Sweet Jazzy Cat

Daily Devotionals at True Free Grace Blog

2009-08-11T14:23:00.002-05:00

Daily devotionals at True Free Grace

Roman Catholic Retreats and Fails to Defend View

2009-07-30T08:08:00.002-05:00

In the Jazzycat post of June 15, 2009 comment thread a Roman Catholic said the following:

Private Interpretation of Scriptures:
While the Catholic Church truly believes that reading and understanding the Bible is a good and holy thing, she cautions strongly against trying to understand the true meaning of sacred scripture on your own.

This response came as an explanation to why he could not discuss and debate Scripture on the point of justification by works. His assertion was that works were needed to add to the finished work of Jesus Christ in order for one to be justified [saved].

He totally failed to follow Scripture's exhortation in 1 Peter 3:15 which says:
but in your hearts honor 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; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

Perhaps he can't understand the true meaning of this passage and needs the higher authority of Catholic Church leaders to tell him what to think. His comment suggests the Catholic Church to be a mere cult and not worthy of serious consideration in the Christian world.

Catholic Visits Jazzycat preaching a Gospel of Faith plus Works

2009-07-28T09:48:00.002-05:00

Answer to Jazzycat visitor on comment thread of Monday, June 15, 2009 Post……
His assertion was that faith plus works are needed to be justified and saved by God.

Paul and James agreed that perfect obedience to the law would result in salvation, but that no one could meet that standard. Likewise no one is capable of perfect deeds. Therefore, you are asserting that imperfect deeds added to the atonement of Christ are needed to secure salvation. Does this make sense to you? Your attempt to distinguish righteousness obtained from the old covenant law [which is now obsolete] from good deeds apart from the law only goes so far. A perfect righteousness is needed to stand justified before God whether through the law or apart from the law. Paul points this out clearly in Titus:

Titus 3:4-7 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Paul dealt with your objection in Romans 4. Abraham’s obtained righteousness by faith long before the old covenant law was given at Mt. Sinai. His faith was credited apart from works [Romans 4:1-3]. Paul could not be talking about the works of the law here since this was 400 years before the law was given.

The human problem with standing before God, since the fall of Adam, has been sin and a lack of a perfect righteousness. Jesus Christ solved both of these problems by paying our sin debt and also providing the perfect righteousness required [Romans 5]. This is obtained by faith in Jesus Christ alone as a gift [Romans 6:23].

Believers are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, which produces good works of sanctification. Romans 6 through Romans 8 explain this concept. James is simply telling hypocrites that a claimed faith without deeds is not a sincere saving faith. He is not adding works to faith, but simply defining what faith looks like. A sincere saving faith will result in a “born again” life that will result in good works. That is why Jesus said, you must be born again [John 3:3]. It is why Paul describes a Spirit led Christian in Romans 8 as showing characteristics that are different from the non-Christian. However, these good works flow from being saved and justified and do not contribute in any way to being justified before God. If works were required, the final outcome would always be in doubt, and Paul certainly could not make the statements he made in Romans 5:1, Romans 8:1, Romans 8:31-39, and many other passages.

If we stand before God and present our deeds to be justified, we will have to present all of our deeds and that will mean we condemn ourselves since they are imperfect deeds. I for one plan on claiming the deeds of Jesus Christ through faith as my only hope which is what Paul says directly in Philippians 3:8-11…..

What Is The Spirit/Flesh distinction in Romans 8:1-14?

2009-06-29T14:26:00.004-05:00

Mark [Bluecollar] and I have been debating the President of the Free Grace Alliance on his blog on the so-called carnal Christian view. This view holds that a person can be a true Christian and never show any obedience, discipleship, or fruit for his entire life. My discussion with him led to Romans 8:1-14 where my assertion was that Paul was contrasting believers with non-belivers in this passage [a position fatal to the existence of true carnal Christians]. His view is the passage is making a distinction between believers following either the Spirit or the Flesh, which verifies the carnal Christian concept. Which is it? Are those described by Paul as being in the flesh in this passage believers or are only those described as being in the Spirit believers?

Verses 4, 9, and 14 clearly show distinctions that are between non-belivers and believers rather than just two states of believers. It is the characteristics that are being compared here. It is not about justification by works, but the characteristics of born again, Spirit indwelled believers compared to the characteristics of unbelievers who are described as in the flesh. Paul is talking about a person's basic direction in this passage. He is contrasting whether a person is continually following and being dominated by the flesh or the Spirit. It is not about sinless perfection, but it is about regenerated, Spirit indwelled Christians being saved from not only the penalty of sin, but also the power of sin. Let us examine the verses in question.

In verse 4 Jesus’s crosswork is applied to who? To those who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Therefore, his crosswork justifies believers who respond how? They “walk not according to the flesh……..”. Those in the flesh are not saved in v. 4.

In verse 9 believers are what? They are not in the flesh but in the Spirit. If what? If in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Therefore, Paul says you are not in the flesh if the Spirit of God dwells in you. This leaves only one possibility for a person to be a true Christian and be in the flesh, and that is to not have the indwelling Spirit. However, Paul destroys that possibility with the last half of the verse when he says, “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” Those in the flesh are not saved according to verse 9.

In verse 14 believers [sons of God] are described how? They are led by the Spirit. Those in the flesh do not have the Spirit and are not saved according to verse 14.

When a believer who is in the Spirit and walks according to the Spirit sins, it does not mean he is in the flesh and not being led by Christ. His walk is still in a direction according to the Spirit. However, a person who walks according to the flesh [as described by Paul] is continually pursuing a lifestyle of the flesh. Therefore, he is in the flesh continually and he is not being led by the Spirit in any way. He is not saved and his mind is set on the flesh with a hostility toward God (v. 7).

Verse 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Verse 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.

Verse 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

Verse 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

God powers sanctification

2009-06-15T09:20:00.003-05:00

A pastor in the free grace theology movement made the following comment on his blog concerning the reformed view of justification by faith alone:

It [Reformed theology] is a view that says, “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is not alone.” My book spends 300 pages and 600 footnotes trying to clarify the mistake in this cliche.

I think I can show through Biblical teachings why this cliché is true. If sinners were saved apart from God’s intervening grace, regeneration, and the indwelling Spirit, then this statement would be false and he could build a solid case. However, through regeneration (John 3:3, 2 Cor. 5:17, Eph 2:4-5) and the indwelling Spirit (Romans 8:9) those that are saved by faith alone are led by the Spirit (Rom. 8:14) and are changed to different degrees. While still being far from perfect, these new attitudes, behaviors, inclinations, etc. are present in all saved Christians. Since saving faith comes with this POWER from God and not man’s effort alone, it is true that faith alone for justification does not exist alone. It comes with GOD POWER!

Temperature in the forties tonight in Mississippi

2009-05-18T08:11:00.002-05:00

Caution!
If you have bought into all of the propaganda about man made global warming, check your discernment meter because you are probably being manipulated in many other ways as well!

Jazzycat Debate with a Naturalist

2009-04-26T12:05:00.025-05:00

The following discussion took place at my good friend Mark Pierson's Bluecollar Blog at his request. A scientist by the name of Jim from the United Kingdom, who is a university biology lecturer and atheist, was invited by Mark to have a discussion with me on the existence of God. The following is the comment thread from that discussion and also a link to the original post at the Bluecollar Blog:
"Wayne and Jim Talk - Is the Bible Truth?"

Mark said........
Yep, the sitemeter indicates about four people read here a day. This post could be good for ratings. Oh, dare I hope that we could increase the readership by, Oh... nah, could it possibly be, could we increase to...five?! Oh dear, that would be too good to be true...

Loren said.......
That's a good idea, but I know Maalie is going away tomorrow for a short holiday.

Maalie (Jim) said.....
Hi Mark, what a great idea and I will enjoy contributing here and trust that we can be civil. Elsewhere I was treated thus: are Maalie and Dawkins are like an Elymas of modern times? I think a fair comparison can be made because of their shared opposition to the truth. I was likened to the son of the Devil.

I shall say now that I most certainly do not oppose the "truth". "Truth" is often transitory, and is what one perceives it to be. Rather, my quest is to find the most parsimonious explanation that accounts for the evidence as we view it.

Also, I might point out that accusations made against me are also per se directed against the orthodox peer-reviewed scientific community which of course includes some of your own country's most brilliant brains.

Mark, if you put this up expecting to find a "winner" in this debate, you may be disappointed. Some points of view are irreconcilable from the outset.

As Lorenzo said, I am off on holiday (I need to check out some hominid fossils in the Natural History Museum in Vienna), but I will look in as opportunity presents itself.

My current musings are that a man could not have survived for three days in the guts of a fish; and that human diversity could not have sprung from a group so small as Noah's family in such a shoirt time.

Best wishes. I wish you all a pleasant spring holiday, whatever it means to you. To me, it is the Festival of Ostara, as it used to be before the Christians hijacked it.

Jazzycat (Wayne) said.......
Jim,
Since you are starting off by confirming that your view is not universal among your peers in the scientific community, I would like to highlight the point that many in the scientific community are Christians and believe in the God of the Holy Bible. Therefore, objections against your views are not necessarily against all of your peers. Put another way many scientists of the present and past are Christians just like Mark and myself. I personally know some.

While I agree that everything other than our immutable God is in a state of becoming and change rather than being, I disagree that that the truth is often transitory and dependent on ones perception. Truth may be hard to find as even scientists have gotten many scientific principles wrong on their road to getting it right, but the truth is there to be discovered and is not dependent on consensus or anything else.

Since the theory of evolution that you affirm is a system based on change rather than a static state, I would like to ask you the following questions about the second of two starting points that your view (atheists) must explain. What is your view of how life began from non-life and has any of your peers ever duplicated this feat in the laboratory?

Maalie (Jim) said.....
>What is your view of how life began from non-life and has any of your peers ever duplicated this feat in the laboratory?

May I say at the outset that I am in practice unable always to give replies here that would take me a semester of lectures to elaborate.

I think you will go some way to finding your answer here:Miller's experiments.

The point is this, we do not need to prove exactly how life evolved without the intervention of the supernatural; only that it could have. Then, by attributing a supernatural influence merely adds a further assumption, which, by definition, renders the explanation less parsimonious.

In the view of the orthodox peer-reviewed scientific community (the only one I am qualified to relate to) it has been established beyond doubt that life could have emerged without the intervention of the supernatural.

With all due deference to you, we have had different educational backgrounds, which means that your understanding of relevant vocabulary is limited, just as mine would be restricted in a discussion of a subject area in which you yourself are qualified.

Jazzycat (Wayne) said........
Jim,
Thanks for your answer to my question. I would also say that my replies are also limited by the time restraints you refer to. The Miller’s experiments link was interesting. I think you do need to offer plausible answers for how live evolved without the intervention of a supernatural being. After all astrophysicists offer detailed plausible answers as to how the universe began and expanded after the big bang. However, they do have a huge problem with explaining where the stuff (matter/energy) of the big bang originated.

First, let me define a supernatural being as an eternal self-existent being that does change or require anything for his existence. He exists outside of time and space and could be called an uncaused cause and creator of the known universe. You say the orthodox peer-reviewed scientific community have established that life could have emerged without the intervention of a supernatural being! Wouldn’t you agree that this also means that life could possibly not have emerged from non-life apart from a supernatural being? Wouldn’t you also say to assert emphatically that it did emerge apart from a supernatural being requires a leap of faith since you admit it has not been proved? IOW, to totally reject another plausible possibility is to place faith in the one possibility that you admit has not been proved? Shouldn’t scientists consider all possibilities until one has been proved? Even if the evolution you assert is true, it does not disprove the God of the Bible (note: I do not accept macroevolution). Neither does the big bang theory. Science has not disproved a supreme being and not offered any coherent explanation of how something comes from nothing apart from an eternal self-existent being? Yet, many will not even allow the possibility of a supernatural being to be considered a possibility. This seems unbelievable to me even if there were no Bible, no historical record that affirms Biblical accounts, or no religion of any kind on planet earth.

I admit that my vocabulary may be lacking as you describe. However, I am not unfamiliar with scientific methods as I have an engineering degree and experience with scientific inquiry.

Loren said...
Just as you say that science views are not universal, neither are the views of the Church on many subjects.

Just as Jim has been likened to the son of the devil, I also have been treated with contempt for being a Catholic.

Last night we had a beautiful service for Holy Week which was ecumenical, and it was nice to see friends who go to other churches.Surely this is the way forward, to become one, but having different ideas. Surely no-one, not even scientists, have the monopoly of truthy.

Maalie (Jim) said......
>Surely no-one, not even scientists, have the monopoly of truth

Science generally avoids terms like "truth", "belief" and "proof" (though proof is used in mathematics).

Unlike fundamentalism, science does not purport to know the truth. It is progressive. The best that can be done is to suggest (erect a hypothesis) that explains the available evidence to hand. As more evidence (through observation, experiment or discovery) comes to light, the hypothesis may be modified, rejected, or regarded with more confidence. My favourite example is poor old Lamarck who had a life's work discredited when Darwin published his more credible hypothesis.

So, I agree with you that science does not have a monopoly on the truth; however it can assert that certain hypotheses (for example the "God Hypothesis") is so improbable as to be out of the frame for serious consideration; there is simply a more credible and parsimonious hypothesis available. Likewise, a man living in the guts of a fish for three days; inter-continental swimming kangaroos; and that human diversity as we know it today could have arisen from a group as small as Noah's family as recently as the bronze age.

I think this may answer one of Jazzycat's points too, but I really am rushed today.

Maalie (Jim) said......
>Wouldn’t you also say to assert emphatically that it did emerge apart from a supernatural being requires a leap of faith

NO!!! It is nothing to do with faith! It is a matter of consideration of the evidence. There is evidence of procaryote bacteria-types in rocks millions of millions of years old!

Jazzycat (Wayne) said......
Loren,
Just as you say that science views are not universal, neither are the views of the Church on many subjects.

On the core issues such as the Trinity, the person and work of Jesus Christ, salvation through grace alone through faith alone, etc. all Christians agree. Certainly we disagree on many of the details. I regularly have debates with my Pastor and differ with my denomination on many points. Why? Because I read the Bible and form my own conclusions.

It is one thing to disagree on the mode of baptism, but quite another to endorse as valid other means to salvation other than the blood Christ. One is a disagreement over interpretation and the other is unbelief of core Biblical doctrine. Do you see the difference?

Jazzycat (Wayne) said.......
Maalie,
There is evidence of procaryote bacteria-types in rocks millions of millions of years old!

This does not even come close to disproving the existence of a supreme being. At some point you will have to acknowledge that you have already agreed that a supernatural being is a possibility. Then we will look at Biblical revelation as to what this supernatural being is like.

As a scientist you cannot simply discard a possibility simply because it does not fit a naturalistic world view.....

More on your next comment when I get back!

Maalie (Jim) said......
>At some point you will have to acknowledge that you have already agreed that a supernatural being is a possibility

Of course I do! Even Dawkins acknowledges that you can't disprove that.

But that isn't what science is about. Science does assert that the probability is so low as to be out of the frame for consideration.

Anyone could claim that life came from Mars, or is spontaneously generated from dust "is a possibility", but at the present time it isn't the most parsimonious explanation that fits the evidence!

Jazzycat (Wayne) said.....
Maalie,
Likewise, a man living in the guts of a fish for three days; inter-continental swimming kangaroos; and that human diversity as we know it today could have arisen from a group as small as Noah's family as recently as the bronze age.

If a person pursues the “God hypothesis” as you call it, then the intervention of such an entity in the history of the universe should not be limited to naturalistic laws of nature. The keyword in a supernatural being is the word “supernatural” and such a being would not be limited by the natural laws of physics, chemistry, or biology. Such a being could intervene and cause a man to live inside a fish, put kangaroos in Australia and perform other miracles from a naturalistic standpoint. Would changing human DNA really be that much of a problem for a supreme being that could create this magnificent unbelievably vast universe?

Do we have any evidence that a supernatural being has intervened in the history of planet earth? Yes we do have evidence in the form of historical, archeological, and fulfilled prophecy contained in Bible that was written by many authors over a couple of thousand years. Hopefully we can explore this very soon.

Jazzycat (Wayne) said.......
Maalie,
In speaking of a supernatural being, you said the following:
Science does assert that the probability is so low as to be out of the frame for consideration.

Could this be because science insists on limiting all of Biblical revelation to conformity with natural laws? You have admitted a probability. If you take the next step and admit that a supernatural being could operate outside of the natural laws he established, wouldn’t the probability increase dramatically?

For example: I am amazed at how the current scientific theory on the origin of the universe agrees with the Genesis creation account. Both agree there was a beginning. The big bang theory of science is compatible with the creation account. The difference is in what each has to say about the origin of the stuff (matter/energy) of the big bang. Science has no answer other than some have offered the absurd spontaneous generation theory. IOW, matter just popped into being from non-being apart from any outside source. This is nothing short of nonsense from the very people who you claim are rational logical thinkers. Biblical revelation also asserts that matter/energy did pop into being, but it was caused by an outside source. This outside source was a supreme being (God) that exists outside of time and space and is eternal and self-existent. He is an uncaused cause. IOW, he is not an effect of something else. He is pure being and not in a state of becoming something different as everything in the universe is always doing.

Could such a being exist and be responsible for the existence of matter and energy? Could such a being reveal himself to humanity in any way he chooses? Could such a being be completely pure in his ethical standards? The Bible and historical evidence say that He could.

Maalie (Jim) said......
>The Bible and historical evidence say that He could.

Every culture has its creation myths, and all consider that theirs is "right".

I understand that your theology would put the great flood just a few thousand years ago. Geologists can pin-point meteorite hits and rising and falling sea levels and so on that occured millions of years ago. Not an iota of evidence has been found for a world-wide flood. As a matter of fact Darwin commenced his Beagle voyage with the objective of looking for such evidence. Noah could not have had the technology to build a boat before the bronze-age. Human diversity as we know it today could not have evolved from such a small group in such a short time. Humans, in all their diversity, were distributed all over the world by then.

I think the main problem is that you (representing fundamentalism) have already decided what you believe and your faith will not allow you to consider alternatives. Science (as opposed to individual scientists) has no such prejudice - it formulates explanations according to the evidence, and is prepared to modify them as new evidence comes to light.

I am puzzled why an omniscient God should plant so much spurious evidence that contradicts his existence.

It really is difficult to debate this subject because, if contradicted, you fall back on the notion that God is almighty, therefore he can do anything. I regard that as a form of argument from personal incredulity: "I don't believe that life could have started from inorganic precursors, so it must have been done by God".

And that is why the bible was written at the time: to explain the inexplicable. But we have come to know and understand a great deal in the ensuing 2000 years that makes that book outdated.

Jazzycat (Wayne) said.......
Maalie,
You said….
It really is difficult to debate this subject because, if contradicted, you fall back on the notion that God is almighty, therefore he can do anything. I regard that as a form of argument from personal incredulity: "I don't believe that life could have started from inorganic precursors, so it must have been done by God".

Would another form of personal incredulity be: “I don’t believe matter was created by a super intelligent supreme being, so it must have just popped into being from non-being.” Would that be falling back on the notion that a supreme being is impossible and not a possibility? IOW, wouldn't that be accepting nonsense rather than consider a plausible explanation?

Jazzycat (Wayne) said.....
Maalie,
I understand that your theology would put the great flood just a few thousand years ago……. ETC. ETC.

This is a presupposition about my theology. My theology on the time frame of God’s creation is not carved in stone.

You are continuing to view the supernatural through your naturalistic filter while refusing to confront the elephant in the room concerning the origin of matter! Certainly, miracles and a supernatural being that created the universe and parted the sea is hard to fathom, but don’t try to present a naturalistic origin of the universe as easily explainable. Debating evolution misses the point. While I do not accept the THEORY of evolution, it would not eliminate the existence of a supreme being even if it were true.

Jazzycat (Wayne) said.....
Maalie,
Science (as opposed to individual scientists) has no such prejudice - it formulates explanations according to the evidence, and is prepared to modify them as new evidence comes to light.

Therefore, you are admitting you come to this debate with a prejudice and that science is always in a state of change. You further admit that scientific conclusions are made on incomplete and inadequate data. You also admit that science draws incorrect conclusions from this data. All of this is contained in this one sentence and I was aware of all of them, and I am glad to see you admit it.

