"But the LORD of hosts will be exalted in judgment, And the holy God will show Himself holy in righteousness." Isaiah 5:16 NASB Some people only want to talk about God's love and mercy without talking about His justice and holiness. Mercy, grace and love mean little to people unless you know that you don't deserve them and that not everyone receives them. We have to recognize that we don't meet God's standard and then turn from sin and trust & believe in God's sacrifice for sin...in Jesus His Son. He died to take our punishment and He arose and conquered death, so that those who believe in Him might have eternal life instead of the eternal punishment that we all deserve.
Everyone has done something against God's standard...lied, stolen (even something small), wanted something that belonged to someone else, had hatred for someone which Jesus considered equivalent to murder, or lusted which is equivalent to adultery or fornication, or used God's name in vain, or worshipped self or something else by placing them as more important than God to you. If you were to stand before God as Judge, what would you say? Would you be found guilty?
To those who say you believe in Jesus:
If you say that you have trusted in Christ's death to take the punishment for your sin, then do your actions show that you have really changed and committed your life to the Lord? Do you love and want to obey the Lord, or is He just a fire escape to you? He is an escape from judgment, but do you have a real relationship with Him? Do you show that you love the Lord in your love for others? On the other hand, do you excuse all sin under the guise of love which is not really loving after all? Well, these are just some thoughts I have, and I hope that God's love will shine through me somehow to you.
(I posted this first on Facebook, but I thought I'd share it here as well.)
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Name Above All Names Training Video (from the Risen Album)
I don't play the guitar, but this is one of my favorite worship songs from Sovereign Grace Music's latest album Risen. As you might recall, my second favorite was Behold Our God. This video shows what chords to use for playing Name Above All Names, and I so desire this song to be heard and used. I haven't heard it at my own church, but I hope sharing it here will encourage other people to learn the chords and use it for worship (personal or corporate).
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Birthday, Summer, Peter Furler, & Gospel Tracts
Well, today is a special birthday of a family member, it's the first day of summer (and it's very hot today here in East Tennessee), and Peter Furler's album On Fire is out today. I got three of the songs so far, and I have enjoyed them. Matter of Faith is one of them, and it's an encouraging song that is a reminder about faith and Heaven. Someone else here in my house is planning to get the CD, so we will all get to listen and use it when we use the treadmill if we want to.
Earlier this month I got some Gospel tracts from Living Waters / Way of the Master, and I thought I'd share the e-mail I sent maybe on June 8th or 9th to my sister who helped order them for me.
I got the tracts yesterday I think it was. Today at my ENT appointment waiting for a hearing test I put a tract on the table. A family came in who sat nearby and first one kid and then another looked at it. Then the mother took it and started to read silently. She seemed a bit excited and asked if her husband had read it. Well, I don't know if they might have already been Christians, and I didn't get to see if the husband with the kid on his lap actually picked it up. I didn't see in in the same spot when I came out though, so who knows? I prayed about who would pick it up. Thought you might be interested to hear what happened with the first one.
It was encouraging to me that God worked that out for me to see, and I hope that I will have many more opportunities even in such a small way to be used by God with those tracts. I read another blog's post that was an encouragement, and I'd like to share the link with you: http://www.onthebox.us/2011/05/encouragement-of-discarded-tract.html
Earlier this month I got some Gospel tracts from Living Waters / Way of the Master, and I thought I'd share the e-mail I sent maybe on June 8th or 9th to my sister who helped order them for me.
I got the tracts yesterday I think it was. Today at my ENT appointment waiting for a hearing test I put a tract on the table. A family came in who sat nearby and first one kid and then another looked at it. Then the mother took it and started to read silently. She seemed a bit excited and asked if her husband had read it. Well, I don't know if they might have already been Christians, and I didn't get to see if the husband with the kid on his lap actually picked it up. I didn't see in in the same spot when I came out though, so who knows? I prayed about who would pick it up. Thought you might be interested to hear what happened with the first one.
It was encouraging to me that God worked that out for me to see, and I hope that I will have many more opportunities even in such a small way to be used by God with those tracts. I read another blog's post that was an encouragement, and I'd like to share the link with you: http://www.onthebox.us/2011/05/encouragement-of-discarded-tract.html
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Happy Fathers Day Tomorrow!
