Dont Waste Your Life

If I could say one last thing in 08' - if I had a moment to grab the attention of everyone I know have known and will know friends co workers family & associates alike. This would be it:

DONT WASTE YOUR LIFE.

In the coming weeks (at least the next 5) - I will be doing a blog series with this title. My wife and I are currently walking through a bible study curriculum that we will soon be leading in our home. In the first few lessons alone - I've been challenged to do an "inventory" of my life and it's pursuits and -WOW- lotta work to be done. Look out for the next few blogs titled DWYL. I plan to get pretty transparent with my findings, challenges, repentance, frustrations etc.

In the meantime - back to that "last message of the year". I've got a video to share. Pretty much sums it up.

(((Watch the video first -rap is only 45 seconds or so the rest is speaking)))

Toward the end shai posed the question/comment:
How shameful would it be?... he directed it to the concert attendees and kept it relevant to the topic of the music, the hype of the show etc. But if I may - I'd like to dig deeper.

Have you ever thought about this? How shameful would it be?- to have wasted your life attending church services every Sunday(or even sometime), praising God with your lips only to have Him reveal that all along your heart wasnt in it?(Isaiah 29:13) How shameful would it be to have wasted your life wearing the label of 'Christ'ian and have Christ himself declare "I never knew you"..?(Matthew 7:23) How shameful to have wasted your life saying prayers to God - and He never heard you?(Psalm 16:18;Proverbs 28:9)

Some of you have heard me say this plenty of times. "I'd rather live my life like 50 cent or Hugh Hefner than to live trying to be a "Christian" and be deceived my whole life- ultimately ending up in the same place they will" (should The Lord not grant them(50 & Hugh) repentance and everlasting life by grace through faith in Jesus Christ).

I would much rather do my own thing, chase money, women, success, and the likes - and reap the fruit of that life in the after life, than to be "lukewarm".

In Revelation 3 Jesus writes a letter to a church -who quite a few theologians say is a prophecy to the end times church (that'd be us)- saying:

"I know your ways and that you are neither hot nor cold I wish that you were hot or cold but because you are lukewarm I will spew you from my mouth."

So my plea -to professing believers- in 09'. Make your calling and election sure. As shai said "bear fruit in keeping with repentance". Repentance is not a one time deal, where you repented(or as some misconstrue it "asked for forgiveness") and now you're saved. Repentance is a part of the daily Christian life.

Daily Christian living is daily Christian dying. A part of the dying I'm speaking of is the dying of comfort and security and reputation and health and family and friends and wealth and homeland. These may be taken from us at any time in the path of Christ-exalting obedience. To die daily the way Paul did, and to take up your cross the way Jesus commanded, is to embrace this life of loss for Christ's sake and count it gain. In other words, the way we honor Christ in death is to treasure Jesus above the gift of life, and the way we honor Christ in life is to treasure Jesus above life's gifts.

You are not your own, for you were bought with a price, so glorify God in your body - Paul in 1 Cor. 6:19-20

God created us to live with a single passion to joyfully display his supreme excellence in all the spheres of life. The wasted life is the life without this passion. God calls us to PRAY, and THINK, and DREAM, and PLAN, and WORK, not to be made much of, but to make much of Him in every part of our lives.

In closing - I offer up some more of Jesus' words:
'You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of iniquity!’ (matthew 7:16-23)

A Way That Seems Right

"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man,

but the end thereof are the ways of death." Proverbs 14:12


There are many ways that seem right to us. Those ways may have been established by tradition, culture or even here-say. Yet, there is a way that is right.

Much of what pulls us away from obedience to God is putting great trust in our own reasoning abilities (when we're not flat out seeking to compromise). We examine and weigh the facts, then we draw our conclusions. Then we often make decisions as to how to act based primarily upon what we see to be the right way to go. However, there is grave danger in following what appears to be right in our own eyes. The Bible (primarily it's "Book Of Wisdom") is very clear on this subject:

Proverbs 3:7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.
Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,but a wise man listens to advice.
Proverbs 26:12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Proverbs 26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly.
Isaiah 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,and shrewd in their own sight!

Clearly my eye-dea will carry me off onto the wrong path(s).

As mentioned above, there is a definite way that is right. In order for us to set out and remain on that right road - we must "know" where we're headed. Agree? Ok read on.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;



Here we see that The Bible established our road map. "the fear of the LORD" is said to be the very beginning of knowledge. If we want to be sure we're on the right road -I submit that it is vitally important to have a healthy fear of the LORD.



Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom
Proverbs 14:2 Whoever walks in uprightness fears the LORD
Proverbs 16:6b by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.
Proverbs 28:14 Blessed is the one who fears the LORD always
Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. ***shout out to all my Proverbs 31 women - you can hit the wife at LadeeProverbs31@aim.com**


Many of you may be asking "What does it mean to fear the LORD"? Here it is defined:


Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil.



Ask yourself - Do you hate evil? Do you abhor wrong doings? Do you detest wickedness? Do you loathe the sin in your life?

God does; and God's Word says that the fear of the LORD -which is... the way of the righteous, the blessed one's ways, the woman to be praised's attribute, etc- is hatred of evil.

Pray that the Lord would cause you to fear HIM and hate evil, after all this marks the starting point toward knowledge and wisdom -[The Right Road].

Ecclesiastes 12:13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

What if there were no more excuses?

"Powerful"

Don't Drink The Kool-Aid

Don't Drink The Kool-Aid
Many of you have heard me using the term “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid” a lot lately. It’s become a modern day proverb to me. So what does don’t drink the kool-aid mean? One of the lasting legacies of the Jonestown tragedy(description to follow) is the saying, “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid.” This basically means, "Whatever they tell you, don't believe it too strongly or " Of course, you would have to know of Kool-Aid’s connection to Jim Jones to understand the proverb.

