Glory August 9, 2008
Posted by JP in Poetry.add a comment
The glory of the world,
washes over my well-worn body.
The magnificence of creation,
the total harmony of nature,
the absolute certainty provided,
by the knowledge of life’s continuance,
rages through my soul.
The brilliance of love,
flashes in my sorrow filled mind.
The gentleness of sweet lovemaking,
the urgency felt in passion’s thrust,
the sweet release in climactic lust,
dream states induced afterglow,
ease through my heart.
The glory of the world,
touches magic upon my dying flame.
Flashes of sunlight in the morn,
flickers of flame in campfire night,
tendrils of melody in child’s song,
essence of harmony in lover’s laugh,
bathe my dirty, well-used mind.
The beauty of this world,
comes to me in many ways.
Fathomless, unrelenting ways,
only to look, to feel, to see,
only to open myself, to be me,
only to allow you, a love to be,
to touch me and make me whole.
False Teachers… August 7, 2008
Posted by JP in Bible Study/Reference, Discussion, Faith, Scripture.1 comment so far
The false teacher is deceptive. Verse 15 of today’s passage describes him as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He appears to want people to know the “real” truth about God, but his interpretation of Scripture may contain outright lies or a distorted mix of fact and error. Since wise believers study God’s Word, they can detect a “sheepskin” starting to slip. The wolf is further exposed by his personal life, which won’t be consistent with righteousness (Matt. 7:16). A close study of his decisions, actions, and words will reveal that he does not follow the Lord’s will or biblical principles.
The false teacher’s life and message are self-indulgent. His enticing ideas appeal to his listeners’ fleshly nature. In fact, he’ll often permit activities prohibited in Scripture. Some deceivers describe God’s grace as a license to live without restraint (Jude 4). Paul clearly denounces this lie, teaching that believers have died to sin and shouldn’t live in it (Rom. 6:2).
The body of Christ is expected to use Scripture as the standard against which to measure a leader’s lifestyle and words. When we seek divine truth, we are given the discernment to know a holy message from a misleading one.
A false teacher wants to create uncertainty in his listeners. In order to gain followers, he must persuade his audience that he possesses knowledge they lack. The people who accept this misleading information as absolute truth will usually return to the false teacher for more. Having followers strokes his ego and provides “proof” that he is right.
Those who have a sound doctrine won’t be led astray. That’s why it is so important for our faith to rest on biblical truth—for example, Jesus Christ died for the sins of mankind, the Holy Spirit dwells in believers, and Christians will be resurrected bodily. Defeating false teachers takes more than “my pastor says . . .”When confronted, we must defend our faith with Scripture we ourselves have studied. By regularly reading and applying God’s Word, we will be better prepared when confronted with untruth.
Building a sound doctrine protects believers from misleading messages and arms them to defend the faith. Do not be caught unprepared. If you haven’t already started, begin to study the Bible today. Should you need help, ask your pastor or a godly mentor for guidance.
The crime of Christianity August 6, 2008
Posted by JP in Discussion, Uncategorized.add a comment
If being a Christian was illegal, and you were accused of being a Christian, in a court of law, could the prosecutor get a conviction, or could your defense lawyer get you acquitted?
Would you be found acquitted due to lack of evidence? Would you be found not guilty because there was reasonable doubt?
This is the question I’ve begun to ponder as of late and am reminded of my pet phrase:
Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary - use words.
He’s been reading my mail… August 5, 2008
Posted by JP in Discussion, Stupidity, Venting.add a comment
I have this theory about men and aging. We have two ages: the age we really are, and the age we are in our heads. Most men are almost always about 31 or 32 in their heads — just ask them. Even Mr. Burns from “The Simpsons” is 31 in his head. One of the most universal adult male experiences is of standing before a mirror and saying, “I’m sorry, but there’s been a horrible mistake. You see, that’s not really me in the mirror there. The real me is tanned, throws Frisbees, and kayaks the Columbia River estuary without cracking a sweat.”
August 1, 2008
Posted by JP in Discussion, Scripture.1 comment so far
A great commentary by Kenneth Hemphill…
I listened intently as he patiently asked the following three questions: 1) Are you certain that you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? She responded “yes.” 2) Do you believe that the Bible is God’s Word and is sufficient for all our needs? Again she responded in the affirmative. 3) If I show you truth from God’s Word that deals with the issues that concern you, will you obey them immediately and completely? My friend did not elaborate at this point, but the lady began to exclaim that we wouldn’t understand. She pointed to her financial need and loneliness. My friend listened patiently and then started again repeating the three questions.
The implication was obvious. If we pointed her to Scripture which she confessed to be a “sufficient guide” and she refused to obey God’s Word, we had no other advice to give her. It would be like going to the doctor and refusing to follow his prescription.
While you might smile in agreement, let me pose a question: “Is the Bible sufficient for church growth and health?” I’m not suggesting that we don’t need to organize for Bible study and outreach. God is not a God of confusion; He works through orderly strategy. But do we really agree with the Apostle Paul that it is “God who gives the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:7)? And if it is God who actually causes true growth, it only makes sense that we find His design for these matters in His Word. We face the temptation of relying too heavily on the next model, method or marketing strategy to grow our church, rather than looking primarily to Scripture for our growth strategy. I believe that if we search the Scriptures and apply their emphases, we will experience the growth and health the Lord desires.
