Father, in an attitude of praise and worship I come to you remembering the time, when I was but a teenager, you made yourself known to me and changed my entire life.
I come to praise you for giving me Jesus.
I thank you for the enduring hope that will be there when time is no more.
With joy I remember the day when I realized that the sin in my life would leave me separated from you forever and that there was no hope for me unless you intervened.
I recall how you showed me that if I would turn in faith, trusting in, and only in, the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary and that you had raised Him from the dead you would give a gift beyond measure: everlasting life with you.
Thank you, Lord, in Jesus name.
HEAVEN CAME DOWN
by John W. Peterson
O what a wonderful, wonderful day
Day I will never forget;
After I'd wandered in darkness away,
Jesus my Savior I met.
O what a tender compassionate friend
He met the need of my heart;
Shadows dispelling, with joy I am telling,
He made all the darkness depart!
Chorus:Heaven came down and glory filled my soul
When at the cross the Savior made me whole
My sins were washed away and my night was turned to day
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul
Born of a Spirit with life from above
Into God's family divine,
Justified fully thro' Calvary's love,
O what a standing is mine!
And the transaction so quickly was made
When as a sinner I came,
Took of the offer of grace He did proffer
He saved me, O praise His dear name!
Now I've a hope that will surely endure
After the passing of time;
I have a future in heaven for sure,
There in those mansions sublime.
And it's because of that wonderful day
When at the cross I believed;
Riches eternal and blessings supernal
From His precious hand I received
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Friday, April 28, 2006
Around the Blogosphere in One sitting
I enjoy reading and commenting on other blogs. Most of the blogs in my blogroll have been carefully selected for the bloggers writing ability, spiritual accumen, ability to capture and keep my interest or sense of humor or some combination of the above.
From time to time, certain bloggers feel the need to take a break from blogging. Personally, I hope they don't stay away too long.
Zoanna, over at A Penchant for Pens is taking a blog break, as is Steel Cowboy (and while I wasn't looking, he came back!) .
Whaaaat took a brief break from Things That Make You go Hmm , but has returned with more unusual stuff than you can count.
In my judgement it's a miracle that John Rush (who, by the way, has been captured) still blogs away. Catch him at Anvil and Fire .
Better Bibles Blog is one of the best places to learn about translations of God's word. Be advised, it can be deep, but it is great stuff!
In my humble, but correct, opinion, Blue Collar has gotten better and better. I especially like reading his comments in other's blogs, and he has really shone (shined?) at Rose's Reasonings . Speaking of which, Rose has gotten so many comments on her last post that I have suggested that she change her blog name to Pyro-rosiac.
That, of course, a reference to one of Blogville's most popular blogs: Pyromaniac .
There's always a good laugh and something powerful at Bonnie Writes .
If you want to know about a few great blogs, head on over to Confirm the Work of Our Hands .
At Deeper Truth you will find the wisdom of Solomon.
Jeremy Weaver has been left behind. He's depressed and forlorn. Pay him a visit at Doxoblogy.
My good friend and co-worker, Parker, has heard the call to GO WEST YOUNG MAN and is headed for New Mexico. But you'll still be able to read his work at Diary of an Insanityfarmer .
Jeff has finished mourning the death of SOLTEK MOBO and has some good pictures of electronic stuff and more at Eighteen Wheels .
If you go to Faith Classics you'll be in a blogocycle, 'cause you'll be sent right back here.
Faith In Florida is no longer in Florida but she's still in the same Blogopolis.
For a real winner, and some good Christian music, check out Following God's Will .
Antonio went away. So many people pleaded with him to come back that he did. And then he left Free Grace Theology again. Come back, Antonio! Come back!
For a weekend update and a smashing picture, go to God Even Loves Idiots Like Me .
It's a mountain-top experience at Heavenly Heartburn and forgiven is back from vacation at He Knows .
You can learn new words at my new hero, Hero Bill , as well as some great writing!
For those of you who thought nothing good could possibly come out of Chicago, there's Hungry Six.
There's reason to celebrate at In His Image and a new birth.
Jayleigh is a bit confused and proves it at Jayleigh's Grand Adventures .