Here’s what happened: [Copied from Wikipedia]
In November of 1978, the world was shocked by the suicide deaths of 913 members of the People's Temple cult. Jim Jones, the leader of the group, convinced his followers to move to Jonestown, Guyana, a remote community that Jones carved out of the South American jungle and named after himself. Jones constantly feared losing control of his followers. His paranoia was the main reason he moved the cult to Guyana.

The mass suicide occurred after U.S. Rep. Leo Ryan of California and a team of reporters visited the compound to investigate reports of abuse. After some members tried to leave with the congressman’s group, Jim Jones had Ryan and his entourage ambushed at the nearby airstrip. He then ordered his flock to commit suicide by drinking grape-flavored Kool-Aid laced with potassium cyanide.

The mass suicide wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. During the weeks that preceded the dreadful event, Jones had conducted a series of suicide drills, according to survivors. An alarm call would sound and every person in the camp would line up to receive a fatal dosage. These exercises in insanity proved that all of the adults at the compound knew what would be the result of their actions.

The People’s Temple did not start off as your average mind-controlling cult. It initially gained much respect as an interracial mission for the sick, homeless and jobless. Jim Jones did not manifest his darker side until near the end.

Here’s a thought

For the most part we don’t have to worry about committing physical suicide – It’s actually quite rare for religious groups to commit mass suicide. Most cults are quite peaceful, and they typically try to maintain a low profile. The Jehovah’s Witnesses are one such example. They have never been known to carry out any violent acts – but they’re “Kool-Aid” is very deadly.

The most dangerous feature of cults is the erroneous doctrine they propagate. The falsehood that causes a soul to be eternally lost is far more deadly than any earthly poison. In all cases of doctrinal error, the poison itself is not really what we should be worried about. False teachings always will contaminate the thinking of men. The root of the problem is what leads people to consuming this falsehood. The members of People's Temple knew that drinking poison is bad for you. Their better judgment was overcome by their blind trust in a mortal man.

As Christians, we shouldn’t be suspicious of everything we hear from the pulpit. We just need to use Bible-based common sense. We should all ‘Be like the Bereans’, never taking any new teaching at the word of the speaker, but rather using Scripture to verify anything that seems to conflict with sound biblical doctrine.

That’s our golden rule for scripture and our faith – but what about everyday decisions and actions? The “proverb” still applies.

I have to admit – today’s Kool-Aid can be very appetizing, however like always, the drink is sweet to the taste but lethal to the soul.

Some of today’s social flavors would be:
The Secret, Oprah Winfrey, Affordable Housing, Universal Healthcare, Re-Distribution of Wealth, The Economic Bail-Out(s), rumors of Hyper-Inflation, (((GLOBAL WARMING))); to name a few.

Some of today’s religiously disguised flavors include but are not limited to:
The Prosperity Gospel, The Church becoming seeker friendly, getting slain in the spirit or ‘slaying’ someone, holy laughter, the books on the shelves of your local ‘Christian’ bookstore that tell how to live your best life now -become a better you and/or find Purpose, The 500.00 “Prayer Cloth”, the $500.00 healing line, and the likes.

Basically if you don’t see it in The Script don’t trust it..
While walking through a local Christian Bookstore today my dear brother Chris and I stumbled upon this kool-aid… Make sure you listen intently to the prayer toward the end... remember people --- the idea is to pose as an "Angel of Light"

Have you tasted it?

Be Like The Bereans: What it means to Be Like The Bereans

Be Like The Bereans: What it means to Be Like The Bereans

What it means to Be Like The Bereans

This is a blog I've worked on for some time. On the day after the 2008 Presidential campaign finally came to an end I thought this would be a perfect time to complete it.

For the past few weeks there have been countless discussions, debates, arguments etc. around the country pertaining to the election. One of the most sought after weapons on both sides of the fence has been "the fatcs-from credible sources of course". With such facts one would have the ability to prove what they believe and why it is "good".

While this factual approach would only be stuck to in the beginnings of most political discussions - which quickly turn into arguments where [as my younger brother puts it] "people begin to stack there decks higher and higher but never accomplish anything" - it is the way things should be. This is essentially what it means - pertaining to the Christian faith - to 'Be Like The Bereans'

What it means to 'Be Like the Bereans'

In a list of final admonitions at the end of his letter to the Thessalonians, the apostle Paul told the Church in Thessalonica to "prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21). The word used for "prove" in the Greek means to "test, examine, prove, scrutinize".

We are instructed to examine, test and prove what we believe. It isn't good enough to just believe, or to accept a doctrine just because it has been taught. Perhaps now would be a good time for each of us to ask ourselves: "Do I practice 1 Thessalonians 5:21?"

A wonderful example of doing just that is recorded in Acts 17. Paul and his party had trouble in the city of Thessalonica and had to leave under cover of darkness. They traveled west about 75 miles to the city of Berea, where Paul once again began to preach the truth.

Verse 11 says this of the men and women of Berea: "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true".

The approach of the Bereans is something you and I can learn from. First of all they "received the word"—they listened attentively and respectfully to the preaching of Paul. They wanted to know what he had to say and make sure they clearly understood him before making any judgments.

I personally believe it would have been much easier for them to listen and then conclude that Paul was correct, and accept what he said without further worry. But that was not their approach. They understood that the Word of God should be handled with dignity and care, not taken lightly or taken for granted. So they "examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."

Not only did they open the Scriptures and study subjects for themselves, but we are told they did so daily. They didn't just listen on the Sabbath and look up some things then—they made a study of the Word of God a part of their lives every day! They wanted to know whether or not Paul's preaching was accurate. If they could affirm his teachings from the Scriptures they had (what we call the Old Testament), then they could accept it as something new they had learned.

If, however, they had found Paul's teachings to be incorrect when examined in the light of Scriptures, it is certain they would have rejected them as heresy. Put another way, it was important for them to know what they believed, but it was just as important to know why they believed it!

