Politically correct intolerance proved

Bill Maher said the following on Fox News on Wednesday September 20: "I don't like it when people tolerate intolerance." This obviously means he would like it when people are intolerant of intolerance. This of course means that such people would be intolerant themselves if they did not tolerate intolerance. To truly be tolerant, should not tolerance be valid for the intolerant? Apparently not according to Mr. Maher.

I think we have stumbled on to the truth about Mr. Maher and the tolerance issue as articulated by the liberal left. Tolerance is only extended to those people, things, and issues that are approved by the liberal left. These approved people, things, and issues are considered politically correct and are to be tolerated. Those people, things, and issues that are not approved should not be tolerated by these keepers of the PC standards. Ask Ann Coulter if you need confirmation. Scripture describes this situation in Ephesians 2:1-2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

Christian Service

Romans 12:4-8 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all theothers. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
There are many ways that a Christian can be of service to the body of Christ. It is amazing to consider all of the things that are required to send a missionary to an overseas mission field. For example, a missionary needs education which required many school teachers and spiritual teachers over a period of 15-18 years. Financial support is required which means that contribution is required from people. These people had to perform work to earn the money before they could make a contribution. The missionary would need clothes, shoes, transportation, food, books, etc. In short, it takes nothing less than a developed economy to place a missionary on a mission field. Perhaps that is why Paul said…. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Colossians 3:23-24). There is no shortage of tasks for a person to perform for the Lord. A person should not consider what they cannot do but rather consider all the things they can do to serve Jesus Christ. The next step is to do it.

Test yourself

2 Cor 13:5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

In Air Force pilot training a student pilot is required to pass many check rides to be qualified to be a pilot. In getting ready for these check rides students have many hours of solo flights where they practice the acrobatic maneuvers and examine themselves to be sure they are prepared to pass the test. For example to do a loop in the T-38 you must be able to start at ten thousand feet, straight and level and at 500 knots. At this point you pull back on the stick and begin a rapid climb pulling several G’s with a goal of being inverted at approximately twenty thousand feet at around 220 knots. Pull too hard and you may gray out (temporarily lose vision) or possibly black out (lose consciousness). Don’t pull hard enough and you will exceed the twenty thousand feet goal at the top. From the top of the loop you will be increasing speed rapidly on the way back down and at 450 or so knots the ground will be coming toward you very rapidly. At this point not pulling hard enough on the stick could bring you to a close encounter with the ground and pulling too hard could cause you to blackout and well that would also be bad. The goal is to be back at ten thousand feet, straight and level and at 500 knots. If all student pilots had to do when check ride day came was to explain verbally how to do a loop, they would all pass. However talk is cheap and on check ride day a student pilot must be able to show that he can actually do a loop not just talk about it.

In the same manner Christians should be able to do more than just talk about their Christianity. Paul in 2 Cor. 13:5 asks professing Christians to examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Like check ride day to a student pilot, judgment day is coming and Paul knows that being in the faith is more than just claiming to be in the faith. On judgment day professing faith without possessing faith will result in failing the test. So Paul is exhorting Christians to examine themselves. We are told In 2 Cor. 5:17…. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. A Christian has been enabled and empowered by the Holy Spirit. He is different from what he was and has a new attitude with new desires and new characteristics. He has been born again and does not resemble his old self. He should be different from unbelievers and Paul is saying test yourselves to be sure you are different. How should a Christian be different from an unbeliever or a false professor?

First and foremost a Christian places his faith and trust in the atonement of Jesus Christ alone for eternal life. He understands that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man and paid the penalty for his sins by being crucified on the cross of Calvary. This fact convicts him of his sin and causes him to repent and to endeavor to turn from them. By this faith a sinner is justified in the sight of God and has eternal life. However, is this the end of the test or will a redeemed sinner show other signs of being a true Christian? Is he truly born again as John 3:3 and 2 Cor 5:17 point out or has he just made a decision similar to joining a civic club? To merely claim faith is as easy as joining a civic club. Very little is required and many such claims and professions of faith are false. However, if a sinner has been born again by the POWER of God, then he will show signs of the new birth. James in James 2:14-26 makes it clear that a claimed faith with no action or deeds is a dead faith that does not save. These deeds of good works flow from a true saving faith and are a part of Christian sanctification. Sanctification will always flow from justification and this is another way to examine yourself. Do you see sanctification in your life? I think the last part of the verse gives the answer in how to examine yourself. It says….. If you are in the faith, Christ Jesus is in you. To more fully understand what that means we look to the words of Jesus himself.

