WATCH WHICH SWORD YOU WIELD

            God's word mentions two distinctly different swords, both of which are small but extremely heavy. So heavy are they, that no Christ-follower can carry both. In fact, all true disciples of Christ carry the same one, described in the following Scripture passage.

2Timothy 3:16-17(ESV) All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (17)that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

            That's right; we're talking about "The Sword of the Spirit(Ephesians 6:17). There is another sword, however, that all of us have at our disposal, whether or not we use it.

Proverbs 12:18(ESV) There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

            So, what happens when you wield your sword of choice? Does it bring healing, or grievance? Does it build people up, or tear them down? In case you haven't noticed, "sword" and "words" are interchangeable. Do you use kind words for those you want to impress, and biting words for those who are unimportant or disagreeable to you?
            Another passage of Scripture compares the tongue(symbolic of the words we utter) to the bit in a horse's mouth, a boat's rudder, and a small flame.

James 3:3-10(ESV) If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. (4)Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. (5)So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! (6)And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. (7)For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, (8)but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. (9)With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. (10)From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

            The imagery presents two functions for the tongue, or words: First, as a steering device. Second, as an instrument of destruction. But even something as positive as a steering device can, when mishandled, direct us to shipwreck on the rocks. And something as dangerous as a flame can be used to produce power or purify a substance.
            We often hear that we can be sure of our eternal destiny by "the witness of the Spirit." While the Bible indeed says that, interpreting the "witness" as the warm, comfortable feeling we get at church is exactly wrong. The hundred-percent accurate way of knowing where we are ultimately headed is simple, and far more objective than feelings; we must open our ears to the words we wield, and open our eyes to the effect we have on others.
            So please, watch what sword you wield. Your eternal life depends on it.

A dog's earnest prayer

            I watched a video, the link to which my sister sent in an e-mail, showing a dog that had been trained to assume a posture of prayer on command before snarfing its meal.
            While it was cute beyond measure, it suggest to me the sincerity, or lack thereof, displayed by the average pew-sitter (including myself at times). That begs the question: If prayer changes things--mostly human hearts--what sort of thoughts pass through people's minds when they pretend to pray, yet continue with their lives unchanged. I know that sounds cynical, even judgmental, but I've been walking with the Lord long enough to well know my own insincerity at times of rebellion, fatigue and depression; the moments when I most need to touch God's heart are when I find it hardest to reach out to Him.
            The ever living God is more polite than one would imagine for an omnipotent super-being. Oh, yes, He can pour out His wrath then those who claim to belong to Him behave unfaithfully or deny Him by their actions. Yet, He is more than willing to forgive such behavior when the transgressor sincerely repents. Praise the eternal, living God for His infinite grace.
            While the praying dog may not know why his master wants him to sit in such a strange position before eating, no one can deny his canine sincerity when performing for a meal. Yes, we can learn a lot from a praying dog.

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing



Immanuel's Veins Thomas Nelson (September 7, 2010)



by Ted Dekker

BUT FIRST, A WORD FROM OUR BLOGGER:
On pain of acute disappointment, do not miss this story. Dekker is a good bet any time for an entertaining, exciting read. Just a short disclaimer: Start this book with plenty of time to finish it. I guarantee you won't want to lay it down.

Yes, this review is terribly general. It's intended to be. Anything close to a spoiler would be a grave affront to both reader and author, as allowing Immanuel's Veins to naturally build within the reader's mind and heart is just the way it works. But I can say, without spoiling the story in the least, this story, as is life, is all about sacrificial love. God's word says He is love. Not pleasure. Not sensuality. Certainly not lust. Godly love is, by nature, sacrificial

Beg, borrow, or ... well ... buy this book, but get it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ted Dekker is a New York Times best-selling author of more than twenty novels. He is best known for stories which could be broadly described as suspense thrillers with major twists and unforgettable characters, though he has also made a name for himself among fantasy fans.

Early in his career he wrote a number of spiritual thrillers and his novels were lumped in with ‘Christian Fiction’ a surprisingly large category. His later novels are a mix of mainstream novels such as Adam, Thr3e, Skin, Obsessed and BoneMan’s Daughters, and fantasy thrillers that metaphorically explore faith. Best known among these is his Circle Series: Green, Black, Red, White and The Paradise Books: Showdown, Saint, and Sinner.