Their example is a wonderful lesson for each of us in the Church today. Paul was not always met with respect, but he was in Berea. It should be the hallmark of every individual and every congregation of God's Church that we listen and approach the ministry with dignity and respect (Hebrews 13:17). That is the starting point.

But we also must know with certainty what we believe, and we need to be sure we know why we believe it. To do that, we have to examine, test and prove our beliefs, carefully examining the things we are taught in the light of Scripture, being certain our faith is secure, not easily moved (Hebrews 13:9).

That is the danger of accepting a Pastors' teachings blindly rather than following 1 Thessalonians 5:21. To the congregation in Corinth Paul wrote: "But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough" (2 Corinthians 11:3-4).

The Corinthians exhibited the all-too-human tendency to be taken in by a good sounding argument without spending the time and effort to examine it carefully in the light of Scripture. The same thing happened later on in the congregations of the region of Galatia (Galatians 1:6; 3:1). If it could happen to them—it could happen to us.~ Might I assert that it has.

Where Do We Start?

Understanding that, how can and should we go about examining and proving our beliefs? Where do we start?

We are fortunate to live in an age where studying the Scriptures is more convenient than ever before. Bibles in many different translations are commonly available, and many are fairly inexpensive to obtain. There are concordances that make finding a particular verse or section much easier and faster. There are Bible dictionaries, lexicons, commentaries and Bible atlases to help us further understand the words God chose to use, the circumstances in which the men and women of old lived and how to apply their examples to our lives today.

For those who are a little computer savvy, all of those Bible helps can be found in various computer programs or many times even on the Internet free of charge. A computer can make finding information faster, and often will allow you to pull material together from various sources and save it to a file or print it out as a study of a particular topic.

All of these can be a big help to us in following 1 Thessalonians 5:21, but I want to offer a word of caution here: As well written and accurate as commentaries may be, as colorful and well presented as they may be, they are not Scripture, and watching, reading and studying them should not replace reading the Bible.

To effectively use material published by the Church, we should take the approach of the Bereans and listen (or read) intently, and then study the Bible daily to prove what we've read.

Be Prepared to Give an Answer

The benefits to each of us of examining, studying and proving our beliefs are tremendous. Our faith is strengthened as we become more confident in what we believe. We will not be as easily swayed by a new idea or passing fancy of doctrine that comes our way, because we will not only know what we believe, but, just as importantly, we will know why we believe it—and we can go back and prove it again if need be. "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have" (1 Peter 3:15).

Paul told the brethren in Thessalonica to "prove all things; hold fast that which is good." It was sage advice for the early Church, and it is needful for the Church in these end times as much or more than ever.

Here's what a modern day application of this looks like.

I don't just write - I read far more. I also use other mediums as tools to guide me in study of the scriptures. One of these is music - namely Hip Hop (yea you heard right). A dear brother in Christ and indigenous mission to the Hip Hop culture - Stephen the Levite - also has a blog I frequent. In it he posts lyrics from songs/albums and encourages his listeners to "seacrh the scriptures" to match up his lyrics. Here's the most recent post(s).

RobynAnnLawson.com has left a new comment on the post "...to die is gain lyrics":
Finally got around to the Demons and Angels track this morning (it takes me a while to get through you songs, because the passages referenced usually send me on a half-day study journey, lol)... and have a quick question/errr?
One line states: "they’re never female, always fully grown, never children/ never seen with the wings but usually in some white linen"..
So I was wondering what the 2 women in Zech 5:9 would be considered?
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=zech%205:9&version=50
Thanks.. young disciple in training.

Stephen the Levite has left a new comment on the post "...to die is gain lyrics":
Actually it's funny that you ask. My wife asked me about this same passage a while ago. And even though it was underlined in my Bible I felt like I had never seen it.
There are some visions in the bible that seem to be symbolic, and some that seem to be realistic. In Is. 6 when he sees the Lord, that one seems pretty real. Others like the Multiple headed beasts in Revelation I would say are symbolic. This passage in Zech. 5 I would say fit in the symbolic catagory. The vision is lengthy, much like Revelation, filled with symbolism. I haven't studied it much yet (though I am excited about figuring out what it all means) but I don't think it adds any solid evidence of actual female angels. 2 reasons: 1. They still don't do any talking, making their role something other than a messenger (or angel) and 2. They have wings, which if anything would put them in the category with Cherebim or Serephim. However, it doesn't tell us how many wings (which makes us assume they had 2), and other than the wings they seem to look totally human. Serephim have 6 wings and the name serephim may indicate a form that seems other than human. Cherebim I believe have 4 wings and differ in form, usually with multiple heads, and taking features similar to a variety of animals. So if these women with stork wings are real, they may even fit in a category of their own. Very interesting passage.
Hope that helps.
Grace and Peace

RobynAnnLawson.com has left a new comment on the post "...to die is gain lyrics":
Thanks alot!
It definitely helped. I came to the same conclusion while discussing it with my roommate later that day (saying that they never gave a message.. so I don't believe they were "angels" based on the literal definition) ..and thought maybe they have their own category... or were just being used as an illustration (a symbol is a better word, which you used).
But then another commentary I was reading considered all the "hosts" of heaven to be angels... (and thus included seraphim, cherubim, thrones, powers, principalities, archangels, etc..) So NOW I'm on another hunt (not complaining)... but thanks alot for stirring the waters in me with those lyrics!
In Christ.

Big Ups to Robyn and Steve... [soli deo gloria]
So once again let's ask, "Do I practice 1 Thessalonians 5:21?"

