Head-dibs

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” [2 Cor 5:10 NASB] Buildings under construction require inspections at different stages. Specialists representing the government who carry State certification or specialists representing the International Code Council (the people who set the codes) check to make certain the plans match the workmanship. Is the foundation sound, secure and is the structure properly attached?  Are the right materials being used? wood, hay, stubble?   In the process of building, has any damage occurred?  Is the mechanical equipment in place and working properly?  Is the electricity & Plumbing connected? Does it flow properly? Is this a place of safety, functioning as intended by the Master Builder?  Judgment Points to the Divine Position of Jesus, The Builder of the Church, as judge. He has e...

Proof of the deity of Christ. "Jesus Christ ... declared to be the Son of God with power ... by the resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:3-4). An integral part of the gospel. " The gospel ... how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures " (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). The seal of the finished work of Christ. " When He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high " (Hebrews 1:3). Essential for salvation. " If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins " (1 Corinthians 15:17). " That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved " (Romans 10:9). Evidence of the believer's justification. " Jesus our Lord ... was delivered for our offenses, and was raised ...

Japan observes the 成人の日 , “Coming of Age Day” or “Adult Day” this time each year for every person who turns the age of 20. This is the formal day responsible citizenship begins and is a much different celebration than “Boys Day” (when boys turn 15) and “Girls Day” (when girls turn 13). I recall my first Boy’s Day celebration because this was a day I felt included. I had a Japanese friend I often visited and though I did not know his family well, they opened their home and introduced their culture to me. I wore so many various traditional clothes and we enjoyed our favorite TV shows together. Boy’s Day was the day I was made much of because I was a young man coming of age. This was also the day I learned how much I enjoy eating seaweed and confirmed my distaste for ants--no amount of chocolate covering is of any help, believe me. Two thoughts come to mind this day, the first being that Jesus was born and grew in the eyes of men and God. He was a man of time and space who, like any oth...

I saw the following “conversation” (one of three, actually) written by a young man named Lev Novak posted on a website (forgive me if I don’t provide the link): “God: Noah, all the people of earth are sinners. You alone are righteous. Noah: Thanks God. Long time fan, first time prophet. God: So, I have decided to smite the entire world with a flood. (pause) Noah: Couldn’t you just teach man goodness? God: No. I’m thinking “flood.” Noah: So you’d rather just kill every- God: What part of “flood” do you not understand?” The act of God flooding the earth is a noteworthy matter for consideration, but is the conclusion correct? What we call “Noah’s Flood” was not a stand-alone incident and sudden whim of God.  The young man gave the reason for God’s judgment by flood in the very first sentence, “all the people of the earth are sinners.” The Bible says, “ The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his h...

Time NEVER erases a crime. Fugitive Murderer Captured After Hiding for 16 Years in Portugese Caves - International News News of the World Middle East News Europe News - FOXNews.com Posted using ShareThis

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." So reads the Declaration of Independence, signed on July 4, 1776. Members of the American Colonies were declaring themselves free from British rule, free to make their own decisions, free to buy and sell as they wished, and free to make their own laws and impose justice as they saw fit. The important document ends thus: " And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our Sacred Honor ." What stirring words! No doubt much thought, and even prayer, went into the writing of them. Our early fathers believed in the all-powerful God and we can be thankful that our nation was founded by men who read their Bibles and put Scriptural principles into pra...

"The Christian faith believes that the Atonement reveals Gods mercy as an ultimate resource by which God alone overcomes the judgment which sin deserves. If this final truth of the Christian religion has no meaning to modern men, including modern Christians, that is because even the tragic character of contemporary history has not yet persuaded them to take the fact of human sinfulness seriously." Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

“Even though modern man may spurn the unsophisticated idols of ancient times, he still has his mental images of how he would like to think of God or whatever he decides to put in his place . . . The way in which Paul set about making the truth known in Athens gives us the kind of points with which pagans can still be challenged today. They still must face the person of Christ and the evidence of the resurrection. They may not capitulate when we say, ‘the Bible says . . .“ but they still have to reckon with the witness the Apostles recorded in their writings, of which they were so convinced that they were prepared to submit to cruel deaths rather than deny its truth. Everyone must some day face death and whatever lies beyond, even though they live as though this present earthly life will go on for ever. And then they will discover that ‘It is no unknown God but a risen Christ with whom we have to deal.” Prior, Kenneth. The Gospel in a Pagan Society . Downers Grove: Intervarsity, 1975.

