the Spirit and completes them perfectly. God has so many other characteristics that complete his perfection that we can learn from.

Ephesians 5:3-5
•Here Paul is warning us of the things that are Not of God. He tells us what God commands us not to do.
• There shouldn’t be any;
• Sexual immorality- fornication (sex outside of marriage)
• Impurity- immoral acts (how are you going to know what immoral without reading God’s word and know what HE thinks is immoral)
• Greed- covetousness-while we think of this as meaning lust for money it refers to sensual desire… greed to satisfy ones sexual appetite.
• Obscenity-dirty stories, suggestive jokes, indecency
• Foolish talk- Empty conversation, that is worthy of a moron.
• Coarse Joking- Jokes that are unsavory, with hidden meanings. To talk about something, to joke about it, to make it a frequent subject of conversation is to introduce it into your mind, and to bring you closer to actually doing it.

-It is always dangerous to joke about sin. Instead of using our tongue for such unworthy talk, the Christian should be expressing thanks to God for all the blessings and mercies of life. This is pleasing to the Lord, a good example to others, and beneficial to one’s own soul.
*There is no room for doubt as to God’s attitude toward immoral persons; They have No inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God.

Ephesians 5:6-7
•What does Paul mean when he says don’t let anyone deceive you with empty words?
• Webster says: Empty- having nothing within, insincere, frivolous (trivial, not serious or sensible)
• Many people today are becoming more lenient and tolerant of sin. They are coming up with so many justifications that Paul warned of being deceived so we would be on our guard.
• He tells us not to be partners with such people who try to always bring you away from Christ.
Ephesians 5:8-10
Paul said we should walk as children in the light now. We should now produce fruit that consists of goodness righteousness and truth.
• We should not only produce this kind of fruit in our lives but also find out what is acceptable to the Lord.

Paul put every thought, word and action to the test.

How does this appear in Pauls presence?
• What does the Lord think about this?
• As a Christian, Every area of life comes under the searchlight---conversation, standard of living, clothes, books, pleasures, entertainments, friendships, vacations, cars, and sports. Etc.
• We should ask God if these things are acceptable and search these areas out in Scripture.
Ephesians 5:11-14
• Paul tells us to shine light on the darkness. How can we shine light on darkness in people we know?
• Are you a good person? (way of witnessing to strangers) check it out on my site.
• Share the Gospel
• Live a life according to God in front of them.
• Always be prepared to Give an answer to the darkness!!!! So they themselves can understand.
Ephesians 5:15-21
• Make the most of every opportunity. How?
• Pray for opportunities, always be reading scripture, always be ready to answer questions about your faith, Be a workman approved!!
• Understand what the Lords will is by reading scripture
• Speak to other Christians about Godly things. –He’s our Lord; why not talk about him all the time!
• Always be there for other Christians in time of need; we are all apart of the same family now, with the same Father, who wants the Same things from us! Lets all follow him together.

Paul said to make the most of every opportunity, for the days are evil. Take a moment right now and pause. Seriously take into consideration how fast time goes by. Days go by so fast and we are constantly growing older. Now think of how many people constantly are dieing each day. Did you know 150,000 people are dying everyday. Now consider their destinations, Heaven or Hell. Most of those people are dying and going to hell, because they aren't following Jesus Christ. Please Fight the Good Fight of Faith, and talk with others about Jesus Christ. Make the most of EVERY OPPORTUNITY!(as Paul said) If you love friends and family You must begin with them first. Then Go out, glorify God with every word you speak. Always be a good witness and SPEAK SPEAK SPEAK out the truth to the lost and depraved world. Get rid of the worldly, immoral, filthy, sins in your life that are holding you back from sharing God with others and repent daily and focus on God. Continually renew your spirit die to yourself everyday, and become new.

Jesus said, "If you love me you will obey what I command."

John 14:15

I didn't use the whole text of Chapter 5 in Ephesians. I left out verses 22-33. I am going to put those verses in my next post about marriage.

Ephesians 4

2006-04-18T23:26:00.000-05:00

Ephesians was a letter written by Paul, to Ephesus. To the Christians in Ephesus. The providence in asia. Paul was in his three year imprisionment in Rome while he wrote the Ephesus Christians this letter.
Here is ephesians 4:1-32
TEXT OF EPHESIANS 4, FOR YOU!!
Eph 4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
Eph 4:2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
Eph 4:3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Eph 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call--
Eph 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Eph 4:6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Eph 4:7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.
Eph 4:8 Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men."
Eph 4:9 (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Eph 4:11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,
Eph 4:12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
Eph 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
Eph 4:14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
Eph 4:15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
Eph 4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Eph 4:17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.
Eph 4:18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.
Eph 4:19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
Eph 4:20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!--
Eph 4:21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus,
Eph 4:22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,
Eph 4:23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
Eph 4:24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Eph 4:25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
Eph 4:26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
Eph 4:27 and give no opportunity to the devil.
Eph 4:28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
Eph 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Eph 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Eph 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
Eph 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

NOTES ON EPHESIANS 4, FOR YOU!!!!
I did a study on all of Ephesians recently.
This is only Ephesians 4 but this week I will post the rest of my notes on all of epheisans.
Please enjoy!!!

Ephesians 4:1-16
Uniting in Diversity.
Although believers posses different gifts and callings(vs.7-12) they are unitied in Christ and by their common faith. (vs. 4-6). Their different gifts and callings are complementary enabling those in the church to minister one another and grow.