Real Vision

Verse 1 - Trip Lee:
Look I don't know what they told you but if it don't match up/With His holy Word then homie they need to back up/Some they pretend like they get Him they twisting facts up/That's why we dig in the scriptures to know the Master/Homie, we have to if we want to get past the Only thing we know being what we learned from the Pastor/I really hope your listening, my listeners cause after/We want to see Him clear like a big screen plasma/Half of the cats I seen they don't really know the Lord/They think my views are extreme, think I'm going overboard/But they ain't read a page of the place where He's spoken for Himself in the matters, man that's what I be quoting for/Some say He don't exist, nah that don't even make sense/This Earth is masterpiece somebody had to paint this/Forget the big bang, or evolution and face this/He's the King of Kings and author of all creation/Some say He made it then lets it run like a clock/Nah, He controls every soul and every action on the block/If it happened then He watched and it happens on His watch/No surprise in His eyes, no my God's never shocked

Hook:
I don't know what you heard, I don't know what you heard/I don't know what you heard, hope it matches with the Word/I don't know what you think, I don't know what you think/I don't know what you think, homie time to get it straight

Verse 2 - Tedashii:
Wonderful, Counselor, Masterful/This is Jesus Christ, LORD, all capitals/This is why Trip and I trip after the mass appeal/Of people, who pigeonhole Jesus as a pacifist, Whoa!/A prophet with no power in His plasma/Still we preach against the views that Arius profess to have of Him (look it up!)/Meaning the deifying of Jesus was nothing more than an accident/But the Bible's the proof that refutes and gives us facts on Him/That He was, what His Daddy was Homousia, the God-Man/sent to save us all that He loves/And set us free from sin and shut it down like it was Attica/Anyone disbelieving this truth may want to back it up or back It up/Because the Son of Man is coming that's what's up and at His judgment seat is where you will see/His holy wrath is just/But God is Love, that don't mean He's weak! Hey check His resume/Just cause He lets you breath don't mean He won't take His breath away
Hook

Verse 3 - Trip Lee:
These days in the church, most cats got it twisted/Don't let them fool you on how we posed to live this/For instance, some say to come to Christ for riches/Or maybe your blessing, but my question is what is this?Cause that ain't the gospel, that if you put your faith in Him/To come to the Savior, and then you'll rake that paper in? Face it friends, they made Jesus they holy ATM/Paul would appalled, this gospel would be disgrace to Him/This false gospel strips Him of His flyness/He's more like your servant and less like His Highness/So please don't buy it, that idea is absurd/Jesus said the Christian life can be strife and it's filled with hurt/ Look homie I would hate for, cats to get that fake stuff/And never know it's wrong cause they wont open a page up/I pray we erase the wrong views and embrace the Holy Word that testifies to us about the Savior

Snatch them out of the fire

My wife and I recently joined a marriage discipleship group called Love and Respect.

This weekend(and next) the group is going to the theater to view a new film called "Fireproof". Its a movie about a firefighter who, while at work, always considers others' lives before his. When he's at home he's all about himself and is losing his marriage.

If you're married this would be a great date night movie.

That's not what I wanted to write about though (the movie and/or marriage). You see, the photo above is a snapshot from a dramatic scene in the film. In this scene the fireman has to act swiftly and "Snatch" a young girl, unconscious to her surroundings, out of a burning building. It's the classic fireman rescue scene where the victims are either trapped, asleep, unconscious, or often times willingly defying the fireman's help because of their attachement to possessions. This brought to mind a verse not commonly taught or practiced in modern evangelism.

Jude 1:21-23
21Guard and keep yourselves in the love of God; expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)--[which will bring you] unto life eternal. 22And refute [so as to] convict some who dispute with you, and on some who waver and doubt have mercy. 23[Strive to] save others, by snatching [them] out of [the] fire; take pity [but] with fear, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh and polluted by their sensuality.

Imagine a firefighter headed to a call of a burning building. He pulls up to the site but doesnt get out of the truck for 5 minutes because he's listening to a radio transmission on his headset, of a meeting back at the station. Out of a 5th story window, flames lick at a mother’s clothing. She's crying out in terror and ultimately falls to her death, still clutching an infant in her arms. Her Husband also hold's two terrified children as the massive flames engulfed him.

This firefighter just allowed 5 people to die.
What do you think would be fitting punishment for such a crime—probation? Two years in jail?
Twenty years? Life? Death? What sentence would you give the negligent firefighter? Please make a judgment.

Ok now imagine he's on trial and at the trial, the defense pleaded, “no contest,” but added
that the defendant had gone to great personal sacrifice to be a good employee and not miss the meeting, and he hoped that the judge would take that into account when passing sentence.

Do you enjoy worshiping God? Most people in the Church would say they do. Every Sunday all acr oss the country, auditoriums are filled with hand-raising, God-loving Christians singing their praises t o God. That’s understandable, because when the Holy Spirit dwells within us, it’s not hard to worship our Creator. May I ask you a personal question? When was the last time you shared your faith with an unsaved person? When did you last go out of your way to witness to a stranger? It's noted that only two percent of American churchgoers share their faith with others.That is tragic. If the love of God dwells in us, how can we not be horrified by the fate of the lost? Many professing Christians today are so locked into their religious cliques that they seem to give little or no thought to the fact that all who die in their sins will be cast into the lake offire (Revelation 21:8).

Did you know that if you allow another human being to die when it’s within your ability to save him, you are guilty of something called, “depraved indifference?” They are applicable words. “Depraved” means that it’ s as low as you can get, and “indifference”
means that y ou couldn’t care less . Think now of the terrible neglect of that firefighter. What sentence did you give him? Did you throw him in jail for two years? Did you think that
such a hard-hearted human being (someone who could be only concerned with himself) should be given the death sentence? Then judge yourself by the same standard, because if you are not concerned for the lost, then you are that firefighter. If you are not seeking to save them with fear, “snatching them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the
flesh” you are guilty of the serious crime of “depraved indifference.”

Am I saying that if we don’t evangelize, we’re not saved? Of course not. But if we would expect a firefighter to make saving lives a priority, are we honest enough to judge ourselves by the same standard? Are we doing all we can to rescue the lost, or are we sitting passively in the pews while people perish?

