“Seven Blunders of the World” May 20, 2009
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1. Wealth without work
2. Pleasure without conscience
3. Knowledge without character
4. Commerce without morality
5. Science without humanity
6. Worship without sacrifice
7. Politics without principle
—Mahatma Gandhi
Biblical Salvation… May 19, 2009
Posted by JP in Faith, Scripture.1 comment so far
The Biblical method of salvation is to hold an abiding, trusting belief in Jesus the Christ as the Savior of men, the only begotten Son of God and the Way, the Truth, and the Life. John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Salvation is gained by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; (9) Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law's demands], lest any man should boast),
by receiving Jesus as Savior (John 1:12 But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name),
by fully trusting Jesus alone (John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.)
(Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in and through no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by and in which we must be saved.)
The Biblical message of salvation is simple and clear, and amazing at the same time. We have all committed sin against God (Romans 3:23). There is no one who has lived an entire life without sinning (Ecclesiastes 7:20). Because of our sin, we have earned judgment from God (Romans 6:23), and that judgment is physical death followed by spiritual death (eternal separation from God). Because of our sin, and its deserved punishment, there is nothing we can do on our own to make ourselves right with God.
Because of His love for us, God became a human being in the Person of Christ Jesus. Jesus lived a perfect life and always taught the truth. However, humanity rejected Jesus and put Him to death by crucifying Him. Through that horrible act, Jesus died in our place. Jesus took the burden and judgment of our sin upon Himself, and died for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus was then resurrected (1 Corinthians 15), proving that His payment for our sin was sufficient and that He had overcome sin and death. As a result of Jesus’ sacrifice, God offers us salvation as a gift. God calls us all to change our minds about Jesus (Acts 17:30), and to receive Him as the full payment of our sins (1 John 2:2). Salvation is gained by receiving the gift God offers us.
If you want to receive the salvation that is available through Jesus, place your faith in Him. Fully trust His death as the sufficient sacrifice for your sins. Completely rely on Him alone as your Savior. That is the Biblical method of salvation.
If you have received Jesus as your Savior, by all means, say a prayer to God. Saying the “sinner’s prayer” is simply a way of declaring to God that you are relying on Jesus Christ as your Savior. There are no “magical” words that result in salvation. It is only faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection that can save us. If you understand that you are a sinner and in need of salvation through Jesus Christ, here is a prayer that you can pray to God: “God, I know that I am a sinner. I know that I deserve the consequences of my sin. However, I believe that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection provided for my forgiveness. I trust in Jesus and Jesus alone as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you Lord, for saving me and forgiving me! Amen!”
Be Still and know… May 12, 2009
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Psa 46:10-11 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. (11) Jehovah of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
This passage is so key to a healthy and invigorating relationship with Him. There are two admonitions in this passage which we should take time to understand more fully.
Be still…
The word translated “be still” comes from the Hebrew term raphah. This word is found in various forms in the Old Testament, with different shades of meaning. It refers to that which is slack, or to let drop, or in some instances, to be disheartened or weak. The meaning would be better understood to say “cause yourself to be weakened or to let go”. In other words, we need to come to a place where we are willing to submit ourselves to God; acknowledging that He is in sovereign control.
In other contexts, those who let their hands “drop” from work are condemned. Those who are disheartened are commanded to take courage. In contexts where “being still” is condemned, we find that certain obligations were being neglected, and God’s people were admonished to take initiative to fulfill their duties.
There are those (myself definitely included) who are far from “still”; they try to “do all the work”. They believe that by “lifting up their hands” and by “taking courage,” they can survive and thrive by the sweat of their own brow. They can do it all on their own, without any divine dependence.
Here is the irony in this term “be still.” While we must take the initiative to fulfill our responsibilities and live our lives, the uncertainties of living in a world of sin and woe will continually challenge us. Personal initiative is no substitute for reliance upon God.
Jas 4:13-16 Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a city and spend a year there and carry on our business and make money. (14) Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen tomorrow. What is the nature of your life? You are [really] but a wisp of vapor (a puff of smoke, a mist) that is visible for a little while and then disappears [into thin air]. (15) You ought instead to say, If the Lord is willing, we shall live and we shall do this or that [thing]. (16) But as it is, you boast [falsely] in your presumption and your self-conceit. All such boasting is wrong.
This command — “be still” — forces us to think on two things: that we are finite, and that God is infinite. That being the case, we need to drop our hands, go limp, relax, and “chill out.” Christian people ought to “come, behold the works of Jehovah,” (v. 
that we may enjoy a calm confidence in him who gave us his Son.
When we realize that we are incapable of controlling life, we can surrender our will to God’s will. It may be a matter of finally saying we trust Him. This will open the door so that we may experience the fullness of all God wants and has for us. He is our Creator and has a perfect plan for us when we let Him orchestrate it.
and know that I am God…
It is of import to note that this passage does not say “be still and feel your God”. We are admonished repeatedly in scripture to KNOW God, not to rely on our feelings, but our knowledge. We are commanded to study Him and His word to learn to recognize Him and His works and His truth, not to rely on what we feel is right.
I’ve said it many times; Christianity (faith) is very much an intellectual process. We have faith in Him not because we ‘feel’ him – feelings ebb and flow like sifting sand. We have faith in Him, we abide in Him because we know Him. We know who He is and what He has promised us – knowledge is a foundation of rock.
Jesus tells us that the first commandment is:
Mar 12:30 And you shall love the Lord your God out of and with your whole heart and out of and with all your soul (your life) and out of and with all your mind (with your faculty of thought and your moral understanding) and out of and with all your strength. This is the first and principal commandment. [Deut. 6:4, 5.]
