Head-dibs

There are two ways to view missions and missionary work: We could be like the old-time shoe salesman who, upon finding that in his new territory no one wore shoes, wrote back to his company and said, "Don't send any shoes because nobody here wears them." Or . . . We could be like the other shoe salesman who came to the same territory and wrote the company saying, "Send all the shoes you've got because nobody here has any!"

“I do not go to heaven to be advanced but to give honor to God. It is no matter where I shall be stationed in heaven, whether I have a high or low seat there, but to live and please and glorify God . . . My heaven is to please God and glorify Him, and give all to Him, and to be wholly devoted to His glory." (David Brainard, 1718 - 1747)

" A constant dripping on a day of steady rain and a contentious woman are alike ." (Proverbs 27:15) "Harping on the same string is an imposition on another person’s time and ears. The identical tune gets monotonous, and in time will vex the most patient listener. There is no quicker way to cause the welcome mat to shrink. The squeak of the hinges on the man’s door as you exit is sweeter to him than your onestring harping. Enough is enough. And the kindest thing we can say is that it is a plentiful lack of good judgment. That others may enjoy you, learn to play more than one tune." (Leroy Brownlow, 1914 - 2002)

The way in which we need to stand in the face of opposition is aptly described by a word the British use, “steady.” To illustrate this word’s meaning, picture a British commander in the 19th century as he and his regiment were being approached by a horde of Bedouins brandishing swords. As he examines his past experience, his present capability, and meditates on the future sense of accomplishment, being confident of victory, he remains “steady.” As believers, we need to realize we can rely upon the testimony of God’s past accomplishments, His present work in our lives, and His promise of ultimate victory, and remain steady in the face of opposition. " Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might . . . Stand firm therefore . . . be on the alert with all perseverance and petition ." (Ephesians 6:10, 14, 18)

One of our local papers here in Columbia published the following in the Crime Blotter: "A March 1 complaint on behalf of South Carolina Electric & Gas Co. said someone purposely struck a lamppost near a Greene Street sidewalk, causing about $500 in damage. OK, so how do they know if someone did it on purpose or it was an accident? And are we talking a car hitting it, or a person? Because, you know, if the Hulk is running around smashing lampposts that’s need-to-know info." Thought you would be interested. Just in case . . .

A few of weeks ago I made a post that included a reference to John Cage's "musical" work, "4'33"" (a composition of silence, not music). As if it could get it any weirder, read this bizarre case of a man who was sued for stealing Cage's work, which of course he did not because Cage's piece was for piano--this piece was for clarinet . . . Speaking of stealing, here's a guy who tried to sue magicians David Blaine and David Copperfield for stealing his "godlike" powers . . . And to top it off, here's a guy " who claimed he violated his own civil rights by getting arrested filed a $5 million lawsuit against himself . . ."

After a long run of battle through the night, a trembling voice was heard to say, "Things look pretty dark, don't they?" Came the reply, "But the king says there's hope, sir! 'Tis always morning somewhere in the world." ************ " Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God . " (Psalm 43:5)

If a child gets $1.00 for the offering plate and $7.00 for the movies, what set of values will he keep for the rest of his life?

Oil, gas, and diamonds are precious commodities today but without tremendous pressure of earth on organic matter and time to develop, there would be just organic matter. So it is with the man of God as he responds with trust in God; He uses the daily pressures of life to mold quality into the man of God.

A young man was talking with an astronomer when the conversation touched on spiritual matters. The astronomer said, “Do you want to hear my philosophy of Christianity?” The young man said, “Yes!” “My philosophy," said the astronomer, "is the Golden Rule, doing unto others as you’d have them do unto you, and God will treat you all right.” The young man responded, “Would you like to hear my philosophy of astronomy? Twinkle, twinkle little star!”

Someone wrote to a friend: "If the universe was designed perfectly our sun would not be set to nova and wipe out our entire solar system in 23 million years. And even if we could escape our solar system (which would take 4 lifetimes at the fastest we can travel currently) the Andromada galaxy is expected to colide with ours in about 20 billion years. Humans are destined for extiction if not by our own means then ether the nova or andromeda colosion, or comet. Would a universe created for us by a loving god be destined to exterminate us along with every other living thing this planet has harboured? I would hope he's a better designer than that. I suppose the rapture will happen long before any of this occurs though right? And the faithfull will be saved?" When God created everything, He said repeatedly it was good. Stars going nova does not mean that the universe is imperfect, or that God is not loving if ours does the same. The universe is doing exactly what He made it to...