How many friends, family members, church members, and co workers do you have who are trapped by sin in their lives? These people may even be unaware (or unconscious) of their guilt, or so comfortable and happy with their lifestyle that they gladly rebel against God's Moral standards. THINK OF THEIR FATE IF THEY DIE WITHOUT CHRIST!!! Forget about what they'll think of you if you share your faith with them. Who cares if they get offended and their pride is hurt?! They are terminally ill and you have the cure! To worry about these (and other) things.. would be to not grab that woman in the 5th story window by her shirt because it's 100% Silk.

I know that what I am saying is hard to say without sounding harsh and judgmental, but I can’t think of any other way to say it. Please, don’t be offended. Stay with me. My purpose is not to offend, but to get your attention and present things as they really are, and they are not good. The story of the firefighter was fictitious, but what is happening in the contemporary Church is real. Think of it; only 2 percent doing what we are commanded to do. Worship is the highest calling of every Christian, and we can see in the book of Revelation that the Church will one day be consumed in worship before the throne of the Almighty. We are going to worship God for eternity. But when we look back at the book of Acts, we don’t find the Church consumed with worship. Instead, we find it was obsessed with reaching the lost, to the point that they willingly gave their lives to preach the gospel.

So, please, reevaluate your priorities, take off the earphones, unlock the doors, become equipped, and demonstrate the depth of your love for God by rescuing those who are about to perish.

Sin shades. Photo Blog Series 4

When "The Bible Highliter" (click if you missed it) fails... there's always a fresh pair of sin shades courtesy of the prince of the air himself.

1 Corinthians 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 3....if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Topically speaking, satan has done a grand job pulling these shades down over the worlds eyes, and some of the church's too with regards to multimedia and entertainment; Namely music and movies.

So whats so wrong with listening to secular music that contains explicit lyrics and content, or movies full of immorality and that blaspheme our Lord in every other scene?

Paul exhorted the Philippian church in his letter to them saying:

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Doesn't this New testament principle also apply today...especially to what we listen to and look upon? In order for today's secular songs and movies to be excluded from this text it'd have to read : whatever is false, dishonorable, unjust, impure, without love, whatever degrades(antonym of commend), if there is any poorness or anything worthy of shame... think on these things. - - God forbid!

The devil has blinded so many and is working tirelessly to use the lives of celebrities to promote his agenda.

Let us pray for the repentance and salvation of those in Hollywood and the music industry who are doing Satan's bidding whether wittingly or unwittingly. Let us pray for those who have bought into Satan's lies and are living superficial lives for temporary and passing sinful pleasures at the expense of eternal life. Let us also pray for those among us, even ourselves, who have been deceived into thinking "its just music" and/or "its just a movie". Lord grant us recourse and re-route us back to the holiness you first called us to.

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ, He loves you dearly and promised that if you turn from your sin and follow Him in faith, He will forgive you and bring you into His Kingdom forever.

Extra Credit assignment 1...

Remember grade school.. where you had quizzes with 'Extra Credit' on the back. You're decison to complete them wasn't an issue of passing or failing. You do it if you want and if you dont , then don't.

Likewise, I would first like to take this opportunity to say that the subjects in this blog are not ‘Salvation’ issues. As a matter of fact, Salvation is the only issue, of any concern, in the Christian life. The rest we can refer to as ‘Extra Credit.’

A dear friend of mine does not believe in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture and I reassured them (not that they needed it) that there is no prerequisite to being ‘snatched up’ other than the total belief and faith that results in the acknowledgement, acceptance and surrender to the truth that Jesus Christ is Lord over all. <---That period should read audibly. Whether you believe we're outta here prior to God pouring out His wrath on this earth, or that we'll be here to experience it for a little while (Mid-Trib), or that we're here for the whole ride (Post-Trib) doesn't make you less a member of The Body.

That isn't this weeks extra credit assignment however. This week I felt the need to clear the air on a topic my wife was confronted with when speaking to a brother of ours.

Election and Pre-Destination.

A group of individuals, whom I sit at the feet of and agree with, have a firm Biblically backed belief in Calvinism. This term refers to the doctrines and practices of the Reformed church of which John Calvin was an early leader. There are 5 key components to Calvinism:
Total depravity - which asserts that, as a consequence of the fall of humanity into sin, every person born is enslaved to the service of sin.
Unconditional Election/Pre-Destination - which states that God's choice from eternity of those whom he will bring to himself is not based on foreseen virtue, merit, or faith in those people. Rather, it is unconditionally grounded in God's mercy alone.
Limited atonement - the teaching that Jesus' substitutionary atonement was definite and certain in its design and accomplishment.
Irresistible grace - the saving grace of God is effectually applied to those whom he has determined to save (that is, the elect) and, in God's timing, overcomes their resistance to obeying the call of the gospel, bringing them to a saving faith.
Perseverance of the saints - also known as "eternal security." Since God is sovereign and his will cannot be frustrated by humans or anything else, those whom God has called into communion with himself will continue in faith until the end. Those who apparently fall away either never had true faith to begin with or will return.

The main topic of this blog is Unconditional Election and particularly Pre-destination. To sum it up the belief is that that before the creation God determined the fate of the universe throughout all of time and space.

This dear brother in the faith, with whom m wife spoke, submits himself to the contrary belief of a more 'free will'/determinism philosophy. This is the thesis that future events are necessitated by past and present events combined with the laws of nature. In other words, every event, including human cognition and behavior, decision and action, is determined by an unbroken chain of prior occurrences. I guess the biggest problem with this is that it compromises the doctrine of God's sovereignty (big ups to C*BATES for identifying my favorite word).

The main reason this poses a problem is because to say God created all then let's it just run like a clock and then, subjectively re-acts to it's happenings, questions His total control. Did he really not know "WHO TOLD" Adam he was naked? I doubt it. Did he raise Jesus from the dead because He didn't know He was going to be crucified and then die, so now He needed a plan B?

No for Jesus himself said:

John 3:14:15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Right there He's quoting a prophecy about himself, likened to Moses' Nehushtan in Numbers 21:6-8 (bronze snake on a pole), which cured the Israelites of their snake bites when they repented and looked up on the pole.