Some ministerial profiling takes place at Jeff Wright's Blog and an annual review at Job's Tale .
Gayla, of Journey of the Heart could use some prayer and encouragement. Couldn't we all?
KC and I have been thinking on the same tracks lately, but he is much mor innovative than I. Take a look at Just So You'll Know .
Denise and Karim's post is a real gas. She was the very first visitor to my blog when first I began and I have followed her blogging at Just Thinkin' ever snce. And her writing will have you saying, "Oooo, it's so good!"
Suzii, at Lady of Grace , has the best hymn ever written posted.
Metaschema 's Erlenmeyer Flask has had too much to do, but is back with a flair.
What can one say about Mistress Tootie Belle ? Wierd? Sometimes. Sweet? Mostly. Fun? Always.
I learn so much at Modern Day Magi , and it is always so interestingly laid out.
Libbie is a fair English woman who writes well and has a great deal to offer us Yanks. Give her a visit at Musings of an English Muffin .
My Blog 2002 is written by a precious lady named Pia, who knows how to share her heart.
Jel is back and is about to tell us what she's been up to. Find out by reading My Place .
Always interesting material is found at Not 1 Jot and Pastor Stever Weaver, at the aptly named Pastor Steve Weaver's Blog has gotten it together.
At Pilot Mom there's a non-posting post (I know about those), while at Putting the Fun in Fundamentalism there is no more fun, just discerning reading (come on, Tim - "The World's Most Famous Christian Blogger®", we need more fun!).
Pyromaniac has become a victim of multiple personality order and Random Responses has redefined the E-word.
Carla, of Reflections of the Times , reflects on the week, as well as Tim Challies, and then runs off to Walmart.
David needs a shower. Read all about it at Sugar Loaf Mountain .
She goes by Live, Love, Laugh, blogs at Sweeter than Ever has a wonderful ministry and could use encouragement and prayer.
Always interesting, fun, deep and practical, if somewhat predjudiced against Koala bears, is Danny Sims at the The Danny Sims Blog . Currently, he's contemplating dying.
As a Baptist, I am learning all about myself from John at The Earnest Contender and Gene Edwards is being taken to task at The UmBlog .
With respect to all of you, whom I really do enjoy greatly, my favorite blog is Jeff H.'s Think Sink . He is a very humerous, talented and creative blogger whose skill with photo manipulation is unsurpassed. He's currently taking his stand with Ronald Reagan.
Full of warmth, wisdom and humor, Akinola has a delightful blog at Unveil .
What can be said about Darlene, at What Would Jesus Blog? , that Jeff H. hasn't already said. She's a double trip and a good writer, too.
So there you have it! Those are the blogs I read and enjoy almost every day.
I hope you do, too.
From time to time, certain bloggers feel the need to take a break from blogging. Personally, I hope they don't stay away too long.
Zoanna, over at A Penchant for Pens is taking a blog break, as is Steel Cowboy (and while I wasn't looking, he came back!) .
Whaaaat took a brief break from Things That Make You go Hmm , but has returned with more unusual stuff than you can count.
In my judgement it's a miracle that John Rush (who, by the way, has been captured) still blogs away. Catch him at Anvil and Fire .
Better Bibles Blog is one of the best places to learn about translations of God's word. Be advised, it can be deep, but it is great stuff!
In my humble, but correct, opinion, Blue Collar has gotten better and better. I especially like reading his comments in other's blogs, and he has really shone (shined?) at Rose's Reasonings . Speaking of which, Rose has gotten so many comments on her last post that I have suggested that she change her blog name to Pyro-rosiac.
That, of course, a reference to one of Blogville's most popular blogs: Pyromaniac .
There's always a good laugh and something powerful at Bonnie Writes .
If you want to know about a few great blogs, head on over to Confirm the Work of Our Hands .
At Deeper Truth you will find the wisdom of Solomon.
Jeremy Weaver has been left behind. He's depressed and forlorn. Pay him a visit at Doxoblogy.
My good friend and co-worker, Parker, has heard the call to GO WEST YOUNG MAN and is headed for New Mexico. But you'll still be able to read his work at Diary of an Insanityfarmer .