John 15:4-5 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

If upon examination a person is found in Christ, then Christ is in him and he will be different from unbelievers. He will bear fruit due to ongoing grace. He will show signs of sanctification and growth in his Christian walk due to grace. Unless of course, as the verse says, he fails the test. It should be emphasized that sanctification is a result of justification and has no merit toward justification.

Thanksgiving

1 Thessalonians 2:13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.
Thanksgiving to God flows naturally from the hearts of the redeemed….. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name (Psalm 100:4). There is a spirit of continual thankfulness that is present in Christians due to the marvelous grace that God has bestowed upon them. In many passages, the Apostle Paul expressed thankfulness to God for the grace that others also received. It gave him great joy to see the Holy Spirit seal God’s gospel to believers through the preaching of the Word of God. Thanksgiving and joy go together in the Christian life….From them will come songs of thanksgiving and the sound of rejoicing (Jeremiah 30:19). Another characteristic of thanksgiving that the Bible teaches is the use of music and musical instruments to express thanksgiving to God….. Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp (Psalm 147:7). The more that Christians understand that everything they receive comes from God, the more they express thanksgiving and praise to the Holy God that created and sustains the universe…. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17). Christians that understand this are thankful people who have an outward focus on God rather than an inward focus on self.

Romans 8 Photo Meditations

Romans 8:1
Romans 8:2
Romans 8:3
Romans 8:4
Romans 8:5
Romans 8:6
Romans 8:7
Romans 8:8
Romans 8:9
Romans 8:10
Romans 8:11
Romans 8:12
Romans 8:13
Romans 8:14
Romans 8:15
Romans 8:16
Romans 8:17
Romans 8:18
Romans 8:19
Romans 8:20
Romans 8:21
Romans 8:22
Romans 8:23
Romans 8:24
Romans 8:25
Romans 8:26
Romans 8:27
Romans 8:28
Romans 8:29
Romans 8:30
Romans 8:31
Romans 8:32
Romans 8:33
Romans 8:34
Romans 8:35
Romans 8:36
Romans 8:37
Romans 8:38-39
























End

Judge not

Matthew 7:1-5 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Jesus, in the above passage, admonishes the practice of harsh continual judging of others while ignoring and overlooking one’s own faults and sins. When a Christian first looks inward at his own sin and sinful condition, he will be less inclined to hastily condemn and express judgment on others. Does this mean that a Christian should not condemn sin? Absolutely not! The Bible, in many passages, teaches Christians to judge sin and to discern good vs. evil. Paul said…. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things…..(1 Cor. 2:15) and Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them…. (Ephesians 5:11). Although a Christian has this calling to judge sin and evil, he should be extremely careful in judging brothers that are practicing sin. A spirit of love and compassion should be extended to those brothers involved in sin, with a mindset of encouraging and helping them defeat sin…. Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently….. (Galatians 6:1). Love the sinner but hate the sin is certainly the correct attitude to have. Church officers (Elders) have the responsibility to administer church discipline, as required, to church members…. Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you (1 Thess. 5:12). Church leaders or members have no business or authority to judge anyone outside of the Church…. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?….(1 Cor. 5:12). God has given civil governments the power to establish and enforce civil laws for all people…. Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God (Romans 13:1).

Joy

Acts 2:28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’
Joy is the second fruit of the Spirit listed (Galatians 5:22). Christian joy is a fruit that is given by the Spirit and is a feeling of bliss that comes from being redeemed by God….The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family (Acts 16:34). The verse listed under the photo above points out that God has made known through his Word, the Holy Bible, the paths of life which will lead to being filled with joy. Thus, living a life in accordance with God’s direction will bring a person joy and a closer walk with The Lord. These blessings from God come through the power of the Holy Spirit…. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). The Bible is full of passages that extol the joy that comes from a right relationship with God….Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs (Psalm 100:1-2). David even asked God to restore the joy of your salvation after being confronted with his sin of adultery with Bathsheba (Psalm 51:12). What a blessing from God when a Christian feels and lives the joy that is a result of his salvation.