Isn’t it a fact that evolutionary theory has often been guilty of drawing conclusions from incomplete, inadequate, and at times false data? Has not hoaxes been part of the history of evolutionary discovery?

Jazzycat (Wayne) said......
Maalie,
I think the main problem is that you (representing fundamentalism) have already decided what you believe and your faith will not allow you to consider alternatives.

You need to define fundamentalism. If it means someone who accepts the Bible as truth, then I am guilty. If it means someone who thinks he understands every passage and detail, then I am not guilty and you have made a false charge intended to discredit my entire thinking. My faith does permit me to consider alternatives, and I am unable to grasp the possibility of an uncaused cause in the chain of cause and effect other than a supreme intelligent self-existent being.

Jazzycat (Wayne) said......
Maalie,
I am puzzled why an omniscient God should plant so much spurious evidence that contradicts his existence.

This is your conclusion that is based on your incomplete and sometimes erroneous understanding Biblical theology.

Jazzycat (Wayne) said.......
Maalie,
And that is why the bible was written at the time: to explain the inexplicable. But we have come to know and understand a great deal in the ensuing 2000 years that makes that book outdated.

The Bible is actually a collection of 66 books written over a couple of thousand years of time. It contains amazing fulfilled prophecy that validates its inspired supernatural source and it contains the amazing story of the life of Jesus Christ who was resurrected from the dead to prove his divinity. Many have tried to disprove the resurrection, but over 500 witnesses saw him post crucifixion. You can read in the Bible how a group of disciples who were disillusioned and afraid to show their faces suddenly became bold and started the Church of the true and living God.

The Bible has not become outdated and I am all ears as to what you have that would prove it outdated. Evolution (even if true) certainly does not do that………

Maalie (Jim) said......
I accept what you say about the composition of the bible, I am not an authority on that. However, the writers of the New Testament knew about the Old and so could have composed it in aq way as to suggest the prophesies had come true. A sort of self-fulfilling prophesy I suppose. They were expecting a Messiah, were looking for one and duly appointed a man who was undeniably charismatic and probably what we would not call a "cult hero".

>The Bible has not become outdated and I am all ears as to what you have that would prove it outdated.

It is axiomatically outdated. As a simple example, the authors did not understand the physics and refractive and internally relfective properties of rainbows; they considere4d rainbows a sign from God; they had no other was to account for them.

And you know my old favourite: these days they would not have referred too a bat as a 'fowl'. Of course the science of taxonomy has advanced in the meantime, but if the bible really is the Word of God, and he made those creatueres, you would expe4ct him to make thast small point correct.

I am staying with family over Easter, I do not have much time on line.

I wish all Bluecollar readers a good holiday weekend.

Maalie (Jim) said........
Sorry for the typos, I wrote in a rush.

Maalie (Jim) said........
>The Bible has not become outdated and I am all ears as to what you have that would prove it outdated.

Oh, as I said before, science generally avoids terms like 'truth', belief' and 'proof'.

Rather, it suggests the most plausible explanation that fits the evidence to hand. The explanation can be modified as futher evidence cmes to light. Since we have an adequate explanation for the origin and development of life on earth without recourse to the supernatural, there is no need to invoke it.

I would be interested to know how fundamentalism regards scientific evidence that contradicts the bible. I know for sure that they scool their kids at home to prevent contact with "dreadful scientists"!

Loren said.........
Was Judas pre-ordained to betray Jesus?

Jazzycat (Wayne) said........

Maalie,
However, the writers of the New Testament knew about the Old and so could have composed it in a way as to suggest the prophesies had come true.

The New Testament writers (under the inspiration of God) make many references to events they witnessed that fulfilled OT prophecies. If you will read through Matthew, for example, you will find many references to these prophecies being fulfilled. These prophecies were made many centuries in advance such as Isaiah 53 (700 years before Christ), which is a remarkable prophecy about Jesus. The Romans were also aware of these prophecies and that is why the tomb of Jesus was placed under guard by Roman soldiers. Yet, they were left with an empty tomb to explain and over 500 witnesses that saw the risen savior. This would have been quite a feat for the NT writers to pull off to prove a prophecy!

Jazzycat (Wayne) said........
Maalie,
Of course the science of taxonomy has advanced in the meantime, but if the bible really is the Word of God, and he made those creatueres, you would expe4ct him to make thast small point correct.

The authors of the Bible were inspired by God, but wrote in the language of the day that was consistent with the culture of the day. We speak of the sun rising and the sun setting in our culture and yet we know the earth’s rotation causes this illusion. We speak of fires consuming material, when we know that matter is not created or destroyed by fire. Therefore, this is an insignificant and nit-picking objection.

Jazzycat (Wayne) said......
Maalie,
Oh, as I said before, science generally avoids terms like 'truth', belief' and 'proof'.

The physics, chemistry, and engineering classes I took had no problem with these terms. The term belief can be properly used to mean the affirmation of a conclusion based on the data and facts. It does not have to always mean something that is affirmed by a leap of faith without proof. EXAMPLE: I believe it is true that a body at rest tends to remain at rest, etc....... I can see why evolutionary theorists, like yourself, would avoid these terms since your science is strongly based on a shaky unproved preconception. I am of course speaking of macro-evolution rather than micro-evolution. You to have a happy Easter and remember there is an empty grave that proves that Christ died for the sins of all those who come to him in faith and repentance just as the Scriptures tell us……More this afternoon.

Jazzycat (Wayne) said........
Maalie,
I would be interested to know how fundamentalism regards scientific evidence that contradicts the bible. I know for sure that they scool their kids at home to prevent contact with "dreadful scientists"!

I do not believe the Bible contradicts scientifically discovered truth about nature. Incorrect interpretation of the Bible has contradicted scientific truth, but I don’t think the Bible clearly asserts something that science has proven false. When churchmen thought the sun revolved around the earth, it was not the Bible that was wrong, but rather an incorrect interpretation of the Bible. Just because we speak of sunrises and sunsets does not mean we are asserting that the sun revolves around the earth. Since you stated an aversion for the terms proof and truth, I am a bit puzzled that you are comfortable with these terms in your critique of the Bible. I suspect your aversion is grounded in wanting to retain some wiggle room for adjusting your theory of macro-evolution. A theory that is wrought with many problems.

By this statement about “dreadful scientists”, I see that I am not included in your definition of fundamentalism. Therefore, I cannot speak for anyone who thinks in this way. I can say that the children in America that are home schooled score higher on college entrance exams and ACT tests than do those schooled by our public school system. There are many reasons for home schooling children in America, but I think an anti-science reason would be practically nil. The truth is that Christianity throughout history has done more for scientific discovery through promoting education and building schools and universities than for any other reason.

Jazzycat (Wayne) said........
Maalie,
Rather, it suggests the most plausible explanation that fits the evidence to hand. The explanation can be modified as futher evidence cmes to light. Since we have an adequate explanation for the origin and development of life on earth without recourse to the supernatural, there is no need to invoke it.

most plausible explanation = other than considering the possibility of a supreme being (can’t have that)

explanation modification = change the theory to fit the new evidence (called a mulligan in golf)

adequate explanation = barely sufficient, not a solid dependable explanation(best we can do)

therefore, no need to invoke supernatural = thank goodness God is not real(man is in control)

The science I am familiar with is much more solid than the picture you paint here. I know if I didn’t believe in the absolute truth of Bernoulli’s principle, I would never set foot in a fixed wing airplane. Why? Because Bernoulli’s principle is not a theory. It is established rock solid scientific fact that does not need explanation modification due to further evidence. It is the scientific principle that gives lift to an airfoil and allows a heavier than air object to fly.

Jazzycat (Wayne) said........
Loren,
Was Judas pre-ordained to betray Jesus?

I know that Jesus was pre-ordained to die on the cross of Calvary (Acts 2:23) and that Judas acted out of his own free will. God uses the evil that men commit out of their own free will to accomplish His will of decree. I think the answer is yes, but that Judas action was unforced by God and he was totally responsible for his sin.

Maalie (Jim) said.......
>but rather an incorrect interpretation of the Bible.

Exactly! What a cop-out! It all boils down to a presonal interpretation.

The bible can mean anything you want it to!

The bible is either the word of God, or it isn't; it is eithe inerrant, or it isn't. So what else has been "mis-interpreted"? The bat bird/example may seem trivial to you, but what is written there is demonstrably WRONG! What else woukld have been written differently in the light of modern knowledge and understanding? A man living in a fish for three days? A flood that covered the whole wide world as recently as the bronze age? Human diversity on earth arising from a group as small as Noah's family in a similar time-scale?

There is an explanation for the origin and development of life on earth that doesn't require the assumption of the supernatural. It is held by the world's scientific community.

Of course, you would have to deny that about home-schooling, but I was unambiguously infoirmed that it was done "on biblical grounds", i.e. to avoid "contimnation" with science that contradicts the bible.

All cultures have their creation myths; Genesis is merely an example.

Sorry, I can't be on-line much for the time being.

Good wishes to all for Easter.

Maalie (Jim) said.......
>remember there is an empty grave that proves that Christ died for the sins of all those who come to him in faith

It proves nothing of the kind! It is the unverifiable word of someone who wrote a book 2000 odd years ago!

Jazzycat (Wayne) said......
Maalie,
Are you familiar with the theory of directed panspermia? This theory holds that the first organic molecules or living organisms were brought to earth by aliens from outer space. It was held by Nobel prize winner Professor Francis Crick. Wouldn’t you say that such theories as this are based on nothing but blind faith? In fact isn’t all of the theories on how life came from non-life based on faith? Since evolution is ultimately based on life coming from non-life without proof, wouldn’t you say that evolution is in reality a religion. Naturalists even celebrate a Darwin Day, but unfortunately his bones are still in the grave. Christianity celebrates a risen savior and while faith is involved, it is not a blind faith of the type that is required for the directed panspermia theory. No, there is much historical and archeological proof that the Biblical record of Christianity is true.

How can naturalists reject the idea of a supreme being outright and yet consider such theories as directed panspermia?

Mark Pierson said........
Jim,
there are many scientists who are also Chrisians. You would say they come at science with a preconceived notion of the existence of God. You would say that they have a vested interest in miss-using science to prove what they want to prove - that God DOES exist. Hmmm.

Since the Fall of Adam ALL men are tempted to walk after the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. So wouldn't those who are not regenerate have a vested interest in using science to disprove the existence of God? After all if God exists that would mean that we are accountable to Him on how we live "our" lives. It would mean that we must live by every word that comes from His mouth rather than going about to live as WE see fit. Judging by your tone here it almost seems that you are on some sort of crusade to discount the existence of God.

Maalie (Jim) said........
Mark,
I understand your point, however, the tangible independently-verifyable evidence has to be accounted for. It won't go away.

We seem to be drawing close to the inevitable impasse. You have faith in your mythology; scientists see the evidence. Axiomatically we cannot prove there is no God, only assert that the God hypothesis is so improbable (in the light of the scientific evidence) as to be out of the frame for serious consideration. It may seem an inconvenient truth to you, but I assure with the greatest confidence that human diversity as we know it today could not possibly have developed from a group as small as Noah's family. A knowledge of the most elementary genetics will tell you that.,

Mark Pierson said.......
"but I assure with the greatest confidence that human diversity as we know it today could not possibly have developed from a group as small as Noah's family. A knowledge of the most elementary genetics will tell you that.,"

Then how is it that not ALL scientists would agree with you here???

Jazzycat (Wayne) said.......
Maalie,
Axiomatically we cannot prove there is no God, only assert that the God hypothesis is so improbable (in the light of the scientific evidence) as to be out of the frame for serious consideration.

However, the theory of directed panspermia (life was seeded on earth by aliens from outer space) is given serious consideration by some scientists, even Noble prize winning scientists. Have you ever been on an alien space ship Jim?

If this theory is given serious consideration, why can't the "God hypothesis" be considered? Could it be because there is such an anti-God bias with some scientists that they would consider aliens from outer space seeding life on earth before they would consider a supreme being seeding life through creation?

Are you going to tell us what you think of directed panspermia or just ignore the grasping at straws to explain how life came from non-life?

BTW, retreating to consensus or group think has no bearing on the truth of anything! Sometimes the consensus is right, and sometimes one single person can be right and a large consensus group can be wrong. I bring this up because you seem to assert that affirmation by a group of peers ends the debate. We hear the same hogwash concerning the hyped hysteria concerning man made global warming.

Jazzycat (Wayne) said.......
Maalie,
Mark has made some excellent points that point to your pre-conceptions and pre-suppositions!

Maalie (Jim) said.....
>Then how is it that not ALL scientists would agree with you here???

Fair point: please could you direct me to a published paper in the peer-reviewed scientific literature that supports your asssertion?The evidence won't go away, however inconvenient you may think it is.

Mark Pierson said......
A good place for you to start

http://www.answersingenesis.org/get-answers

Mark Pierson said......
Quite simply it boils down to this: The regenerate scientist sees science as the exploration of God's creation. On the other hand, the unregenerate scientist is all too happy if he interprets his findings in such a way as to discount the existence of his Creator. To him/her the Bible is foolishness, which is an indication that he/she is of those who are perishing.

Jazzycat (Wayne) said.....
Maalie,
Fair point: please could you direct me to a published paper in the peer-reviewed scientific literature that supports your asssertion?

Do you mean to say that a scientist whose opinion does not agree with the prevailing peer-reviewed (consensus) would no longer be considered a scientist? IOW, buy into the consensus or be marginalized and discounted as unworthy to be called a scientist. Here are a few quotes for you to consider: Please let me know if you need more.

"The likelihood of the formation of life from inanimate matter is one to a number with 40,000 nought's after it...It is big enough to bury Darwin and the whole theory of Evolution. There was no primeval soup, neither on this planet nor on any other, and if the beginnings of life were not random, they must therefore have been the product of purposeful intelligence."(Sir Fred Hoyle, British physicist and astronomer)"

It is emphatically the case that life could not arise spontaneously in a primeval soup from its kind."(Dr. A.E Wilder Smith, chemist and former evolutionist)"

The probability of a single protein molecule being arranged by chance is, 1 in 10-161 power, using all the atoms on earth and allowing all the time since the world began...for a minimum set of required 239 protein molecules for the smallest theoretical life, the probability is, 1 in 10-119,879 power. It would take, 10-119,879 power, years on average to get a set of such proteins. That is 10-119,831 times the assumed age of the earth and is a figure with 119,831 zeros."(Dr. James Coppedge from, "The Farce of Evolution" page 71)"

I admit that an awful lot of that has gotten into the textbooks as though it were true. For instance, the most famous example still on exhibit downstairs (in the American Museum) is the exhibit on horse evolution prepared perhaps 50 years ago. That has been presented as literal truth in textbook after textbook. Now I think that that is lamentable, particularly because the people who propose these kinds of stories themselves may be aware of the speculative nature of some of the stuff. But by the time it filters down to the textbooks, we've got science as truth and we've got a problem." (Dr. Niles Eldridge, Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology at the American Museum)"

The fundamental reason why a lot of paleontologists don't care much for gradualism is because the fossil record doesn't show gradual change and every paleontologist has know that ever since Cuvier. If you want to get around that you have to invoke the imperfection of the fossil record. Every paleontologist knows that most species, most species, don't change. That's bothersome if you are trained to believe that evolution ought to be gradual. In fact it virtually precludes your studying the very process you went into the school to study. Again, because you don't see it, that brings terrible distress." (Dr. Stephen Jay Gould)"

The fossil record with its abrupt transitions offers no support for gradual change..." (Dr. Stephen Jay Gould, famous Harvard Professor of Paleontology)"

To postulate that the development and survival of the fittest is entirely a consequence of chance mutations seems to me a hypothesis based on no evidence and irreconcilable with the facts. These classical evolutionary theories are a gross over-simplification of an immensely complex and intricate mass of facts, and it amazes me that they are swallowed so uncritically and readily, and for such a long time, by so many scientists without murmur of protest." (Sir Ernest Chain, Nobel Prize winner)"

The Darwinian theory of descent has not a single fact to confirm it in the realm of nature. It is not the result of scientific research but purely the product of the imagination."(Albert Fleishman, professor of zoology & comparative anatomy at Erlangen University)"

The fact is that the evidence was so patchy one hundred years ago that even Darwin himself had increasing doubts as to the validity of his views, and the only aspect of his theory which has received any support over the past century is where it applies to microevolutionary phenomena. His general theory, that all life on earth had originated and evolved by a gradual successive accumulation of fortuitous mutations, is still, as it was in Darwin's time, a highly speculative hypothesis entirely without direct factual support and very far from that self-evident axiom some of its more aggressive advocates would have us believe."(Dr. Michael Denton, Evolution: A Theory in Crisis (1986), p. 77)

Jazzycat (Wayne) said........
Maalie,
These examples are not hard to find. I am surprised you are unaware of these scientists.

"A growing number of respectable scientists are defecting from the evolutionist camp.....moreover, for the most part these "experts" have abandoned Darwinism, not on the basis of religious faith or biblical persuasions, but on strictly scientific grounds, and in some instances, regretfully."(Dr. Wolfgang Smith, physicist and mathematician)

Shiloy Guy said.........
WOW! You guys have been busy while I was gone! I guess I'm paying the penalty for not visiting earlier! I'll try to stay caught up with your conversation if it goes on much longer.

Your conversation is way over my head and I have nothing to add. However, in my discussions with scientists who hold the same views that Maalie holds I have discovered that they seem to allow for a lot of "faith" in their assumptions while being unwilling to allow "faith" in any other views.

Carry on!

Maalie (Jim) said.......
>Here are a few quotes for you to consider: Please let me know if you need more.

Yes please! I asked for information from the peer-reviewed scientific community, not the quasi-scientific mis-indformation put about by the fundamentalist publishers!

Maalie (Jim) said
"Denton's views have changed over the years. His second book Nature's Destiny argues for a law-like evolutionary unfolding of life and therefore assumes evolution as a given. He no longer openly associates with Discovery, and the Institute no longer lists him as a fellow".

'Nuff said.

We can go on exchanging quotes all day, but we can't escape the fact that yours are from the fundamentalist lobby, not the peer-reviewed scientific literature.

Jazzycat (Wayne) said......
Maalie,
Are you refuting the accuracy of all of the quotes I listed? One does not need "fundamentalist publishers" to find these quotes. Not with the internet and Google. You are really only wanting to consider the scientists that agree with your faith based theories of macro-evolution. All others are automatically considered kooks because they do not accept the consensus of the peer-reviewed scientific community.

Isn't it a fact, there is no fossil or any other proof of macro-evolution and isn't it a fact that your peer-reviewed group has no clue on how life came from non-life? That is why theories such as seeding life on planet earth by outer space aliens is seriously considered by evolutionists. That is also why in your own words you do not like terms like truth, proof, and belief.

Isn't it true that life seemed to appear all at once in the fossil Record?

I must now get ready to go worship and celebrate the fact that Jesus left an empty tomb on planet earth.

Maalie (Jim) said........
This is getting silly now Jazzycat. I leave you to wallow in your delusion!

Mark Pierson said........
"Yes please! I asked for information from the peer-reviewed scientific community, not the quasi-scientific mis-indformation put about by the fundamentalist publishers!"

"We can go on exchanging quotes all day, but we can't escape the fact that yours are from the fundamentalist lobby, not the peer-reviewed scientific literature."

"This is getting silly now Jazzycat.I leave you to wallow in your delusion!"

================
Maybe it's just me but it seems Jim has already concluded that there is no God. Hmmm. Like I said, the regenerate scientist sees science as the exploration of God's creation. On the other hand the unregenerate scientist is all too happy to interpret the evidence in such a way so as to suggest that there is no God. It is because he loves his sinful life-style and is hostile to the fact that he should be living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of his Creator. There will be a price to pay on judgement day for this attitude though.

Shiloy Guy said.......
Mark,
This conversation needs to be saved! (No, not in the spiritual sense!) I mean you need to cut and paste it into a single document because it is an important example of such conversations. I would love to have a copy of it for my files.

Wayne, thanks for your hard work. As usual, the questions raised by the intelligent design community go unanswered and the valid scientific observations of creationists are dismissed out of hand. This is what almost always happens in my experience.