The Courageous movie people shared this video the other day on Facebook, and I thought it would be a nice video to share for Fathers Day. Happy Fathers Day to my Dad too!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Peter Furler - Reach (slideshow with lyrics)
Don't forget that Peter Furler's new album On Fire is scheduled to be released on June 21, 2011. Peter has both a Youtube channel and another website:
http://www.peterfurler.com/music/
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
My Narnia
Yesterday I worked some more on a door painting that I started quite awhile back. It's kind of my idea of a Narnia type of place. I like redwood trees and the ocean, and you can imagine walking into the picture and onto the path. I love the ocean (from the beach side), so I decided to add that into it instead of just the forest I'd planned originally. After all, I have an ocean scene from Laguna Beach, California
on another wall. We live in a part of Tennessee now where we can see countryside scenes and forest and mountains on a drive. Still, I miss our trips to the beach we used to take where we would stay the night in a hotel and see the beautiful blue in the ocean when it was sunny during the day, and feel the ocean breeze and see the seagulls and the sparkling light from the sun reflected on the waves.Saturday, June 11, 2011
Courageous Movie Music (Casting Crowns)
I'm looking forward to trying the movie Courageous out. This video shows some scenes from the film along with the Christian music group Casting Crowns. I've read comments from people who have viewed the actual movie, and it sounds like it may have a real positive impact like the Fireproof movie did. We shall see. It's scheduled to be in theaters September 30th of this year(2011). I don't know if they will show it anywhere outside the country, but that would be great if they did!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
A Clarion Call to the Modern Church
Below is a link to a good article about market driven churches and how churches have turned away from Biblical truth. It's happened more and more in recent years where those churches have gotten further and further away from God and the Bible. It's also exposes I feel the kind of problems that are concerning about "Purpose-driven churches." I am concerned about John Piper's endorsing Rick Warren in any way, because Warren is all about marketing from what I can see. He has even helped religious groups who aren't Christians by teaching them how to grow their congregations. He praises Mother Teresa and leads people to believe she was a Christian. She was both a Catholic and a universalist...not of the Christian faith that I am.
A Clarion Call to the Modern Church
A Clarion Call to the Modern Church
Monday, June 6, 2011
Using Talent...for God
I was thinking earlier today about people with talent especially in singing, but I also can think about other capabilities as well.
I used to dream of being a singer, although I have probably an average voice and never completed lessons…barely started a home school audio course. I was also told I couldn’t be a singer when I was young, because as a child I damaged my vocal cords. Well, my dream never came to pass. As the years have gone by I have lost hearing to the point where quite a bit of the joy has gone out of my singing. I can still sing, and I can sing for God. It's just that it doesn't sound sharp to my ears...muted some, and in church with so many other people I get concerned about going off key if I sing louder.
I was thinking today about people at my church who have talent , and that they shouldn’t take it for granted and should use it. If they can play an instrument or sing or whatever, then why not make use of it for as long as they are able?
I mean voices and hearing can go and physical abilities can be removed from us. With my FMS, I know that very well.
What is even more important is what a person’s talent is used for and the motives behind it.
If you use your talent for yourself and then you lose fame and ability or riches you have lost all that you worked for, and it‘s really meaningless.
Some people have so many gifts that pride can creep in. Even if what they do appears to be for God to others, they will lose much of the blessing. That is the other side that I do get concerned about.
“A man’s pride will bring him low,
But a humble spirit will obtain honor.”
Proverbs 29:23 NASB
That verse is true for everybody as well I believe. As a Christian, whatever God has for me to do I don’t want to do it out of pride or pleasing others. I struggle with those sins as much as anyone.
Another thought about my own life is that I have learned to appreciate even more what I’ve lost physically, and I’m thankful I was able to enjoy doing things when I was younger that I cannot do as much of or with as much enjoyment now. I have a lot to be thankful for really.
Even today, I know God can use me with all of my faults and disabilities. That’s what I want…for God to use me for His glory.
…
“seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Peter 1:3-8 NASB
I used to dream of being a singer, although I have probably an average voice and never completed lessons…barely started a home school audio course. I was also told I couldn’t be a singer when I was young, because as a child I damaged my vocal cords. Well, my dream never came to pass. As the years have gone by I have lost hearing to the point where quite a bit of the joy has gone out of my singing. I can still sing, and I can sing for God. It's just that it doesn't sound sharp to my ears...muted some, and in church with so many other people I get concerned about going off key if I sing louder.
I was thinking today about people at my church who have talent , and that they shouldn’t take it for granted and should use it. If they can play an instrument or sing or whatever, then why not make use of it for as long as they are able?
I mean voices and hearing can go and physical abilities can be removed from us. With my FMS, I know that very well.
What is even more important is what a person’s talent is used for and the motives behind it.