Worship

Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,
The writer of Hebrews, in this verse, not only tells Christians what they are going to receive but tells them to be thankful and to worship God in an acceptable manner. He names reverence and awe as two things necessary for this worship to be acceptable. From this verse, it logically follows that there must be ways of worship that are not acceptable to God. Therefore, men should stay away from the unacceptable ways of worship which would be anything that the Bible does not specifically direct man to do. In short, the worship of God should be done as prescribed by the Bible and not by the whims and imaginations of men. The Bible says the following when discussing proper worship…. See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it (Deuteronomy 12:32). Therefore, the basic principle concerning worship to God is that it should be done in the manner as prescribed by the Bible with nothing added or nothing removed. Worship to God can be ineffective and useless as Jesus verified when he quoted the Prophet Isaiah …. These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men (Matthew 15:8-9). The Westminster Confession of Faith article 21 contains the elements of proper worship that God has instituted in Holy Scriptures. The churches that have the seeker friendly worship services that are popular today should take care to insure that their worship services are God centered and God friendly. God does not call worldly principles to the church but rather calls sinners from worldly principles.

Prayer request

Please remember the 25 year old wife of my nephew Brett in your prayers. Her name is Shelley and she will be having brain surgery on Tuesday Aug. 29 for the removal of a small tumor contained in a cyst.

Pride

1 John 2:16 For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.
The dictionary defines one form of pride as inordinate self-esteem. The Bible and history reveal that this kind of prideful self-esteem has caused much pain, suffering, and strife throughout human history and is no virtue. Yet, many touted experts think, and popular secular opinion seems to agree, that in materialistic self-absorbed America today low self-esteem is a problem, especially with young people. You will hear it said that teachers should be careful not to harm the self-esteem of their students. They believe America needs more of the very thing that has caused so many problems for the human race. Jesus, in the sermon on the mount, expressed a different view of prideful self-esteem. The first thing he said was…. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3). The opposite of pride is humility and Jesus is saying that the humble are blessed. The Matthew Henry commentary on that verse says ….” The poor in spirit are happy…….They are humble and lowly in their own eyes. They see their want, bewail their guilt, and thirst after a Redeemer. The kingdom of grace is of such; the kingdom of glory is for them.” Paul also taught that humility is a characteristic of a Christian…. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love (Ephesians 4:2). Paul warned that in the last days people would be proud, boastful, and lovers of themselves (2 Timothy 3:2). A focus on self with pride is a value of the world; whereas, a focus on God with humility is a value of Christianity.

Gambling

1 Timothy 6:9-10 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
The dictionary defines gambling as betting on an uncertain outcome. Casino gambling is anything but uncertain because the mathematical advantage is held by the house, and the house will always win with repetition and time. They get plenty of repetition and are open 24 hours a day seven days a week which insures they will always win week by week, month by month and year by year. Just as a spider builds his trap bigger and better, casino operators build their traps with more lights, glitz and entertainment. Some people consider it harmless entertainment, but there is a percentage of people who will become addicted and bring devastation and financial ruin to their lives and also their families’ lives. Crime, divorce, and even suicide are all part of the cost of this ‘entertainment’. Entertainment was also very big in Sodom and Gomorrah, but it was not harmless there and it is not harmless in the United States. Las Vegas did not get the nickname Sin City without reason, and for a Christian, or anyone else, to view gambling as just another form of entertainment is pure folly. As Paul said…. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life (Galatians 6:7-8). Think of the good that could result if the money, lost every year to gambling by professing Christians, were instead invested to please the Spirit instead of the sinful nature. May God enable us to sow wisely.

Evangelism

Fly fishing in North Carolina
Jesus last command was to evangelize…. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (Matthew 28:19). Jesus also told his disciples…."The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37-38). Paul in his letter to Philemon encouraged him to share his faith…. I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith,…... (Philemon 1:6). Peter instructed Christians to not only share their faith but to be prepared…. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, (1 Peter 3:15). Being prepared means knowing the gospel, knowing how to effectively communicate it to others and, as Peter says, do it with gentleness and respect. Such ministries as Evangelism Explosion (EE) teach effective ways to present the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Knowing the gospel and knowing how to present it properly are two totally different things. The EE evangelism ministry always asks permission before sharing. It avoids arguments. It affirms the truth of the gospel without being confrontational. It keeps the gospel message from being side tracked and it precludes objections. The Apostle Paul used similar techniques…. Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious (Acts 17:22). To be successful in fly fishing it takes knowledge, planning, preparation, and discipline. It is no different in evangelism. The EE ministry depends on an outline that breaks the gospel into five parts: Grace, man, God, Jesus Christ, and faith.