Baptism is like a wedding ring: they both symbolize transactions. A wedding ring symbolizes marriage, just as baptism symbolizes salvation. A ring does not make you married, nor does baptism save you. And is a person doesn’t have a ring, you can almost assume that they are not married. In NT times, if a person was not baptized, you could almost assume that they were not believers. And so baptism is a symbol of salvation and should not be taken for granted. Ray Stedman tells how a pastor once related t0 him the occasion of preparing to baptize a young girl in a beach-front gathering. He told of how he wanted to make certain she understood what baptism meant. As he questioned and talked, he noticed that his hand cast a shadow on the sand. He said to the girl, "Do you see the shadow of my hand on the sand? That is not my hand, but the shadow of my hand. The hand is the real thing. When you came to Jesus, when you turned from your sin and believed in Jesus, that was the real...

“Coincident with the rise of the gay rights movement in recent years has been an increasing focus on the biblical statements regarding homosexuality or sodomy. As part of this focus, the meaning of the term rsenokotai (arsenokoitai, "homosexuals"), used twice by the apostle Paul (1 Cor 6:9; 1 Tim 1:10), has received vigorous scrutiny.” (DeYoung, James. “ The Source and NT Meaning of ἀρσενοκοίτη [arsenokoitai], with Implications for Christian Ethics and Ministry .”) “American is entangled in the most heated battle of the culture wars to date. Many consider it a Waterloo. State supreme courts and city governments, senators and congressmen, community leaders, celebrities, and even clergy all have mounted a powerful offensive in support of gay "marriage." What follows is a point-by-point reply to those who are demanding this revision of civilization.” (Koukl, Greg. “ Same-sex Marriage Challenges and Responses .”) “For the past fifteen years, homosexual activists h...

"The contemporary church has the idea that salvation is only the granting of eternal life, not necessarily the liberation of a sinner from the bondage of his iniquity. We tell people that God loves them and has a wonderful plan for their lives, but that is only half the truth. God also hates sin and will punish unrepentant sinners with eternal torment. No gospel presentation is complete if it avoids or conceals those facts. Any message that fails to define and confront the severity of personal sin is a deficient gospel. And any 'salvation' that does not alter a lifestyle of sin and transform the heart of the sinner is not the salvation God's Word speaks of." MacArthur, John. "He Recieves Sinners But Refuses The Righteous." The Gospel According To Jesus . Zondervan: Grand Rapids, 2008. p. 73-74

Lately I've been spending more time surfing websites representative of various world views. One cannot help but notice how so many are thriving on enmity against others while simultaneously striving for unity amongst the like-minded. Each group at bottom presents in various ways one common desire: unity. As to what that unity is, who it includes, how it is achieved, why it is necessary, etc. is of widespread opinion; however, a closer look at each cause reveals that unity is not really the goal, but reconciliation. Mankind is ultimately hard at work in the context of discord, stress, anxiety. Relationships are strained inidividually, ethnically, nationally, politically, religiously; yet, people are invariably desiring to reach a resolution, bridge a gap, inaugurate change, repair the breach, compose harmony. But what is the adversary? Man and (blank) are at odds. What is the (blank)? The Epicureans (in their various forms today) teach that which brings the most pleasure is that whi...

"Paul never glamorized the gospel! It is not success, but sacrifice! It's not a glamorous gospel, but a bloody gospel, a gory gospel, and a sacrificial gospel! 5 minutes inside eternity and we will wish that we had sacrificed more!!! Wept more, bled more, grieved more, loved more, prayed more, given more!!!" --Leonard Ravenhill "OH HOW LITTLE we want to suffer for the sake of the Gospel. Yet many will be deprived of food, sleep and comforts for mere carnal toys, pleasures and sports. Paul suffered much for a eternal crown, an eternal prize, he realized what was at stake. Thank God for the witness of Scriptures showing us the early Christian’s attitude to these things. We read in the book of Hebrews at the tenth chapter: “For ye had compassion of me in my bonds and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.” These believers realized that possessions in their earth were passing, fleeting...

"Save me from the error of judging a church by its size, its popularity or the amount of its yearly offering. Help me to remember that I am a prophet--not a promoter, not a religious manager, but a prophet. Let me never become a slave to crowds. Heal my soul of carnal ambitions and deliver me from the itch for publicity. Save me from bondage to things. Let me not waste my days puttering around the house. Lay Thy terror upon me, 0 God, and drive me to the place of prayer where I may wrestle with principalities and powers and the rulers of the darkness of this world. Deliver me from overeating and late sleeping. Teach me self-discipline that I may be a good soldier of Jesus Christ . . . . And now, 0 Lord of heaven and earth, I consecrate my remaining days to Thee; let them be many or few, as Thou wilt. Let me stand before the great or minister to the poor and lowly; that choice is not mine, and I would not influence it if I could. I am Thy servant to do Thy will, and that w...