Ephesians 4:1
The Greek expression "to walk" is re-written in the NIV "to live". Paul was unfolding the life or "walk" of good works mentions in Epheisans 2:10.
Calling-In 1:18 and 4:4. Paul Spoke of a hope to which believers are called; here he focused on the life to whcih they are called. He had already provided strong indications of its shape and significance. (Ephesians 1:4, 12, 14; 2:10; 3:10)

4:2-3 look up other corresponding Scriptures that go hand in hand with this one.
look up matthew 7:12; 22:39; Rom 12:10 and Matthew 5:3-12

4:4-6 The Word one is repeated seven times in vs's 4-6 (three times of members of the God head and four times of our redemption) one body and one Christ.

4:7 But to each of us all christians have a common bestowal of grace: We all have Salvation as Christians through grace (Eph2:5,8). But we Each christian is given some particular gift of grace to benefit the church. Paul spoke of his own in Ephesians 3:2,8

4:8 Paul is referring to Psalms 68:18 the celebration of God's triumphant march from Mount SInani to Mount Zion and his enthronement in the temple and then Christs ascent into heaven.
When he says Captives in his train he's talking about:
The spiritual forces of darkness Christ defeated and disarmed at the Cross (eph 3:10; 6:12)
I was reading in a commentary that in Jewish worship this psalm had come to be associated with Pentecost and it may have come to Pauls mind for this reason. Paul In Corinthians emphasized the way the Holy Spirit empowers the church for ministry. In Ephesians Paul wrote more of the individuals who enable ministry.
4:9
In view of his overall purpose of encouraging believers to adopt a pattern of life like Christs, Paul inserted in Parenthesis to remind readers that it was through Christs humilation (his incarnation to "the lower. earthly regions") that the son came to the exalted postion he now enjoys. Read Phi 2:1-11 and Ephe 5:2
4:10-13 read
4:11
Apostles- those who had been with Jesus and had seen the risen Lord. who had experienced a special revelation of the risen Jesus or who had been commissioned by Jesus to be founders of the church and special bearers of revelation. (Ac 1:21-22 and 1 Coe 15:1-9)
Prophets-Persons who served as vehicles of direct and special revelation in the early church. Their function included prediction, exhortation, encouragement, warning and explanation. (Ac 11:27; 13:1)
Because their teaching laid the foundation for the church (2:20) fundemental ascpects of the apostles and new testament prophets work appear to be unrepeatable.
Evangelits- People in (*any age) especially gifted in the task of expanding God's Flock. (Ac21:8; 1Cor 1:17; 2 TIm 4:5)
Pastors and Teachers- I looked this up in a coupld of commentaries and got this definition for this verse =Sharing a single definate article in the Greek. (these words refer to a single set of individuals who bothe sheperd and instruct God's flock.
4:17-19
Strongly reminiscent of Pauls critique of Gentile culture in Romans 1, Paul had previously spoken of the Gentiles alienation from Gods people in Ephesians 2:12.
Here Paul spoke of their alienation from God himself (the walking dead of Chapter 2) Willfulness hardening of their hearts lead to death. This also gave birth to ignorance.
Ephesians presents the same dynamic from the human side: "having lost all sensitivity they have given themselves over". This goes hand in hand with the verse of searing your conscience. When you burn your foot or burn a piece of flesh on your body, Medically speaking you look sensitivity and nerve endings in that area. So if you were to put that same burnt foot on a log in a fire, you wouldn't be able to feel it. Because your pain receptors would have been seared off, and unable to work. SO you wouldn't know you were in danger of loosing your own foot. So it is spiritually, when you justify sin so much it only leads to death. Paul here is speaking of people who have lost All sensitivity. He's talking of the ones that give themselves over to their own evil desires. They no longer know right from wrong but have seared their conscience, and everything pretty much goes for them. They have no moral standard.
4:20-21
Literally heard him (i.e. in th emessage proclaimed about him)
God had broken the cycle of death by giving these Gentiles an understanding of his SOn and of hi work on their behalf (1;13,15)
4:22-24
What are some ways to pu off our old self an dput on our new self?
4:25-5:5 Paul speaks of ways to put on our new self and put off our oldselves.
4:29
Easy enough, dont slander anyones name.
4:30-31
Do not grieve, that is by destructive use of the motuh (vs 29)
This verse shows us That the Holy Spirit can be saddened. This is telling indication of his identity as a personal being rather than an impersonal force.
This isn't a new idea either Pauls citing here a prophet in Isaiah 63:10.
4:32
Forgiving other christians, just as Christ forgave you.

Many Infallible Proofs

2005-10-17T15:50:00.000-05:00

Many non-christians today believe that Christians are only basing their beliefs of Jesus Christ on broad leaps of faith. I personally, have been a Christian for 3 years now and have been told by non-christians numerable times that there is no true proof of God and that I am only basing my beliefs on pure faith. I then lay down the many facts and reasons why I am a follower of Jesus Christ.