Worldliness

Windsor Ruins near Port Gibson, Mississippi where a once beautiful home is no more.
The desires, goals and focus of a Christian are not on the things or pleasures of this world….Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2). The world is presently controlled by Satan and he has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel (2 Cor. 4:4). Jesus told his disciples that they were chosen out of the world and would be hated by the world….If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you (John 15:19). Jesus also makes the point in this passage that the world will love people who belong to the world, and he even warns that when all men speak well of you, you have a problem (Luke 6:26). Jesus is basically saying that worldly people love the pleasures, things, and principles of this world and will love people of a like mindset. In A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections, Jonathan Edwards explores the signs of a true Christian and said the following…..”those who are spiritual are set in opposition to natural men, and carnal men.” It is obvious that the secular world is not going to speak well of men and religious leaders who are in opposition to the prevailing politically correct standards of the world. This is currently evident in the debate of such issues as abortion, homosexual marriage, gambling, pluralism, etc. It is especially interesting to note the religious leaders that are spoken well of by the media and those that are not. Those leaders that are well received have adopted views that are in accord with the prevailing secular world view. The Bible says the following about their popularity: You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God (James 4:4). The early Christians were faced with a decision of whether to obey God or man. That is still true today. Choose wisely who you obey.

God's Wrath

Romans 5:9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!
Sin is why sinners need to be saved, Satan is involved, and hell is the final destination for unsaved sinners. But, what are sinners saved from? In Romans 5:9, Paul teaches that sinners are saved from the wrath of God. From Romans 1:18 through Romans 3-19 Paul explains the bad news about mankind and God’s wrath. The popular thinking that man is basically good is not the conclusion Paul presents. Paul makes the point that sin is pervasive, effects 100% of mankind and that God is very much offended by sin. Man may be considered basically good by human standards, but by God’s standard of perfect obedience to the moral law, man falls very short indeed. Jesus, in his sermon on the mount, taught that observing the law of God goes much deeper than outward observance (Matthew 5-7). He taught that the inward condition of the heart mattered and compared anger with murder and looking at a woman lustfully as adultery. With those kind of standards it is obvious that everyone is born under the condemnation of God’s wrath….All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath (Ephesians 2:3). It is also obvious that man, by himself, is powerless to save himself and have peace with God. Paul came to that conclusion and said…..What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 7:24-25)! God’s wrath is real, and although man cannot save himself, faith alone in Jesus Christ alone can save completely…..Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them (Hebrews 7:25). Jesus saves completely. It does not take Jesus plus baptism, Jesus plus works, or Jesus plus anything. Praise God for his Amazing grace.

Hell

Jesus descended into hell before he rose from the dead so that sinners would not have to receive the justice due for their sins. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound.
In today’s culture it is not popular to acknowledge and consider the reality of the Biblical concept of hell. This is due primarily to a failure of human beings to understand the holiness and goodness of God and also the sinfulness and depravity of mankind. In short, man is considered to be ‘basically good’ and God is thought of as not being very serious about sin and as loving sinners unconditionally. God’s unconditional love implies that sinners do not have to worry about the consequences of sin or even make an effort to refrain from sin. This is an unbiblical concept of sin and God’s character. God is love and does not want to punish sinners, but he is also just and must punish sin to remain true to his character traits of truth, justice, and holiness. This sin is punished in hell as Jesus himself pointed out many times. The parable of Lazarus mentioned above is an example. Jesus, in his atonement, not only died a physical death to pay the penalty for sin, he also descended into hell and received the punishment of eternal death to pay the spiritual penalty for the sins of the redeemed. Through the atonement of Jesus, God executed his justice on sin in the person of Jesus Christ and justified those who have faith in Jesus …. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus (Romans 3:25-26). Jesus went to hell for those sinners that put their faith in him. Sinners who do not put their faith in the atonement of Jesus for their sin debt will have to make the one way trip to hell and pay their own penalty for sin. The sentence duration is eternity and there is no pardon or parole provisions. The better choice is to accept, through faith alone in Christ alone, God’s offer to be declared not guilty on judgment day.

Heaven

There will be no rust in heaven….
The Bible tells us the following about heaven: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away (Revelation 21).” This is a beautiful picture of the glory of heaven and the joyful eternal life that those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life will enjoy….. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life (Revelation 21:27). The great news about heaven is that it is a free gift of God by the grace of God (Romans 6:23 & Ephesians 2:8-9). This free gift of eternal life is received by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. To quote from a great hymn…..’Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling.’ After receiving this grace, the Holy Spirit will also move a person to a new focus and purpose in life. This new purpose and focus will mean that a sinner will be interested in storing up treasures in heaven. This will occur out of gratitude and love for Jesus Christ and not as an attempt to earn favor or merit.