Maalie, thank you for your time and input. I'm sure we would be friends and would have many interesting conversations.

Mark Pierson said........
Pastor Dave,
I do not know how to save it in such a way as you suggest.

Maalie (Jim) said.......
Mark,
thank you for the oportunity to burble here, I must withdraw now because I am going on holiday.

As far as the scientific community is concerned, unless an opinion is published for critical review in the peer-reviewed literature, it isn't science. If anyone here wishes to offer an altrrnative explanation to Darwin, I am sure the editors of the journals will be pleased to consider it.

Their is no "faith" involved, because we are ready to modifiy our explanations in the light of new evidence. Fundamentalists are not.

I am quite aware that I am not elected, I am in fact a Unitarian. I guess that damns me.

Best wishes to you all.

Jazzycat (Wayne) said.......
Maalie,
Thanks for your participation.

About being not elected and damned: What damns human beings is their sin and unrighteousness and this is a universal problem for us all. The only solution is to receive the righteousness of Jesus Christ that is obtained through faith in his atoning sacrifice on the cross. It is a free gift and is available to all who trust in HIM through faith. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.

Have a nice holiday......

Jazzycat (Wayne) said......
Dave,
Thanks for the encouragment. I will look into compiling this thread into a single document post.

Maalie (Jim) said......
May I draw your attention to this ? It says for more than I ever could in simple blog comments.Thank you.

Mark Pierson said.........
Note how many times the word "possible" appears in the opening paragraph of that article. It gives the impression of a desperate grasping for straws. The atheist crusade against his Creator continues...

Jazzycat (Wayne) said.......
Maalie,
Thanks. Following up on Mark’s point, the first entry in the time line says. “The earliest life appears.” APPEARED? How? From where? To say “life appeared” is more of a statement of faith than for a Christian to assert that God is an eternal self-existent super-intelligent being. The Christian places the source of everything in super intelligence, and the evolutionist places the source of life and ultimately matter itself in nothing short of magic without a magician. Naturalists must either explain how something came from nothing and how life came from non-life through magician-less magic or admit they are basing their entire naturalist world-view on faith. It is a faith that eliminates a possibility by asserting, “We don’t know how it happened, but we know it happened other than by a creator (God).” If this is not a faith based world-view, then show me the proof of a naturalistic origin of matter and life? The bottom line is that the naturalistic world-view is based on a huge leap of faith and as such it is a Godless religion.

Romans 2:17-24

2009-04-02T15:23:00.004-05:00

Romans 2:17-24 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God (18) and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; (19) and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, (20) an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—(21) you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? (22) You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? (23) You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. (24) For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Paul, in this passage was speaking to the Jews who were relying on the law and boasting in God through their possession of the law. While they had a knowledge of the law and thought themselves righteous because they taught others the precepts of the law, they failed to confront the fact that they themselves broke the law. They were attempting to justify themselves before God, through the law, and considered themselves righteous before God by affirming and teaching the law. The fact that they didn’t obey the law perfectly was either not realized or deemed unimportant in their own eyes. In this passage, Paul is objecting and pointing out the error of their thinking. They had failed to be sanctified through law keeping for the purpose of justification, and Paul is giving them the bad news of their blaspheming God before Gentiles for dishonoring God by breaking the law.

Sanctification through law keeping for the motive of justification is guaranteed to be a 100% failing proposition. Yet, many people today think that law keeping for the purpose of sanctification is the proper way for a Christian to pursue sanctification. In this view, the law points a sinner to Christ to be saved by faith and Christ sends the regenerated Christian back to the law to be sanctified. Paul acknowledges the law is right and good later in Romans, but he goes on to assert that sanctification is through the Spirit of Christ and not the written code. Praise God that grace upon grace saves and also sanctifies sinners. Grace points sinners to Christ for salvation, and grace points Christians to Christ for sanctification.

Romans 13 and our Constitution

2009-02-21T10:36:00.003-06:00

Romans 13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

In our system of government we are subject to the laws that governing authorities implement. We are subject to laws and not to men. It is a gross error to consider this passage as a mandate to submit to the agenda and policy preferences of a president or other leaders that are mere proposals. We have no biblical obligation to pray that policies that we do not agree with become law, even if such laws do not violate Christian ethics. Only when policies become law do we have any obligation to submit.

In our system of three equal branches of government the legislative branch is responsible for passing laws, and a Christian satisfies this passage by opposing or being for any bill that comes before congress as long as it does not violate the Law of Christ. Our Christian framers designed our system because they knew that power corrupts, and they wanted to divide power as much as possible. This verse does not bind American Christians to praying for the agenda of a president to be successfully implemented. Since Congress is an equal branch with the executive branch, Christians have ever right to pray that congressional representatives who oppose the president’s agenda will be successful. The bottom line of such a prayer would be that a president’s policy agenda proposals would fail to be enacted as law. This does not violate anything that Christians are called to do in Romans 13. In our system we submit to laws and not to men!

Even after agendas become law, Christians have the freedom to work to get such laws reversed even while they are peacefully submitting to them. They do this by lobbying their representatives and voting for and against people who agree with their ideology. This is called liberty and it is the system of government that our Christian forefathers fought and died to implement. We are under no biblical obligation to refrain from legally opposing and working to reverse laws we oppose. Perhaps we would under a king, but under our constitution we are given legal rights to petition and change laws that we do not like!

I am perplexed that even conservative Christian clergy think it is our mandate to joyfully submit to and pray for the agenda of the Obama administration to be successfully implemented into law, even where it is against our personal beliefs. I wish they would consider Romans 13 in context with our constitution rather than in context with a monarchy.

Romans 2:13-16

2009-02-01T19:08:00.003-06:00

Romans 2:13-16 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. (14) For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. (15) They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them (16) on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

To be justified before God, it did the Jews absolutely no good to have, hear, and know the law unless they obeyed it. And, as Paul explained in verse 12 this obedience must be perfect. Even the Gentiles, who did not have the law, had by nature a sense of right and wrong that was written on their hearts. Therefore, Gentiles are also guilty before God in violating the law written on their hearts by sinning against what they know to be wrong. Their consciences bear witness by accusing them of doing wrong and excusing them when they do right. The ability to recognize good confirms knowledge of what is wrong.

Sin is the problem that both Jew and Gentile share in common, and they are both guilty before God. There are no innocent Jews who perfectly keep the law and there are no innocent Gentiles who perfectly obey their sense of right and wrong written on their hearts. This means there are no innocent natives on remote islands. Sin and evil doing is shared in varying degrees by all of humanity.

On judgment day God will judge the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. This judgment will be on the basis of works as verse 6 pointed out. Since God does not grade on a curve, all of mankind who stand before God based on their imperfect works will be judged guilty. In verse after verse of Romans 2, Paul is making the case that man has no hope of salvation in and of himself with or without the law. The message is to abandon all hope in ones self and to look to the good news that begins in Romans 3.

Romans 2:12

2009-01-25T14:31:00.003-06:00

Romans 2:12 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.

Notice that Paul states that all who have sinned will perish. By this statement, he removes any hope for a person that has sinned to avoid perishing by their improved works. He has just finished a passage about all men being judged on their works and being given the gift of eternal life if they meet God’s standard. Here in verse 12 he clarifies the standard of righteousness needed to receive eternal life. The truth given here is that once a person has sinned, it is too late for human beings to work themselves into being right with God because the standard is perfection as Jesus also confirmed in Mt. 5:48.

The little girl in the photo above is obviously giving Santa quite a list of things she wants. As she and all human beings grow to maturity, they crave and desire all kinds of materialistic stuff and even covet God given attributes they do not possess. The sin of covetousness alone condemns 100% of the human beings that have ever lived. No human being can meet the perfect standard of righteousness required, and Paul makes that clear a little later in Romans 3:23 when he states, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

There is only way for human beings to have the gift of eternal life and that is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Praise God that Paul begins explaining that good news in Romans 3:21.

Romans 2:10-11

2009-01-19T20:48:00.004-06:00

Romans 2:10-11 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. (11) For God shows no partiality.

In the photo above, there is glory and honor for all these students who successfully finished the work requirements for their diplomas. In a like manner, Paul asserts in verses 6-10 that eternal life will be rewarded to all whose works pass God’s standard and wrath for those who do not meet this standard. While most assume that verses 7 and 10 refer to the improved works of regenerated believers in Christ and verses 8 and 9 refer to the works of unbelievers, the immediate context, as well as Biblical truths revealed elsewhere, indicate that not a single human being in the history of the world has ever met God’s standard of righteousness in and of themselves even after regeneration. Therefore, no human being has ever met the standard of good that Paul is referring to in verse 10, and no one will receive eternal life based on their own works. Paul is simply stating two important truths in verses 7 through 10. First, if anyone ever did meet God’s perfect standard for doing good, he would give them eternal life with or without the Law. Second, since no one ever has met or is capable of meeting this standard, mankind has a huge problem that the Law of Moses can never solve. God does not show partiality and the Law does not give the Jews any advantage in receiving eternal life. Paul explains here what he later says clearly in Romans 3:10 and Romans 3:20. In these two passages he says there is none righteous and that no one will be justified through works of the law.

In the bad news that Paul covers in Romans 1:18 through Romans 3:20, Paul is asserting that man cannot look inward for the righteousness required to stand before God justified and receive eternal life. The message is to abandon all hope for human works, either through the Law or without the law, to aid in making a person right with God. Praise God that the good news of the gospel gives human beings a way to be made right with God and Paul explains it beginning in Romans 3:21.

Romans 2:8-9

2009-01-15T11:24:00.004-06:00

Romans 2:8-9 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. (9) There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek,

From the beginning, America has needed jails to restrain and lock up evildoers. Since human justice must rely on an imperfect knowledge of the facts, an entire legal industry of lawyers is needed to be advocates for both the guilty and the innocent. The truth is often cloudy and blurred, which sometimes causes the guilty to go unpunished and the innocent to be unjustly punished.

However, when you consider God’s holy righteous standards, then it is clear that no human being can possibly make it through a single day without transgressing God’s standard in word, thought, and deed. Since nothing is concealed from Him due to His perfect knowledge, no lawyer could possibly hide or spin this unrighteousness to make it appear to conform to His perfect standard. Those that are guilty by human standards are also guilty by God’s standards. Those that are innocent by human standards and law are guilty before God, because God’s standards go to the very heart and nature of human character. Attitudes and thoughts that can be hidden from human scrutiny are laid bare before God. For example, while envy, jealousy, etc. are not human crimes, they are unrighteous and ungodly character flaws in the sight of God that do not go undetected. Therefore, all human beings fall into the category described in Romans 2:8-9 and everyone will incur wrath and fury if they stand before God to be judged by their own works.

Praise God that through His gospel, Paul will explain later how human beings can be judged by the works of Jesus Christ instead of their own.

True Free Grace Blog

2009-01-15T11:18:00.002-06:00

Since the Bluecollar Blog has been discontinued, the inactive True Free Grace Blog will soon become active again with posts that will be open to discussion from all points of view. This does not mean the posts on Jazzycat are not open to discussion as comments are welcomed here as well.

Romans 2:6-7

2009-01-01T10:00:00.003-06:00

Romans 2:6-7 He will render to each one according to his works: (7) to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;

All of the football players in the photo above are judged on each play and the coaches render a grade based on their performance. The games are filmed, and there is no hiding from the camera as every move is revealed in slow motion and stop action. In a like manner, Paul explains that God is going to render to each person according to his works. Thus far in his gospel explanation, Paul has only revealed the bad news of human sin and unrighteousness. He has condemned both Jews and Gentiles as being equally guilty before God’s righteous judgment, and now he says God will render to each one based on these works. Later in Romans 3:10 Paul confirms clearly and plainly that there is none righteous. Therefore, one hundred percent of humanity does not have any hope based on God’s judgment of their works. The bad news that began in Romans 1:18 has gotten even worse here in Romans 2:6-7.

As verse 7 points out, God will give eternal life to everyone who does good and meets His standard. However, according to Scripture, the requirement for human beings to meet God’s standard for establishing their own works righteousness is nothing less than perfection. Uh oh, “Houston we have a problem!” That problem is that no one will receive eternal life based on their works and Paul clearly states that in Romans 3:10, 3-20 and elsewhere.

Many theologians take verse 7 to mean the overall behavior of regenerated believers and transport a born again Christian into verse 7. However, Paul has not yet even explained the gospel principle of justification by faith alone. He doesn’t begin that until Romans 3:21. In the gospel believers are covered in the righteousness of Christ through faith and are judged based on the perfect righteousness of Christ; not their own. Here in Romans 2:6-7 Paul is talking about God’s judgment based on a person’s own works, and to view the works of a regenerated person as being sufficient in and of themselves; is to make the atonement of Christ unnecessary. God could have simply made belief in God the standard, regenerated these believers, judged their improved works, and bypassed the atonement of Christ. The entire gospel reveals this to be insufficient. The gospel shows that human works before and after regeneration to be insufficient for God to give eternal life. I am puzzled as to how anyone thinks their works after regeneration will be the basis for God giving them eternal life.

Romans 2:4-5

2008-12-27T10:49:00.004-06:00

Romans 2:4-5 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? (5) But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

Paul has made it clear that all men are sinful and practice the evil deeds listed in Chapter one. Now in Chapter two, he is asserting that even those who make a distinction between righteousness and unrighteousness by judging others are also guilty of the same evil deeds. The religious Jews of Paul’s day had the Law of Moses and believed that they had established their own righteousness through the law. This led to them judging others who in their eyes did not measure up to the law. However, Paul pointed out that they are also guilty and, through a rhetorical question, asserts they are presuming on God’s kindness and patience. They have missed the point that God’s forbearance was meant to lead them to repentance rather than thinking they had become righteous through the law.

As surely as farmers store hay and grain in barns, those who depend on the Law of Moses for their righteousness are storing up wrath for the day of wrath when God’s judgment will be revealed. Each ungodly and unrighteous sin that human beings commit is stored in their own personal sin barn. Although a person may also have good works they think will cancel out their sins, Scripture reveals that even our best works are like filthy rags and are of no value in removing our sins. Therefore, human beings have no way in and of themselves in which they can appease the wrath of God. The situation appears to be hopeless since all human beings come to the Day of Judgment with a barn full of sins. Praise God that He provides a way that Paul explains later in The Book of Romans.

Romans 2:2-3

2008-12-23T08:42:00.004-06:00

Romans 2:2-3 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. (3) Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?

In Chapter one, Paul gives the following list for which God’s judgment rightly falls: envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness, gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. The photo above illustrates a life style from the old Wild West days where these things were practiced unashamedly. Paul is making the point that all men practice such things. Even men who think of themselves as religious, righteous, and good practice such things. Although Paul is referring to all men, he is primarily referring to the religious Jews of his day. They considered themselves righteous law keepers, and were quick to judge others who fell short of the Law of Moses. However, Paul says they did the same things. They were judging the open practice of sin in others, but ignoring their hidden sins of deeds and of the heart. They had the law and believed by affirming the law and partially keeping it, they were right with God. They were assuming God graded on a curve and their righteous performance was sufficient to escape the judgment of God.

Paul, in the rhetorical question of verse 3, gives the emphatic answer! No one can escape the wrath of God through the law of Moses. Paul makes that crystal clear in chapter 3 of Romans and elsewhere in his Epistles. After giving the bad news of human sin and God’s wrath and judgment in Chapter 1, Paul removes any hope that the law of Moses offers any solution in Chapter 2 and 3.

Romans 2:1

2008-12-16T20:49:00.005-06:00

Romans 2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.

In the passage above Paul is referring to the practice of people judging the activities of other people. Man has an amazing ability to discern, judge, and condemn other people for activities that they themselves also commit. How many times have we excused our own sinful practices or seen others do likewise by saying, “Well that’s different?” It is different because fallen sinners see many reasons to justify themselves for doing the very same thing they condemn other for doing. People judge others as being liars, but see themselves as stretching the truth just a little bit. They judge others that steal as thieves but themselves as lucky when they leave a store and realize the clerk gave them too much change.

That is why impartial judges are required in many human endeavors such as baseball. If the pitch in the photo above is on the borderline, the batter will see it as a ball and the catcher will see it as a strike. Therefore, an umpire is required to give an impartial ruling. The fact that judges, referees, and umpires are needed in the world confirms the point that Paul is making in this verse. By recognizing and judging sin in others, a person is condemning sin. Therefore, any similar sin that a person has in his own life is self-condemned. Paul is stating plainly and bluntly that all men are sinners, and by judging others they are basically giving a confession of their own sin.

Romans 2 Photo Devotionals

2008-12-16T20:43:00.008-06:00

1. Romans 2:1
2. Romans 2:2-3
3. Romans 2:4-5
4. Romans 2:6-7
5. Romans 2:8-9
6. Romans 2:10-11
7. Romans 2:12
8. Romans 2:13-16
9. Romans 2:17-24

eee

Romans 1:17

2008-12-09T06:20:00.003-06:00

Romans 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

According to Paul, this gospel is one in which righteousness is revealed to be from God through faith. It is a righteousness of God that is obtained by faith and is nurtured by an ongoing faith. Just as the grapes in the photo above owe their existence to the vine, they also owe their growth and maturity to the vine. It is also true that salvation begins with faith and continues with faith, as Jesus made clear when he preached that he was the vine and his disciples were the branches.

There is a tendency to believe that salvation comes by faith and is maintained by works or human effort. This is a form of legalism that accepts the grace of God in justification and makes human self-effort the driving force in sanctification. Paul wrote the entire Epistle to the Galatians to refute this terrible error, and here in the theme verse of Romans he plainly states that disciples begin with faith and they live by faith. This point is beautifully illustrated in the great hymn Amazing Grace where John Newton wrote, “Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,And grace will lead me home.”

Brethren, praise God that God gives grace upon grace in salvation and grace will enable Christians to arrive safely home. With this verse Paul begins the task of thoroughly explaining the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ by first explaining the bad news beginning in verse 18.

Romans 1:16

2008-11-27T19:21:00.003-06:00

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Jesus said that when He returns, He will be ashamed of whoever is ashamed of Him and his words. The gospel message, of universal human sin and the power of divine redemption, offends the world and the world hates the message. The world has no problem with a Jesus who was a great teacher of ethics and morals or with anyone being a follower of Jesus through self-effort, but does not want to hear about the sin of a human race they consider to be basically good. Not only are they offended by the truth of their sin; they are also offended by God’s solution for their sin, the cross of Calvary. If that were not enough, they are offended further because the gospel message does not include salvation through man made gods and false religions of their imagination. How should Christians handle these objections in explaining the gospel?

Paul tells us in this verse that he is not ashamed of the gospel and that he will proclaim it as it was delivered to him directly from Jesus Christ. Therefore, he rejects sugar coating the gospel so as not to offend the world. Unfortunately, Paul’s gospel is a gospel that many today, that claim Christ, do not proclaim. Instead, they edit, discard, ignore, reinterpret, and minimize portions they are ashamed to preach to the world. There is currently a movement that denies Christ’s death as atonement for the sin of believers. They call themselves followers in the way of Jesus and they are ashamed of the gospel as Paul lays it out in Romans. Other highly educated professing “Christian” scholars assert that redemption and salvation can be obtained by religions other than Christianity. They are ashamed of the gospel as presented in Romans and by the words of Jesus (John 14:6). Other false teachers fill huge mega-churches and preach a message of using Christianity to achieve health and wealth. They are ashamed of the true gospel that might cause a mass exodus from their services and collection plate.

Praise God that Paul was not ashamed of the gospel and presented it in great detail in the Book of Romans!

Romans 1:7-15

2008-11-23T20:38:00.004-06:00

Romans 1:7-15 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. I want you to know, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

Just as Air Force pilots are under obligation to the Air Force due to their very expensive training, Paul asserts in verse 14 that he is also under obligation. In this epistle to the Christians in Rome, Paul states that he is under obligation to preach the gospel of God. After beginning this epistle by explaining his call, role, and purpose, Paul in these verses turns to addressing the recipients of his call to apostleship. By addressing this letter to the saints in Rome he is, by extension in scope, including all future believers. What is the gospel of God that Paul referred to in verse 1?