While reading Luke I take into mind that he was a physician. As one can tell by his writing, just because he is so articulate compared to some of the other apostle's letters. As a physcian, Luke had a trained scientific mind. This is why he did not base the resurrection on Jesus on an existential leap of faith. Instead, he talks of overwhelming evidence that demonstrates that Jesus had been physically raised from the dead. He calls these evidences "infalliable proofs."
The point of Dr. Luke is that to his scientific mind, the evidence that Christ arose is very convincing to anyone open-minded enough to look at it honestly. Let us review some of these convincing evidences.
There are 12 facts today that demand an explanation of the Bible.
These include:
1. Jesus died due to crucifixion.
2. He was buried.
3. His disciples became depressed, lost all hope, and scattered in fear of their lives.
4. His tomb was empty three days after his death.
5. A large number of disciples individually and in groups claimed to have seen, touched, ate with, drunk with, and openly talked with the risen Jesus.
6. The disciples were psychologically transformed from:
Fear to faith timitdity to boldness
Doubters to believers scattered to unified
cowards to martyrs depressed to joyous
7. The resurrected Christ was central to the Early Church's message.
8. This was especially true in Jerusalem, where many eyewitnesses lived.
9. As a reult of the message of the resurrected Christ, the Christian Church was born and grew.
11. The half-brothers of Jesus such as James did not believe in Jesus as the Messiah until he appeared to them after his resurrection.
12. Saul of Tarshish became the Apostle Paul after he claimed that the resurrected Christ confronted him on the road to damascus. The results of his conversion to Christianity cannont be underestimated.
So as you may see by just being honest with oneself these historical points are something not to make light of. They bring up big questions and need to be considered by many claiming atheists and believers themselves to help them better equip the realness of God himself.

"That's your Interpretation?"

2005-08-13T23:39:00.000-05:00

Right Now I'm am currently in a study series called A Workman Approved. This is a video series that is actually very educational. Mark Kiehler is the main speaker in the video. This video is one that focuses on rightly interpreting scripture and being a workman approved. It's theme comes straight from the scriptures.
2Ti 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Currently, I am hearing a lot of proclaiming believers that say people can interpret the Bible the way they want to. When I attend Bible studies I sometimes get the asked, Brittany what do you Feel the scripture is saying in this passage. I also hear many people say that everyone has their own private interpretation of God's word and if it works for them they should follow their heart. This is not how we should approach the scriptures. As I have spoken earlier in my article on Discernment, the Scriptures point out to us that there is only 1 truth in all scripture verse by verse.

Charles Spurgeon once called these proclaiming believers spiritual weathercocks. One day they believe scripture means one thing and then the next day claim it means something else. He says this is where truth and error kiss each other. If we let one lie in, such as, believing that scripture can be interpreted in many different ways, then this sin will lead to others. He goes on to say, If you let a little lie in its like Satan is driving a wedge in and he is saying "It is only a little thing" and then he begins to say "a little more, a little more, just a little more and thus this creates a wide gap from them and truth, and so those who stray from the truth stray slowly but it eventually becomes, over time, a wide gap from them and the truth.
So now I ask, how do I make sure what I believe is the truth? Is it possible to distinguish truth from lies? Look at scripture: 2 TIMOTHY 2:15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
So the answer is yes. We can rightly interpret scritpure. We need to remove ourselves from the modern opinion today that is proclaiming that there are good men on both sides of the fence of many interpretations. We should seek to know the truth of each scripture. Because as Spurgeon also said, not being sure on doctrine and discerning it rightly Is sin. Many people today believe that there are many interpretations in the Bible. Some say to others "well that’s your interpretation." When they say these words a bell should go off in your head as a warning, and you should tell them that there is only 1 true interpretation of the Bible. Why? Because this belief of theirs could cause many problems with them and God.

Interpret means to make the original meaning clear.
*Nehemieh 8:8 states, "They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading."
This is what it means to interpret. Sense means Understanding; soundness of faculties. There is only one true interpretation for scripture. There are two ways of interpretation readers use when reading Exegesis or Eisegesis. Exegesis is the application of hermeneutics to a particular text of Scripture to discern the intent and mind of the author. It is the opposite of eisegesis which is the reading into a text your own ideas with little or no concern for what the author was saying. Obviously when reading scripture we are to use exegesis.

There are three things we must do when reading scripture.
1. Observation- reading the scripture slowly and intently
2. Interpretation- what does the text mean (use hermeneutics)
3. Application- Apply the principle of truth to our life

It is our duty to tell brothers and sisters in Christ if they are wrongly interpreting scripture because if we do not we are allowing the wedge that Satan can drive in between them and truth. If I wrongly proclaim truth I also need to be corrected, because If I wrongly interpret scripture then I will apply it wrongly to my life and it wouldn't be of God. It would be of my own interpretation. I have seen cases where two christians disagreed on a scriptures meaning. One was correcting the other and they both were stating that the Holy Spirit was telling them their interpretation was correct. Aren't they both filled with the same Holy Spirit? Then obviously someone is wrong because The Holy Spirit is God and knows all truth. God does not lie. So even though God gave us The Holy Spirit to help us rightly make judgments, rightly interpret scripture, and to guide us. It does not mean we will always be right when interpreting scripture 100 percent of the time. Becuase well... if it isn't made clear to us already we are depraved humans who continually sin and sometimes sin gets in the way of our study time and our walk with Christ. The only way to rightly interpret the scripture is by studying. It is hard work. Christ did put things in the Bible with simple meanings, but he also put many truths that are hard to understand. I know this because first, I have been confused myself on many of the truths of scripture before. Second, there are many christians today who disagree on many of the same passages. So... We must consider these next points...

There are 7 criterias it takes to correctly and accuretly interpret God's Word.
1. You must be Born Again
The man without the spirit can not accept the things of God.
an unregenerate person may have their own interpretation of the Bible but they may not be able to understand the Bible.
1Co 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. Remember To be born again is a total change of ones desire and nature to sin. Not just a mere belief of Jesus Christ.