Dekker was born to missionaries who lived among the headhunter tribes of Indonesia. Because his parents’ work often included extended periods of time away from their children, Dekker describes his early life in a culture to which he was a stranger as both fascinating and lonely. It is this unique upbringing that forced him to rely on his own imagination to create a world in which he belonged.

After leaving Indonesia, Dekker graduated from a multi-cultural high school and took up permanent residence in the United States to study philosophy and religion. Upon earning his Bachelor’s Degree, he entered the corporate world and proceeded to climb the proverbial ladder. But his personal drive left him restless and, after many successful years, he traded corporate life for wide range of entrepreneurial pursuits that included buying and selling businesses, healthcare services, and marketing.

In the early nineties while visiting a friend who had just written a book, Dekker decided to pursue a long held desire to be a novelist. Over the course of two years he wrote two full length novels before starting from scratch and rewriting both. Now fully enamored by the the process and the stories, he realized that storytelling was in his blood and a new obsession to explore truth through story gripped him anew.

He sold his business, moved his family to the mountains of Western Colorado and began writing full-time on his third novel. Two years and three novels later his first novel, Heaven’s Wager, was published.

Now, Dekker’s novels had sold over 3.4 million copies worldwide. Two of his novels, Thr3e and House, have been made into movies with more in production. Dekker resides in Austin, Texas with his wife Lee Ann and two of their daughters.

ABOUT THE BOOK

This story is for everyone--but not everyone is for this story.

It is a dangerous tale of times past. A torrid love story full of deep seduction. A story of terrible longing and bold sacrifice.

Then as now, evil begins its courtship cloaked in light. And the heart embraces what it should flee. Forgetting it once had a truer lover.

With a kiss, evil will ravage body, soul, and mind. Yet there remains hope, because the heart knows no bounds.

Love will prove greater than lust. Sacrifice will overcome seduction. And blood will flow.

Because the battle for the heart is always violently opposed. For those desperate to drink deep from this fountain of life, enter.

But remember, not everyone is for this story.

If you'd like to read the first chapter of Immanuel's Veins, go HERE.

Watch the book trailer:

Here's a Real Eye-Opener
            My sister and brother-in-law sent me this link, which everyone outside the Muslim world should view.

            I must confess, I was partially deceived by the conciliatory rhetoric of American Muslims, thinking they were but a different faction of Islam, when the truth is any faithful Muslim speaking to non-Muslim infidels(ALL non-Muslims are infidels) is either lying or ignorant of al-Qur'an. Those Red, White, and Blue Muslim Americans we see on the Network News aren't necessarily Muslims embracing the American Dream. In fact, American converts to Islam are necessarily militant, as their conversion means they have studied al-Qur'an exhaustively.
            Don't believe me? Think I've caved in to the far right's propaganda? Watch the presentation if you haven't already.
            While Islam is by its very nature a unity, Christendom encourages factions, due to the pluralistic nature of God's word. Those who want Biblical grounds for their off-the-wall agenda simply have to search out a passage that seems to support it, and ignore the rest. The Bible is God's inerrant word ONLY when it is taken in its entirety, from the most reliable, original language manuscripts. Excerpts can support specific doctrines, but neither those excerpts, nor the doctrines they support, are inerrant when taken out of the entire Bible's context.
            That is not to say God cannot use modern Bible translations, paraphrases, and even translations by cultists. God can use the daily news as an instrument of personal redemption if He so chooses, but it is certainly not inerrant.
            One thing I've learned about God is He cannot be bound by human conceptions of Him, regardless how pervasive they are. That's why I don't pretend to be The Authority on all things godly. Many people, most of whom far brighter than I, have different takes on theology, and while I must necessarily stand by my own beliefs, I must also remain open to the correction of truth. 'Tis a delicate balance I, and anyone attempting to follow the way of Christ, is walking.
            Regardless, that way, walked as honestly as possible, is the only way to the Father. One of my life's Bible passages is Galatians 6:7,8

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

            God will not play our silly, religious games, be they Muslim, agnostic, or Christian. Praise God for His grace, through which He views our inner thoughts and motives, and without which we have no hope of redemption.