The gospel is the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ, and Paul says he is under obligation to preach it to the believers in Rome. What reason would he have to preach the gospel to believers other than to insure that they understood it correctly? While salvation comes from faith and not knowledge, it is obvious that Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, asserts the importance of correct doctrinal knowledge. In the Epistle to the Romans, Paul thoroughly explains the gospel of God for both believers and unbelievers. This is a gospel that is in eclipse in our day as many claim Christ but refuse to believe parts that go against worldly principles. Others claim that the gospel is not valid at all or if it is valid, the details are not important. Praise God that Paul has thoroughly explained it for those who have ears to hear both now and forevermore.

Romans 1:6

2008-11-18T21:19:00.005-06:00

Romans 1:6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

Paul, in this verse, tells the Romans they are included in those who are called to the obedience of the faith. They are also called to belong to Jesus Christ. What does it mean to belong to Jesus Christ? This is made clear by Paul later in Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. Therefore, those that are called by Christ, have faith in Christ, belong to Christ, and have the Spirit of God dwelling in them.

Believers, through regeneration and faith, have the Spirit of God dwelling in them and belong to Christ. They have been called for the purpose of belonging to Christ. That is why Jesus said in John 10 that my sheep know my voice and listen to me. Jesus has equipped his sheep to know His voice, listen and follow Him. While His sheep will sometimes lose their way and get lost, He has promised that He will not lose or permit anyone to snatch His sheep from His hand.

Praise God that being called to faith in Jesus Christ means a believer belongs to Christ and is secure from all dangers. Believers are also enabled to follow Christ and, through the POWER of the Holy Spirit, they will succeed even though they stumble along the way to their eternal home.

Romans 1:5

2008-11-13T20:51:00.004-06:00

Romans 1:5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,

Paul acknowledges in this verse that his apostleship, like all the other apostles, came directly from the call and grace of Jesus Christ, and none of those called responded by telling Jesus they would think and pray about it and get back to him. No, this grace was applied to Paul and the other Apostles with divine POWER and they obeyed and followed immediately. This power enables humans to willingly abandon their bondage to the flesh and follow Christ. For Paul this happened on the Road to Damascus. There have never been or will there ever be any other apostles but these, and anyone else that claims to be an apostle or prophet of God is a false apostle or prophet.

Next in this verse Paul tells the purpose for which he was called. This purpose was and is to bring about the obedience of faith to all nations. God called and made known His gospel to Paul. In His gospel, righteousness is required and the only way for human beings to obtain this righteousness is through obedience. However, the obedience needed is not one of works or law keeping, but is an obedience of faith in Jesus Christ. Through faith, the righteousness of Jesus Christ is credited to the person exercising this faith.

Lastly, Paul tells us why God has provided grace to planet earth. It is for the sake of His name. This is another way of saying it is for His glory! Praise God that He called Paul, in a very dramatic way on the Road to Damascus, to save sinners in a manner that does more than make salvation possible. It secures salvation for those God calls.

Romans 1:4

2008-11-05T17:22:00.003-06:00

Romans 1:4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

The many prophets and founders of all the false religions throughout history share one thing in common. They all died when their bell tolled and stayed dead just like everyone who has ever lived except for one person. This proved they were peddling a false, powerless religion. In contrast, Jesus Christ demonstrated, through many miracles and his resurrection from the dead, that he was indeed the Messiah that the prophets of the Old Testament predicted would come and deliver his people. Jesus told his disciples exactly what was going to happen with His crucifixion before it happened and then met with them after his resurrection to prove he had risen and to give them their instructions. In addition to these Apostles, He was seen by over 500 witnesses. Paul, as recorded in Acts 17:30-31, explained why Jesus was raised from the dead:

“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

God demonstrated His power by declaring that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and He is commanding all people everywhere to repent. Notice that Paul does not say that God is inviting and asking people to let him come into their hearts. No, God is commanding people everywhere to repent and believe because the times of ignorance is over.

Romans 1 Photo Devotionals

2008-11-05T06:04:00.009-06:00

1. Romans 1:1
2. Romans 1:2-3
3. Romans 1:4
4. Romans 1:5
5. Romans 1:6
6. Romans 1:7-15
7. Romans 1:16
8. Romans 1:17
9. Romans 1:18
10. Romans 1:19-20
11. Romans 1:21
12. Romans 1:22-23
13. Romans 1:24-25
14. Romans 1:26-27
15. Romans 1:28-32

wwwww

wwwwwwwwwww

Caution Loons at work!

2008-11-02T12:57:00.002-06:00

CAUTION LOONS AT WORK!
The global warming hysteria lunacy will soon begin to cost America in an extreme way if this government is handed over to democrats……………

Obama said in January, 2008:
”So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it's just that it will bankrupt them because they're going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that's being emitted.”

Since 50% of our electricity is generated by coal, this is very serious. Oh, by the way these extremists do not want to use nuclear either. They want to rely on things that might be developed by and by. Instead of developing these things first and then doing an orderly transition, they want to press on full steam ahead.......

America, I know you are mad at George Bush, but do we really want to turn our prospertity and well being over to these LOONS!!!!!

Donate now

2008-10-30T21:34:00.002-05:00

To donate to the National Republican Trust PAC, which will be running T.V. spots showing Obama's racist anti-American pastor, go to: goptrust.com

Obviously time is important..........

The Tyrannical Democratic Party Tactics

2008-10-25T08:58:00.002-05:00

The Joe the plumber outrage:

The personal attacks on Joe the Plumber have been the worst example of political ethics I have ever seen in my lifetime. The man simply asked Barack Obama a question as Obama walked through his neighborhood. It was a valid question that Obama could have answered in a way that would not have revealed his Marxist leanings. The person and background of Joe the Plumber was totally irrelevant to the question and to Obama’s answer. If he had been the worst of criminals, it would not have changed the validity or importance of the question.

Yet in the grand ole style of democratic politics, the liberal media and many democratic operatives immediately sought to destroy the character of Joe the Plumber. This tactic served to distort and cloud the real issue, which was the question and Obama’s answer. It is the tactic of the politics of personal destruction that democrats and their allies have developed to an art form. It was successfully used on George Bush, and has been partially successful on Sarah Palin. At least Bush and Sarah Palin are in the political arena, but Joe the Plumber is just an average working American who asked a legitimate question of someone running for office. It is an outrage and makes an absolute joke out of the democrats claiming they want to bring people together. The truth is they want to eliminate dissent and bring everyone to accept their left-wing polices without question or opposition. The politics of personal destruction has been working very well for the Democratic Party and I see no reason they will change as long as enough people can be duped and manipulated by their outrageous tactics.

Unbelievable that the liberal media thinks the background of Joe the Plumber is important, but have no interest in checking into Obama’s connection with the radical Marxist terrorist Bill Ayers and racist former pastor Jeremiah Wright. It amazes me how they do not understand that people like me to not believe anything they report!

I for one will firmly oppose the left-wing Democratic Party agenda on day one if Obama is elected. My opinion of the Democratic Party cannot get any lower.

www

No Obama, I think it’s good for everybody when you spread freedom, work and responsibility around.

2008-10-22T07:54:00.004-05:00

Obama told Joe the plumber, “I think that when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody.” I must take exception. People that have freedom and apply themselves through work and accessing educational opportunities can create their own wealth. A society that is foolish enough to think the government can create prosperity by spreading the wealth around by taxing the “rich” and giving to the poor and middle class will eventually end up spreading poverty and misery around. In gaining this shared poverty and misery societies lose their freedom in exchange for tyranny and totalitarianism. The Obama policy will result in trading opportunity for equal outcomes. It will cause poverty rather than eliminate it. One only has to look at the societies that have tried this lunacy to see the end result. It is noteworthy that Obama's friends such as the Marxist Bill Ayers and former anti-American preacher Jeremiah Wright advocated this nonsense. However, it must be noted that utopian government rhetoric has never fed a hungry child.

In a speech to Planned Parenthood Obama declared the culture war as being "so nineties" and over. Let me assure you that the clash of world-views that is the culture war is not over. If you are elected, those who oppose the world-view that you are promoting should on day one begin working with enthusiasm to see that such polices are not enacted. Since you have made your wrong-headed polices crystal clear, there is no need for anyone to delay their total opposition to your bad policy preferences.

I for one will engage in lawfully trying to see that your agenda is thwarted.

rrr

Life in Kooksville

2008-10-16T20:47:00.005-05:00

Here at Jazzycat we often document the people who leave Sanitytown and move to Kooksville. It is an alarming thing to watch this process unfold in the United States on a daily basis. Having never visited Kooksville, I became curious as to how people there went about their daily lives. Therefore, a couple months back I commissioned my old friend, Lefty Leaner, formerly of WLIE-TV and Agenda Weekly Magazine to infiltrate Kooksville and bring back an in depth report on the life styles and daily life in the ever growing city of Kooksville. While Lefty agreed with the world-view that is imposed on all who live in Kooksville, he consented because the financial deal I offered him exceeded his standard of personal ethics. In short, financial gain trumped his ethical concerns and he agreed to spy on his liberal brethren. A like-minded spy was necessary because the residents of Kooksville become extremely intolerant of anyone who does not share their world-view. Therefore, the PC police are trained to spot even the slightest lack of conformity to the accepted standards of post-modern dogma. One innocent comment like mentioning how the glaciers have expanded in Alaska, or how nuclear power might possibly be a solution to America’s energy problem is enough to land one into eco sensitivity training school. These schools require incarceration until accepted behavioral standards are met and certified by eco-friendly groups like Green Peace and Earth First. It is a great risk for someone who is not on board with liberal activist lunacy to go there. That is why someone of Lefty’s character and world-view is required to perform the mission without detection. He looks and acts like a community activist organizer and in fact had been a community organizer with ACORN in his college days.

The following is the report that Lefty brought back from his journey to Kooksville:

Entry into Kooksville is on Pro Choice Avenue which leads to a town square in the center of town where a huge statue of Charles Darwin is located in the center of the park. All the businesses around the town square have names that end with the word commune such as The Kooksville Hardware Commune. Many activist organizations such as Code Pink, PETA, NOW, ACORN, ACLU, Green Peace, Amnesty International, Save our Planet, Earth First, Rainforest Action Network, and many more have their offices on the town square. Everything in Kooksville is painted green except for a few signs by Code Pink the anti-war organization. By edict from the town council, all churches must be located on Pluralism Drive and agree that all spiritual views are equally valid and true. Tolerance in Kooksville has a new enhanced meaning. Not only must all spiritual views be allowed to peacefully exist, they must be acknowledged to be equally true with all other spiritual views. Tolerance of all views is required as long as these views fall under the umbrella of the primary post-modern secular world-view. In short, all views must pass the Kooksville politically correct test. If any view is deemed to fail this test, then it is automatically brought before a board composed of one member of each organization located on the town square. Any view that is not approved by this board, is labeled as hate speech and banned from Kooksville. Thus for politically incorrect views the only view tolerated is intolerance. This means Kooksville only extends tolerance to approved views and embraces intolerance of all others.

In the residential sections of Kooksville, solar panels and windmills are required for the generation of electricity and waterless toilets are required to protect the environment. The only exception is that toilets may use water if all the fluids are recycled and reused. Grass and shrubs are allowed as long as nothing is used that would leave a carbon footprint. This includes any carbon foot print generated by shipping which effectively limits grass and shrub purchases from local sources only. Vehicles in Kooksville must get 80 miles per gallon of gas and the carbon foot print must be offset by buying carbon credits. These vehicles are basically golf carts that are totally enclosed with reinforced aluminum foil. Since airbags would cause the aluminum foil exteriors to explode, they are not used in these vehicles. The only house in town that does not have an Obama yard sign is for sale by Save the Rain Forest Reality Company. The previous owners became so depressed about the plight of polar bears and snail darters that they were committed to the Al Gore Asylum for the mentally ill located on Global Warming Boulevard. For the extreme delusional patients, the asylum has a conspiracy wing where every room is numbered 9/11 and has a picture of George Bush and Dick Cheney. Ward Churchill of the Univ. of Colorado comes by to visit these patients on a regular basis. In Kooksville the ratio of the mentally ill to physically ill is 10 to 1. It is estimated by the local planning board that the Al Gore Asylum will have to be tripled in size should Obama lose the election.

Commercial activity in Kooksville is tightly regulated and nothing is allowed that may in its production or usage contribute to global warming, destruction of the ozone layer, or restrict the life, freedom, and access of any animal species. In Kooksville, animal life has been elevated to equal human life and in many cases animal life is given more protection than human life. This is best illustrated by the fact that human abortion is completely unrestricted while animal eggs are protected from harm. Needless to say Kooksville residents must be vegetarians by law. The two major industries in town are publishing and art products. The Bill Ayers Publishing Company, which publishes Marxist, anti-American, and anti-capitalist books is located at corner of Propaganda Lane and Terrorist Way. The Ralph Nader College is also located on Propaganda Avenue between Brainwash Street and Communist Avenue. The Michael Moore Center for film documentaries is located at the exact center of the college. In elementary school reading, writing, and arithmetic is deemphasized in favor of liberal activism and singing the Obama is going to change it Hollywood produced classic.

The most popular activity in Kooksville is to hike and jog to the top of Deceived Mountain and look down into the neighboring city of Sanitytown. From this vantage point residents can easily observe and criticize the activities and life styles of the conservatives that live in Sanitytown. From this hill one can grieve and lament the excesses and actions of people who do not seem to have any concern for global warming, the ozone layer, the rain forest, the spotted owl, or saving the planet. In spite of the inevitable and predictable outcome of self-loathing, a Kooksville nut may be able to get a whiff of the aroma of steaks grilling on the grills of Sanitytown conservatives and for just a brief moment imagine they were residents of Sanitytown with no more blame America first guilt.

Filed by:
Lefty Leaner
Agenda Weekly Magazine

Obama economics

2008-10-14T07:05:00.003-05:00

Plumber to Obama: “Your new tax plan is going to tax me more. Isn’t it?”

Obama: “It’s not that I want to punish your success, I just want to make sure that everybody that is behind you, that they have a chance for success too. I think that when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody.”

No, Mr. Obama it is not good for everybody. It is called socialism and it never works. Government does not give people a chance for success by spreading wealth around from those who produce to those who don't.

Government gives people a chance for success by giving them freedom, liberty, and a free enterprise economic system that can be accessed by anyone willing to work and achieve on their own. This system produces prospertiy and is why, as you have said, America uses 25% of the world's oil while only having 3% of the world's population. PEOPLE PROSPER UNDER CAPITALISM AND THEY STRUGGLE UNDER SOCIALISM. Obviously this is not what you learned from Bill Ayers or Rev. Wright.

The real Obama problem with Bill Ayers

2008-10-09T13:58:00.000-05:00

Obama’s claims that since he was eight years old when Bill Ayers was involved in terrorist activity. This is supposed to somehow make his very recent relationship with Ayers O.K. The problem with that is Bill Ayers became a terrorist because of extremely radical anti-American political views, and these political views of Ayers have not changed as he has said that he wished they had done more. He has even been photographed standing on a wadded up American flag to demonstrate his contempt for America as we all know and love it today. These things have happened after his relationship started with Obama and obviously Obama has not been eight years old for a long time. Thus, the 8 year old argument totally misses the mark as a defense for his Bill Ayers relationship.

The huge problem for Obama is what did an extreme left wing radical (Bill Ayers) see in Obama when he hosted an event in his home to launch Obama’s run for the state senate of Illinois? Are we to believe that Ayers was supporting someone who did not share his extreme left wing views? Are we to believe that Obama did not have a clue about the extreme leftist anti-American views of Ayers? Does the eight year old smoke screen help explain this connection? Obama also worked with Ayers and served on the same board of directors. Obama was chosen by Ayers to disburse money from a foundation to promote radical education policies. Does the ole eight year old argument when Ayers was engaged in criminal activity sanitize Obama’s relationship with a man who has not changed any of his radical anti-American Marxist views?Obama’s problem with Ayers does not have anything to do with being eight years old when Ayers was engaged in terrorism.

Obama’s problem with Ayers concerns his relationship when he was in his thirties and forties because Ayers is the same despicable anti-American now that he was forty years ago.

Romans 1:2-3

2008-09-11T16:25:00.002-05:00

Romans 1:2-3 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, (3) concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh

For many years, politicians at the Neshoba County Fair in Mississippi have made stump speeches and promised many things if only they could be elected to the office they were seeking. Most of these promises never get fulfilled, but they keep coming as surely as the sun rises every morning. The promises of men may or may not be fulfilled, but the promises of God are sure and certain.

Paul states in verse 2 of Romans 1 that the gospel of God was promised beforehand by the prophets of the Old Testament. This prophecy pointed to Christ and the fulfillment of this gospel. This can be seen most vividly in Isaiah 53 where Isaiah said in verse 5, “But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.” The Old Testament is full of passages written hundreds of years before Jesus was born, passages that point to His life and correctly predict specific events of his life. Unlike the politicians at the Neshoba County Fair, these predictions of the prophets of God were promises that were absolutely certain to be fulfilled. They were fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ, and the Apostle Paul thoroughly presents and explains this gospel in the Epistle to the Romans.

Praise God that Paul was called and set aside by God to be an Apostle and to give us the Book of Romans as well as all the other great things he did in service to Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:1 (Called!)

2008-09-05T08:03:00.003-05:00

Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

The bell shown in the photo above was used to call slaves from the fields for a lunch break about 150 years ago. This was a call they anticipated and welcomed as it gave them a brief break from the hard labor they were forced to perform. Paul, on the other hand, received a call that was not expected on the Road to Damascus. It was a divine call that came with power from Jesus Christ. It changed Paul’s entire world-view and perception of reality and truth. It was a dramatic and irresistible call that immediately transformed Paul from an extreme anti-Christian persecutor of Christians to a zealous crusading follower and preacher of Christianity. While Paul willingly and enthusiastically embarked on his mission as a great apostle, he did not do this in and of himself through his free will. Paul was powerfully called and set apart for the gospel of God. He did not make a decision for Christ based on human knowledge alone. No, he was changed by God Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. Just as Moses was transformed by his burning bush encounter, Paul was transformed totally on the road to Damascus. It was the makeover to end all makeovers.

Paul thoroughly explains the gospel of God in the book of Romans, and you can be totally confident that the power of God that called and transformed Paul has insured that Paul understood the gospel of God and communicated it without error.

New series.........

2008-09-05T07:59:00.002-05:00

Stay tuned for new series on Romans! We will begin with Romans 1:1 and let the Paul and the New Testament interpret the Old Testament.

Sola Fida or Perish

2008-07-26T09:08:00.003-05:00

Romans 2:6-7: He will render to each one according to his works: (7) to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;

In the book of Romans, Paul begins to explain the gospel in Rom. 1:18 by first giving the bad news of the unrighteousness of men before God. He continues through Rom. 3:20 with the bad news of the sinful and helpless state of all men, both Jew and Gentile. After explaining the condition of all men before God in Chapter 1, he turns his attention to the Jews in Chapter 2. Although the Jewish people had the law of God, Paul makes it clear the law condemns them because they were unable to keep it. Thus, Jews and Gentiles are both in trouble in their standing before God.

In Rom. 2:5 Paul states that they are storing up wrath for themselves for the day when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He also says the Gentiles are in the same boat because, although they do not have the law, they by nature do what the law requires. In other words they have a God given sense of right and wrong. In Chapter 2 of Romans, Paul has not yet gotten to an explanation of grace alone through faith alone; therefore, he is talking about unbelieving Gentiles and unbelieving Jews. He is talking about unregenerate sinners who have not been saved by grace. In Romans 2:6, Paul explains their works will determine their eternal state. In verse 7 he is clearly talking about obtaining eternal life by works. This of course is a mission impossible as Paul goes on to state in Romans 3:20. Therefore, no one will be saved by their works and no one will be saved by Romans 2:7 since no one can merit eternal life through patience in well doing.

Once Paul begins to introduce the gospel beginning in Romans 3:21, he explains how Christians who have been regenerated and are in Christ by faith will NOT have their eternal destiny determined by their works. Believers will have eternal life based on being in Christ through faith (Romans 8:1), and not by their own works. They will be covered by the righteousness of Christ and justified by His righteousness. If they stood before God’s throne clothed in their own righteousness for judgment, they would suffer the same fate as unbelievers who do have to stand before God with their own righteousness.