This is one of thousands of prophecies that contrast the supposition.

So let's dive into the specific debate.

Did God ELECT those who believe, prior to their belief.

Let's let The Word answer:

Romans 8:28-30
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Romans 11:7-8
7What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened, 8as it is written: "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day."
This verse takes it a step further and not only says God elected those who believe but also gave Israel a Spirit of stupor and prevented them from believing. The next 2 verses say the same... I use these verses because it #1 supports God's sovereignty and #2 it shows the flip side of election.

Romans 11:25
25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
2 Corinthians 3:14
14But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.

Ahhh.. the blessed 9th chapter in Romans... please, for 'Extra Credit' read it yourselves.
Here are a couple highlites.
Romans 9:10-12
10Not only that, but Rebekah's children[two sons under exactly the same circumstances]had one and the same father, our father Isaac. 11Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God's purpose in election might stand: 12not by works but by him who calls—she was told, "The older will serve the younger."

Romans 9:18-21
18Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. 19One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?" 20But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' 21Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
Read that again

There are countless other answers THE BIBLE could give but I think those suffice.

To sum it all up - God knew(even this word is inaccurate because he;s infinite not finite) all in eternity past, controls all since before In The Beginning, and "has mercy on who he wants to have mercy and hardens he wants to harden."

Your thoughts? Agrees? Disagreements? Comment.. please do.

To judge or not to judge...

The most misquoted bible verse in America is Matthew 7:1-2 where Jesus says

"Judge not, that you be not judged. 2For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you."

--How many times have you heard someone say "JUDGE NOT LEST YOU BE JUDGED"? Next time..tell them to keep reading!

When Jesus condemned judging He wasn't at all saying that we should not make judgements about anyone or anything... in fact just a few verses later he calls people pigs, dogs, and wolves in sheep's clothing.

As Christians we in fact should judge whether something is right or wrong...whether something is moral or immoral, legal or illegal. However whats important is that we don't condemn others for the very things we do. <----- thats called being a hypocrite. Its ok to judge if we live by the standards in which we judge others.

If Christians don't start to judge evil, instead of accepting all ideas and beliefs, we will become a Church that welcomes...well just about anything. In fact this has already begun...

Christians had better start getting comfortable with politically INCORRECT but loving judgements based on absolute moral truth no matter how offensive it may be to the liberal elite....

So the next time you hear someone misquoting God by telling you not to judge. Remind them that God is very willing to judge our nation on what we don't judge as wrong, and He doesnt repsond well to flawed logic or being misquoted.

Bible Highliter Photo Blog Series 3

I once did a series on popular and unpopular promises. Below is an unpopular promise that may make some reach for the "Bible Highliter".

Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins. (Joh_8:24)

Generally speaking, God's promises are "popular" with many people. When most of the Lord's promises are read or taught, people are delighted.

Promises like these are so often received with favor, because they are so encouraging. They are embraced with approval, because they are so comforting. On the other hand, some of God's promises are definitely "unpopular" with certain segments of humanity. This type of promise is scorned or rejected, because of its convicting or sobering character. Nevertheless, these promises that are not always well-received have great importance in God's plan.

One such promise is given two-fold in our present verse. "You will die in your sins... you will die in your sins." In a tolerant world that wants to deny the reality of sin and its consequences, this is an unpopular promise. Yet, the promise is true nonetheless. Sin brings spiritual death. From the beginning, this has been the case. "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, 'Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die' " (Gen_2:16-17)

It was also repeated by the apostles in the early church. "For the wages of sin is death" (Rom_6:23). Since everyone has sinned, this warning by promise that Jesus gave applies to us all. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom_3:23).

To escape the inevitable consequences of sin, one must trust in Jesus as the promised, divine Savior. "If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." This statement ("I am He") hints of Jesus' deity. Shortly thereafter, He openly declares that he is God, the Son. "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM" (Joh_8:58). Here, Jesus applies to Himself the same name that God revealed to Moses.

Thus, this important promise by Jesus warns that only faith in Him as the divine Savior will deliver a person from the certain consequences of sin.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank You for this important warning given by promise. I am delighted to have yielded to its truth and certainty. I rejoice that my sins are forgiven. Use me to pass on this promise to others who need to respond to it, in Jesus name, Amen.

San Fransisco is burning

They say lighting never strikes in the same place twice.... WHAT ABOUT 8,000 times? (Click here)

How do you explain such events other than to identify them as God's Judgment?

But why would God judge San Fransisco? Hmmm... let's see if we can identify a reason or ten.

1. Recently, homosexuals in San Francisco celebrated an event called the Folsom Street Fair for the 24th straight year. The organizing group claimed that 400,000 people attended the event.The purpose of the fair was to celebrate "leather pride", a euphemism for homosexuals who indulge in sadomasochism, often called S&M. These people enjoy bondage, whipping, spanking and other perverted sexual practices.People who attended the event reported that police backed off while the party-goers practiced oral sex, nudity, masturbation, and orgies in public. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED! THERE ARE PHOTOS IN THIS LINK.

2. The participants of the Folsom Street Fair

3. The city councilman who dont oppose events such as the Folsom Street Fair.

4. Did I mention the Folsom Street Fair. Ok one last thing about it. Go view the pics and tell me who you see depicted in the first cage photo.

5-9. The people behind the person in the picture from reason #4.

10. After the ruling that supports same sex mariages was upheld earlier this month, more than 3,000 marriage licenses had been issued within a weeks time to same-sex couples.

Reason enough? Maybe, maybe not.. depending on your views. I personally view homosexuality the same way I view Lying, Stealing, Idolatry, Fornication, and any other sin. God hates it and calls people to Repent! (Turn away from their sin and turn to Him).

In 1 Corinthians Chapter 6 it says:
9do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such were some of you. But you were washed you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God

Like the passage reads.. none of the people listed will inherit the kingdom of God and such were some of us! Don't know about you (yes I do) but I was once worse than the homosexual as a greedy, sexually immoral, thieving, drunkard. Not to mention a blasphemous liar full of idoloatry.