Jeff has finished mourning the death of SOLTEK MOBO and has some good pictures of electronic stuff and more at Eighteen Wheels .
If you go to Faith Classics you'll be in a blogocycle, 'cause you'll be sent right back here.
Faith In Florida is no longer in Florida but she's still in the same Blogopolis.
For a real winner, and some good Christian music, check out Following God's Will .
Antonio went away. So many people pleaded with him to come back that he did. And then he left Free Grace Theology again. Come back, Antonio! Come back!
For a weekend update and a smashing picture, go to God Even Loves Idiots Like Me .
It's a mountain-top experience at Heavenly Heartburn and forgiven is back from vacation at He Knows .
You can learn new words at my new hero, Hero Bill , as well as some great writing!
For those of you who thought nothing good could possibly come out of Chicago, there's Hungry Six.
There's reason to celebrate at In His Image and a new birth.
Jayleigh is a bit confused and proves it at Jayleigh's Grand Adventures .
Some ministerial profiling takes place at Jeff Wright's Blog and an annual review at Job's Tale .
Gayla, of Journey of the Heart could use some prayer and encouragement. Couldn't we all?
KC and I have been thinking on the same tracks lately, but he is much mor innovative than I. Take a look at Just So You'll Know .
Denise and Karim's post is a real gas. She was the very first visitor to my blog when first I began and I have followed her blogging at Just Thinkin' ever snce. And her writing will have you saying, "Oooo, it's so good!"
Suzii, at Lady of Grace , has the best hymn ever written posted.
Metaschema 's Erlenmeyer Flask has had too much to do, but is back with a flair.
What can one say about Mistress Tootie Belle ? Wierd? Sometimes. Sweet? Mostly. Fun? Always.
I learn so much at Modern Day Magi , and it is always so interestingly laid out.
Libbie is a fair English woman who writes well and has a great deal to offer us Yanks. Give her a visit at Musings of an English Muffin .
My Blog 2002 is written by a precious lady named Pia, who knows how to share her heart.
Jel is back and is about to tell us what she's been up to. Find out by reading My Place .
Always interesting material is found at Not 1 Jot and Pastor Stever Weaver, at the aptly named Pastor Steve Weaver's Blog has gotten it together.
At Pilot Mom there's a non-posting post (I know about those), while at Putting the Fun in Fundamentalism there is no more fun, just discerning reading (come on, Tim - "The World's Most Famous Christian Blogger®", we need more fun!).
Pyromaniac has become a victim of multiple personality order and Random Responses has redefined the E-word.
Carla, of Reflections of the Times , reflects on the week, as well as Tim Challies, and then runs off to Walmart.
David needs a shower. Read all about it at Sugar Loaf Mountain .
She goes by Live, Love, Laugh, blogs at Sweeter than Ever has a wonderful ministry and could use encouragement and prayer.
Always interesting, fun, deep and practical, if somewhat predjudiced against Koala bears, is Danny Sims at the The Danny Sims Blog . Currently, he's contemplating dying.
As a Baptist, I am learning all about myself from John at The Earnest Contender and Gene Edwards is being taken to task at The UmBlog .
With respect to all of you, whom I really do enjoy greatly, my favorite blog is Jeff H.'s Think Sink . He is a very humerous, talented and creative blogger whose skill with photo manipulation is unsurpassed. He's currently taking his stand with Ronald Reagan.
Full of warmth, wisdom and humor, Akinola has a delightful blog at Unveil .
What can be said about Darlene, at What Would Jesus Blog? , that Jeff H. hasn't already said. She's a double trip and a good writer, too.
So there you have it! Those are the blogs I read and enjoy almost every day.
I hope you do, too.
The Lazy Man's Way Out
OK.
So this is cheating.
I didn't take the time to write this, nor am I brilliant enough to have come up with it (even though my father used to call me sun).
My sweet wife sent this to me and I pass it on to you because I think it is funny.
I hope you do to.
Math Teacher Arrested
At New York's Kennedy airport today, an individual later discovered to be a public school teacher was arrested trying to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a set square, a slide rule, and a calculator.