Yet, many assert that Romans 2:7 is referring to both unbelievers and believers. They state that unbelievers will fail to have the works to receive eternal life, whereas believers will have works that demonstrate their faith is genuine. However, you cannot get away from the fact that this text, in context, is judging works for eternal life and not the genuineness of a person’s faith. So, to assert that this passage includes a believer’s works of sanctification is to say that God judges the genuineness of faith by works and awards eternal life based on works of sanctification. This is wrong, as eternal life is all grace and is a gift from God without works (Eph. 2:8-9). Certainly genuine faith comes from regenerated believers who produce works, and there is also a false dead faith as James explains in James 2:14, but Romans 2:7 is referring to God giving eternal life based on works. Paul explains to unsaved Jews in verse 12 that everyone who attempts to justify himself under the law will be judged by the law [works]. He states it very clearly in Romans 3:20 which launches him into explaining justification by faith alone.

Since the reformed faith holds that God knows those who are His (Romans 8:29-30) and affirms justification by faith alone, God certainly does not need to judge works of sanctification to determine who are truly elect. If Romans 2:7 could save even one person Sola Fida is untrue, and Paul would not have said in Galatians 3:2-3 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? (3) Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Later in Romans 8 Paul explains fully that the law kills and the Spirit gives life. Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (2) For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. Being in the flesh and approaching God through one’s own works is spiritual death, but being in Christ sets one free from the law and being judged by one’s own works.

Justification is by faith alone and this precludes God’s judgment of works for eternal life through Romans 2:7 from applying to regenerated blood bought believers who are covered in the righteousness of Christ. TRUE FREE GRACE saves sinners totally and completely.

New covenant power

2008-07-16T07:00:00.004-05:00

The Old covenant kills because it relies on man power! The new covenant gives life because it is powered by God! God transforms his people into the same image. If a person is not being transformed by God through sanctification that results in discipleship and obedience, then he is not in Christ and he is in need of saving faith. If you consider yourself a carnal Christian, I urge you to pray that God would give you the gifts of faith and repentance. When these are granted a person will then become a saved disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ and will have spiritual life that is powered by God rather than the flesh. For as the following passage points out the flesh kills, but the Spirit gives life and it gives it now:

2 Corinthians 3:5-18 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10 Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.
12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Photos of Jazzy and Cuffy

2008-07-11T16:44:00.005-05:00

Sweet Jazzy Cat will focus elsewhere for a brief time

2008-06-23T09:50:00.002-05:00

Notice!

I will be taking a brief break from posting here in order to concentrate the new team blog that Mark Pierson (AKA Bluecollar) and I have started. It is titled TRUE FREE GRACE and the link is directly to the right on the sidebar. Click on the True Free Grace logo and you will be there. Please check out on the right sidebar for links to the many resources from past postings here at Jazzycat.

To quote an ole General, "I shall return" if the LORD is willing!

Proverbs 4:26

2008-06-18T07:56:00.003-05:00

Proverbs 4:25 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.

There is great wisdom in this brief proverb. To be successful in life and in Christian growth and sanctification it is important to focus on things upcoming. Looking forward with a gaze of discernment and concentration is needed to avoid dangers and traps that are inevitable for life in a fallen world controlled by the prince of darkness. Christians should look straight ahead to avoid physical harm and pitfalls, and they should also look directly to Christ for strength, courage, purpose, knowledge, and wisdom to have a spiritually strong foundation.

The temptations come fast and often in a world dominated by sin and worldly pursuits of the flesh. Christians that avoid turning to the left or right and remain on the Biblically tried and true straight course will reap rewards and contentment in this life as well as have the inner peace of knowing that it is well with their souls. The photo above shows a little boy in the 1940s, just beginning his life and pulling his wagon with his gaze focused straight ahead. There will be many opportunities in his life to veer off the straight way and end up on a wrong path with only sin and misery to reap. These consequences of sinful decisions can sometimes last a lifetime.

However, by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ this little boy can be led in the paths of righteousness and reap all the benefits that are a part of being a son of God. Indwelt by the Spirit of God, Christians are led by the Spirit and more and more conformed to the image of Christ. Brethren, we should keep our eyes pointed straight ahead and our hearts in tune with God’s sanctifying grace. Praise God that we will reap eternal life through faith in Jesus with our gaze fixed and locked directly on Him.

New Group Blog

2008-06-17T21:42:00.003-05:00

True Free Grace

The new True Free Grace Blog will highlight some aspects of the Reformed Doctrine that are being misrepresented. The doctrines of Grace will be discussed as well as the emphasis for evangelism and witnessing that is a part of the Reformed Faith that is also called Calvinism. It is our hope to provide many resources for research and study as well in our links sidebar.

Proverbs 4:14

2008-06-11T16:53:00.001-05:00

Proverbs 4:14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil.

The paths of the wicked often cross our daily lives as we go about our normal activities. Although these paths are sometimes hard to discern, Christians should be able to recognize and avoid them through a thorough understanding of the Law of Christ. In the photo above, the path of the wicked is easy to discern as people must make a conscience effort to walk this path. The consequences of walking this path are well known, and the results are not in doubt. The wicked who run these gambling boats do not conceal the fact that the mathematical advantage will always make them very successful. They are open 24 hours a day every day of the year. They provide entertainment, free drinks, and they will put you up in a hotel and even send a limo to pick you up if you participate enough. This proverb exhorts Christians to refrain from these paths and to avoid the way of evil.

How can Christians successfully refrain from evil and avoid wicked paths? Attempting to do it by relying on the flesh and self, through law keeping, is a recipe for failure. Instead, Christians should understand that they are no longer under law but are under grace. Through God’s grace and reliance on the indwelling Holy Spirit, we are to serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the law. With a focus on prayer and the leading of the Spirit, Christians are empowered to have victory over sin. Although we may stumble and struggle with sin, a heart that is in tune with God’s grace and Spirit will prevail and not succumb to following in the path of the wicked.

We are not only saved but also sanctified by grace through faith. Praise God that Christians are conformed more and more to the image of Christ by his grace and indwelling Spirit.

Proverbs 3:25-26

2008-06-02T21:41:00.003-05:00

Proverbs 3:25-26 Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.

Even with plenty of people around, it certainly gives a person pause upon suddenly seeing this character in the stairway opening of a solid wall. The first visual image was viewed out of the corner of my eye as I passed the corner of the walkway and the staircase. Then upon turning my head, I saw this person standing stationary as if he were setting an ambush. I suspect, at night and alone, this sight would have caused a maximum adrenalin surge. However, we are reminded in this proverb to not be afraid when sudden terror comes because of our trust in God. He is our confidence and we know that nothing can harm us apart from His providence. While this does not mean that sudden calamity will never harm us, it does mean that all things are under God’s control and work for good to those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. For Christians, even death is but a portal to eternal life and serene peace with our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Therefore, if the character in the photo above were really dangerous and meant harm, we have nothing to fear since there is nothing he could do to affect our eternal life.

This proverb also has the promise of keeping and preserving us from the ruin of falling into the schemes and pitfalls of sinful pursuits. Those who are led by the Spirit of God have the power to resist and avoid these temptations. Praise God that we can have confidence and trust in the Lord to protect us from being ensnared by evil activities as well as being eternally secure from any harm that evildoers may do.

Proverbs 3:11-12

2008-05-29T21:21:00.002-05:00

Proverbs 3:11-12 My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

When a sinner is saved and justified by God’s grace, he is adopted into the family of God. He becomes a son of God and is led by the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14). God’s love is set upon him and He will express this love through discipline and reproof (Hebrews 12:6). This is similar to the discipline that an earthly father will dispense to a son in whom he delights. This proverb exhorts God’s children to not despise His discipline or grow weary of His reproof. The Lord disciplines those he loves. While this will sometimes be unpleasant and possibly painful, the purpose of discipline is not punishment but rather training in righteousness. It could come in the form of a heightened conviction of sin along with regret and guilt or, in more extreme sin, it could come in the form of a restraining injury. Being exposed and embarrassed, as well as church discipline, could also be the result of such discipline. Whatever form it takes, it is meant to restrain and get the attention of God’s children before their sin grows into more severe and damaging consequences.

Therefore, believers should not despise or grow weary of this discipline and, in fact, should be thankful because God only disciplines those he loves. Those whom God does not love with the same enduring love of his adopted children, he gives up to pursue their lusts and impurities (Romans 1:24). These lusts of the flesh may provide pleasure for a season, but the wages of sin is death and the end result is not only spiritual ruin but also temporal ruin from the ravages of sin. Sin may be wrapped in pleasure, but it provides its own punishment. Many ruined lives languish in prison as a result of sin and unrighteousness.

Praise God that those who accept His discipline will also finish the race and gain the prize just like football players that accept the discipline required to be a successful winning team.

Proverbs 3:5-6

2008-05-25T13:18:00.003-05:00

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (6) In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

In the photo above, my brother in Christ is enjoying the festivities at our church picnic. He is viewing the picnic through the lens of sunshades that protect his eyes from too much ultra-violet radiation. In one lens you can see a reflection of my wife and me taking the photo, and in the other lens you can see the catering trailer that cooked the catfish along with people standing and talking.

In a like manner, my brother in Christ also views the world through the lens of God’s revelation. In short, he has a Christian world-view to guide him as he journeys through his life. He does not lean on his own understanding but trusts in the wisdom of this world-view to aid him in navigating through the many temptations and dangers that are a part of living in a world that is dominated by the prince of the air. In this proverb, God promises that He will make straight paths for all who acknowledge Him by trusting in Biblical revelation. By God’s grace redeemed sinners are empowered through faith to find these straight paths and walk in them.

Praise God that, through the work of the Holy Spirit, He changes the hearts of those he redeems and enables them to willingly walk by the Spirit and not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). Christians can rejoice in knowing that the desires of Spirit will reap straight paths and life while the desires of the flesh will reap crooked paths that lead to death.

Happy Memorial Day

2008-05-25T13:12:00.002-05:00

Let Us Remember...........
It is the VETERAN, not the preacher, who hasgiven us freedom of religion. It is the VETERAN, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press. It is the VETERAN, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble. It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial. It is the VETERAN, not the politician, Who has given us the right to vote.

Proverbs 1:10

2008-05-21T21:47:00.003-05:00

Proverbs 1:10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.

Many Christian ministries have cruises where their supporters can come together for fellowship and Bible study along with enjoying a scenic vacation. However, even in this setting the lure of sin is close at hand in the form of gambling as the photo above shows. With the advancements that our society has in transportation, recreation, and information technology, the availability and diversity of the enticements Christians receive from sinners pose an ever-present danger. Many of the desires of the flesh mentioned in Scripture are readily available in our culture and some can be gratified with a few clicks of a computer mouse. Sinful and unrighteous activities have increased and become more accepted in the last few decades and access has become much easier. Gambling, pornography, drugs, prostitution, perversions, homosexuality, promiscuity and gang activity have become widespread in America and the enticements start early in the lives of young people and even children. These enticements come regularly as young people are encouraged to conform to the ways of the world through advertising and peer pressure. It is not a matter of if children will be enticed but rather of when and how often.

However, this proverb gives the wise solution to this problem when it warns do not consent. Don’t participate in unrighteous and ungodly activities. Don’t experiment with behaviors and activities that can and do ruin lives. Sin is its own punishment. These very temptations that appear to offer pleasure and happiness often bring misery and destruction. To pay for a short season of pleasure with a lifetime of regret and misery is not a good trade. Therefore, heed this parable and do not consent to the enticements that can ruin your life. The Apostle Paul in Romans 12:2 said: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Yes, we can't

2008-05-19T08:11:00.003-05:00

Barack Obama said the following yesterday………

“We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK,"

Hmmm, we must seek the approval of other countries and if they don’t say O.K., we will have to give up our SUVs, go hungry, and give government power over our thermostats. I believe Kerry called this lunacy meeting the global test. Evidently in these people’s eyes we should submit to a coercive global government and reduce our prosperity to the world average to be kind and fair. Can you imagine the world-view one must have to make such a statement. Actually I can. It sounds like a statement that would come directly from a sermon by Obama's pastor, Jermiah Wright.

No, Mr. Obama! The solution is to bring freedom and capitalism to the rest of the world so they can raise their prosperity. Destroying the American economic system is not the answer. The danger of believing the manipulated global warming hysteria is displayed here for all to see.

WAKE UP AMERICA…………
Let us not leave Sanitytown to follow these loons to Kooksville. Marxism does not work!

Green guilt my foot!

2008-05-17T08:09:00.002-05:00

U.S. Today reported in a survey that the percentage of people suffering from "green guilt" has risen from 20% to 22% in the last year. It is incredible that so many people can be manipulated by activists and the agenda based media. Here it is May 17 and I have my heat on in the southern part of Mississippi. This has been the coolest spring I can remember since at least the seventies when they were warning of the coming ice age. Yet not only have 22% of the American people bought into this hogwash, they actually feel guilty about their carbon footprint. As a proud member of the 78% let me say that I have no guilt for my carbon footprint. When I see Al Gore and the other celebrities reduce their carbon footprint to my level, I will still not feel guilty for the global warming hysteria farce, but I will promise to moderate the total disdain and contempt that I now view these people. I have a suggestion for the 22% that feel guilty! Turn off you air conditioners and show us some action instead of wringing your hands and just talking the talk. Walk the walk. However, don’t expect me to be walking with you on your journey to Kooksville.

I Know Whom I Have Believed

2008-05-12T21:09:00.003-05:00

2 Timothy 1:12 I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.

The flag in the photo above was torn and tangled by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but the lighthouse is still standing guard in Biloxi, Mississippi. An image of this old lighthouse is shown on the latest Mississippi car tags as a symbol of endurance and trustworthiness. In a like manner the verse above and the hymn below point to the trustworthiness of our triune God. Paul, in the verse above, expresses full confidence in the gospel of Jesus Christ and Christ’s power to guard what has been entrusted to him by divine revelation.

In the beautiful hymn below the author, Daniel Whittle, lists many things that he does not know about the workings of God’s amazing grace. He is puzzled as to why God made his wondrous grace known and how his saving faith was sealed in his heart. He doesn’t understand how his faith produced peace in his heart, or how the Spirit moves convicting us of sin. He admits that he does not know what good or ill awaits him in this temporary life, and that he doesn’t know when Christ will return. BUT, he does know whom he believed and is persuaded that He is able to deliver the promises of the gospel good news. Brethren, praise God that we can rest in the promises of God for our eternal future.

I Know Whom I Have Believed
Words by: Daniel W. Whittle

I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.

But I know Whom I have believèd,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.

I know not how this saving faith
To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His Word
Wrought peace within my heart.

I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing us of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word,
Creating faith in Him.

I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.

I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noonday fair,
Nor if I walk the vale with Him,
Or meet Him in the air.

Meeting with the Head of the Moor

2008-05-09T08:46:00.002-05:00

It was my pleasure last night to meet with and have a nice visit with Jonathan Moorhead as he passed through Jackson on his way to Dallas for his PhD graduation. Jonathan's popular Blog is From The Head Of The Moor. Stop by for a visit if you have never been and be sure to check out the link to the Moorhead Missionary Page, which will give you information on his upcoming transition to Samara, Russia where he will be teaching and training pastors in Russia.

Congratulations Jonathan on your graduation and wonderful family. May God bless and keep you and yours as you carry out your calling.

Wayne

How Great Thou Art

2008-05-01T20:48:00.003-05:00

Job 38:25 “Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain and a way for the thunderbolt,

God in chapter 38 of Job outlines His incredible awesome acts of creation. In the hymn below, some of these acts are also outlined. When these awesome acts are considered, a human being can only stand in wonder and amazement. How great thou art is a natural reaction to all that God has created and sustains. When you then meditate on the fact that God sent his son to planet earth to die on the cross of Calvary as an atonement for the sins of all who place their faith and trust in him, then adoration, praise, and worship are the proper responses to such a great salvation. If our sin debt is so great that Jesus must die in order for us to be reconciled to God, then what an insult it is to Him for anyone to assert that human self-effort or allegiance to false gods of human imagination will also be acceptable to God for our salvation.

Brethren do not be fooled by the spirit of the age into thinking that there is any other way to eternal life other than through grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. Be secure in peace and comfort if you are resting in Christ alone to take you home on that great day when he returns, and we who are found in Him will be able to sing, “How Great Thou Art.”

How Great Thou Art
Words by: Carl Gustav Boberg

O Lord my God! when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed:

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul! my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin:

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!

I Saw The Light

2008-04-24T08:52:00.003-05:00

John 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Hank Williams, the great Country and Western singer of the 1940’s and 1950’s, wrote the spiritual song shown below. It has a beautiful melody and sound theological insight. The first stanza relates how human beings resist and reject Jesus with their own sinful rebellious will. Then just as Jesus tells us in John 3:3-8, the Spirit moves like a stranger in the night and sinners are changed in an instant and enabled to see the light. The sinners response of being born again by the Holy Spirit is to shout, “Praise the Lord, I saw the light”. The song goes on to show how the sinner is literally blind until Jesus gives him sight and the power to see spiritual light. Once a sinner sees this light he is enabled to walk in a new way with a new heart. He is indeed a new creation in Christ with new affections and desires.

The Barnyard Opry, shown in the above photo, entertains patrons free of charge twice a month and always bears witness to the spiritual light that is found in Jesus Christ. In this photo the moon has been enlarged about ten fold. While most may not have even noticed the moon on this night, they would certainly have noticed had it appeared as shown above. The same thing happens when the Holy Spirit shines spiritual light into the hearts of sinners. Brethren, Praise the Lord if you see this light.

I Saw The Light
Words by: Hank Williams

I wandered so aimless, life filled with sin;
I wouldn't ask my dear Saviour in.
Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night;
Praise the Lord, I saw the light!

I saw the light, I saw the light.
No more darkness; no more night.
Now I'm so happy no sorrow in sight.
Praise the Lord, I saw the light!

Just like a blind man I wandered alone,
Worries and fears I claimed for my own.
Then like the blind man that Jesus gave back his sight;
Praise the Lord, I saw the light!

I was a fool to wander astray,
For straight is the gate and narrow is the way.
Now I have traded the wrong for the right;
Praise the Lord, I saw the light!

I Love To Tell The Story

2008-04-20T13:12:00.003-05:00

Psalms 66:16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

Do you love to tell the story? The bottom line of this story is given in Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. God is holy, loving, and just and, while He loves human beings, He is also just and must punish their sin. All men are sinners and cannot save themselves by their works or good deeds. They are helpless in and of themselves. However, God solved this problem by sending His son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross and suffer the penalty for the sins of those who place their faith in Him. Through trusting in faith in His death and resurrection, sinners not only have their sins paid for by Christ, but they also have the righteousness of Christ imputed to them. Salvation and eternal life is by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. This is the story of Biblical salvation and there is no other way by which men can be saved.

Praise God for this gospel story. Brethren, rejoice if you trust in this story by faith because you are rich and healthy spiritually even if you are on your deathbed without a penny to your name. What a wonderful story we have to tell!

I Love To Tell The Story
Words by: A. katherine Hankey

I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, because I know ’tis true;
It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.

I love to tell the story, ’twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.

I love to tell the story; more wonderful it seems
Than all the golden fancies of all our golden dreams.
I love to tell the story, it did so much for me;
And that is just the reason I tell it now to thee.

I love to tell the story; ’tis pleasant to repeat
What seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story, for some have never heard
The message of salvation from God’s own holy Word.

I love to tell the story, for those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,
’Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.

I Need Thee Every Hour

2008-04-14T12:19:00.004-05:00

Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

As the photo above shows, clocks are everywhere. Time creeps or flies by, depending on our circumstances. Human beings by nature are in a constant state of need. Oxygen, food, water, proper body temperature, and complicated bodily functions are needed constantly for human beings to survive physically. Since God provides all of these needs for our physical well-being, all human beings are in constant physical need of God’s provisions. In a like manner, Christians need God constantly for their spiritual well-being. The power that comes from the indwelling Holy Spirit is a constant source of nourishment for the spiritual needs of Christians. For blessings, peace, instruction, inspiration, and for avoiding temptations the Lord is needed every hour. This hymn points out that the Lord is needed in all circumstances of joy or pain.