2. You must work at it. 2 Tim 2:15 (remember A Workman Approved)
It takes time and effort to rightly interpret the Bible.
No time and effort =No proper understanding
Minimal time and effort = minimal understanding of the truth
Maximum time and effort=maximum understanding of the truth
I'm not saying that Time is what will help you accuretly interpret scripture, because you could read for days and not rightly interpret it or even apply it to your life. So you must truly want to seek the truth.
John MacArthur once said "Many ask me how I teach the Bible so well. I tell them, the secret to good Bible teaching is keeping your rear end in the chair long enough until you understand it. And they (those asking) say where's the mysticism in that? He says "it isn’t mystical its hard work."

3. You must want it.
*1Pe 2:2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation--
This is a command. We should crave God's Word.
Food for thought**If you think about it slaves even if they are not emotionally ready to do something for their master they still must do it to obey their master. This is just the same with us because even if we are not “emotionally” ready to do God’s work we still must obey him and do it.

4. You must be Holy
1 Peter 2:1; therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, hypocrisy, and evil act and be Holy. (Read)

5 you must have no idols
Exe 14:4There are dangers of having idols in your heart, not all sin is visible but all sin has the ability to blind a man. Even Great Bible teachers could have preconcieved ideas about scripture and therefore creating these as idols in their hearts, this is because they are holding on to their ideas before God's truth. So you must rid yourselves of those preconcieved ideas and seek out God's truth. In Acts the Jews in Berea took everything that was taught to them and tested against God's Holy Word. Even when Paul (A Great teacher) taught them. Acts 17:11 Paul called the Jews in Berea noble because of this and even more noble than the Thessalonians. So be on your guard and never be so comfortable to just trust the preacher or Bible teacher on TV always and not match it up with scripture. We must also check ourselves and make sure we are seeking what God wants us to know and not just accepting teachings because they sound good.

6 You must be Spirit-Controlled
*1Jo 2:26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.
*1Jo 2:27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything--and is true and is no lie, just as it has taught you--abide in him.
Its one thing to be born again and another being totally controlled by the spirit. Some people point out in 1 John and say that we can’t make errors because we have the Holy Spirit; but if that were true how come they can still make false interpretations? Then some say this scripture is why we don’t need teachers, or commentators. But, Why are there teachers then?
*Eph 4:11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,
*Eph 4:12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
1 John is referring to the problem to false teachers who were trying to lead these Christians into false beliefs on scripture beliefs and trying to get them to believe it.
This passage was talking to Christians telling them that the Holy Spirit will guide them away from false teachers. He wasn’t saying that they don’t need to study with commentaries or listen to teachers or anything like that. Otherwise he himself shouldn’t have been teaching them. They themselves could discern truth if that were how to interpret that scripture. He was resetting them to the truth and to God instead of false teachers.

7. You must be a person of fervent prayer.
Eph 1:15-16 Paul was praying that the eyes of their hearts would be opened. So they could see and understand God’s word.
RA Torey: “what will prayer do? It will promote our individual holiness as nothing else but the study of the word of God. Prayer and studying go hand in hand. You must have one to do the other. “ (shortened)
Prayer is vital to Bible Study- Bible Study is vital to Prayer
*Jeremiah 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known."
Prayer:
RA Torey- there was a time when he wondered far from God, he said that he didn’t believe in God but he prayed every night. This is how he came back to Christ. Prayer for him was just a matter of Form.(a ritual) He didn’t have any meaning of his prayers but just tradition from growing up. It had just been a mere duty, but then it became to him as a privilege because pray is an audience of God. He later said, “I used to wonder how much time I should spend in prayer and now I ask to God how much time MAY I have to pray.”

So as you can see scriptually these things we do need to rightly interpret and learn to LOVE scripture. So please take to heart all that I just wrote. May God Bless you.

Psa 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

To learn more about how to rightly interpret scriptures click Hermenuetics Class under my links. SERIOUSLY IT HELPS OUT.

Questions for Evolutionists

2005-06-26T22:11:00.000-05:00

I read this article on Dr. Kent Hovind's Web Site, www.drdino.com. Creation Science Evangelism was started in 1989 by Dr. Kent Hovind. Kent Hovind is one of the most requested speakers on the Creation and Evolution topic in churches and Universities all over the world. Dr. Hovind served as an educator for many years teaching Biology, Anatomy, Physical Science, Mathematics, Earth Science, and many other sciences. Dr. Hovind has debated the Creation and Evolution controversy over 90 times all over the world, in many large Universities, and on thousands of radio talk shows. If you would like to schedule Dr. Hovind to speak at your event, please visit the scheduling page on www.drdino.com .Here are some questions he would like to have answered by Evolutionists.