"Some years ago I read a magazine interview of a certain well-known pastor. The gist of his statement was: 'I decided that the pulpit was no longer to be a teaching platform but an instrument of spiritual therapy. I no longer preach sermons; I create experiences. I don’t have time to write a systematic theology to give a solid theological basis for what I intuitively know. What I intuitively believe is right. Every sermon has to begin with the heart. If you ever hear me preaching a sermon against adultery, you’ll know what my problem is. If you ever hear me preaching a sermon about the coming of Jesus Christ, you’ll know that’s where I am heart wise. It so happens I’m not hung up on either of those areas so I’ve never preached a sermon on either one. I could not in print or in public deny the virgin birth of Christ or the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ or the return of Christ. But when I have something I can’t comprehend, I just don’t deal with it.' That i...

“Doesn’t everyone know what forgiveness is? Why, when someone has wronged me, I expect him to come and apologize. Then I tell him, ‘That’s OK.’ That’s forgiveness isn’t it?” (Adams, Jay. “ What Is Forgiveness? ”) “How may I, a sinner, draw near to God in whom there is no sin, and look upon His face in peace? This is the great question which, at some time or other, every one of us has asked. This is one of the awful problems which man in all ages has been attempting to solve.” (Bonar, Horatius. “ How Shall A Man Be Right With God? ”) “Blessed are they whose iniquity is forgiven. This exclamation springs from the fervent affection of the Psalmist's heart as well as from serious consideration. Since almost the whole world turning away their thoughts from God's judgment, bring upon themselves a fatal forgetfulness, and intoxicate themselves with deceitful pleasures; David, as if he had been stricken with the fear of God's wrath, that he might betake himself to Divine mercy, awa...

“To preach a social gospel without the redemptive background of the individual salvation from sin of the individual sinner is like launching a glider instead of a high— powered plane. A glider may soar for a while on the fickle currents of the wind, and climb high on some sudden up-draft, but it is the four whirl-wind motors that will carry a bomber to the stratosphere and jet-propulsion and rockets that will take a plane beyond the speed of sound." Donald G. Barnhouse, "Man’s Ruin" (Wheaton, 1952), p. 161—162.

Hai Kawan! Saya akan mengajukan pertanyaan yang paling penting di dalam kehidupan ini. Kebahagiaan dan kesusahan Anda dari sekarang sampai selama-lamanya akan bergantung pada jawaban Anda. Pertanyaannya adalah: Apakah Anda sudah diselamatkan? Ini bukan pertanyaan tentang perbuatan baik Anda, bukan juga apakah Anda anggota gereja, tetapi apakah Anda sudah diselamatkan? Apakah Anda yakin akan masuk surga setelah meninggal dunia. Allah mengatakan bahwa untuk dapat masuk ke surga, Anda harus dilahirkan kembali. Dalam Yohanes 3:7, Yesus berkata kepada Nikodemus, "Kamu harus dilahirkan kembali." Dalam Alkitab, Allah memberikan rencana bagaimana caranya untuk dapat dilahirkan kembali yang berarti diselamatkan. Rencana-Nya sangat sederhana! Anda dapat diselamatkan hari ini juga. Bagaimana caranya? Pertama-tama kawanku, Anda harus sadar bahwa Anda adalah orang berdosa. "Karena semua orang telah berbuat dosa dan telah kehilangan kemuliaan Allah" (Roma 3:23). Karena Anda adala...

Друг мой! Позвольте задать вам самый важный вопрос на свете, от ответа на который зависит чем будет полна для вас вечность - радостью или тоской. Этот вопрос - получили ли вы спасение? Речь идет не о том, хороший ли вы человек и принадлежите ли вы к какой-нибудь церкви, а о том, получили ли вы спасение? Уверены ли вы, что попадете после смерти на небеса? ************ Дорогий мій друже! Дозволь поставити тобі таке питання, яке перевищує всі цінності твого життя. Від правильної розв'язки цього питання залежить твій стан у вічності: чи буде він щасливий чи сумний? Говорячи коротко, питання зводиться до того: "Чи спасенний ти?" Зрозумій це питання! Бо справа не в тім, що ти, може, є членом якоїсь церкви. Це річ зовнішнього порядку. Але сутність питання полягає в тім: Чи спасена твоя душа? ************ Follow this link for an English translation.