Sendler vs. Gore… July 28, 2008
Posted by JP in Venting.add a comment
Gorical propoganda wins the Nobel Peace Prize over the tangible efforts of a lady who actually saved lives in time of war? What in the world are people thinking?
Coming soon: “Saturday” Sabbath… July 15, 2008
Posted by JP in Discussion, Uncategorized.add a comment
I’ve been working on a post regarding the “Saturday” Sabbath, mainly as a rebuttal to the teachings of the Seventh Day Adventists and other such cults, and hope to have it ready soon.
It has undergone many rewrites as there is much to be said in this area but I find the tone of my essay be continually harsh. I don’t want to put across the truth of the matter in such a way as to unnecessarily offend people (although anyone stupid enough to promote such a legalistic, false doctrine should be offended), so I am working it and reworking it.
If anyone has some points to ponder on this subject that they would like me to explore and incorporate, please let me know. I’m trying to cover all aspects of the debate and something important may get lost in the shuffle.
Being sin or sinning… July 10, 2008
Posted by JP in Discussion, Faith.1 comment so far
Recent discussions online have bandied about the idea of sin being a noun, a verb, or an adjective. Some suggest that sin is a verb and verb alone, some have suggested otherwise. My understanding of sin as discussed in scripture is that it is a relatively generic term for an action, a state of being, or a thing.
Apparently the greek word translated as ’sin’ means to “miss the mark” encouraging one participant in these discussions to assert that it is a verb and applies only to actions which ‘miss the mark’.
I think the whole idea can be summed up in the idea that sin represents unrighteousness in comparison to the righteousness of God.
Thus we have a few concepts of this unrighteousness and only one really pertains to the whole:
Our state of being.
The fall of Lucifer begins this idea, through his pride he set himself as equal to God and thus rebelled against God, after his ejection from God’s glory he deceived Eve who disobeyed God, and Adam along with her, subsequently placing all humanity into a state of unrighteousness. This is the condition in which we are all born. A condition not predicated on what we do or don’t do, but simply a state of our being. All ’sins’ we commit are a result of this condition, the condition is not a result of the sins we commit.
Scripture is very clear on this concept when it explains that there is none righteous:
Psa 14:2-3 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any who understood, dealt wisely, and sought after God, inquiring for and of Him and requiring Him [of vital necessity]. (3) They are all gone aside, they have all together become filthy; there is none that does good or right, no, not one.
Rom 3:10-12 As it is written, None is righteous, just and truthful and upright and conscientious, no, not one. (11) No one understands [no one intelligently discerns or comprehends]; no one seeks out God. (12) All have turned aside; together they have gone wrong and have become unprofitable and worthless; no one does right, not even one!
The Gospel of Christ Jesus lived, crucified, and raised again speaks directly to this state of being. It is His atoning sacrifice which took upon Him our unrighteousness and killed it for all time on the cross. It is His resurrection that allowed His righteousness to be imputed to us. The idea of committing sin after that bestowed righteousness is secondary to the rectification of our natural condition into that condition which God created us originally.
Crucified with Christ July 9, 2008
Posted by JP in Poetry, Uncategorized.add a comment
As I look back on what I thought was living
I’m amazed at the price I choose to pay
And to think I ignored what really mattered
Cause I thought the sacrifice would be too great
But when I finally reached the point of giving in
I found the cross was calling even then
And even though it took dying to survive
I’ve never felt so much alive.
[chorus]
For I am crucified with Christ and yet I live
Not I but Christ that lives within me
His Cross will never ask for more than I can give
For it’s not my strength but His
There’s no greater sacrifice
For I am crucified with Christ and yet I live
As I hear the Savior call for daily dying
I will bow beneath the weight of Calvary
Let my hands surrender to His piercing purpose
That holds be to the cross but sets me free
I will glory in the power of the cross
The things I thought were gain I count as loss
And with His suffering I identify
And by His resurrection power I am alive
And I will offer all I have
So that His cross is not in vain
For I found to live is Christ
And to die is truly gain
by Phillips, Craig, & Dean
In Christ Alone… July 8, 2008
Posted by JP in Poetry, Uncategorized.add a comment
In Christ alone will I glory
Though I could pride myself in battles won
For I’ve been blessed beyond measure
And by His strength alone I’ll overcome
Oh, I could stop and count successes like diamonds in my hands
But those trophies could not equal to the grace by which I stand
In Christ alone
I place my trust
And find my glory in the power of the cross
In every victory
Let it be said of me
My source of strength
My source of hope
Is Christ alone
In Christ alone do I glory
For only by His grace I am redeemed
For only His tender mercy
Could reach beyond my weakness to my need
And now I seek no greater honor in just to know Him more
And to count my gains but losses to the glory of my Lord
In Christ alone
I place my trust
And find my glory in the power of the cross
In every victory
Let it be said of me
My source of strength
My source of hope
Is Christ alone