1.Where did the space for the universe come from?
2. Where did matter come from?
3. Where did the laws of the universe come from (gravity, inertia, etc.)?
4. How did matter get so perfectly organized?
5. Where did the energy come from to do all the organizing?
6. When, where, why, and how did life come from non-living matter?
7. When, where, why, and how did life learn to reproduce itself?
8. With what did the first cell capable of sexual reproduction reproduce?
9. Why would any plant or animal want to reproduce more of its kind since this would only make more mouths to feed and decrease the chances of survival? (Does the individual have a drive to surviv e, or the species? How do you explain this?)
10. How can mutations (recombining of the genetic code) create any new, improved varieties? (Recombining English letters will never produce Chinese books.)
11. Is it possible that similarities in design between different animals prove a common Creator instead of a common ancestor?
12. Natural selection only works with the genetic information available and tends only to keep a species stable. How would you explain the increasing complexity in the genetic code that must have occ urred if evolution were true?
13. When, where, why, and how did:
-Single-celled plants become multi-celled? (Where are the two and three-celled intermediates?)
-Single-celled animals evolve?
-Fish change to amphibians?
-Amphibians change to reptiles?
-Reptiles change to birds? (The lungs, bones, eyes, reproductive organs, heart, method of locomotion, body covering, etc., are all very different!)
14. How did the intermediate forms live?
15. When, where, why, how, and from what did:
-Whales evolve?
-Sea horses evolve?
-Bats evolve?
-Eyes evolve?
-Ears evolve?
-Hair, skin, feathers, scales, nails, claws, etc., evolve?
16. Which evolved first (how, and how long; did it work without the others)?
The digestive system, the food to be digested, the appetite, the ability to find and eat the food, the digestive juices, or the body’s resistance to its own digestive juice (stomach, intestines, etc.)?
- The drive to reproduce or the ability to reproduce?
-The lungs, the mucus lining to protect them, the throat, or the perfect mixture of gases to be breathed into the lungs?
-DNA or RNA to carry the DNA message to cell parts?
-The termite or the flagella in its intestines that actually digest the cellulose?
-The plants or the insects that live on and pollinate the plants?
-The bones, ligaments, tendons, blood supply, or muscles to move the bones?
-The nervous system, repair system, or hormone system?
-The immune system or the need for it?
17. There are many thousands of examples of symbiosis that defy an evolutionary explanation. Why must we teach students that evolution is the only explanation for these relationships?
18. How would evolution explain mimicry? Did the plants and animals develop mimicry by chance, by their intelligent choice, or by design?
19. When, where, why, and how did man evolve feelings? Love, mercy, guilt, etc. would never evolve in the theory of evolution.
*20. How did photosynthesis evolve?
*21. How did thought evolve?
*22. How did flowering plants evolve, and from that?
*23. What kind of evolutionist are you? Why are you not one of the other eight or ten kinds?
24. What would you have said fifty years ago if I told you I had a living coelacanth in my aquarium?
*25. Is there one clear prediction of macroevolution that has proved true?
*26. What is so scientific about the idea of hydrogen as becoming human?
*27. Do you honestly believe that everything came from nothing?

After you have answered the preceding questions, please look carefully at your answers and thoughtfully consider the following questions.
1. Are you sure your answers are reasonable, right, and scientifically provable, or do you just believe that it may have happened the way you have answered? (Do these answers reflect your religion or your science?)
2. Do your answers show more or less faith than the person who says, "God must have designed it"?
3. Is it possible that an unseen Creator designed this universe? If God is excluded at the beginning of the discussion by your definition of science, how could it be shown that He did create the universe if He did?
4. Is it wise and fair to present the theory of evolution to students as fact?
5. What is the end result of a belief in evolution (lifestyle, society, attitude about others, eternal destiny, etc.)?
6. Do people accept evolution because of the following factors?
- It is all they have been taught.
-They like the freedom from God (no moral absolutes, etc.).
-They are bound to support the theory for fear of losing their job or status or grade point average.
-They are too proud to admit they are wrong.
-Evolution is the only philosophy that can be used to justify their political agenda.
7. Should we continue to use outdated, disproved, questionable, or inconclusive evidences to support the theory of evolution because we don’t have a suitable substitute (Piltdown man, recapitulation, archaeopteryx, Lucy, Java man, Neanderthal man, horse evolution, vestigial organs, etc.)?
8. Should parents be allowed to require that evolution not be taught as fact in their school system unless equal time is given to other theories of origins (like divine creation)?
9. What are you risking if you are wrong? As one of my debate opponents said, "Either there is a God or there is not. Both possibilities are frightening."
10. Why are many evolutionists afraid of the idea of creationism being presented in public schools? If we are not supposed to teach religion in schools, then why not get evolution out of the textbooks? It is just a religious worldview.
11. Aren’t you tired of faith in a system that cannot be true? Wouldn’t it be great to know the God who made you, and to accept His love and forgiveness?
12. Would you be interested, if I showed you from the Bible, how to have your sins forgiven and how to know for sure that you are going to Heaven? If so, call me.
See http://www.creationscience.com/ for more tough questions for evolutionists.
Dr.Kent Hovind, www.drdino.com

The Law

2005-06-25T01:30:00.000-05:00

The Law

The Law of God must lead in a conversion (someone giving their life to Christ).
Paul said, “I have not known I sinned, but by the law.”—Rom 7.
Once God saves you, you are dead to the Law Rom 7:4. It is now written on your heart, and you are like a living law, preaching/teaching to everyone, and rebuking with all authority (Which is Love).
*The Law can only chase a man to Calvary, no further.

Someone who lives a life as a Christian will bear fruit:
Mat 3:8->Fruit of Repentance.
Col 1:10->Fruit of Good Works.
Heb 13:15-> Fruit of thanksgiving.
Gal 5:22-> The Fruits of the spirit.
Php 1:11->Fruits of Righteousness.
Mat 3:13-> Warns of fruit.