At a morning press conference, the attorney general said he believes the man is a member of the notorious Al-gebra movement.
He is being charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of math instruction.
Al-gebra is a fearsome cult," a Justice Department spokesman said. "They desire average solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in a search of absolute value.
They use secret code names like 'x' and 'y' and refer to themselves as 'unknowns', but we have determined they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval with coordinates in every country.
As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, 'there are 3 sides to every triangle'."
When asked to comment on the arrest, President Bush said, "If God had wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would have given us more fingers and toes".
So this is cheating.
I didn't take the time to write this, nor am I brilliant enough to have come up with it (even though my father used to call me sun).
My sweet wife sent this to me and I pass it on to you because I think it is funny.
I hope you do to.
Math Teacher Arrested
At New York's Kennedy airport today, an individual later discovered to be a public school teacher was arrested trying to board a flight while in possession of a ruler, a protractor, a set square, a slide rule, and a calculator.
At a morning press conference, the attorney general said he believes the man is a member of the notorious Al-gebra movement.
He is being charged by the FBI with carrying weapons of math instruction.
Al-gebra is a fearsome cult," a Justice Department spokesman said. "They desire average solutions by means and extremes, and sometimes go off on tangents in a search of absolute value.
They use secret code names like 'x' and 'y' and refer to themselves as 'unknowns', but we have determined they belong to a common denominator of the axis of medieval with coordinates in every country.
As the Greek philanderer Isosceles used to say, 'there are 3 sides to every triangle'."
When asked to comment on the arrest, President Bush said, "If God had wanted us to have better weapons of math instruction, He would have given us more fingers and toes".
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
The Third Day
This is the third day of an upper respiratory infection that has beset me.
I have gone to the radio station and have done my on-air work, but I sound like a worn our bullfrog.
I'll get back to regular blogging as soon as this mess leaves me.
Keep me in your prayers.
And don't get too close to the computer. I don't want you getting what I have.
I have gone to the radio station and have done my on-air work, but I sound like a worn our bullfrog.
I'll get back to regular blogging as soon as this mess leaves me.
Keep me in your prayers.
And don't get too close to the computer. I don't want you getting what I have.
Monday, April 24, 2006
What's the Reason?
Let's do a little thinking.
Suppose I decide to do a little reasoning.
And suppose it goes like this:
I have undertaken writing a series called "Voodoo Christianity."
It has taken me a lot longer to write than I ever imagined it would, because I like to make things concise and clear. The posts I have written so far are more complex than I would like.
But here is the gist of what I am writing: In many cases, Christians give credence to ideas about spiritual matters that are absolutely no more than foolish superstition.
Those ideas have no real, contextual basis in Scripture, but are the result of applying false reasoning to the incomplete set of facts they gather.
Sometimes this is the result of wishful thinking: I wish God were like so-and-so, therefore He must be like that.
That is seeking to conform God to our image, rather than seeking to conform to His.
Sometimes is is the result of failing to read enough of God's word to draw a reasonable conclusion about what it is teaching about God.
That is taking His Word out of context.
Sometimes it is the result of coming to God's Word with preconceived notions about what it is going to say.
I'll give you an example of what I mean.
In Matthew 18:19 we read, "Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven."
In the first place, that is the Authorized King James Version of that Scripture (which is the translation in which nearly all of my scripture memorization takes place), and is archaic (that means "old-fashioned," not "untrue") in structure as it relates to today's English.
Secondly, if we take it at it's face it means that two of us get together and decide to agree on something and God has to do it.
If God is sovereign, omnipotent, omnicient and omnipresent, and if His Word is totally true, that flies in the face of who God is and what He has said.
Besides, what if two others get together and "agree" on the exact opposite of what the other two agreed upon? What is "poor" God going to do?
Is He obligated to give both couples what they have agreed upon?
Absolutely not!
NO!!
God is not obligated to do anything He does not want to, and He is especially not obligated to do anything any two or more of us think He should do.
Let's see if we can get to the meaning of that Scripture.
What if we thought of it as meaning: "If two of you agree on anything that happens on Earth it shall be done."