Nevertheless God promises forgiveness and remission of this and other sin for all - by His grace, through faith in Christ and He declares all who believe "justified". The Encarta dictionary defines justification this way: the grace of God absolves people from all sin!

I ask you all to pray for all people including Gay's to recognize their sin and repent, putting their absolute faith in Jesus Christ alone to save them from eternal damnation in hell, knowing that while we were yet sinners CHRIST DIED FOR US.

OF COURSE YOU'LL HAVE TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE...

We all fall short?!? Photo Blog Series 2

Best life now!? Photo Blog Series 1

((Global Pew Warming))

...truth in a form of fiction

Global Pew Warming is the sad truth that large majorities of the people who are in the church today are not born again believers as defined by scripture. (See First John.) They are people who have been convinced, through various means, that church is good for their life and their family. They have been convinced that they need to add God to their lives in order to be more complete. They have been convinced that going to church can be fun, exciting and a great benefit to their sense of well-being. They have been shown that the church can compete weekly with anything in the secular world in order to attract their attention.

A consequence of this epidemic is already being seen in the food supply. Genetic modifications have been made to the good seed and have caused fruit production to decrease to levels that have not been seen in our lifetime. The fruit that is being produced by this modified seed lacks the ability to provide necessary nutrition and ultimately, to sustain life. Though it has only been used in production for a relatively short time, this bad seed is showing its inability to produce lasting results.

Massive amounts of resources have been used to grow this church environmental nightmare. Money is thrown at anything that will get people in the doors. Time and energy are expended by well-meaning members as they are given tasks that are supposed to be building the church. Methods, no matter how harmful, are legitimized and become the accepted norm as long as they work to the desired end; bring in lots of people, keep them happy and have lots of programs for them to support that make them feel good about things in their lives.

Who is responsible for this Global Pew Warming?

While I am sure that there is enough blame to go around, the responsibility for this seems to fall squarely at the feet of leaders, specifically leaders in the church.

Many leaders in what is called the church today have become addicted to Big Church, Big Production, Big Budget, Big Buildings, Big Debt, Big TV, Big Crowds and Big Success. In their pursuit of these goals, the biblical environment that is supposed to exist in the church has been polluted to the point that it is hardly recognizable. What we see today is a result of years of neglect. The outlook seems to be very bleak.

Is change possible? In truth, yes and no.

For many of these leaders, because of their addiction, their goals and desires, when confronted with the need for change, they can only give it lip service. They see clearly that reform is needed to correct the problems associated with Global Pew Warming but the cost is just too great. If they initiate reform and return to biblical truth, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all its exclusivity, people will be offended. More than likely, many would choose to leave the church and an exodus like that would trigger a landslide of financial problems, not to mention the programs that would be destroyed. All that time and energy, wasted.

The hope lies in leaders in the church who believe that the Lord is the One who builds His church. They rest securely in the fact that they are called to faithfully preach, teach, disciple and train believers for life and ministry to God. They desire to see the true transforming power of the Gospel at work in the lives of those who are being born again.

So is there hope? Can Global Pew Warming be reversed? I believe so. Here are a few suggestions to get the process started:

*Reduce the toxic emissions of relevance
*Drive less with purpose for life and more with passion for the gospel
*Recycle the Word of God in the church and home
*Eliminate "led" based ideas unless they are biblically sound
*Cut back on energy consumption for things that do not matter for eternity *Promote conservation and preservation of truth

If we begin with these few steps, we may be able to reverse the current effects of Global Pew Warming.

The Gospel According to Rick Warren

"The Gospel According to Rick Warren"
Warren predicts that Christian fundamentalism, will be one of the big enemies of the 21st Century.

Statements from The Purpose Driven Church:
"Catching fish on their terms means letting your target determine your approach." (pg 196);
"While most unbelievers aren't looking for truth, they are looking for relief." (pg 226);
"The ground we have in common with unbelievers is not the Bible, but our common needs, hurts and interests as human beings." (pg 295)

REMEMBER SOMETHING SAINTS - When we look for common ground with unbelievers, we never end up with the truth of the Bible.

Rick Warren has subtlety and critically changed the message of the Gospel.
Rick Warren has done for the church what McDonald's has done for the restaurant industry. Unfortunately, the church is not in the hamburger flipping business. Applying franchising principles toChrist's church may result in outward success, but true success cannot be measured by simply reading the bottom line of 'nickels and noses,' buildings and programs. But there is a bottom line by which to measure the church: it is doctrinal integrity. The church is the pillar and support of the truth (I Timothy 3:15). If the church fails in its God-given mission of upholding, defending and propagating the truth then it fails. Period. It is on this level that Rick Warren's "Purpose Driven" agenda is challenged. Is the Warren franchise successful? By every criteria that a retail franchise can be measured, the answer is a clear yes. But how is the Warren franchise doing with the all important commodity of truth is concerned?..."

The Gospel of Rick Warren is not a biblical call to sinners to throw down their rebel arms at the cross and embrace the salvation offered by the Lord Jesus Christ. Nowhere in the Purpose Driven Life are readers told that sinners (what an archaic term now) are under the wrath and curse of God unless they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice on the cross. Rick Warren instead retools the Gospel message to appeal to the unregenerate. He does not believe that God's purposes are declared in his revealed Word, but rather teaches that the unsaved should go on a journey of self-discovery in order to locate God's purposes for their lives.

To Rick Warren, church growth is not the result of the Holy Spirit converting sinners as seen in the book of Acts but is the result of the latest marketing techniques that will make church attractive to those who don't know Jesus Christ. Thousands of churches are now Purpose Driven franchises with success hungry pastors taking their cues and even their sermons from Rick Warren. Rick Warren calls this "Church-in-a-box" and he offers it on his numerous websites. But the true Gospel of Christ, the narrow way that Christ spoke of in the Bible, has been altered to suit the world. Numerical success may be achieved, but the Gospel must be obscured to do it Warren's way.