Mark 4:3-> True and False Conversion.
Six Characteristics:
Mark 4:5-> Immediate results (what man goes to war without seeing what he’s up against).
Luke 8:6-> Lack of moisture (the roots dry up after time).
Mat 13:6-> No root at all.
Mark 4:16-> Receive the word with gladness (No convictions or sorrow).
Mat 13:20->Receives the word with joy.
Luke 8:13->For awhile they do believe

A true Christian will go through trials, tribulation, and persecution, to show that he is growing. As a Christian, one should look forward to these three things, because it shows that God is allowing him to Grow. *Without these three painful events the plant would wither away and die.
If need be God will even try a man by Fire: 1 Pet 1:6, Ps: 66:10-12..to purify him.
AFFLICTION WORKS FOR US, NOT AGAINST US!

*Note: A true convert (Christian) will Love the bible/word/studying/fellowship.

A true Christian will not backslide…
-Luke 9:62. No man putting his hand to the plow will even look back.
-Ps 26:1. No backsliding.
Ps 37:30-> Our tongues should be speaking of wisdom, and what is just.

*The Law of God drives us to the new life in Christ. A person who only hears a “sugarcoated Gospel” will never understand the true stages of his eternity and never crucify his flesh on the cross. Instead when the tide gets rough he cools his flesh, like a pig that wallows in the mire (2 Pet 2:22).

What about sin?
A Christian sins are not habitual (1 John 1:6). Falls into sin-> not deliberate.
A false convert will make provisions for his flesh-> Dives into sin.
“Oh today’s Monday, I’m going to go to the bars tonight, and have a few drinks, then I’ll just ask God for forgiveness and things will be all good.”

*A False convert is a hearer and not a doer. Someone who doesn’t bare fruit is not a Christian.

-Luke 8:15-> Believers grow with patience.
-Luke 10:3à]-> Sends his lambs among wolves (Why do people tell new Christians to stay away from their old friends. Jesus did the exact opposite).

False Prophets and seals of approval:

Mat 7:15-> False prophet in sheep clothing…(This is why we should test the spirit of everyone, especially those giving sermons, or messages at Churches).
Acts 20:29-> Grievous wolves of your own selves… (There will be many sitting in a pew who think they are saved, but lack fruit, and there inward intentions are as grievous wolves).

If you trust a fellow Christian you can put your seal of approval upon him__Col 4:7. That way there is a bond of trust between two Christians, and fellowship will be at its best. *The main reason why the church today, doesn’t look like the church of Acts is because we’ve let to many wolves into fellowship. They like the sweet “feeling” modern churches are establishing, with their sugarcoated gospel. A wolf can’t enjoy the straight-up loving word of God, cause it bores him. We as Christians have simply put seals of approval on everyone within the walls of the assembly! Thus causing less work. A church cannot mix discipleship and evangelism/witnessing. It should be only discipleship, or only witnessing. If it is only witnessing the true Christians will not be fed, but will make a sure impact, on people coming in. If it is only discipleship, the true Christians will be fed and grow tall, while the false converts will most likely leave, and go somewhere else, but at least they have a seed planted within them. SO WHY NOT HAVE A CHURCH OF STRICT DISCIPLESHIP?

The great determining factor of whether or not, we with Gods help produce genuine or False convert, comes to whether or not we imitate Jesus, Follow in his ways, and use the Law (Ten Commandments) lawfully to bring the knowledge of sin.

-> The Law must prepare the way of the Gospel! To overlook this instructing, is almost certain to create a False Hope->which creates a False standard of a Christian experience, and fills the church with false converts.

Some interesting observations!!

2005-06-23T10:39:00.000-05:00

Many Textbooks of today Imply that our world is billions of years old. I did some reasearch on this topic concering space. I wondered how old this earth really is. It came to my attention this world cannot be billions of years old.
Then why are textbooks treating this theory as fact? Why are so many people believing it too?
Here are the results of this study.

Some Evidence in Space

The Rotation of the Earth
The rotation of the earth is gradually slowing due to the gravitational drag forces of the sun, moon and other factors. Did you know we have a leap second every year and a half now because the earth is slowing down?
“Earth’s Rotation is slowing down. To compensate for this lagging motion, June will be one second longer than normal. This ‘Leap Second’ announced by the International Earth Rotation Service in February, will keep calendar time in close alignment with international time.” —Astronomy Magazine, June 1992, p 24

Past leap seconds:Jan. 1973Jan. 1974Jan. 1975Jan. 1976Jan. 1977Jan. 1978Jan. 1979Jan. 1980July 1981July 1982July 1983July 1985Jan. 1988Jan. 1990Jan. 1991July 1992July 1993July 1994Jan. 1996International

Earth Rotation Service
If the earth is six thousand years old like the Bible says, this is not a problem. Adam wouldn't notice. He didn't have a watch anyway. =) But, If the earth is billions of years old, there is a problem. The days and nights would be pretty quick. Get up, go to bed, get up, go to bed. Centrifugal force would be enormous. The winds would be 5000 mph from the Coriolis effect. And if dinosaurs lived 200 million years ago, I know what happened to them. They got blown off.

The centrifugal force would have been so great that the continents would have been sent to the equatorial regions and the overall shape of the earth would have been more like a flat pancake! If the earth were billions of years old, why have we not stopped spinning already so that the rate of rotation is zero? No, dinosaurs did not live 200 million years ago. It is just not true. The earth is not billions of years old.
Hovind, Kent E. Creation Seminar, Parts 1-7 (most items referenced on screen—available from Creation Science Evangelism, 29 Cummings Road, Pensacola, Fla. 32503).
Huse, Scott M. The Collapse of Evolution. Baker Books, date?.(ISBN # 0801057744) (See http://www.chick.com/reading/books/174/evolvex.asp)

Evidence for the Bible
Population
The current population of earth (5.5 billion souls) could easily be generated from eight people (survivors of the Flood) in less than 4000 years. (1, p. 167; 2, p. 27; 3, p. 41; 4)

Regardless of the future, the current population shows only 4400 years of growth. The world topped 6 billion in 1999.