While "Waiting for Godot" to arrive, Vladymir (Didi) banters with Estragon (Gogo) about the two thieves crucified along with Christ. Didi recalls that one was saved and the other was . . . he can't seem to remember, oh yes, "damned." Funny how such little things (such as damnation) seem to slip just to the edge of recall. In like manner the subject of coming judgment for most is not a matter of great importance--if it were on the tip of the tongue, the matter could be swallowed by accident--who would miss it? Or like Gogo's old carrot--the more one eats, the worse it gets, so it gets spit out. Most treat the subject of judgment the way Didi does with Gogo's bad dreams--we just don't want to hear it. This (universe) is enough for us. Judgment is coming. Last post we observed that the judgment of the cross has come and gone, which produced two kinds of people: those who enjoy the benefits of that judgment, and those who will not. Those who reject the j...

A while back I shared the conversation I had with twin 10 year-old girls on my front doorstep. I showed them a Cross, asking if they knew what it was. They got excited and told me that "'t' stands for 'Church.'" They go to Sunday School and learn that all you have to do is be good, help people and stay in school and you will go to heaven. Is that it? Just go to church and do good? Does Jesus' death on the cross mean anything? Are we to just believe that Jesus died on the cross so we can carry on in life stuggling to keep our noses clean, so to speak? Is God supposed to let everybody into heaven just because Jesus died on the cross? Does God no longer judge because He is so gracious? If that is the case, then what do we do with 2 Peter 3:7, "But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men."? Part of the confusion lies in the lack of teaching on the different kin...

" Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, ' If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, "This man began to build and was not able to finish." Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So then, none of you can be My di...

Most people seem to think that the world is becoming, or will inevitably become, a better place in which to live. It is felt that through education, diplomacy, and scientific advances, most people will live longer, better, and more peaceful lives than any who have lived before. Is this really what's next? Not according to Jesus! Not long before He left this world about two thousand years ago He said, " As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be " ( Matthew 24:37 ). There are two very important things in this statement. First, Jesus reiterates His promise to return to the world (more about this later). Second, when He comes, the condition of the world will be the same as it was in the days of Noah. What is said about the world then? We are told, " The earth was corrupt " and " filled with violence " ( Genesis 6:11 ). The headlines on the evening news and in the world's newspapers every day show that in spite of our ...

A few weeks ago I had a conversation with a lady in the park. She claimed to have a Christian background, though was surprised to be caught by the law and her exposed sin. She admitted her guilt before God, and that the punishment for sin is death. She also said that though she did not deserve heaven knew she would be there because God “just forgives.” I asked her what she meant by that. She told me that she knew she would go to heaven because her mother was an atheist, and God would not send her mother to hell, so God forgives and lets everyone into heaven. My heart breaks right there. Recently Steve Sanchez shared on his blog : “But what can you say to someone who realizes that a deceased loved one might already be in eternal torment? One lady ran up to me after a recent open air sermon, furious about what she had just heard and shouted at me, ‘You mean to tell me that my 11-year-old son is in Hell for stealing a piece of gum? That’s a bunch of $#%&*!$%!’ Then she stormed away.” ...

Have you ever gotten a blank, signed check on payday? I haven't, but it would be nice to write your own check, wouldn't it? On my paychecks, and probably on yours, the amount is already filled in. But we still look forward to each payday. That's because we count on our paycheck to pay our debts, or to pay for a house, a car, food, clothes, and many other things. For many of us, it seems there's "too much month at the end of the money," but sometimes we might have some money left over to put away for the future. We work all week, or even all month, to get our paycheck. Then we are paid what we have earned, or according to the contract we have negotiated. But wouldn't it be nice to get a big check and not even have to work for it? It's possible! But, it's also possible to get a paycheck that we wouldn't want to have. A check that we wouldn't want? Yes, there are wages that I think none of us would like to earn if we had a choice--" the w...

In the early 1900’s the great magician (“handcuff king” and jail-breaker) Harry Houdini researched court cases, interviewed police, detectives and criminals with the intent to make a contribution that would safeguard the public from fraud. In 1906 he published The Right Way To Do Wrong: An Expose of Successful Criminals . I found the first chapter very enlightening, answering the question, “Does it pay to commit crime?” ************ “This is a question I have often asked the chiefs of police and great detectives of every country in the world. How great are the money rewards of evil doing? Does a ‘good’ burglar have an income equal to that of a bank president? Can a pickpocket make more money than the fashionable tailor who makes the pockets? Is a gambler better paid than a governor? Can a shoplifter make more money than the saleswoman? In fact, does it pay to be a criminal, and, if so, how great is the reward for evil doing? I am aware that it is the general impression, considered simp...

