Head-dibs

The god of this world has been at hard at work capturing man’s allegiance, driving the wedge of alienation deeper between man and God through a living faith that cannot agree “on who God is, what He is like, how man should relate to Him or the dimensions of the supernatural world” ( Steyne, Philip . In Step With The God of the Nations). There is no peace of mind, no certainty of anything but fear. Theological exchanges (even those on the street) sound like grade school children, “my god can beat up your god.” How does “yeah well, my god . . .” work in an age of tolerance and so-called reconciliation when there clearly is no basis for either? If there is a God, how is He to be approached? Do we fall on our knees, or grovel? Should we lick the dust at his feet? What should I do with my hands: lift them up, stretch them out, place them on my head or clasp them behind? How is He pleased? What and how much am I supposed to bring into His presence? What am I guaranteed because of what I ...

"The Bible is full of logic, and we must never think of faith as something purely mystical. We do not just sit down in an armchair and expect marvelous things to happen to us. That is not Christian faith. Christian faith is essentially thinking. Look at the birds, think about them, and draw your deductions. Look at the grass, look at the lilies of the field, consider them. The trouble with most people, however, is that they will not think. Instead of doing this, they sit down and ask, What is going to happen to me? What can I do? That is the absence of thought; it is surrender, it is defeat. Our Lord, here, is urging us to think, and to think in a Christian manner. That is the every essence of faith. Faith, if you like, can be defined like this: It is a man insisting upon thinking when everything seems determined to bludgeon and knock him down in an intellectual sense." --D. Martin Lloyd Jones. Studies in the Sermon on the Mount .

Since one blogger already asked the question, I will merely catalogue a few responses received to the question, “ What is the gospel ?” "The gospel is the good news (not good advice) of the announced end of the age of decay accomplished in the incarnation and crucifixion of Jesus Christ and inaugurated in his resurrection into creation 2.0;" "It meant the announcement of a new King and a new Kingdom;" "The kingdom of God is among you;" "God's grace can prevail over my depravity;" "The good news. The kingdom is here. Is coming. Has arrived;" "The Gospel is John 3:16 followed by carrying out the 2 greatest commandments- Love God, love your neighbor as yourself;" "Son of God comes to earth, saves mankind, sparks religious unrest for next millennium;" "The Gospel is the announcement that, in Jesus, God is setting in motion a revolution to begin to make things as they will one day be;" "I don't know...

"God is not so cruel as to have left us in the miserable plight that the most saving and necessary truths have to be laboriously assembled by everyone for himself. We are not a lot of amatteur detectives on the hunt for clues in a cosmic whodunit." Would God be so unloving, unkind and unjust to have given faith only to intellectuals? Blamires, Harry. The Christian Mind . S.P.C.K.: London, 1963 ************

“Faith, like grace, is not static. Saving faith is more than just understanding the facts and mentally acquiescing. It is inseparable from repentance, surrender, and a supernatural longing to obey. None of those responses can be classified as a human work, any more than believing itself is solely a human effort.” MacArthur, John. “A Look At The Issues” The Gospel According to J esus. Zondervan: Grand Rapids, 2008. P. 46

To say that Christ redeemed men at the cross but did not also purchase for them the ability to believe would be like a man promising to give a thousand dollars to a blind man upon condition that he will open his eyes and see, which he knows full well the blind man cannot do.

"Lord, I would ask for a holy year; Spent in Thy perfect will; Help me to walk in Thy very steps-- Help me to please Thee still. Lord, I would ask for a year of faith; Give me Thy faith divine. Taking my full inheritance, Making Thy fullness mine. Lord, I would ask for a year of love; Oh, let me love Thee best! Give me the love that faileth not Under the hardest test. Lord, I would ask for a busy year, Filled up with service true; Doing with all Thy Spirit's might All that I find to do. Lord, I would ask for a year of prayer-- Teach me to walk with Thee; Breathe in my heart They Spirit's breath; Pray Thou Thy prayer in me. Lord, I would ask for a year of joy, Thy peace, Thy joy divine, Springing undimmed through all the days, Whether of shade of shine. Lord, I would ask for a year of hope, Looking to Thee to come, And hastening on that year of years, That brings us Christ and Home."

"Faith is rest, not toil. It is the giving up all the former weary efforts to do or feel something good, in order to induce God to love and pardon; and the calm reception of the truth so long rejected, that God is not waiting for any such inducements, but loves and pardons of His own goodwill, and is showing that goodwill to any sinner who will come to Him on such a footing, casting away his own performances or goodnesses, and relying implicitly upon the free love of Him who so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son." Horatius Bonar, " Not Faith But Christ ."