Praise God that He responds to these needs no matter our location or the time of day. He is there in our joy and He is there in our pain. He is even there when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Brethren, we need the Lord every hour and He will always be there for us. What comfort and peace is ours for the asking.

I Need Thee Every Hour
Words by: Annie S. Hawks

I need Thee every hour,
most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

I need Thee, O I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
O bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh.

I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is in vain.

I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.

I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
O make me Thine indeed, Thou blessèd Son.

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

2008-04-10T10:29:00.006-05:00

Lamentations 3:22-23 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; (23) they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

In the photo above we see an example of the abundance that we take for granted each and every day. However, we should always be aware that God is in control of all of the complicated factors that are involved in producing such a wide variety of food that we enjoy every day. The hymn below states a truth that we should be thankful for every minute of every day when it says, “All I have needed Thy hand hath provided.” God has provided everything that is needed for human and animal life in this world. He has not only provided for our needs, but he maintains the intricate workings of the natural order. The Bible says it well in James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Brethren, life is temporary and fragile on earth and death will come to everyone in due time. However, God’s faithfulness does not end at our death as God has provided all that we need for our spiritual salvation. Even though we all have sinned and offended his holiness and are subject to his justice, he has also provided for us to have eternal life through faith in his son, Jesus Christ, who has paid the penalty for our sins on the cross of Calvary. Praise God for such a great salvation! Great is thy faithfulness.

Great is Thy faithfulness
Words by: Thomas O. Chisholm

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endurethThine own dear
presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Breathe On Me

2008-04-06T19:00:00.003-05:00

Acts 10:44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.

The Bible tells us that we are saved by God’s mercy through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells us in John 3 that sinners must be born of the Spirit to be saved and likens it to the wind blowing where it wishes. He further states that you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. In a like manner, the early morning mist in the photo above appears and disappears without anyone knowing it is coming or going.

In the hymn below, the prayer is for the power of God, the Holy Spirit, to intervene and make positive Godly changes in the human heart. It is an acknowledgement that salvation proceeds from God’s grace and is applied by the Holy Spirit. Brethren, let us be ever mindful that our salvation does not begin with human power and it is not completed with human power. Let us, with prayer and humble reliance, ask for all of things that are requested in this great hymn. As Christians, we have an infinite source of power at our disposal. The power of the Holy Spirit surpasses all understanding. Praise God that if we ask the Holy Spirit will breathe on us. No matter what our hardship or heartache may be, comfort is but a prayer away.

Breathe On Me
Words by: Edwin Hatch

Holy Spirit, breathe on me,
Until my heart is clean;
Let sunshine fill its inmost part,
With not a cloud between.

Holy Spirit, breathe on me,
My stubborn will subdue;
Teach me in words of living flame
What Christ would have me do.

Holy Spirit, breathe on me,
Fill me with power divine;
Kindle a flame of love and zeal
Within this heart of mine

Holy Spirit, breathe on me,
Till I am all thine own;
Until my will is lost in Thine,
To live for thee alone.

Refrain…..
Breathe on me, breathe on me,
Holy Spirit, breathe on me;
Take Thou my heart, clean every part,
Holy Spirit, breathe on me.

Sweet Hour of Prayer

2008-04-02T20:39:00.004-05:00

Ephesians 6:18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

The chapel in the photo above is not only peaceful and beautiful inside, but is located in a wooded area next to a serene pond. Such a setting inspires a person to come before the throne of grace in thanksgiving, praise, and supplication. However, there are many places that believers can designate to come to the Lord and have a sweet hour of prayer. It is the fellowship and communication with God that is central in prayer time and not the location. There is much peace, comfort and doctrinal truth to be found in the words of the beautiful hymn below. The author says the following: “And since He bids me seek His face, Believe His Word and trust His grace, I’ll cast on Him my every care, And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!” In these four short lines the author gives us all we need to know for our Christian walk. Seek, believe, trust, cast, and wait. Brethren, when we do all of these things, how can our hour of prayer be anything other than sweet?

Praise God that we can come to Him anywhere and in all seasons and have a sweet hour of prayer.

Sweet Hour of Prayer
Words by: William Walford

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight:
This robe of flesh I’ll drop and rise
To seize the everlasting prize;
And shout, while passing through the air,
“Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!”

Praise Him! Praise Him!

2008-03-30T20:10:00.003-05:00

Psalm 40:3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.

The photo above shows a golden hand pointing to the heavens as it sits atop a church steeple. This testimony to the glory of God, His mercy, and his love is located in the little town of Port Gibson, Mississippi. This steeple focuses attention on God rather than a building of brick and stone. God is glorified, as thanksgiving and praise are the messages that this hand pointing to the heavens sends. The hymn below also proclaims God’s praise and points to His love, honor, holiness, greatness, redemption, atonement, salvation, power, glory, and victory. The hymn ends by crowning Him Prophet, Priest, and King.

Brethren, praise God as you meditate on the wonderful words of this hymn and consider the wonderful salvation that is the present possession of all who are in Jesus Christ by faith. With such a savior, praise and thanksgiving should overflow in our hearts even when serious temporal concerns have intruded into our lives. The victory is won and we have nothing to dread or fear. Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!

Praise Him, Praise Him
Words by: Fanny Crosby

Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessèd Redeemer!
Sing, O Earth, His wonderful love proclaim!
Hail Him! hail Him! highest archangels in glory;
Strength and honor give to His holy Name!
Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard His children,
In His arms He carries them all day long:

Praise Him! Praise Him!
Tell of His excellent greatness.
Praise Him! Praise Him!
Ever in joyful song!

Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessèd Redeemer!
For our sins He suffered, and bled, and died.
He our Rock, our hope of eternal salvation,
Hail Him! hail Him! Jesus the Crucified.
Sound His praises! Jesus who bore our sorrows,
Love unbounded, wonderful, deep and strong.

Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessèd Redeemer!
Heav’nly portals loud with hosannas ring!
Jesus, Savior, reigneth forever and ever.
Crown Him! Crown Him! Prophet, and Priest, and King!
Christ is coming! over the world victorious,
Pow’r and glory unto the Lord belong.

Jesus Paid It All

2008-03-26T17:06:00.004-05:00

Colossians 2:13-14 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, (14) by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

In the photo above, the floor of the small wedding chapel appears to have a crimson stain. However, no amount of scrubbing by human hands will remove this stain since it is actually a reflection of light through a stained glass window. In a like manner, the hymn below refers to sin leaving a crimson stain upon the souls of sinners and, just like the allusion on the chapel floor, there is nothing that human beings can do to remove the stain of sin from their souls. This crimson stain represents a debt that humans are powerless to pay to the infinitely holy and just God that created the universe. The best works and good deeds of the best human being that ever lived cannot pay his own sin debt. However, praise God that Jesus Christ paid this debt by his atoning sacrifice on the cross of Calvary.

Jesus paid it all and cancelled the debt that sinners owe due to the crimson stain upon their souls. He washed the stain white as snow with his spilled blood on the cross to all who claim this grace through faith. The second line of the refrain goes on to proclaim, “All to Him I owe.” We should rejoice in thanksgiving and praise when we consider that we have contributed nothing to our salvation because Jesus paid it all in washing away our crimson stain.

Jesus Paid it All
Words by: Elvina M. Hall

I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy grace to claim,
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.

And now complete in Him
My robe His righteousness,
Close sheltered ’neath His side,
I am divinely blest.

Lord, now indeed I find
Thy power and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone.

When from my dying bed
My ransomed soul shall rise,
“Jesus died my soul to save,
”Shall rend the vaulted skies.

And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete,
I’ll lay my trophies down
All down at Jesus’ feet.

Take It To The Lord In Prayer

2008-03-23T13:26:00.006-05:00

1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

The photo above was taken five months after Hurricane Katrina left nothing in a subdivision but slabs and pipes sticking up out of the slabs. The human misery that was caused by this storm has been well documented. In times like this, the message in the hymn below is of great comfort to Christians as they struggle to cope with the trials and sorrow that inevitably come in our short time on earth. Christians can be certain that, no matter what burdens or troubles they may have, Jesus is there to provide solace and peace. Trials and tribulations are a part of living in this world, and Christians experience unnecessary pain when they do not carry everything to God in prayer. We should never be discouraged when we consider our eternal inheritance of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Brethren, praise God and be thankful for the privilege of being able to carry everything to the Lord in prayer. Christians should be comforted as they reflect on the truth of the last two lines of this beautiful hymn and take all of their troubles to the Lord in prayer.

What a Friend we have in Jesus
Words by: Joseph M. Scriven

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship will be our sweet portion there.

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

2008-03-19T20:29:00.002-05:00

Psalm 145:7 They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

The angel in the above photograph inspires one to think about the glorious music that will no doubt be played and sung in heaven. What more can be said about the beautiful and meaningful words of the hymn below. This is a song that is focused on the mercy and grace of our triune God. The sweetness of praise and thanksgiving drips from each line as well as the redeeming love of Jesus Christ. From an admission of being prone to wander, the writer begs that God would take his heart and seal it. These are beautiful words that flow together to make a beautiful tune.

Brethren, meditate and reflect on these words line by line. Especially consider the last four lines which state: “Come, my Lord, no longer tarry, Take my ransomed soul away; Send thine angels now to carry Me to realms of endless day.” Praise God for the glory to come. What do we have to fear in this world? (Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?)

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing
Words by: Robert Robinson

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I’ll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

Death Hath No Terrors

2008-03-15T09:19:00.004-05:00

1 Corinthians 15:55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

Insect stings can be very painful and even cause death in cases of allergy or multiple stings. Paul tells us that our physical bodies will experience a sting of death caused by sin, but for Christians death has no victory as they will be resurrected with imperishable bodies. The power of sin is the law, and Christians are rescued from the power of sin by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who conquered the power of sin by his perfect obedience of the law. Therefore, Christians are given the victory through the person and work of Jesus Christ. The sting of death is gone for Christians as the death of our physical bodies leads immediately to spiritual life in the presence of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Protection from insect stings, such as that of hornet, can be secured through wearing protective clothing, and protection from the sting of spiritual death can be secured through faith in Jesus Christ.

Praise God for this wonderful gift of victory and salvation through Jesus Christ. Grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone is the only way for sinners to conquer sin and death. Brethren, meditate on the hymn below and thank God that death hath no terrors for all that come to the cross of Calvary to be washed by the blood of the lamb of God.

Death Hath No Terrors
Words and Music by: Charles P. Jones

Death hath no terrors for the blood bought one,
O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!
The boasted vict’ry of the grave is gone,
O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!

Jesus rose from the dead,
Rose triumphant as He said,
Snatched the vict’ry from the grave,
Rose again our souls to save—O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!

Our souls die daily to the world and sin,
O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!
By the Spirit’s power as He dwells within,
O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!

We seek a city far beyond this vale,
O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!
Where joys celestial never, never fail,
O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!

We’ll then press forward to the heav’nly land,
O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!
Nor mind the troubles met on ev’ry hand,
O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!

We’ll rise some day just as our Savior rose,
O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!
Till then shall death be but a calm repose,
O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!

Leaning On The Everlasting Arms

2008-03-12T19:40:00.002-05:00

1 John 1:3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Christians are shown enjoying a meal together in the above photographic rendering. When Christians come together for such occasions, they are also in fellowship with the Father and Jesus Christ as John points out in the passage above. These times of coming together by a church family are filled with joy and peace as everyone has a common mindset of leaning on the everlasting arms of the LORD. This leaning is just another way of saying that their trust and hope is in God rather than themselves, political leaders, or government. To lean on the arms of princes, kings, or presidents is pure folly, but trusting in God’s sovereignty, providence, and His Word is fail-safe. With the guarantee of spiritual security through eternal life, Christians can be secure when troubles of all kinds come knocking at their door.

Praise God for the inheritance that we have as adopted sons and daughters of His Kingdom. Brethren, look closely at the words to the hymn below. Reflect on the magnificent truths that are made in each line of this short but rich hymn. Joy divine – peace is mine – secure – sweet to walk – bright the path – what have I to dread – what have I to fear – blessed peace – Lord so near. Let us rejoice as we lean on the everlasting arms.

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
Words by: Elisha A. Hoffman

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
O how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Southern Baptists cave to global warming alarmists

2008-03-12T15:35:00.002-05:00

See Sweet Jazzycat 2 for more. Also check this link for the late Dr. James Kennedy and expert guest on the global warming hoax!

Grace Greater Than Our Sin

2008-03-09T14:40:00.005-05:00

Psalm 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Grace is an act of mercy that is applied by God as David points out in the verse above. Notice David does not make a statement about cleaning himself up and making himself acceptable and presentable before God. No, he appeals to God’s mercy as he repents of his sin with Bathsheba. The way God purges and washes the sin away is answered in the great hymn below when it states, “Dark is the stain that we cannot hide. What can avail to wash it away? Look! There is flowing a crimson tide, Brighter than snow you may be today.” How one gains access to the most important washing that a person can have is answered in the last verse which states, “Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, Freely bestowed on all who believe! You that are longing to see His face, Will you this moment His grace receive?"

Brethren, praise and thank God if you have had this bath and are brighter than snow in the eyes of God. What a blessing and a comfort it is to know that our sins have been washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ. Though we will have worldly problems of many kinds during our brief life, we are assured of spiritual refuge in his marvelous grace. Christians have a future that is brighter than the snow on the mountain peak in the photo above.

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord
Words by: Julia H. Johnston

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.

Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.

Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide.
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
Brighter than snow you may be today.

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive?

In The Garden

2008-03-05T20:56:00.003-06:00

John 20:15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”

Joseph of Arimathea arranged the burial of Jesus and he was laid in new tomb in a garden where no one had yet been buried. Mary Magdalene was the first person to arrive there the morning of the resurrection of Jesus, and she was the first person to see and talk to him after initially believing his body had been removed. As she sat alone outside of the tomb weeping in the garden, can you imagine the scene when she met the risen Lord?

Can you imagine being in that garden alone and having a conversation with the resurrected savior of the world? The rest of her life must have been filled with unbelievable joy and peace when she reflected on the day she met Jesus in the garden alone. Is the joy and peace really any different for Christians who meditate on this event and what it means for their salvation and future spiritual destination? The photo above and the hymn below illustrate that Christians can have eternal contentment anytime they meditate on this hymn or visit a beautiful garden such as the Bellingrath Gardens shown in the photo above. Brethren, let us take comfort when we visit such gardens in person or when we rely on past memories to visit them in our imagination.

In the Garden
Words and music by: C. Austin Miles

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me, and He talks
with me, And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

I’d stay in the garden with Him
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.

Blessed Assurance

2008-03-02T21:37:00.005-06:00

Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith………………..

Assurance of union with Christ is the greatest experience that a human being can have in this world. When a believer meditates on being born of His Spirit and washed in His blood, he can be certain that he is an heir of salvation. Christians have the Holy Spirit at work in their hearts and, thus, sense the joy that surpasses all understanding. With eyes on heavenly things above Christians can sing with confidence and praise, this is my story, this is my song. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine.

Praise God for the comfort, peace, and joy that comes when believers meditate on His love and rest in His sovereign providence in their lives. There is no worry for Christians when troubles come because they know Jesus is mine! Where is the anxiety for Christians that trust in His love and watch care in their lives? When Christians are in perfect submission, they are at rest. Then they are contented, at peace and delighted to sing with joy that this is my story, this is my song. When the day comes to be called to our heavenly home, we may not be able to sing with our lips but in our hearts we will be singing with joy, This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior, all the day long. For we know that if God is for us, then who can be against us. Brethren meditate on the words of this hymn and be comforted.

Blessed Assurance
Words by: Fanny Crosby

Blessèd assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

Sins Washed Away

2008-02-28T08:10:00.003-06:00

Zechariah 13:1 On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.

Children love to play and be washed in water fountains as the photo above demonstrates. The water cleans their sweaty and dirty bodies. The great hymn below also speaks of a cleansing fountain that washes sinners clean. All human beings have sinned and fall short of God’s glory and righteous standards. The Bible teaches there is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood and that the Old Testament sacrificial system of animal sacrifice does not atone for sin. The book of Hebrews explains that the Old Testament sacrificial system pointed toward the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, as the savior who could make atonement for sin.

Praise God that he so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son to redeem sinners from the curse caused by sin. There simply was no other way that God could forgive the debt incurred by human sin. The great hymn below points to this great truth and gives some of the details and reasons the blood of Jesus on the cross of Calvary saves sinners. Just as children are attracted to the water fountain above, Christians are drawn to the fountain filled with the blood of our savior Jesus Christ. What peace, joy, and comfort it is for believers to know that all of their sins have been washed away by His redeeming love.

There is a Fountain Filled with Blood
Words by: William Cowper

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s
veins; And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.

E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.

Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.

Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be,
For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me!
’Tis strung and tuned for endless years, and formed by power divine,
To sound in God the Father’s ears no other name but Thine.

The Firm Foundation

2008-02-24T21:11:00.003-06:00

Hebrews 13:5 “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

In the photo above, the cabin is supported by steel pipes that are anchored in solid rock. Although it seems to be in a precarious position, it has been built on a firm foundation of solid rock. If the exact same pipes were in sand, the house would come tumbling down the hillside with the first heavy rain.

Christians also have a firm foundation in Jesus Christ. By grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, Christians are assured of eternal life in a spiritual house built on a foundation of Jesus, the solid rock described in Matthew 7:24. They are further protected in their temporal life from any harm that God has not ordained. The great hymn below points out what a great savior we have in this life for those who seek refuge in him. He will never forsake his flock in sickness or health. He will be there in poverty or wealth, and when old age slips upon the scene, He will be there to comfort and give the peace that passes all understanding. The love and promises of God are built on this firm foundation that cannot be overturned by anything on earth or in the spiritual realm. Praise God that this firm foundation will not and, in fact, cannot fail.

How Firm a Foundation
Words by: John Rippon

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

In every condition, in sickness, in health;
In poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth;
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

Even down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.

Abide with Me

2008-02-20T21:34:00.003-06:00

1 John 4:15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

Just before bedtime every night Cuffy cat likes to cuddle as the above photo shows. It is a ritual that is repeated every evening, just like clockwork, as Cuffy very much desires and seeks this human interaction. In a like manner Christians increasingly desire and covet having Jesus abide with them as they enter the evening time of their lives. Earth’s joys grow dim and its glories pass away as this great hymn states, and Christians need the presence of the LORD as time flies away.

Praise God that when Christians walk through the eventide of life God is with them to comfort and to abide with them. God’s magnificent grace saves, sanctifies, and glorifies believers as they pass through this temporary world on their journey to their eternal home. Brethren, rest assured that each heartfelt prayer and plea for God to abide with me is fulfilled. Our savior told us in Matthew 28:20 “…….And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Nothing can prevent Christians from arriving safely home to heaven with the Savior by their side. Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; the darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.

Abide with Me
(words by: Henry F Lyte)

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

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

Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word;
But as Thou dwell’st with Thy disciples, Lord,
Familiar, condescending, patient, free.
Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.

Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings,
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea—
Come, Friend of sinners, and thus bide with me.

Thou on my head in early youth didst smile;
And, though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee,
On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.

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

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Jazzy on HOPE and CHANGE at Jazzy Cat 2

2008-02-20T21:15:00.002-06:00

Check out Sweet Jazzy Cat 2 as Jazzy issues press release on Hope and Change!

Also check out Bluecollar where Christian doctrine is presented and discussed!

Perfect Peace

2008-02-17T20:39:00.002-06:00

Ephesians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

A river is used to illustrate God’s perfect peace in the hymn below. In the photo above, it is apparent that a beautiful river can be a very peaceful setting. During ancient times and in the early days of exploration and settling of the United States, rivers were a source of much needed water for people and their livestock. After a long days journey, it must have been a peaceful and refreshing time when pilgrims camped by a river.