Hold it.
We still have the same problem.
Let's try this: "If any two of you on earth come to the conclusion, by the power of the Holy Spirit, that God has willed a certain thing, and submit to His will on the matter, it shall be done."
Put another way: "If any two of you shall agree with God about anything on earth, you can ask Him for it and it will be done."
Suddenly we have a statement that conforms to all of the rest of what we know about God from His Word and is consistant with the verse, itself.
Because He is sovereign, He cannot be...must not be manipulated by His creation.
I cannot tell you how many times I have heard heretical "TV evangelists" tell us that all we have to do to get what we want from God is to find someone who will "agree with us in prayer."
Poppycock!
If that were the case, I guarantee you that there would be no poor Christians, no sick Christians, no tired Christians and no discouraged Christians.
We would all be driving around in BMWs, have millions to lavish on the poor and would be able to empty the hospitals of Christians (and lost people, too).
An aside (no extra cost for this): Make me a list of all the known Christians in the New Testament who were healed by Jesus.
I have heard these self-same "TV evangelists" tell us that the reason we don't get what we ask for is because of a lack of faith.
Poppycock!! I say. Poppycock!!
Aside (no extra charge for this one, either): Make me a list of all the Christians you know who have said to an actual mountain "go into the sea," and have gotten a mountain to go there.
I have also heard these so-called evangelists say thing like, "Don't pray 'Whatever you will, Lord. Pray with confidence and expecting God to give you what you ask for.'"
Uh, forgive me for pointing this out, but Jesus gave us several examples that contradict that thinking.
There is the Model Prayer (The Lord's Prayer) in which Jesus taught His deciples to pray, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
There is also Jesus' prayer in the garden when He said, "If there be any other way...Nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done."
Point is, what we may WANT Scripture to say and what it actually says may very well be two different things.
I don't know about yours, but my God is REAL and has created a REAL world.
Since it is a fallen world, by its own choice, bad things happen: sickness; poverty; accidents; drugs; etc.
That's the bad news.
Here's the Good News (gospel): In spite of the fact that we, as a "race" and individually, have chosen to rebel against God, He is ready to redeem us by the shed blood of Jesus, His paying our penalty for us, and His resurrection in triumph over death and Hell.
That Good News is available to any who will turn to Him trusting in, and only in, the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary.
By the way, any form of "Christianity," mainstream or not, that does not understand this as the basis of faith, is guilty of practicing
Suppose I decide to do a little reasoning.
And suppose it goes like this:
Grizzly bears are animals
Grizzlies are brown.
Grizzlies have four legs.
Grizzlies have hair all over their bodies.
The other day, I saw a four legged, hairy, brown animal.
I must have seen a grizzly bear.
You immediately know that there is something wrong with that sequence. (You did recognize that there was something wrong, didn't you?)
The animal I saw could just as well have been a horse.
Horses have four legs, are brown (sometimes) and are covered with hair.
Without going into the various forms of false reasoning enumerated in logic classes, let's see if we can cut to the chase, so to speak.
Firstly, I neither gave nor received enough factual material to conclude anything at all about what I saw.
Secondly, I took the few facts I had and drew a premature conclusion from them.
Thirdly, the conclusion I drew could have been either right or wrong, because you don't have enough facts to know whether I drew the right conclusion.
Now why do I bother with this?
I bother with it because it disturbs me that so many Christians are willing to draw conclusions about God, the Bible, Spiritual matters and each other without enough facts.
Trouble is, they don't seem to let the lack of facts slow down their conclusion making process.
I have undertaken writing a series called "Voodoo Christianity."
It has taken me a lot longer to write than I ever imagined it would, because I like to make things concise and clear. The posts I have written so far are more complex than I would like.
But here is the gist of what I am writing: In many cases, Christians give credence to ideas about spiritual matters that are absolutely no more than foolish superstition.
Those ideas have no real, contextual basis in Scripture, but are the result of applying false reasoning to the incomplete set of facts they gather.
Sometimes this is the result of wishful thinking: I wish God were like so-and-so, therefore He must be like that.
That is seeking to conform God to our image, rather than seeking to conform to His.