"Faith is required of thee, and a sincere life, not loftiness of intellect, nor deepness in the mysteries of God. If thou understandest not... the things which are beneath thee, how shalt thou comprehend those which are above thee? Submit thyself unto God, and humble thy sense to faith, and the light of knowledge shall be given thee, as shall be profitable and necessary unto thee." Thomas A'Kempis (1418)

"Why should an man have power over any other man's faith, seeing Christ Himself is the author of it?" George Fox (1624-1691)

"I'd like make three points today," a minister began his sermon one Sunday. "First, there are millions of people around the world who are going to hell. Second, most of us sitting here today do not give a damn about it . . . . . . my third point is that you are more concerned that I, your pastor, said the word 'damn' than you are about the millions of people going to hell." Having undivided attention, he proceeded to preach a sermon on putting obedient faith into action.

The Bible is a miracle book and the fact that it exists is a miracle in itself. One particular aspect of the miracle is the Bible is known to be “The Good Book” because throughout its pages we see the wicked heart of man being addressed by the discontent of God to leave man in his depraved condition. God that he might rescue from the penalty, power and presence of sin seeks after man, in all his wickedness. That is a miracle. What miracle of the Bible stands out as your favorite (leave a brief description in the “comments” section below)? We tend to think of the biblical records as “stories” but they are so much more than that as “story” has come to imply separation from reality. Miracles are called such because of what they are in reality, not separate from but rooted in reality. Miracles cannot be denied. Once I was talking with a young lady concerning her worldview, proudly proclaiming herself to be atheist. I asked her how she thought how the Universe came into existence (including...

Wikipedia on False advertising: “an act of deliberately misleading a potential client about a product, service or a company in general by reporting false or misrepresenting information or data in advertising or other promotional materials. False advertising is a type of fraud. False advertising is often a crime.” False advertising is sneaky and there’s a whole class of sneaky behavior that’s designed to move money from one pocket to another under false pretenses. These con games are often just greedy and dishonest, but can sometimes be clever and creative as well. While nobody likes to be conned, there seems to be enough people out there who are ready to do it. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Ever heard of the “Psychic” Mary Elaine Stevenson? She managed to convince some of her clients to bring her specific items including a spoonful of dirt and cash. After spreading the cash around the room, she’d declare that it was cursed and offer to dispose of it safely. I am certain that by no...

Some Christians in Africa sing this hymn: “In the beginning was God, Today is God, Tomorrow will be God. Who can make an image of God? He has no body. He is as a word which comes out of your mouth. That word! It is no more, It is past, and still it lives! So is God.” For the first time in history, we read of people who are labeled as God-fearers in Exodus 1. Note the scripture points out twice that these people are two Hebrew midwives. Two midwives birthing a nation. Here are two women sold out to their task for God, to see His plan is carried out. This is astounding. By the time we reach this point where the nation is Israel seems to be a threat to the Egyptians there are already: 1) a great number of people; and 2) leadership who forgot their heritage. This is significant because we are already a couple of hundred years or more down the line when these two midwives appear. I find it significant to note how the midwives feared God. I find it also significant to note also how they shar...

Rather than take the time to express to the great burdens that lie on my heart and wallow in the emotion that pertains thereunto, I submit the following exerpt to remind both of us how we are to think and believe God. Be encouraged, brethren! ********************************* Romans 8:28 Strong faith has a firm persuasion of God's over-ruling Providence--so comprehensive as to include the destinies of empires and worlds; and so minute as to extend to individuals. Strong faith believes that God's Providence is . . . ever active, ever directing, ever controlling, and ever subordinating all things to His own purposes and plans. Strong faith is a conviction of this great truth--so deep, so satisfying, and so tranquilizing--as not at all to be shaken by the chaotic aspect of human affairs, or the prevalence of gigantic evils. A weak faith must give way before . . . the deep mysteries, the confounding events, the defeats of what is good, and the triumphs of what is evil, which are pe...

Once upon a time a cub asked mother bear, "Mother, which foot shall we put forward first?" She answered, "JUST WALK!" Many are so careful about how to walk by faith that they never walk. Andrew Murray mentions the feebleness and weakness of our walk when we should be experiencing fulness. Murray points out the reason for our feebleness: Jesus said, "Come to Me", fully meaning what He said elsewhere, "Abide with Me"; that is, come and stay. We should not walk to Jesus that we may walk away from Him. Jesus intends for us to come and stay.