Paul used the above Scripture blessing seven times in his epistles. Saints can rest in the spiritual peace that comes from the trust they have in God’s providence and sovereignty. Christians are hidden and safe in His blessed hand as the hymn below states. There is no worry or no fear for God’s redeemed when their focus is on their spiritual and eternal condition. Brethren, this is God’s perfect peace and it is like a river glorious. Praise God that Christians will have an eternal home of perfect peace and rest as they are camped forever by that great river glorious. How do worldly concerns compare with such a great salvation? In Romans 8:18 Paul summed it up really well when he said, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Let us be ever mindful and meditate with thanksgiving and praise on our spiritual destination where we will have perfect peace.

Like A River Glorious
Words by: Frances Havergal

Like a river glorious, is God’s perfect peace,
Over all victorious, in its bright increase;
Perfect, yet it floweth, fuller every day,
Perfect, yet it groweth, deeper all the way.

Refrain….
Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.

Hidden in the hollow of His blessed hand,
Never foe can follow, never traitor stand;
Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care,
Not a blast of hurry touch the spirit there.

Every joy or trial falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love;
We may trust Him fully all for us to do.
They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.

Vol. 2 Peace and Comfort Photo Devotionals

2008-02-17T14:57:00.016-06:00

21. In The Garden
22. Grace Greater Than Our Sin
23. Leaning On The Everlasting Arms
24. Death Hath No Terrors
25. Come Thou Font of Every Blessing
26. Take It To The Lord In Prayer
27. Jesus Paid It All
28. Praise Him! Praise Him!
29. Sweet Hour Of Prayer
30. Breathe On Me
31. Great Is Thy Faithfulness
32. I Need Thee Every Hour
33. I Love To Tell The Story
34. I Saw The Light
35. How Great Thou Art
36. I Know Whom I Have Believed

Beulah Land

2008-02-13T19:36:00.004-06:00

1 Corinthians 2:9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

God’s magnificent work of creation is on full display in the Colorado town above. There are undoubtedly many beautiful and scenic places and towns in this world. However, from the above passage we can conclude that we have not seen anything yet. Not only have we not seen the glory that has been prepared for us in Beulah Land, we have not even imagined in our wildest dreams how magnificent the City of God will be when we arrive at our eternal home. As Christians age in this fallen world, God’s grace comforts them as they meditate on this passage and this hymn. They long for, and are homesick for, this land of joy and peace where they have never been.

Brethren, imagine the unbelievable joy in that instant when faith turns to sight as believers walk through deaths door to enter sweet Beulah Land. Praise God with thanksgiving for this grace and spiritual provision that was bought and paid for by Jesus Christ who became the second Adam so that, by faith, we could be counted as righteous. Romans 5:19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. Therefore, Jesus restored what Adam destroyed and we will have all of eternity to be giddy with joy and praise in sweet Beulah Land.

Beulah Land
Words by Squire Parsons Jr.

I'm kind of homesick for a country
to which I've never been before
No sad goodbyes will there be spoken
and time won't matter anymore

Beulah Land I'm longing for you,
and someday on thee I'll stand
There my home shall be eternal.
In Beulah Land, Sweet Beulah land

I'm looking now across that river,
to where my faiths 'gonna end in sight
There's just a few more days to labor,
then I will take my heavenly flight

Beulah Land I'm longing for you,
and someday on thee I'll stand
There my home shall be eternal
In Beulah Land, Sweet Beulah land

Hidden In A Cleft

2008-02-10T20:59:00.000-06:00

Colossians 3:3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

The ruins of ancient cliff dwellers have been preserved at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. As the photo above shows, villages were built in the clefts of cliffs. These buildings provided the inhabitants protection from the elements, enemies, and wild animals. The only way to reach these settlements was with tall ladders, which could be pulled up from the valley floor if necessary. The inhabitants were basically hidden in plain sight from many kinds of harm. They lived in the cleft of a rock.

What peace and comfort it is for Christians to know that the same kind of cleft is available for their spiritual well-being in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the rock of our salvation and in him we are not only saved from wrath, but we are also made pure and spotless by his blood sacrifice on the cross of Calvary. There is simply no other way that sinful humans can be accepted by a Holy and just God since the labor of our hands cannot pay this infinite sin debt. Thou must save and Thou alone is the message of the hymn below. Thus, lost sinners flee to the cross for the grace and mercy that is provided by the Rock of Ages. Christians are safe from all spiritual harm when they are hidden in the cleft of this rock. What a joy it is to reflect on line two below where sinners come to Christ and ask to be hidden in his grace and mercy. Praise God, for we know that his cleft is large enough for all who come in faith.

Rock of Ages
Words by: Augustus M. Toplady

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

The Anchor Holds

2008-02-07T08:35:00.000-06:00

Psalms 57:1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.

Storms are a part of the human condition, both literally and figuratively. Christians are aware that their physical safety and well being is ultimately in the hands of Almighty God. Not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart from the will of the Father. Therefore, Christians understand as David understood that seeking refuge in God through prayer and trust is vital until the storms of destruction pass by. God is watching in the dark night when a person is a thousand miles from land flying over or sailing on the open sea. While beauty and serenity bring joy to our lives, it is during the storms of our lives that God proves his love for us. It is in the midst of these times when we should get on our knees and pray to God that the anchor holds.

Although we all will someday face physical death, we can be sure that the anchor will hold for our spiritual well being if we are in Christ Jesus by faith. His grace will prevail and his refuge will be secure as our souls rejoice in his mercy and love. We may come through our life torn and battered like a ship in a storm, but brethren we can shout and sing with joy that the anchor holds. Praise God.

The Anchor Holds
Words By: Lawrence Chewning and Ray Boltz

I have journeyed
Through the long, dark night
Out on the open sea
By faith alone
Sight unknown
And yet His eyes were watching me

The anchor holds
Though the ship is battered
The anchor holds
Though the sails are torn
I have fallen on my knees
As I faced the raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm

I've had visions
I've had dreams
I've even held them in my hand
But I never knew
They would slip right through
Like they were only grains of sand

The anchor holds
Though the ship is battered
The anchor holds
Though the sails are torn
I have fallen on my knees
As I faced the raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm

I have been young
But I am older now
And there has been beauty
That these eyes have seen
But it was in the night
Through the storms of my life
Oh, that's where God proved
His love to me

The anchor holds
Though the ship is battered
The anchor holds
Though the sails are torn
I have fallen on my knees
As I faced the raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm

I have fallen on my knees
As I faced the raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm

God Will Wipe Away Every Tear!

2008-02-03T21:51:00.000-06:00

Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

As the photo above illustrates, tears begin early in our fallen world and they continue throughout our lives. The tears that come with the inevitable human event of losing a loved one to death is vividly described in the hymn below. It is a bittersweet moment full of tears for the Christian that is left behind to bid farewell to the loved one that has passed into the heavenly realm. The sadness and grief of this farewell is pitted against the rejoicing of heaven’s anthems for the deceased loved one. Memories of happier days and fellowship, prayer, and praise are all that is left of this earthly friendship. The songs of earth with family and friends have ended and will be no more. Loved one, farewell.

However, praise God that salvation’s story is not over. Loved ones ascend to where angels dwell and the saints in heaven form a praising throng singing and praising God with new made songs. Soon enough there will be a reunion at the pearly gate when friends and family meet, and where God will wipe away every tear and lead them all to springs of living water. Loved ones, farewell and be sure to watch and wait as we all get to heaven one by one. What a day of rejoicing that will be.

Loved One, Farewell
Mary B. Slade

Birds are rejoicing,
O’er hill and dell;
Hushed is thy voicing,
Sweeter that fell.
Friend of our happy days,
Brother of prayer and praise,
Thine own sweet music says,
Loved one, farewell!

Thou hast ascended,
Where angels dwell;
Where, earth songs ended,
Heav’n’s anthems swell.
Safe, all the saints among,
Blest with the praising
throng,Singing the new made songs,
Loved one, farewell!

Salvation’s story
Then thou wilt tell;
Triumphs of glory,
Thy voice shall swell.
Rest thou, oh, friend so dear,
Thy precious Savior near,
Where God shall wipe each tear,
Loved one, farewell!

Safe from thee turning,
Grief’s tones will knell;
Hard, hard the learning,
God doeth well!
Till, be it soon or late,
Up, at the pearly gate,
We meet, oh watch and wait,
Loved one, farewell!

God is Holy

2008-01-31T11:02:00.001-06:00

Isaiah 6:3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!

When Moses encountered the Almighty God of the universe, he was commanded to remove his sandals because he was standing on holy ground in the presence of the LORD. Moses was so fearful that he could not look. Isaiah had a similar response. God’s holiness and glory is on display every day in nature. The more that is learned by human beings through discovery in science, the more the majesty and glory of our creator God is revealed. From the smallest human DNA cell to the vastness of the galaxy filled universe, the precision and order of the things learned point to a creator and to His glory and His holiness.

When you consider His glory and holiness along with the redemptive history of mankind as He has revealed in the Holy Bible, then we are properly prepared for the hymn below. Worship, praise, adoration, awe, and thankfulness are the results of the saints that sing and meditate on this beautiful hymn. Brethren, rest in His salvation and take peace and comfort in His eternal plan for all that are in Christ Jesus by faith. Praise God and worship Him, because he is Holy, Holy, Holy. Psalm 29:2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

Holy, Holy, Holy
Words: Reginald Heber

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Who was, and is, and evermore shall be.

Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessèd Trinity!

Holy Manna

2008-01-28T09:14:00.000-06:00

John 6:58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.

Praise God that just as he feeds the birds and everything else with his bounty, he provides the human race with all that is necessary to sustain their physical life. How much more are sinners blessed for the holy manna that is provided for their spiritual lives. Jesus provided this spiritual food with his own flesh on the cross of Calvary. Those sinners that partake of this free bread receive the gift of eternal life. John 6:51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.

Free holy manna is indeed a wonderful and glorius thing for our meditation. This meditation will lead sinners to acknowledge the wonderful theological principles that are contained in the great hymn listed below. No matter what our worldly circumstances are with ill health and troubles, believers are blessed beyond measure and should rest in the fact that, when we are called to heaven, we will sit at Christ’s table and be served sweet manna all around. Praise God for the peace and joy this brings.

Brethren We Have Met To Worship
Words by: George Atkins

Brethren, we have met to worship and adore the Lord our God;
Will you pray with all your power, while we try to preach the Word?
All is vain unless the Spirit of the Holy One comes down;
Brethren, pray, and holy manna will be showered all around.

Brethren, see poor sinners round you slumbering on the brink of woe;
Death is coming, hell is moving, can you bear to let them go?
See our fathers and our mothers, and our children sinking down;
Brethren, pray and holy manna will be showered all around.

Sisters, will you join and help us? Moses’ sister aided him;
Will you help the trembling mourners who are struggling hard with sin?
Tell them all about the Savior, tell them that He will be found;
Sisters, pray, and holy manna will be showered all around.

Is there here a trembling jailer, seeking grace, and filled with tears?
Is there here a weeping Mary, pouring forth a flood of tears?
Brethren, join your cries to help them; sisters, let your prayers abound;
Pray, Oh pray that holy manna may be scattered all around.

Let us love our God supremely, let us love each other, too;
Let us love and pray for sinners, till our God makes all things new.
Then He’ll call us home to Heaven, at His table we’ll sit down;
Christ will gird Himself and serve us with sweet manna all around.

The Sound of Sweet Grace

2008-01-24T21:25:00.000-06:00

John 9:25 He answered, "Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see."

How sweet the sound and how precious is the grace when a sinner rests and trusts in his savior Jesus Christ. As his blind spiritual eyes are made to see, he is overcome with joy and peace as he reflects on his former life of sin. With spiritual sight, he can see how wretched and blind he used to be. But now his life is new and his focus is on the things of God, the Word of God, and the people of God. The old attitudes are gone and the new has come. He has new likes and new dislikes. What once were pleasures are now sorrows. Things that once brought pride now bring shame. Grace has wrought a new creature with a new heart. It is grace. It is amazing, and its sound is sweet. What a comfort it is to know that grace will lead the believer home, when the flesh and heart fail. In the blink of an eye there will be a transformation and glory shall begin. Christian, meditate on this and take comfort.

Amazing Grace
Words By: John Newton

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

A Place Prepared By King Jesus

2008-01-21T21:05:00.000-06:00

John 14:1-3 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. (2) In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

When troubles come and our minds rush to and fro trying to figure out what to do, it is a comfort to remember that King Jesus has prepared a place for his sheep. When the sand of our personal hourglass has nearly been exhausted, we can meditate with peace and joy thinking of this glorious place where tears and suffering will not exist. It will undoubtedly be a place much like the Garden of Eden, only with perfect harmony, beauty and peace. The gardens will flourish as the creation will be set free from the bondage of corruption caused by the fall of the human race in Adam. God’s glory will shine so bright that it will never be night. Christians will see Jesus and walk with him and talk with him on the streets of gold. Praise God that Jesus has prepared a place and will fulfill his promise to come again and take his people home. Christians can rejoice and shout the victory when that last grain of sand falls through the hourglass of their life.

When we all get to Heaven
Words by: Eliza E. Hewitt

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace.
In the mansions bright and blessèd
He’ll prepare for us a place.

Refrain.....
When we all get to Heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We’ll sing and shout the victory!

While we walk the pilgrim
pathway, Clouds will overspread the sky;
But when traveling days are over,
Not a shadow, not a sigh.

Let us then be true and faithful,
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
Will the toils of life repay.

Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we’ll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.

God's Beautiful Creation

2008-01-17T15:41:00.000-06:00

Romans 1:19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.

I love photography, and landscape photography is my favorite. I love to capture a moment in time of the beauty that is found in this world. It is my Father’s world, and I have been blessed to see much beauty in my lifetime. In my minds eye I can see a Colorado wildflower meadow with snow-capped mountains in the background. I can visualize the white sand beaches with emerald colored water in the Caribbean or Hawaiian Islands. I can remember the bumblebee collecting pollen in an azalea blossom. The view of the mountaintops from the top of Handies Peak is etched in my memory. The blue ice glaciers of Glacier Bay are magnificent to remember. The view of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco from the air is awesome to recall. Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, Arches National Park, Monument Valley, The Natchez Trace, Callaway Gardens, and many more images are in my mind and in my photography collection. When I close my eyes to rest, I can select these images of my Father's world and praise God for the glory of his magnificent creation. How blessed I have been to experience and photograph so much beauty.

This is my Father’s World
Words: Maltbie D. Babcock

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.

This is my Father’s world, dreaming, I see His face.
I open my eyes, and in glad surprise cry, “The Lord is in this place.”
This is my Father’s world, from the shining courts above,
The Beloved One, His Only Son,
Came—a pledge of deathless love.

This is my Father’s world, should my heart be ever sad?
The lord is King—let the heavens ring. God reigns—let the earth be glad.
This is my Father’s world. Now closer to Heaven bound,
For dear to God is the earth Christ trod.
No place but is holy ground.

This is my Father’s world. I walk a desert lone.
In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze God makes His glory known.
This is my Father’s world, a wanderer I may roam
Whate’er my lot, it matters not,
My heart is still at home.

Near the Cross

2008-01-13T16:27:00.000-06:00

1 Cor. 2:2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

The greatest period in the history of the world occurred when Jesus Christ came to planet earth. This greatest period came into its greatest focus at the cross of Calvary. It was for this moment and this purpose that Jesus came into the world. At the cross is where Jesus Christ accomplished his mission of redeeming a people unto himself and the Father. Satan was defeated on the cross and the redemption of the people of God was secured. This is why Paul can say his focus was on nothing else but Jesus Christ and him crucified. All theology flows from the cross as everything points to this moment and this event.

Sin, wrath, love, grace, redemption, faith, and eternal life are all expressed and dealt with at the cross. Praise God for the joy and peace that Christians have when their lives, attitude, and thoughts stay near the cross. In the photo of the cemetery above, a person even wanted their remains to be near the cross. If you are down and face seemingly insurmountable problems in your life, meditate on the words of the hymn below and take comfort in being near the cross.

Jesus Keep Me Near the Cross
Words by: Fanny Crosby

Jesus, keep me near the cross,
There a precious fountain
Free to all, a healing stream
Flows from Calvary’s mountain.

In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the bright and morning star
Sheds its beams around me.

Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day,
With its shadows o’er me.

Near the cross I’ll watch and wait
Hoping, trusting ever,
Till I reach the golden strand,
Just beyond the river.

Shall We Gather At The River?

2008-01-10T14:09:00.000-06:00

Revelation 22:1-2 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb (2) through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

What a joyful passage this is for Christian meditation. This is a description of paradise regained. It is a picture of the future eternal Garden of Eden without the influence of Satan. It is a joy and a blessing to consider the reality of what is being shown to John in this vision. The first Adam fell in the Garden of Eden and caused mankind and the earth to become cursed and under bondage to corruption and sin. But God provided a second Adam in the person and work of His own son Jesus Christ to redeem the earth and his Church, the bride of Christ. In this the last chapter in the Bible we see the fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan that began immediately after the fall of Adam and Eve.

When this day is realized, the bride of Christ (the redeemed) will be together for all eternity praising and worshiping their savior the Lord Jesus Christ. The river of life will flow from the throne of God and the Lamb through the middle of the street of the City of God. The photo above gives a shadowy glimpse of what that will be like. Christians look forward and long for this great day when they can gather at the river and worship with singing and rejoicing. The beautiful hymn “Shall we gather at the River” comforts the soul as we reflect on the eternal state of Christians.

Shall We Gather At The River?
By Robert Lowry

Shall we gather at the river,
Where bright angel feet have trod,
With its crystal tide forever
Flowing by the throne of God?

Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
The beautiful, the beautiful river;
Gather with the saints at the river
That flows by the throne of God.

On the margin of the river,
Washing up its silver spray,
We will talk and worship ever,
All the happy golden day.

Ere we reach the shining river,
Lay we every burden down;
Grace our spirits will deliver,
And provide a robe and crown.

At the smiling of the river,
Mirror of the Savior’s face,
Saints, whom death will never sever,
Lift their songs of saving grace.

Soon we’ll reach the silver river,
Soon our pilgrimage will cease;
Soon our happy hearts will quiver
With the melody of peace.

Following In The Path

2008-01-07T08:23:00.000-06:00

John 10:25-28 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, (26) but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. (27) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. (28) I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

In our society there are many exclusive and prestigious groups and clubs in which people covet membership. There are golf, yacht, tennis, and all kinds of organizations that people desire to belong to in order to enhance their status, reputation, and self esteem. None of these organizations will last and the members are here for an even shorter time. In sharp contrast, this passage of Scripture in John speaks of a group that will be together for eternity. Jesus refers to a group of people that he calls his sheep and his flock. The perks of the groups for which people covet and spend large sums of money only last for a few years while the sheep of the flock that belongs to Jesus lasts for eternity and is free. Yet, the Bible tells us that many are those that covet the world and its clubs but few are those that desire to be a part of Jesus’ flock. Why is this? Jesus tells us in verse 27 very plainly and simply when he says, “My sheep hear my voice.” Does this mean the Pharisees to whom Jesus was speaking are deaf? No, it means that the sheep of Jesus’ flock have been enabled to respond to this amazing grace, while many hear, but do not respond. Oh what hope, joy, peace, and contentment belong to those who are members of the most prestigious group in the history of planet earth. These people are Jesus’ flock. They have been touched by His grace and enabled to respond in faith.

Jesus also tells us in verse 27 that he knows His sheep and they follow him. He knows them (Romans 8:29) and they respond and follow him. Just as Chief, the German Shepherd dog, consistently follows the exact same path in the photo above, Christians consistently follow Jesus in their walk. It is very important to note that Jesus’ sheep follow him after they are in his flock rather than follow Him to earn their way into his flock. Rejoicing in gratitude and obedience is the proper response for all who are in Jesus’ flock and hear His voice. He will lead them through the valley of death and bring them safely to their heavenly home.

My Sheep Know My Voice
Words By: Herbert Buffum

My sheep hear My voice, and the path that I take,
They follow wherever I go;
My sheep know My voice and come at my call,
But a stranger’s voice do they not know.

My sheep know My voice, and day by day
They abide in the fold and go not astray,
They love Me because I have made them my choice,
And they follow My call for My sheep know My voice.
My sheep know My voice, and the pastures of green,
Where I lead them so often to feed;
My sheep know My voice and the cool sparkling stream
Where beside its still waters I lead.
My sheep know My voice, and the valley of death
Through which I shall lead them some day;
But no danger nor harm can touch one of them,
For I will be with them alway.