Marriage

Mark 10:6-9 “But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”
Jesus in the passage above very clearly defines marriage. This definition by Jesus is under attack in the United States as the Supreme Court in Massachusetts has ruled that same sex marriages can not be prohibited by the state of Massachusetts. This puts Biblical teaching on marriage on a collision course with the state. Nevertheless, true Christian Churches can only recognize the marriage of one man and one woman as being legitimate and cannot perform these unbiblical marriages. Apostate Churches can perform as many same sex marriages as they want, but discerning Christians must obey God and not the state or false prophets…. Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29)! The Bible also gives other guidelines for marriage, such as a believer should not marry an unbeliever and that adultery or desertion should be the only causes sufficient to dissolve a marriage (1 Cor. 7:15,39, Matthew 19:9). The Biblical standard of commitment in marriage is much greater than the contemporary culture practices. There can be no doubt that the little boy fishing in the photo above is best nurtured by being in a family of one man married to one woman who are committed to providing an environment that will best convey the values and morals which have given our society the freedom and prosperity it enjoys. When one studies the development of western civilization, it is clear that the Christian model for a family is the best option for society. One goal of every Christian that enjoys this family blessing should be to reach out with compassion to help, assist, and pray for those that are not part of such a family unit. In our culture today there are many opportunities to minister and help such people as our savior Jesus Christ commanded us to do. The proper response to the ungodly forces at work in America today should be one of love to all people with an uncompromising commitment to Biblical teaching.

Abortion

Psalms 139:13-16 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Abortion is the killing of human life in its mother’s womb. It is not part of the woman’s body, and a short time after conception it has its own heartbeat and circulatory system. To justify abortion under the pretense of a right to privacy defies logic in that it justifies killing as a privacy right. Who can forget the photo of the 21 week (after conception) old baby that was operated on in its mother’s womb? The photo shows a tiny hand holding on tightly to a doctor’s finger and is a devastating indictment of the abortion culture. Not many people have seen this photo due to the liberal pro-choice leaning of the main stream media which ignored it and even directed one journalist not to show it. This particular journalist resigned over the censorship. This photo can be easily found on the internet. Most liberal political leaders overwhelmingly supports abortion, including the ghastly partial birth abortion procedure which kills a baby that is partially born. The most recent president (Bill Clinton) vetoed the bill banning this procedure. President George Bush finally signed the law after he took office. When John Kerry made the statement that he wants abortion to be, legal, safe, available, and rare, it was obvious that he realized it is wrong. Why should it be rare if nothing is wrong with it? It certainly has not been rare as millions of abortions have been performed since it became legal. While God has ordained whatsoever comes to pass, he is not the author of the sin. He has given people free will and allows them to sin, including the sin of abortion… This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live (Deuteronomy 30:19).

Love

Jazzy Cat on the left with her sister Cuffy

Love one another….
The core value of the Christian walk of sanctification is love. When Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment in the Law he said…. “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40). Love is the first fruit of the spirit listed in Galatians 5. Chapter 13 of First Corinthians says... If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

One Way

There is only one way to this mountain top in Colorado and the road that gets there is narrow. Not many people find and use this road.
Just as there is only one way to get to this Colorado mountain top, there is also only one way to receive salvation and eternal life and that is through grace alone, by faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone. The accusation is made that Christianity is being exclusive in teaching that this is the only way to God. Since the offer is made to all human beings, it is not exclusive at all (John 3:16). The complaint is not that God has made his chosen way of salvation exclusive, but that God has not accepted the other ways that human beings have devised as a means to salvation. Their thinking is that Christianity (God) is being harsh for not validating the Gods of their imagination as being equally acceptable ways to salvation. How dare God not accept false gods as a means to salvation is the absurdity of their thinking. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, died a cruel death so that men could receive eternal life. If there were any other way for God to reconcile mankind to himself, do we really think he would still have sacrificed his son to be just one of many ways to eternal life. That would be like a Doctor telling a father that his son had an infection in his heart and the father could either donate his own heart and die or give his son a pill that would cure the infection. The truth is this: The sin of human beings is so drastic to God that it required the atonement of a perfect person with an infinite worth. The Bible reveals that God’s chosen means for human beings to gain access to this atonement for their sins is through faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Men can devise all the false religions they want, but there is only one way to be right with God as Jesus himself said…. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).