The word translated ‘know’ come from the Hebrew yaw-dah’. Meaning ‘discern’, ‘comprehend’, ‘have knowledge’, ‘be learned’. Amongst those meanings lies my favorite connotation: familiar friend
Our God is to be our familiar friend. We are to know Him as we would a close friend, or familiy member (our Father). We are to have knowledge of who and what He is, what He has done and what He would do, just as we would understand and know a person we have lived closely and intimately for our whole lives.
Ultimately the two elements of the phrase ‘be still and know’ play off of each other. We are able to ‘be still’ – to let drop our hands, to be weak – because we know our God and we know that He is faithful to protect, provide, guide, and love us. On the flip-side, we cannot experience the promises of our knowledge of Him unless we are ’still’, unless we let go and let Him do His work in our lives.
“Savior, Please: Josh Wilson April 9, 2009
Posted by JP in Discussion.add a comment
Savior, please take my hand
I work so hard, I live so fast
This life begins, and then it ends
And I do the best that I can, but I don’t know how long I’ll last
I try to be so tough
But I’m just not strong enough
I can’t do this alone, God I need You to hold on to me
I try to be good enough
But I’m nothing without Your love
Savior, please keep saving me
Savior, please help me stand
I fall so hard, I fade so fast
Will You begin right where I end
And be the God of all I am because You’re all I have
Hallelujah
Everything You are to me
Is everything I’ll ever need
And I am learning to believe
That I don’t have to prove a thing
‘Cause You’re the one who’s saving me
How to stay young March 24, 2009
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1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay ‘them’
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. ‘An idle mind is the Devil’s workshop.’ ……And the Devil’s name is Alzheimer’s.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it’s family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don’t take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love, that you love them, at every opportunity.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER : Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
A prayer… February 26, 2009
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Dear Lord,
Please keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
Letter to Mr. Obama February 24, 2009
Posted by JP in Discussion, Politics, Venting.1 comment so far
Re: The fiscal responsibility summit
Mr. President, I watched the news conference yesterday following the summit and must say I was impressed. I voted for you outside of my party affiliation because I felt you were the right person to get the government to work together for the good of the nation.
It is my opinion that now is the time for you to push the mantel of leadership and press the legislators to do what is right. The summit is the first step, what is needed now is your influence, and the power of your office to be the impetus for change in how our Congress acts. It is imperative now that you, as the leader of our nation, push the Congressional leaders to lay aside partisanship and include all players in the work to come.
The ‘task forces’, committees, work groups, what-have-you, that are developed to work on the problems discussed during the summit absolutely have to be bi-partisan, inclusive of dem’s and repub’s, AND business/public entities. All participants must be given full voice and encouraged to set aside ideologies in order to find solutions.
It is your role, in my opinion and the opinion of many citizens like me, to set the ground rules for this collaboration. Do NOT allow the congressional leaders to set up committees and such based on the normal way of doing things. Make inclusion and cooperation mandatory for the work to come.
In my business when I establish a work group to design and implement a project I select members from a broad range of talents and skills and give them a short period of time to demonstrate the ability to work together to get the job done, if things seem to stall, I intervene to help correct the group dynamics, if things don’t improve soon after, I make the choice to either disband the group and rebuild, or replace members who do not seem to want to participate with the ultimate goal in mind.
As the Executive, I see this as your role.
Please, do not allow the legislators to drag their feet and perpetuate the age-old ideological stalemates. Push them to work together, do not accept lack of progress, and give them the understanding that no solution will satisfy all parties, but truly must come from knowing that all sides will have good ideas and that ALL sides must compromise.
Our national problems are not political chess pieces, they are real and effect the lives of millions.
Don’t let the American people down, and don’t let the political hacks serving in office forsake the American people in order to serve the political parties and special interests.
Thank you.
Blogging… February 17, 2009
Posted by JP in Absolute Favorites, Discussion, Stupidity, Venting.1 comment so far
Fireproof… February 17, 2009
Posted by JP in Absolute Favorites, Bible Study/Reference, Discussion.3 comments
My wife and I watched the new movie “Fireproof” the other night… wow!
If you have not seen it, I highly recommend it. I can tell you that the acting may not be ‘oscar worthy’ but it isn’t so bad that you cannot enjoy the movie and get the message behind the movie.
I would love to discuss some scenes, but I don’t want to put out any spoilers yet… tell me what y’all think and we can talk about it.
Here are some links and resources for you (I’m thinking of doing a series on marriage/relationships and some of the “Fireproof” resources my be referenced):
Love is… February 14, 2009
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A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, ‘What does love mean?’ The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think:
‘When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.’ Rebecca- age 8
‘When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.’ Billy – age 4
‘Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.’ Chrissy – age 6
‘Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.’ Terri – age 4
‘Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.’ Danny – age 7
‘Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss.’ Emily – age 8
‘Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.’ Bobby – age 7
‘Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.’ Noelle – age 7
‘Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.’ Tommy – age 6
‘During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore.’ Cindy – age 8
‘My mommy loves me more than anybody You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night..’ Clare – age 6
‘Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.’ Elaine-age 5
‘Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.’ Chris – age 7
‘Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day. ‘ Mary Ann – age 4
‘I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.’ Lauren – age 4
‘Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn’t think it’s gross.’ Mark – age 6
‘You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.’ Jessica – age 8
Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, ‘Nothing, I just helped him cry.’