The world is not totally crowded!

If you believe in evolution, and that man has been here for 3 million years, you have a problem. In 3 million years, the population would have grown so that there would be 150,000 people per square inch!

That would be crowded!

Oldest Things Alive Today are around 4200 years old
The oldest living coral reef is less than 4200 years old. (3, p. 39; 4)

The oldest living tree in the world is about 4300 years old. (3, p. 40; 4)

Another factor to consider: The genetic load in man is increasing. Geneticists have cataloged nearly 1300 genetic disorders in the human race. It is certainly reasonable to believe that the human race was created perfect from the hand of the Creator but has been going downhill as a result of our disobedience to the laws established by the Creator and the increased radiation from the sun. The Bible teaches that we live in a sin-cursed world as a result of Adam’s sin.
1. Morris, Henry M. Scientific Creationism. El Cajon, Calif.: Master Books, April 1985.
2. Huse, Scott M. The Collapse of Evolution. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1983.
3. Petersen, Dennis R. Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation. South Lake Tahoe, Calif.: Christian Equippers International, 1987.
4. Hovind, Kent E. Creation Seminar, Parts 1-7 (most items referenced on screen—available from Creation Science Evangelism, 29 Cummings Road, Pensacola, Fla. 32503).

Decreasing Magnetic Field
The Earth's magnetic field is getting weaker and weaker. It cannot be billions of years old. Carbon dating can not work for more than a few thousand years.

Earth’s magnetic strength has declined 6% in the last 150 years. Astronomy and the Bible Donald DeYoung, p. 18
Decreasing Speed of Spin of Earth
The slowing spin of the earth limits its age to less than the "billions of years" called for by the theory of evolution.

The earth is spinning over 1000 mph at the equator.
“Earth’s Rotation is slowing down. To compensate for this lagging motion, June will be one second longer than normal. This ‘Leap Second’ announced by the International Earth Rotation Service in February, will keep calendar time in close alignment with international time.”—Astronomy Magazine, June 1992, p 24

DISCERNMENT

2005-06-08T23:14:00.000-05:00

DISCERNMENT
Cling to what is good.
Hold fast what is good 1st Thessalonians 5:21. This is an echo of Romans 12:9 Abhor what is evil; In other words, hold fast to what is good. Shun what is bad.
Paul was telling us to cult cultivate our love for truth that we should let it rule our thinking. That is why we need to study God’s word so much that it does become the way we think. Because if we are so deprived before we are Christians just think how much of a fight it is already for our "old" way of thinking to be diminished. Paul says he has to die to his old self every day and put his new self on. Sin is a continual thing in Christian’s lives let God’s word become our way of thinking; because sometimes we justify sin and it becomes our own opinions on moral issues higher than God’s truths. That shouldn’t be too hard to figure out though.
So why aren’t more Christians defending God’s word when false teachings arise? It is because they either aren’t really caring to study(they don’t know truly what the real teachings are), or they aren’t truly saved and would rather hear other sinner’s opinions on what to do in different sinful situations; in hopes they will give them the answer that would better suit their sinful desire.
It is also common to lay doctrine aside between believers for the "sake of Unity". By hearing this… this teaching to me is something I don’t want to be in union with. Sometimes God’s word is downplayed to be better palatable for unbelievers. It is said that experience takes precedence over objective truth. God has given us His truth objectively in His word. It is a treasure that we should protect at all costs. Paul drives out the kind of "faith" that is driven by feelings, emotion, and human imagination. Instead we are to identify "what is good" by examining everything carefully, objectively, rationally---using scripture as our standard.
No human teacher, no personal experience, no strong feeling is exempt from this objective text. (For any strong Catholics that believe the Pope can change scripture if he gets divine revelation; match that up with scripture this is false. Rev 22:18-20) God said that he is the same today, tomorrow, and yesterday. This means his Truth will never change; otherwise it wouldn't be truth. Everything in the Bible will always stand. It will never be disproved. Otherwise truth would not be truth. If the words of prophets in apostolic times needed to be examined and evaluated, then surely we ought to subject the words of self-proclaimed "prophets" and preachers today to even more intense scrutiny in the bright light of the completed New Testament. Experience and feelings---no matter how powerful--- do not determine what is true. Rather, those things themselves must be subjected to the test. This by far is what I see most of in today’s society> When I speak to someone about a particular event that they claim to be from God that doesn’t match up with any kind of truth from scripture (on how the matter should really lay out or what God would have told to them) and I should doubt and rise questions; their answers will always start with… "No Brittany I know God is telling me to do this he is just really laying it on my heart I feel like this is what God wants me to do." Or they will explain some kind of emotion that led them to believe what they thought was what God thought for them to do. They also try to use their feelings as evidence in explaining some kind of justification for sin. I have had a friend before that has told me "if God hasn’t laid conviction on your heart to get rid of some sin, in your life, then you shouldn’t get rid of it." And we are talking about such things that scripture directly talks about as being sin. What a great lie Satan and his demons have whispered in the ears of God’s children away from his word. If you were to match it up with scripture, God tells us to get rid of sin, and to live as holy people different from the world. "Abstain from every form of Evil" (1st Thessalonians 5:22). Abstain translated is a very strong verb, apecho, meaning "hold oneself back," keep away from, "shun." Same word used in 1st Thessalonians 4:3 "abstain from sexual immorality," and 1st Peter 2:11 "abstain from the passions of the flesh."