If you use your talent for yourself and then you lose fame and ability or riches you have lost all that you worked for, and it‘s really meaningless.
Some people have so many gifts that pride can creep in. Even if what they do appears to be for God to others, they will lose much of the blessing. That is the other side that I do get concerned about.
“A man’s pride will bring him low,
But a humble spirit will obtain honor.”
Proverbs 29:23 NASB
That verse is true for everybody as well I believe. As a Christian, whatever God has for me to do I don’t want to do it out of pride or pleasing others. I struggle with those sins as much as anyone.
Another thought about my own life is that I have learned to appreciate even more what I’ve lost physically, and I’m thankful I was able to enjoy doing things when I was younger that I cannot do as much of or with as much enjoyment now. I have a lot to be thankful for really.
Even today, I know God can use me with all of my faults and disabilities. That’s what I want…for God to use me for His glory.
…
“seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Peter 1:3-8 NASB
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Let Faith Arise
If this has an offensive ad for you,I'm sorry. Embedded it seems to just advertise the website for me in my preview mode.
This song Let Faith Arise by Chris Tomlin gets a little repetitive, but I think it's an encouraging song in these times with tornadoes, tsunamis, earthquakes, wars, etc. Jesus is still the answer and the hope of those of us who believe, and I hope many turn to Him in these troubled times.
This song Let Faith Arise by Chris Tomlin gets a little repetitive, but I think it's an encouraging song in these times with tornadoes, tsunamis, earthquakes, wars, etc. Jesus is still the answer and the hope of those of us who believe, and I hope many turn to Him in these troubled times.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Bottle-Feeding Goat Kids
After seeing a turtle on one street and a rabbit on another on the way to WalMart yesterday, we later went to a farm of some friends where my sister & I helped with bottle-feeding kids. The last part of the video is of a mother goat and her 1 day old kid...not one of the ones we fed. Having come from parts of California which definitely were not country areas, this is more of a novelty for me. Well, there is some wildlife in California, but it isn't like rural Tennessee for sure.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Rick Warren and John Piper
This particular blog post is for Christian readers.
I read yesterday and some today from a couple of articles online about Rick Warren and John Piper. I have been concerned about Piper both to do with seemingly promoting Rick Warren (inviting him to teach at a conference and Piper having one at Rick's church and doing an interview it seems that could turn people to following Rick Warren and his teaching) and also their having Beth Moore lessons in some women Bible study classes at the church he pastors. I really have benefited from John Piper's teaching over the years I believe. Although there are times when he says some things I don't quite agree with (not a lot of that) or that offend me some with their shock value, I appreciate him as a brother in Christ who I have learned a lot from. Still, I have my eyes open, and I think other people should as well in thinking clearly about even those you might consider a spiritual "hero." It deflates one when you learn things about people that show they aren't perfect, but then maybe I was holding him too high. If you want to know what I'm talking about, please take a look at the following articles. I really liked the first one by Tim Challies.
http://www.challies.com/articles/thinking-about-rick-warren-john-piper#more
The one below I'm a little cautious about, because it's about people quoted and books sold. I don't know the full story of why they are endorsed, but this is something to think about.
http://apprising.org/2011/05/30/john-piper-rick-warren-foster-williardism/
Update 2018: I cannot endorse Piper anymore due to his view of double justification.
I read yesterday and some today from a couple of articles online about Rick Warren and John Piper. I have been concerned about Piper both to do with seemingly promoting Rick Warren (inviting him to teach at a conference and Piper having one at Rick's church and doing an interview it seems that could turn people to following Rick Warren and his teaching) and also their having Beth Moore lessons in some women Bible study classes at the church he pastors. I really have benefited from John Piper's teaching over the years I believe. Although there are times when he says some things I don't quite agree with (not a lot of that) or that offend me some with their shock value, I appreciate him as a brother in Christ who I have learned a lot from. Still, I have my eyes open, and I think other people should as well in thinking clearly about even those you might consider a spiritual "hero." It deflates one when you learn things about people that show they aren't perfect, but then maybe I was holding him too high. If you want to know what I'm talking about, please take a look at the following articles. I really liked the first one by Tim Challies.
http://www.challies.com/articles/thinking-about-rick-warren-john-piper#more
The one below I'm a little cautious about, because it's about people quoted and books sold. I don't know the full story of why they are endorsed, but this is something to think about.
http://apprising.org/2011/05/30/john-piper-rick-warren-foster-williardism/
Update 2018: I cannot endorse Piper anymore due to his view of double justification.
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