Convictions Of Convenience
              I listened to a very funny speaker named Jeanne Robertson recounting an ill advised trip down the Colorado River. She finished with the tale of a group of Baptist tea-totalers who, when the stress of the trip finally got to them, imbibed in some wine the guide offered.
              Seems like some stray thought always attacks my fun. When Jeanne said, "What happens on the river stays on the river," I thought, "Conviction of Convenience."
              Moral people stand on their standards until something bigger and more pressing overtakes them ... like a nice fat grudge or some wonderful person who understands them more than their insensitive spouse. Whenever I'm tempted to stand in judgment over someone whose behavior or lifestyle isn't up to my standard, I cling to a wise statement I once heard from a godly man, "But for the grace of God, there go I."
              I have no immunity to temptation, even though the Bible says I'm "dead to sin." Somewhere below the surface, I have a murderer, or an adulterer, or a homosexual, or a thief, or a liar, or a drunk ready to reach his decayed hand out of the grave and grasp my throat in a death grip. So I try to take nothing for granted.
              Now, don't get the wrong idea; I believe the Bible. But God's word isn't limited to a few "life-verses" or doctrinal proofs. God's inspired word cannot be abridged, and remain God's inspired word. That's what gives rise to "Christian" denominations and cults.
              The Bible indeed says we are dead to sin, but in the same chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans, he warns us to "let not sin reign in our mortal bodies." If the promise applied universally he would not have had to include the warning that follows the promise.
              Think about it. Adam had no "Original Sin" before he tried lying to God. He couldn't blame his sin on his "Adamic nature." So he blamed his wife, "whom You gave to be with me," who blamed the serpent. Bottom line? Man blamed God for the evil that came into his life. And a lot of good that did him.
              According to OneLook.com, one definition of conviction is, "an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence." Unshakable is the operative term, which limits our true convictions to an exceedingly narrow range. Few even begin to suspect the power convictions can wield over human affairs. In fact, convictions are never convenient.

More On Oxymorons 
             
      "CAUTION; blonde thinking," shouted the bumper sticker. My mind, though not situated under a blonde head of hair, began thinking, "Hey, that's a classic oxymoron." Any comedian will tell you that much, and Lord knows comedians never lie.
      Of course that thought led me to other, spiritual, oxymorons. "Die to live," doesn't make much sense. Neither does "give to receive," "serve to be great," "God man," or "tri-unity." Here's a doozy: "Christian Humanist." That leads to a spiritual law whose violation can be stated as an oxymoron: "Human Spirituality," declared by the following Scripture passages:

1Co 2:12-16  Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.  (13)  And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.  (14)  The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.  (15)  The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.  (16)  "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. 

1Co 1:20-21  Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  (21)  For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.

      A word(or a few) of explanation: Since Adam sold our birthright for a lie, we are no longer born as Sons of God, created in God's own image. All humans are born spiritually handicapped. Yes, similar to God, we can create, illuminate, enunciate, extricate, articulate, arbitrate, initiate, conciliate, illuminate, animate, liberate, incubate, appreciate, expiate, alleviate, and about a thousand other *ates, but unlike God, we also hate, berate, fornicate, prevaricate, fixate, annihilate, beatificate, flatulate, exfoliate, ingratiate, affiliate, circumstantiate, inoculate, hereticate, defecate, instigate, frustrate, deprecate, federate, urinate, and about a thousand different *ates.
      But the one thing we can't do in the least like God is cogitate(consider carefully and deeply; reflect upon; turn over in one's mind). That's because God's thought process considers all knowledge—from all time, past, present, and future—not just the smidgen of knowledge we have stored in our pea-brains. Yet, we bitterly complain about God's work in our lives and in the world.
      If we saw the least glimmer of His infinite wisdom we would fall on our faces in grateful, reverent adoration for His grace, love, patience and kindness to this ungrateful race, instead of complaining about circumstances or denying God even exists. God alone is worthy of praise, and only by living for His glory will we fulfill our purpose for existing and our eternal destiny. Any other outcome will be pure hell.