By Warner Todd Huston March 7, 2009 - 03:45 ET The Obamas, Barack and Michelle both, pretty much diplomatically botched the recent visit of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife. Oddly enough, the U.S. Old Media seems uninterested in the story that is a hot topic in England, a story that's left many Brits a bit miffed. As the visit of the national leader of our closest ally began, the President informed the Brits that he wouldn't be attending the joint press conference that was planned to be held once PM Brown's plane touched down. This threw the visiting delegation into a tizzy leaving them scrambling to explain the sudden change in plans to the folks back home. Still, meetings were had and things smoothed out. Eventually the visit seemed to right itself... then came the Obama's gift gaffes. Here is the full article .

“If we are honest about what we are, proud of what we do and unwilling to disapprove of the actions and attitudes of others no matter how offensive they are, we have arrived at modern society's highest sense of goodness and value.” --Bob Dewaay, at Twin City Fellowship

The joy in excercising my liberty of loving my brother is infinitely superior to the joy in excercising my liberty of hurting him.

"Either take Christ into your lives or cast Him out of your lips. Either be what thou seemest, or be what thou art." William Dyer (1611-1660)

If evolution is true, then what heart specialists have noticed about the common sports spectator should stand as a warning: body weight, blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol and trigycerides go up. Vital capacity, oxygen consumption, flexibilty, stamina and strength go down. Oh, those things that make you go, "hmmmmmmmm . . ."

Down in the children's center of our local library, there is an activity area where, among other things, children can make works of art and post them. Two pieces caught my eye: The red rectangle in the middle says, "Jesus Loves You." This one says, "I love Jesus and you should love Him too!" Law and Gospel from the hands of children! I would shake the hands of their parents . . .

A certain individual shares his thoughts: "A friend asked me to reflect on some controversy over the public statements emerging from The Vatican on the subject of evolution and Christian Faith. This is certainly not authoritative information from the Catholic Church, but personal reflections and observations from one who finds his home within that Church. My father was probably the most devout man I knew. His piety and faith were both inspiring and a stumbling block to me. The inspiration is obvious, a man of such easy intelligence who never discarded the depths of faith in God and belief in Jesus as His Son, our Savior. The stumbling block may be tougher to understand, unless you are a boy, trying to be like Dad. I felt I could never achieve such heights, nor such certainty and sure knowledge as he possessed. Dad was a man of science.He had a PhD and a constantly challenging inquisitive mind which made him both a font of knowledge to me and a goad, encouraging and tasking me to...

“Cursed be every preacher who aims at lofty topics in the church, looking for his own glory and selfishly desiring to please one individual or another. When I preach I adapt myself to the circumstances of the common people. I don’t look at the doctors and masters . . . but at the young people and children. It is to them that I devote myself. Take pains to be simple and direct.” “If I profess with the loudest voice and the clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little portion which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle of truth rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proven.” (Martin Luther, 1483 - 1546) “Even sermon making, incessant and taxing as an art, as a duty, as a work, or as a pleasure, will harden and estrange the heart by neglect of prayer from God. The scientist loses God in nature. The preacher may lose God in his sermon.” (E. M...

A music teacher was visited by an old friend who greeted him with, “So . . . what’s the good news today?” Taking a tuning fork out of his shirt pocket, the teacher walked across the room, and struck the fork. As the note sounded out across the room he said, “That is the sound of an ‘A.’ It is ‘A’ today; it was ‘A’ five thousand years ago, and it will be ‘A’ a thousand years from now. The soprano upstairs sings off-key. The tenor across the hall falls flat on high notes, and the piano downstairs is out of tune.” He struck the fork again and said, “That is ‘A’, my friend, and that’s the good news for today.” Winston Churchill is quoted as saying, "Truth is incontrovertible. Panic may resent it; ignorance may deride it; malice may distort it; but there it is."

하나님은 당신을 사랑하시며, 당신을 위한 놀라운 계획을 가지고 계십니다하나님의 사랑 "하나님이 세상을 이처럼 사랑하사 독생자(예수 그리스도)를 주셨으니 이는 저를 믿는 자마다 멸망치 않고 영생을 얻게 하려 하심이니라"고 했습니다. (요한복음 3장 16절) 하나님의 계획 예수 그리스도께서 말씀하시기를 "내가 온 것은 양(당신)으로 생명을 얻게 하고 더 풍성히 얻게 하려는 것이다"고 하셨습니다. (요한복음 10장 10절) 그런데, 왜 많은 사람들이 이 풍성한 삶을 누리지 못하고 있을까요? 그 이유는...