The Proper Christian Dress

2008-01-03T07:33:00.001-06:00

Romans 3:21-25A But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

What a comfort it is for Christians to know they can stand before God on judgment day clothed in the righteousness of Christ. Through faith in his atoning sacrifice for our sins on the cross of Calvary, Christians can be secure and know that eternal life is the result of standing on the solid rock of Christ. As the great hymn below proclaims we can stand faultless before the throne dressed in his righteousness. There is not any other way to salvation as all other man-devised ways are but sinking sand.

What a comfort and joy it is to know the penalty for all our sins have been paid for by Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Furthermore, we can go boldly before the throne not only with our debt paid, but also dressed in the righteousness of Christ. Through faith in Christ we give Him our sin and He gives us his Righteousness. Praise God for providing the dress we need to stand before the throne and be accepted into the family of God.

My Hope is Built
By: Edward Mote

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

It Is Well With My Soul

2007-12-31T09:36:00.000-06:00

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Christians are not immune from sorrows in this world. This was made clear to Adam and Eve when they were thrown out of the Garden of Eden for disobeying God. God placed a curse on the ground and misery, death, and trouble became a part of human life on the earth. Due to original sin, man fell out of fellowship with God and became unable to restore this fellowship in and of himself. However, God in his mercy provided a way that man could be reconciled spiritually to a state of fellowship with God. God did this by giving his only son to be a sacrifice for the sins of all who believe in him for the free gift of eternal life. This spiritual truth is what led Paul to write, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

This rhetorical question points out that nothing or no one can harm or change the spiritual well being of all who trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life. In this physical life there will be many hardships and sorrows, but no matter what comes their way Christians can say, “It is well with my soul.”

Horatio G. Spafford wrote the hymn below shortly after he lost all four of his daughters in a ship collision in the Atlantic Ocean about two years after losing his only son to Scarlet fever. His wife survived and though they were grief stricken, he wrote the words to this powerful beloved hymn as his ship passed the spot where the ship his family was on sunk. What a comfort it is to know that God is for those that have been called according to his purpose and nothing in this physical world or in the spiritual realm can separate believers from the love of God. Praise and thank God that it is well with the souls of believers even as sorrows roll in like sea billows.

It is Well With My Soul
By: Horatio G. Spafford

When peace like a river, attendeth my way;
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
It is well...with my soul... It is well, it is well, with my soul...

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
It is well...with my soul... It is well, it is well, with my soul...

He lives--oh, the bliss of this glorious thought;
My sin, not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Oh my soul.
It is well...with my soul... It is well, it is well, with my soul...

And, Lord, haste the day when our faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,
The trumpet shall sound, and the Lord shall descend;
Even so, it is well with my soul...
It is well...with my soul... It is well, it is well, with my soul...

Peace with God

2007-12-28T08:04:00.000-06:00

Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (2) Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Peace is indeed an elusive commodity. Peace in family relationships, peace in the work place, peace in organizations, peace in the community, peace in the country, and world peace seem to always be in a state of turmoil. While it is possible to be at peace with not having peace, no human being can control or be assured of having peace with any other human being or with any human institution. In our fallen world the lack of peace is such a part of human life that it is taken for granted and considered normal. Police, lawyers, courts, laws, armies, counselors, rules, and divorce are just a few examples of things that are needed because of a lack of peace in human relationships. Man’s sinful nature has produced a world where peace between humanity is not possible, and even worse; mankind is under the wrath of God for this rebellion.

However, God has provided a way for human beings to have peace with Him. Praise God that through Jesus Christ the only peace that people really need is available. Peace with God is secured by his grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Since the promises of God are solid and enduring, peace with God is assured through this faith. Man’s peace may fail you, but the peace with God that comes through Jesus Christ is perfect and forever. You can count on it and rest in it.

No matter what our circumstances may be in this worldly life, having peace with God is far more valuable than any peace we may have with temporary worldly relationships or institutions. What a comfort it is to know that we have peace with God even if we do not have youth, wealth, health, or anything else of this world. Even death itself is but a door that carries us into the beginning of the eternal life that comes through God’s amazing grace. The older we get and the closer we get to passing through that glorious door that takes us to our heavenly home, the more praise we should have for God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Joy and thanksgiving, rather than fear, are the proper responses to such a glorious salvation. There will be peace in the valley for all that place their faith in our savior Jesus Christ. Praise and thank God for this peace that is our present possession and will be made perfect on that great day when we have peace in the valley.

Peace In The Valley
(By: Thomas A. Dorsey)

Well, I'm tired and so weary
But I must go along
Till the Lord comes and calls me away, oh yes
Where the morning's so bright
And the Lamb is the light
And the night is as bright as the day, oh yes

There will be peace in the valley for me some day
There will be peace in the valley for me, oh Lord, I pray
There'll be no sadness, no sorrow, no trouble I see
There will be peace in the valley for me!

There the flowers will be blooming
And the grass will be green
And the skies will be clear and serene, oh yes
The sun ever beams in this valley of dreams
And no cloud will ever be seen, oh yes!

Well the bear will be gentle
And the wolves will be tame
And the lion shall lay down by the lamb, oh yes
And the beasts from the wild shall be led by a child
And I'll be changed from this creature that I am, oh yes!

The Christmas gift

2007-12-20T09:07:00.000-06:00

The ultimate Christmas gift was given at Easter!

The creation story of Genesis 1 is the beginning of the redemption story of Jesus Christ that John tells us about in John 1. The Christmas story is the beginning of the redemption story of the incarnation of Jesus that is fulfilled in the Easter story.

While the Christmas story has nothing to do with the secular holiday of gift giving that it has become, it is about a priceless gift. It is about the only gift that a human being needs or will ever need. It is a free gift that was paid for by Jesus Christ in the Easter story. It is the gift of eternal life to all who have faith in the Easter story.

It is about the uncaused cause for which the secular humanists have no answer.

Romans 6:23 gives us the bottom line of having and not having this gift, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Have you received this gift? If not, then consider accepting the only gift you really need!

Oaks of Righteousness

2007-12-14T15:18:00.000-06:00

Photo: Oak Alley Plantation on Mississippi River near New Orleans.

These oaks were planted at Oak Alley in the early 1700’s, which was before the United States became a country. They are almost four hundred years old and are indeed a magnificent example of the glory of God’s creation. God is also glorified by the following prophetic passage in Isaiah where he predicts the planting of God’s people by the LORD:

Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; (2) to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; (3) to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

Jesus began his ministry by quoting from this passage and proclaiming that, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” The planting of the LORD will be called oaks of righteousness seems to indicate that God’s glory will be shown by the redeemed who will make up His Church. Jesus came to bring the good news that, through His blood, He would purchase a people unto Himself. They would be called oaks of righteousness because the LORD would not only save his people, but he would change them from the inside out with the intervention and indwelling of the Holy Spirit. An Angel of the LORD told Joseph, “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

Praise God that His redeemed are like oaks of righteousness and not like willow trees blowing in the wind.

You know them by what they practice…

2007-12-06T12:35:00.000-06:00

1 John 3:4-10 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. (5) You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. (6) No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. (7) Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. (8) Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. (9) No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. (10) By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

A leading advocate of free grace theology said the following: “When one finds a consistent line of exposition and interpretation that allows him to take the words of Scripture at their face value, in other words, for what they literally say, without the inclusion of secondary assumptions and gratuitous importation, he has found exegetical gold.”

When we look at the passage above and take it at face value and literally as he suggested, what do we learn? Is it accurate to glean the following from this passage using this exegetical method?

(1) Sin is lawlessness.
(2) Jesus is sinless and came to take away sin.
(3) No one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
(4) Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil.
(5) No one born of God makes a practice of sinning.
(6) Jesus appeared to destroy the works of the devil.
(7) There are two kinds of people: children of the devil and children of God.
(8) Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God and therefore of the devil.
(9) Whoever is born of God has God’s seed abiding in him.
(10) Those born of God cannot keep on sinning
(11) The children of God are saved and the Children of the devil are not saved.

Since being born again is a divine action performed on a person by God, doesn’t this passage indicate such a person has been changed and is a new creation just as 2 Cor. 5:17 teaches? Therefore, would it then follow that all who are born again and saved respond to this change, caused by God, by not making a practice of sinning and anyone who does make a practice of sinning is of the devil, not born again, and not saved? If this is true, wouldn’t this rule out the possibility of the “carnal Christian” concept of free grace theology, that holds that a person can be saved and yet show no discipleship, obedience, sanctification, or restraint in sinning?

What are your thoughts?

But God........

2007-11-27T15:32:00.000-06:00

Regular batteries are an illustration of human physical life and rechargeable batteries are an illustration of human spiritual life.

In the photo above, the regular batteries on the left are manufactured fully charged and can be used immediately after being purchased. With use and over time they will gradually become weaker and weaker and will eventually die. Regular batteries cannot be recharged. The rechargeable batteries on the right are designed so that they can be recharged many times. They cannot be used immediately after being purchased because they are dead and must be charged up with the charging unit. Unless an outside source (charging unit) charges them up they will never have life. Once they are fully charged they get weaker and weaker and must be recharged.

The physical life of human beings is similar to the life of the regular batteries. Human beings gradually get weaker and weaker as they age and eventually die. Likewise, the spiritual life of human beings is similar to the rechargeable batteries. Just as the dead rechargeable batteries must be charged in the battery charger to be made alive, spiritually dead men must be quickened by the intervention of God to be made spiritually alive. This is called regeneration or being born again. Man cannot regenerate or cause himself to be born again. It takes God to make a human spiritually alive just as it takes a battery charger to make a dead rechargeable battery alive. This is shown in Ephesians 2:4-5 where Paul says, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—“ While we were dead in sin, God made us alive. Notice, the passage does not say man does something and then God acts. It says that God intervenes while we were dead in sin. God’s grace brings dead sinners to life just as the battery charger brings dead batteries to life.

Jesus in John 3:3 told Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Notice, the passage does not say man sees and desires the kingdom of God and then he is born again. No, it says that he will not even be able to see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” This passage affirms that God’s work of regeneration is radical and powerful. Notice, it does not say that someone who is in Christ may be or should be a new creation. It says they are totally changed and totally new. They have a new attitude, new desires, a new world-view and a new heart. In 1 Peter 1:3 Peter says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” Notice, this passage does not say man must do something to be born again. It says that God caused it unilaterally. In John 6, Jesus says that no one can come to him unless granted by the Father. He states further that all that the Father gives him will come to him. When these two dots are connected it is apparent that all that are enabled to come do come. Since all (100%) do not come, the only conclusion is that God’s drawing power is irresistible and perfect in it’s power. Paul validated in Romans 8:30 that all that are called are justified.

The external call goes out by preachers, evangelists, and the Bible. All those who have had their spiritual battery charged to life by God have ears to hear and respond in faith. This is grace. It is the power of God that regenerates and gives a new heart to sinners that are dead in sin.

New Christians, that come to faith and are justified through the power of God’s grace, are then sanctified by the same grace. New Christians have spiritual life and Paul tells us in Romans 8 that this spiritual life will prevail. God through his grace recharges the spiritual life of Christians just like a battery charger recharges weak batteries. That is why the sanctification of a Christian may have peaks and valleys.

The power of God is at work in saving and justifying sinners by giving them spiritual life that enables them to willingly come to saving faith. This same power is also at work in sanctifying redeemed sinners. However, many are pushing a powerless gospel that leaves man alone in coming to faith in Christ. While they acknowledge that God tries to woo sinners, the ultimate power is left with man and not God. Man decides and God responds is the bottom line of this gospel. Since no effective power is available from God in justification, they conclude there is no effective power from God in sanctification. They claim that it is possible that a redeemed Christian may (in some cases) not be sanctified at all. Even if such a person renounces Jesus and becomes a life long atheist until death, he is saved due to his brief moment of faith.

Question: Do you believe God intervened in your life by giving you spiritual life or do you believe that your salvation was decided by you making the crucial decision in and of yourself?

A prayer that was not answered!

2007-11-22T20:57:00.000-06:00

1 Kings 18:20-29: So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal's prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. 24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” 25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” 26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. 27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.

In our pluralistic society it has become politically correct for apostate professing Christians to gather with priests of false religions and hold joint prayer services for different causes. We are told that we are all praying to the same God and that there are many paths to salvations and many ways to “get in touch with the Sacred.” We are told that we must take a fresh look at the Bible and deconstruct it. We are told that we should sit down and have a conversation as we consider what the Bible really means. We are told in books that everything must change. We are told that a new postmodern church is emerging. We are told in a book that Jesus had a secret message. We are told in a book title that the church should be “Re-Imagined.” We are told that discipleship and sanctification are optional. We are told that Christians should be wealthy and healthy in this world. We are told that churches should be seeker friendly and entertaining. We are told the churches that preach repentance and turning to Christ in faith are rigid and intolerant fundamentalists.

Therefore, nothing much has changed since the days of Elijah as can be seen by the Scripture passage above. The prophets of Baal prayed to a false god fervently and long in this passage, but it was to no avail. You know the rest of the story as Elijah prayed to the true and living God and his prayer was answered with power. How does a person know today which gods are false and what religions are false? In the High Priestly prayer that Jesus prayed (see below) he answered this question directly when he said, “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” In short all religions and gods are false other than the triune God of the Holy Bible. Even a reconstructed non-biblical Jesus of human imagination is a false God.

Only the true and living God who created the universe can answer prayer. He has revealed himself through prophets and most importantly through his son Jesus Christ and The Holy Bible. The gods of other so-called holy books and faith traditions are false gods and are just as impotent as Baal was on Mt. Carmel. God’s plan of using Elijah’s prayers to bring rain did not include praying with false prophets to the false god Baal.

Shouldn’t this passage give us a clue on how we are to pray today?
Any thoughts?

A prayer that most assuredly was answered!

2007-11-19T22:03:00.001-06:00

The High Priestly Prayer and some thoughts.......
17:1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Verse 2: since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.

(1) Jesus has authority over ALL flesh….

(2) Jesus gives eternal life to ALL that the Father has given him. Therefore, since ALL do not get eternal life, the Father does not give everyone that has ever lived to the son. Some are not given to the son and do not receive the gift of eternal life.

Verse 3: And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

(1) Those that are given eternal life know the only true God and Jesus Christ. They are not given eternal life for sincerely believing in false gods and false gospels. They are not given eternal life for believing in the Jesus of false holy books. The person and work of Jesus Christ as he is presented in the Holy Bible is the only Jesus that saves sinners.

Verse 5: And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
(1) Jesus Christ is fully God and pre-dates the universe with glory.

Verse 9: I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
(1) Jesus clearly states that his prayer is only for those that God has given him. These are the elect of God.
(2) Jesus specifically states he is NOT praying for everyone in the world.

(3) He is praying for a specific group of people that were given to him by the Father. Salvation is accomplished from beginning to end by God. (Romans 8:29-30)

(4) It is inconceivable that he would die for the unredeemed people for which he would not pray.
(5) It is also illogical. The atonement succeeded in securing the redemption of a people for Himself. Therefore, if He died for people who are not redeemed then his atonement would have failed for them. This would not be glorifying to God, and would insult his perfect holiness and sovereignty.

Verse 17: Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

(1) Jesus prays for those that are given eternal life to be sanctified in truth by the Father. It is by grace they are given eternal life and Jesus is asking God to sanctify them with grace. Notice that Jesus prays they will be sanctified by the POWER of God and not by left in and of themselves to accomplish their sanctification.

(2) It is beyond comprehension that God would not answer the prayers of Jesus.
(3) This would mean that all that are given the gift of eternal life are sanctified in truth.

(4) Therefore, none who are given the gift of eternal life totally refuse to be sanctified and this means that the so-called carnal Christians who refuses to obey the commands of Christ are not Christians at all. They are simply unsaved sinners who profess to be believers.

Verse 20: I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,

(1) Jesus clarifies that he is also praying for all who will be redeemed in the futur

Verse 26: I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.

(1) Jesus is asking that believers be given the same love for him that the Father has for him.

(2) Jesus affirms again that He will be in believers.

Comfort and Peace Photo Devotionals

2007-11-18T16:48:00.005-06:00

1. Peace With God
2. It is Well With My Soul
3. The Proper Christian Dress
4. Following In The Path
5. Shall We Gather At The River
6. Near the Cross
7. God's Beautiful Creation
8. A Place Prepared By King Jesus
9. Sound of Sweet Grace
10. Holy Manna
11. God is Holy
12. God will wipe away every tear
13. The Anchor Holds
14. Hidden In A Cleft
15. Beulah Land
16. Perfect Peace
17. Abide With Me
18. The Firm Foundation
19. Sins Washed Away
20. Blessed Assurance

War on Global Warming

2007-11-12T17:49:00.001-06:00

Yes, Jazzycat Farms is now green, carbon neutral, and on board with saving the planet from global warming. In order to “make a difference” we at Jazzycat Farms will began in early 2008 a series of Jazzycat Green Seminars to educate concerned citizens that are motivated to changing their lifestyles to an environmentally approved way of living. Jazzycat Farms is already actively selling carbon credits (indulgences) to elite environmentally aware liberals, and providing therapy and classes at the The Jazzycat Institute for Guilt Free Mental Health.

We are expanding to actually teach less affluent activists and citizens, who cannot afford to buy the carbon credits, how they can significantly reduce their carbon foot print. During the three day seminar you will be able to camp in your own tent. No fuel or electricity will be used for lights, heating, cooling, cooking, or any other use. Solar energy, along with hand cranked generators will be used to heat and cook your vegetarian meals. After this four day seminar, you will leave with pride in knowing that you have indeed become more educated in the GREEN techniques that are required for this WAR ON GLOBAL WARMING. The cost for this seminar is $500, which includes your vegetarian meals and space for your tent. A 10% discount will be given to everyone who arrives in hybrid vehicles and a 20% discount will be given to all who arrive on a bicycle or walking.

SEMINAR SCHEDULE:

DAY ONE:
1) Orientation and watch the Al Gore movie: The electricity for the movie will be generated by a hand cranked generator. All participants will be asked to take turns turning the hand crank.
2) Tent raising: All guests will work together as a community to put up their tents.
3) Bath Rooms and baths: Composting toilets will be used. With plenty of oak leaves on property, no paper will be allowed and water will be brought in pails from the Jazzycat Farms pond.
4) When darkness comes the activities will cease since no electricity or lights will be allowed.

DAY TWO:
1) Meditation and yoga exercise.
2) Seminar 1: How to conserve, reuse, and recycle paper products. Patching paper bags, reusing signs used for activists demonstrations. For example: When you and your organization demonstrate against, George Bush, the death penalty, and for abortion rights, do not throw your cardboard sign away. Use eco-friendly reusable stick on letters and reuse your sign. Think of the CO2 that will be saved from entering the atmosphere if only liberal activists would adopt this one simple technique.
3) Lunch: Organic foods only. Eco-friendly organic foods are foods that have not harmed the environment with any chemicals for growing or for pesticides.
4) Seminar 2: Certified green building techniques. How to build underground homes, how to build homes with hay bales, and how to build homes with hay bales and clay will be discussed.

DAY THREE:
1) Diversity celebration. A short message to extol the virtues of diversity and refute the myth of unity! Ward Churchill will deliver this inspirational message.
2) Seminar 3: Green political goals. Government control and regulation = GOOD. Individual freedom = BAD. The war on global warming must have government control and regulation. US sovereignty must be ceded to the United Nations to fight global warming.
3) Lunch: Vegetarian baloney with green persimmon juice.
4) Seminar 4: How to effectively use propaganda, manipulation, misinformation and brain washing to bring about political change. Presented by special guest Dan Rather with brief message from Bobby Kennedy, Jr.

DAY FOUR:
1) Disassemble tents, secure compost toilets, hug your favorite trees and report to open air pavilion.
2) Checklist training on how to intimidate, coerce, and harass anyone who does not profess belief in the theory that global warming is very serious and caused by human activity.
3) Checklist training on how to discredit and bring about the firing of anyone who does not respond to #2 above.
4) Final briefing on how to build the “consensus” even more by using steps 2 and 3 in your local cities.

Remember that capitalism, and individual freedom is a deterrent to fighting the WAR ON GLOBAL WARMING!