Tolerance is a virtue? 

       If Islamic fundamentalism is dangerous, it is because The West is so imbued with relativism that it is unable to appreciate the raw, amoral power of religious fundamentalism. For example, ask the typical American, and he/she would tell you Evangelical Christianity is fundamentalist in the same sense as Islam. That's the power of the popular news and entertainment media; what they say must be true. And therein lies the extreme danger of Islam.

      Talk about fundamentalism, pop-culture is as fundamentalist as any religion. "If you're not cool, you're dangerous, and must be kept quiet." Madison Avenue controls the West, and its influence is spreading throughout the world. But Big Money and Hollywood jointly own Madison Avenue.

      Only one thing can be said for this system: It works, even if corrupt. Most of us plug along our daily paths gratefully receiving what the System deems necessary to keep us complacent, never challenging the status quo because rocking boats tend to capsize.

      Is that wrong? Yes. Can we change it? No, because the system has factored in the small minority of lemmings who object. Well-intended grass root organizations such as the Tea Party Movement make participants feel like they're doing something proactive to change the System, but if they were to make a real difference, they would soon quietly disappear.

      The World System has existed far too long for transient jitters to seriously challenge it. And it's managed to confine the only factor it can't control: Spiritual revival! 

      Christ-followers have allowed themselves to be reduced to irrelevant, safe, comfortable, religious folks through the infusion of worldly values and the resultant, public toleration. If members of Christendom were truly Christians(little Christs), the World System could not ignore us, and God's church would advance through persecution as in earlier centuries. But we aren't, and we won't, because we're too comfortable as we are.

      All that sounds pessimistic because we want to believe goodness will triumph. But it won't, because we sold the world to The Prince of the Power of the Air, and it's his to misuse as he chooses. Our only recourse is to exist apart from the World System, even as we are subjugated by it. And how can we do that?

1Jn 2:15-17  Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  (16)  For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world.  (17)  And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

It's as simple, and as impossible as that. Impossible in the natural flesh, but in Christ, all things are possible.

      The World System controls religions, and indeed, religions are part of the World System. But the way of Christ is not a religion, even if Christ-followers live His way religiously. Confusing?

1Co 2:14-16  The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.  (15)  The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.  (16)  "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

      Though Bible passages like that earn Bible-believers the rap of being intolerant, a major faux pas in our society, we must remain so. If we were to tolerate corruption in our food, we'd soon succumb to food poisoning. If we were to tolerate lawlessness in our streets, we'd soon cower before complete anarchy. If we were to tolerate personal laziness ... well ... we'd soon join the welfare rolls. 

      Despite our cultural indoctrination, tolerance is the social equivalent of the physical law of entropy. But it will never lead to the homogenized, worldwide culture liberals everywhere crave. Rather, it will produce the very Armageddon that they are trying to avoid. For, "If a man stands for nothing, he'll soon fall for anything."

Youth Springs Eternal(or something like that)

            If you've ever found yourself in the midst of Christian young people, you've surely heard one agonized question: "What is God's will for my life?"
            That, my friend, is a noble question over which a Christ-follower might agonize. As it turns out, Jesus anticipated that question and answered it quite directly, in Paul's first letter to the believers in Thessalonica, the third chapter, verse eighteen:

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

            "Too simple," you say? Yes, simple ... but incredibly powerful
            Since gratitude is God's will for us in every circumstance, obeying that universal command will open the door for us to know His will in more specific circumstances. It's a principle Jesus Himself declared, as recorded in Luke 16:10:

The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.(NET Bible)

This principle applies in many circumstances, and not just for money, which is the context of this verse. Think about it; if we go through life dissatisfied or grousing, how could we expect God to give us even more responsibility? First, we must make good with what He's already placed in our paths. Then, once we've demonstrated our faithfulness in that little, He will be faithful to give us something bigger to do.
            In other words, if we find ourselves in the position of encouraging someone—even someone we may not like—and do it without reservation, He may give us the opportunity to show just how clean the church bathrooms can be.
            We may never expect more responsibility than we've already muffed.