When original sin and the blood atonement are removed from the message, there is no "good news". The world is then being given a gospel that is false. It really is that serious.

Rick Warren's distaste for Christian fundamentalism is a result of his distaste for the fundamentals of God's Word. Those who insist on hearkening back to the Word of God stand in direct opposition to Warren's "Purpose-Driven" marketing tsunami. Rick's much vaunted PEACE plan, his unprecedented popularity with the secular media and his continuing ascendancy in American evangelicalism is dependent upon those pastors and leaders who are willing to set aside the clear dictates of God's Word in order to ride the coattails of Rick Warren and his temporal success. Fundamentalists get in the way.

In the midst of the marketing hype and popular clamor for Rick Warren's man-centered Gospel, may the clear voice of our Savior Jesus Christ cut through the din. "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, and few there be that find it."Matthew 7:13-14

A Purpose Plea to Pastors

Would you let a surgeon operate on you or your family if he didn't know the procedure perfectly? Of course not. How much more accurate should a pastor be with the Gospel that is the power unto salvation?

If you are responsible for introducing the Purpose Driven Life to your church or small group, please consider the following verses. "I (Paul) have laid the foundations like an expert builder. Now others (you) are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful." I Cor.3:10.

How careful have you been in endorsing the Purpose Driven Life? Did you study it with a critical eye? Did you know the theology and history of Rick Warren before you fed Purpose to your sheep? Were you "very careful?"

"There is going to come a time of testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone's work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. If the work survives the fire, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builders themselves will be saved, but like someone escaping through a wall of flames." (I Cor.3:13-15)

Hold it, it gets worse. Paul tells us that "God will bring ruin upon anyone who ruins this temple." (v.17)

Uh oh. For 57 pages, Pastor Warren does not describe sin, righteousness, judgment, God's holiness, hell, repentance, shedding of blood, atonement or resurrection. Yet on page 58 of Purpose Driven Life, Pastor Warren invites the reader to become a Christian by "whispering the prayer that will change your eternity." This prayer better be surgically accurate or we have a pastor who is guilty of malpractice (pardon the mixed metaphor). So what is the prayer that will save?

"'Jesus, I believe in you and I receive you.' Go ahead. If you sincerely meant that prayer, congratulations! Welcome to the family of God."

If you believe that James 4:9,10 describes the conversion experience of godly sorrow that leads to repentance, then you recognize that Pastor Warren's presentation of salvation is, and I state this very carefully, not Biblical.

Friend, we can argue about many things in Christianity, but salvation is one message we must have complete accuracy and agreement on. Paul warned that any other Gospel is no Gospel at all. "Let God's curse fall on anyone, including myself, who preaches any other message than the one we told you about. Even if an angel comes from heaven and preaches any other message, let him forever be accursed." Gal.1:8

We cannot say, "Well, he sort of presents the Gospel." Jesus shed His blood for this Gospel, we must get it right. Eternity is at stake.

"Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.'" (Mark 1:14,15) "Repent and trust" is the Biblical response to the Gospel, not whispering a prayer. God commands all men everywhere to repent.

Imagine your spouse committed adultery against you and returned to you and said, "Honey, I believe in you and I receive you." Would that be acceptable to you? Why would we think that is acceptable to God? It isn't. That is a false Gospel. That is a damning Gospel.

Luther, Calvin, Moody and Tozer all preached repentance and trust. Charles Spurgeon proclaimed, "While the gospel is a command, it is a two-fold command explaining itself. "Repent ye, and believe the gospel.'"

If you believe that is the only saving Gospel, then you stand at odds with Purpose Driven Life.

While we could discuss the Pastor Warren's faulty forty day premise, man-centered theology, rampant mis-use of Scripture, using a dozen liberal translations and his questionable connections and endorsement by Robert Schuller, his salvation message alone should disqualify Purpose from being promoted in evangelical circles.

Please, you are the shepherd of your flock. Your sheep are being fed another Gospel. You will be judged for this. All I ask is that you consider what I am saying and check it with Scripture. This is your duty.

Transformers

What does it really mean to Be Ye Transformed?

Scripture reference Romans 12:2 - Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God

Transformation is simply an exchange of life. It means we are showing forth and manifesting Christ's Life instead of our own. Scripture tells us that the only way we can do this is by the constant renewing of our minds; putting off the garbage in our own thinking and putting on the Mind of Christ. It's the Holy Spirit's mission, with our consent, to produce the Mind of Christ in us, so that we can be transformed and live (not just speak) the truth.

If we are progressing in obedience to the Word of God, then our lives are going to change. You cannot be the same person this year that you were last year if you are concentrating on conforming your life to God's commands. For example, you will be more patient, more loving, more God-centered, more service-focused, more joyful, more ______ (you fill in the blank). Your life should be more organized according to the standards in the Bible rather than the standards of our culture. You cannot be the same person; your life must reflect more of Christ and His way today then it did at a previous point in time. (The longer the time frame, the more obvious to those around you the change will be.) If you are the same person and haven't been moving toward Christ-likeness in obedience, then you should seriously question your progress in sanctification. And if there is a problem with sanctification, then you should have a serious Self Examiniation of your salvation ... just in case theres need to, I've compiled a scale that will assist you with examining yourself... short 5 questions/answers. (request it by email)

The bottom line for the Christian is that a major part of your sanctification is obeying God as He revealed His will in the Word, thus conforming your life to that of Christ. That requires work. It requires the power of the Holy Spirit. It requires that you actually renounce/repent of the way you are and change, sometimes dramatically, the way you act and live. If more people who go by the name, "Christian," would do this, then we would actually look different to the pagan world, and would be a far better witness.

Praying for obedience and change, both in my life and in the lives of those I love....

Grace & Peace

Da' Sciple