Scripture does not give believer any kind of permission to expose themselves to evil. I don’t care what kind of "feeling" they got to justify sin. As a Christian I am held accountability to defend God’s Word in telling that friend that they are wrong. I don’t always get the best "feeling" afterwards ( knowing that they aren’t that happy with me because they usually think I am being too strict) but it is worth defending God’s perfect scriptures, and from them leading anyone else astray from God. 1st Thessalonians 5:22 says "abstain from all appearance of evil." Appearance translated, eidos literally means "that which is seen." Also to those who believe that everything they see on a Christian television station is truth, they are a prime target for doctrinal deception. If you think everyone who appears to love truth really does, then you don’t understand the wiles of Satan. "Satan disguises himself as an angel of light", Paul wrote. So it is no surprise if his servant, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness: (2nd Corinthians 11:14-15). He most the times puts subtle errors in the church so then he can "secretly bring in destructive heresies" (2nd Peter 2:1) (Acts 20:30) This is a DEFINATE reason why we should test everything carefully and shun whatever is unsound, corrupt, or has error. It is deadly. If you are a Christian that believes every Christian television show is trustworthy, or every Christian radio station, you are a prime target for being deceived. Don’t accept everything that comes with Jesus tagged on the end of it. Please be more cautious. This is the perfect reason why so many Christians are being deceived today. Not because of all of so called Satan’s workers but because of corrupt interpretations in the church itself. Read the Bible and comprehend what it means with the help of God. The Holy Spirit was given to us so that we may speak to God and to help us to understand God. Without the Holy Spirit we couldn’t even understand a little of God’s word. So please develop this gift of discernment. Practice at it. I myself have to practice discerning what is scriptural and what isn’t. May God bless you.

this is the book that most inspired me to write this article
Fools Gold, by author John MacArthur

2005-06-07T16:44:00.000-05:00

W.D.J.D.
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Would you consider yourself to be a Good Person?
-If so, Do you think you’ve kept the Ten Commandments?
Thou shall not lie, steal, think lustfully (adultery), etc.
-Judgment: Are you innocent or guilty of these crimes?
-Destiny: Heaven or Hell

Hell obviously if you were judged by these laws.
Jesus says in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the father, but by me."
-You see, we are in debt to God because of our sins, God say’s in Romans 3:10-11, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God." We all deserve to go to hell because of our evil deeds. You must be thinking if that is the case, then no one is going to heaven because nobody is perfect. But that wouldn’t be true either.
-In Romans 5:8 it says, "But God commends his Love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
-So God sent his perfect, and Holy Son Jesus Christ, to die for our sins, on the Cross. He paid the debt we owed (Our sins) by shedding his blood for our evil desires.
So if you have broken God’s Laws (ten Commandments) then you need to get saved. The bible says in 1 John 5:12-13, "He that has the Son (Jesus) has life; and he that has not the Son of God has Not Life. These things have I written to you that believe on the name of the Son of God (Believe in Jesus); that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God.
-It’s kind of like jail. You have been fined $25,000 for speeding through a blind child area, 60 mph over the speed limit. But you don’t have the money to pay the fine, and the Judge just isn’t going to let you go. You say to the judge, "I promise I will never do it again," but he says, "Sorry that isn’t justice." So you’re on your way to jail, and then someone comes and pays the price for you. It’s your Father; he mortgaged the house to bail you out of jail. Repentance alone wasn’t the way to get out. You needed somebody to pay the price for you. On judgment day, You can’t go to God and say I’m sorry God, I’ll never break your Laws again. It wouldn’t work, because God is a just God. He won’t let any ounce of evil enter the kingdom of heaven. The only way into heaven is to ask Jesus into your heart (Your Life) Put Jesus On. Surrender your all to Jesus, and ask him for Forgiveness. That is the only way you will ever be truly cleansed. Then You Need to Repent of Your sins (Never practice them again) Do a 180.

-Our lives on this Earth are but a dot, on an everlasting line. .-------->
-Where are you going to spend eternity.

Hello...

2005-05-09T13:24:00.000-05:00

In a Day where there seems to be no truth, and with the blindings of the society there seems to be many questions that aren't being answered. Where is the truth in this world today you ask? Well, "Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?" You see the problem doesn't lie within the truth, that is being so bodly proclaimed in the streets, but within the people. When God says the "simple" He means those living without much thought and that are too lazy to change. But they like the others, will end up sorry. "Fools" have more smarts but have made a conscious decision to live by their own wits, independent of God and of advice. "Mockers," worst of all are rebels against God who make their prideful position known to everyone. They mock God, but God will mock them in the end. For he says "I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you--" Let me introduce myself, my name is Brittany and the main point of me creating a blog is so that many people that read this will know that there is truth in the world and those searching for answers to questions about life, existence, death, God or anything will get answers; So let your brain grow. I hope that I provide things on the site to reveal something to you, that you don't already know. So please check out everything and ENJOY! May God Bless You.
ANY QUESTIONS? e-mail me lovebugg91@hotmail.com