Head-dibs

A reader from the Philippines wrote me with the following: "I have not prayed to receive Christ and I would like to investigate more.  I want to trust Jesus with all my heart but How?"  I post my reply here for your encouragement as you talk with others about Jesus. Thank you for writing with such an excellent question. I will not only answer your question, but I will also tell you God’s will for your life. First, let’s look at what God says about the heart in the Bible: “ The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds .” (Jeremiah 17:9-10). How do we trust Him who is Perfect with something He says is deceitful and sick? Think for a moment about what is in your heart. We can do this by looking at God’s perfect standard (the Ten Commandments) which acts like a mirror to help us see what He sees—here...

I don't know what book or books you are reading right now and at this point, I really don't care.  Put it down.  Put them all down and pick this one up , open it, read it.  I triple-dog-dare you (that's right, I'm skipping the "triple dare," and am going straight for the throat)! Buy it. Borrow it. Don't steal it (stealing is sin).  Check it out from the library (and if they don't have it, get it by Inter-library loan).  Buy a case, give them away.  Wish-list it.  Trade for it.  Have someone read it to you.  Read it over someone's shoulder (ask, first.  Have some couth). Read it out loud in Sunday School. Get it in large print. Get it in Braille. Get someone to translate it for you. It will wreck your life.

Proverbs 1:7 prepares us for what the writer was inspired to teach. “ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction .” (Proverbs 1:7). This is the key verse for the entire book and it is here at the beginning that we must consent that what God has to teach us is complete and sufficient (either that, or He does not know what He is talking about, in which case it would be God’s will verses man’s will—and believe me when I say the struggle is not great for Him). We’ve already seen in 1:8-19 what God has to say to those who cast off instruction (“ they lie in wait for their own blood, they ambush their own lives ,” 1:18). Wisdom can be difficult to describe and so that our feeble minds can grasp the concept, here we meet wisdom as a person. Proverbs 1:20 is the first time we meet Lady Wisdom, but this will not be the last time, as the imagery carries over in subsequent chapters. “ Wisdom shouts in the street, she lifts her voice in the square; a...

A reader from Nigeria wrote with this question: "I am a catholic, I want to know the significance of incense during worship. Thank you." The use of incense is found in the Bible, and is symbolic of things we offer to God. There are passages in scripture that describe prayer as being incense before God. The fellowship of God's people (I am summarizing) has been called "a sweet smell" to God. 2 Corinthians 2:15 says that we are the fragance or aroma, an agreeable smell of sacrifice ("incense," if you will) of Christ to God! There is nothing magical or extra-spiritual about using incense. If you chose to use it, then enjoy God in Christ Jesus as you do so!

Visiting the library is a regular feature of our family outings on Saturdays. We load up the back of the van with bags packed to near bursting capacity with books and movies checked out on previous visits and leave again with newly discovered blocks of paper. There is this really neat display right when you walk in the door of newly acquired books, but I have to hustle by them because I want to read every single one of them. Of course, it does not help that that is only the first floor of four, and little displays like little islands populated by tomes young and old, each cry out as I walk past, “Read me! Take me home with you!” Ok, that one looks interesting. I pick it up, survey the cover, note the author. I flip the book over, looking for a reason that will convince me to read. Just a picture of the author on the back? 98% chance I won’t read it. A synopsis? More of a chance than a list of reviews, unless there are names I recognize. I flip the book open looking for something to t...

Ed Welch writes, "It feels so right – so spiritual – to live with regrets . It means you feel bad for the wrong things you have done or think you have done, and that sounds like a good thing. If you forget those wrongs, you are acting like they were no big deal."  (ht: Tim Challies) Dr. Walt Kaiser comments on Egypt and Isaiah 19 . Dr. William Larkin asks, " What does the New Testament Have to Do With Missions ?" This is one way to hear " the music of the spheres !" Knockin' on Heaven's Door .  "Through our Christian lives, we will pass through valleys and low points.  It's not a matter of if , but when ."  

The Old Testament book of Proverbs is a collection of little snippets, sayings, trite words of instruction from an array of sources. Solomon, the son of King David, was the principle collector of proverbial sayings and may have even authored a few. 1 Kings 4:32 says, “He also spoke 3,000 proverbs and his songs were 1,005.” His name is directly attached to those found in the first twenty-two chapters of the book though interestingly, the Psalms only contain just one of his songs. There are “sayings of the wise” (chapters 22-24); proverbs of Solomon as they were copied by Hezekiah’s men (25:1-29:17); the words of Agur (chapter 30); and finally, the words of King Lemuel, as he recalled the teachings of his mother (chapter 31). What are the Proverbs? What is the purpose of a collection of sayings and quotes, anyway? “ To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the sim...

Someone from the Philippines wrote and asked [only spelling errors have been corrected], “One day, I told them about Christ but they don't believe. They ask me ‘Jesus is a prophet. Allah sent Him to us but He is not a prophet because He prayed to the God of Heaven like us. Why do you worship Him?’ What would be the answer?” First I would ask, “You say first, ‘Jesus is a prophet,’ then you say ‘He is not a prophet.’ What do you mean by ‘prophet’? How can He be a prophet and not be a prophet?” Islam teaches that Jesus is both “nabi” (prophet) and “rasul” (messenger). The Prophet Moses wrote, “ The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him .” (Deuteronomy 18:15) Jesus is the prophet of whom Moses spoke. Jesus is the greatest of the prophets, many of whom go unnamed in Islam. Without these prophets, most of the scriptures we call the Old Testament would be missing. Praise God that no one is greater than He, w...

Princess Leah's first job as a hologram:

Satan tried to keep the student body at CIU from hearing this message, but Claude Alexander of The Park Ministries was able to deliver " Resisting the Wrong Time " during Tuesday's Chapel.  Don't miss this!