Is That An Elephant Joke?

            Two of 'em, to tell the truth. Of course y'all have heard the one asking how you eat an elephant. Answer: One bite at a time.
            Here's the other one: What does an elephant look like to people without sight? Answer: Depends on what part of the elephant they touch(or smell).
            Alright, I'll admit the first one was old as a mastodon, and the second was just plain lame. But isn't a bad joke okay to make a point? In this case, two bad jokes to make two points?
            Point number one: God is spirit, so we can't see Him directly. And He is so big He could use planet Earth for a footstool. At least that's how the Bible put it so we beetle-brains could visualize it. A more accurate scale would make planet Earth—our entire solar system for that matter—just one itsy-bitsy atom in His footstool.
            Of course we won't attempt to eat Him, or His footstool, but we can see and touch the tiniest bits of this speck of His creation we call Earth. To one, God looks, smells and feels like a magnificent forest. To another, the wonders of the sea. To still another, the vast, visible cosmos. Yet, each of these grand creations is infinitesimal compared to its Creator who is both infinite and eternal. So, fellow Beetle-Brains unite! Praise the LORD(The Eternal One) our God! Worship before his footstool! He is holy! (Ps 99:5)

Father Don't Cry

            Avraham Fried composed a tender song titled Father Don't Cry^©. Here are the lyrics for the last verse:

Father in heaven
there's no reason at all
Your precious children
still are so far from home
we've done all we can
now it's in Your hands
let it end, oh, let it end,
the whole world is waiting for You

Touching, is it not? And tragic.
            Tragic, yes, but not for the obvious reason given in the song. What's most tragic is the Jews' passionate vigil for the coming of Moshiach, when He's already come and established His kingdom. And not only did they miss His coming, but they murdered Him for identifying Himself as God's Anointed King.
            Why didn't they believe He was Moshiach? No one can say He failed to prove His identity with wondrous miracles, ranging from multiplying box lunches to feed huge crowds of adults and children, to healing the blind and lame, even to bringing the dead back to life. Local folks flocked to Him for the food, healings and wisdom he provided. He even fulfilled all of the Hebrew prophesies concerning His appearance. Yet, when push came to shove, the Jewish religious leaders held an illegal trial, formed a lynch mob and had Him crucified.
            What more could He have done to prove Himself? At first, the Jewish religious establishment saw Yeshua as simply a nuisance who branded them hypocrites and whitewashed sepulchers. When the Roman conquerors heard reports of someone calling Himself The King of the Jews, however, the Jewish leadership had to take care of this upstart before the Romans kicked them out of their cushy offices of power.
            Perhaps he should have come into the world with great fanfare, instead of being born in a stable to working-class folks. Surely they would have believed Him if He had raised a mighty army to overthrow the Roman occupation, rather than gathering only twelve common men to follow Him on foot through the countryside.
            Never mind that those uneducated disciples healed the sick and cast out demons in the name of their Master. Never mind that the young carpenter from Nazareth routinely stumped and impressed the theologians and law professors.
            Even today, Jews — religious and secular alike — ignore the overwhelming evidence supporting Yeshua's identity as God's only Son after His own kind, the expected Messiah, Savior of not just Jews, but the whole world.
            Of course, the Jews have their reasons for continuing to reject Yeshua's messiahship. Though the Romans no longer occupy the Holy Land, the Roman Catholic Church has for centuries officially discriminated against Jews as the ones responsible for the Savior's grizzly death. Only recently has the Catholic Church summoned the grace to forgive the Jews. Sorry, Christendom, too little too late.
            Will the Jews ever come to accept Meshiach Yeshua? As a nation, no. Honest individuals, however, have objectively sought out the Scriptural evidence to the point where they could no longer deny Him. These "Messianic Jews" often risk ostracism from family and state, "counting it all joy" to suffer for their Messiah.
            If God can use his Holy Scriptures to convince Jews that Yeshua — Jesus, to the Goyim(gentiles) — is indeed His Anointed One, why does the rest of mankind continue resisting Him? Hard to tell; what's your excuse?