I received the following from Nigeria, “ I need to know if re-incarnation is real and scriptural backups to its reality as in the sense of a man dies and can come back again in another flesh to live normal life .” People are created in God’s image ( Gen. 12: 7 ). The body’s physical resurrection and eternal worth are emphasized in John 2:18–22 and 1 Corinthians 15 . The Bible declares, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many” ( Heb. 9:27–28 , KJV). Since we die only once, reincarnation cannot be true. Instead of reincarnation, the Bible teaches resurrection ( John 5:25 ). At death, Christians enjoy a state of conscious fellowship with Christ ( Matt. 22:32 ; 2 Cor. 5:8 ; Phil. 1:23 ) to await the resurrection and heavenly reward. A person’s eternal destiny is determined by his or her acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord ( John 3:36 ; Rom. 10:9–10 ). (by Ray Comfort, in The Evide...

The reason the proud don’t seek after God is that they don’t want to—they will not seek after God because they don’t want to leave their sins. It’s not that they cannot find Him, but that they will not [ any more than a thief will find a policeman ]. Scripture gives us insight: 1) Pride keeps one from seeking God. Any admittance of guilt is a blow to the pride of the human heart; 2) Because he’s self-centered and self-sufficient, one feels no need to even consider God; 3) One thinks that she’s in control of her life and that adversity will never come to her; 4) One’s willful ignorance leaves him without understanding of God’s righteous judgments; 5) One believes that either God is blinded to his sinful lifestyle, or that God has no sense of justice and will therefore not require any account for his lawlessness. “ For the wicked boasts of his heart's desire, and the greedy man curses and spurns the LORD. The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him. All his t...

A devoted Christian business man was struck by an automobile and rushed to a hospital. He was informed by the doctors that he had only about two hours to live. He had implicit faith in the goodness of God and in His Word, so to him death was only a gateway leading to the glory of heaven and the presence of God. He had his family called to his side, and thus addressed them: "Goodnight, my dear Wife. You have been the greatest woman in the world to me. Through sunshine and shadow we have walked together. You have been my inspiration in everything I have undertaken, especially in my walk as a Christian. Many times I have seen the Spirit of God shining in your face. I love you far more than on the day you became my bride. Goodnight, dear; I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight." "Goodnight, Mary. Mary, you are our firstborn. What a joy you have been to me! How glad I am that in face and spirit you have always reminded me of your mother. I see in you the sweet, beautiful,...

Isaiah 6:3 ; Revelation 1:8 ; Isaiah 43:25 ; 1 John 3:18-22 ; James 4:13-16 ; Micah 4:2 The Lord our God is enthroned on High, and we live in His world unstunned by His glory. The angels in God’s presence don’t dare to look or be uncovered in His sight; yet they dare not look at anything but Him nor do anything that is not pleasing to Him. They dare not say anything beyond calling out who He is. They are not merely overcome with astonishment, but are mobilized by the fear of who He is. Men live, move and have their being without guilt or shame, uncovered with high-handed sin in His sight. There is no fear of God before our eyes. If we did fear Him, He would receive much higher praise, louder and longer praise by all we say and do. “ Einstein had so little use for organized religion, although he strikes me as a basically very religious man. He must have looked at what the preachers said about God and felt that they were blaspheming. He had seen much more majesty than they had every imag...

Jury Duty seems to liven life up a bit for law-abiding citizens. This is a "must read" from Ray Comfort's blog: "I was called to jury duty in Compton, California, the city that has been called "the murder capital of America." As I sat with 44 other people in the jury selection process, the judge asked the prospective jurors in the jury box if they would give as much credence to the testimony of a gang member as they would to the testimony of an officer of the law. I looked across at the two gang members who were on trial for the murder of an Hispanic “human being,” as the judge had put it. They looked nice enough, in their plush suits and ties. I imagined them in their baggies, with their long socks and hats to the side, holding their guns the way gangs do. The judge also asked the prospective jurors if they would be prejudice against anyone who pleaded the Fifth Amendment, and didn’t testify on their own behalf. The next day I was called to the jury box. ...