Sometimes is is the result of failing to read enough of God's word to draw a reasonable conclusion about what it is teaching about God.
That is taking His Word out of context.
Sometimes it is the result of coming to God's Word with preconceived notions about what it is going to say.
I'll give you an example of what I mean.
In Matthew 18:19 we read, "Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven."
In the first place, that is the Authorized King James Version of that Scripture (which is the translation in which nearly all of my scripture memorization takes place), and is archaic (that means "old-fashioned," not "untrue") in structure as it relates to today's English.
Secondly, if we take it at it's face it means that two of us get together and decide to agree on something and God has to do it.
If God is sovereign, omnipotent, omnicient and omnipresent, and if His Word is totally true, that flies in the face of who God is and what He has said.
Besides, what if two others get together and "agree" on the exact opposite of what the other two agreed upon? What is "poor" God going to do?
Is He obligated to give both couples what they have agreed upon?
Absolutely not!
NO!!
God is not obligated to do anything He does not want to, and He is especially not obligated to do anything any two or more of us think He should do.
Let's see if we can get to the meaning of that Scripture.
What if we thought of it as meaning: "If two of you agree on anything that happens on Earth it shall be done."
Hold it.
We still have the same problem.
Let's try this: "If any two of you on earth come to the conclusion, by the power of the Holy Spirit, that God has willed a certain thing, and submit to His will on the matter, it shall be done."
Put another way: "If any two of you shall agree with God about anything on earth, you can ask Him for it and it will be done."
Suddenly we have a statement that conforms to all of the rest of what we know about God from His Word and is consistant with the verse, itself.
Because He is sovereign, He cannot be...must not be manipulated by His creation.
I cannot tell you how many times I have heard heretical "TV evangelists" tell us that all we have to do to get what we want from God is to find someone who will "agree with us in prayer."
Poppycock!
If that were the case, I guarantee you that there would be no poor Christians, no sick Christians, no tired Christians and no discouraged Christians.
We would all be driving around in BMWs, have millions to lavish on the poor and would be able to empty the hospitals of Christians (and lost people, too).
An aside (no extra cost for this): Make me a list of all the known Christians in the New Testament who were healed by Jesus.
I have heard these self-same "TV evangelists" tell us that the reason we don't get what we ask for is because of a lack of faith.
Poppycock!! I say. Poppycock!!
Aside (no extra charge for this one, either): Make me a list of all the Christians you know who have said to an actual mountain "go into the sea," and have gotten a mountain to go there.
I have also heard these so-called evangelists say thing like, "Don't pray 'Whatever you will, Lord. Pray with confidence and expecting God to give you what you ask for.'"
Uh, forgive me for pointing this out, but Jesus gave us several examples that contradict that thinking.
There is the Model Prayer (The Lord's Prayer) in which Jesus taught His deciples to pray, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
There is also Jesus' prayer in the garden when He said, "If there be any other way...Nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done."
Point is, what we may WANT Scripture to say and what it actually says may very well be two different things.
I don't know about yours, but my God is REAL and has created a REAL world.
Since it is a fallen world, by its own choice, bad things happen: sickness; poverty; accidents; drugs; etc.
That's the bad news.
Here's the Good News (gospel): In spite of the fact that we, as a "race" and individually, have chosen to rebel against God, He is ready to redeem us by the shed blood of Jesus, His paying our penalty for us, and His resurrection in triumph over death and Hell.
That Good News is available to any who will turn to Him trusting in, and only in, the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary.
By the way, any form of "Christianity," mainstream or not, that does not understand this as the basis of faith, is guilty of practicing
VOODOO CHRISTIANITY.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Sunday Praise
Almighty God, our Father, in Jesus' name we come to you in an attitude of praise and thanksgiving.
We come to give ourselves anew to you.
We invite you to take us and use us according to your will.
We offer ourselves as slaves, willing to serve our master without reservations.
Give us the strength to take our stand for you in obedience to your leadership.
Help us to find our strength in you and in no other.
Let us know that this world is but a temporary dwelling place for us, that we will soon be in our eternal home with you.
The turmoil of this world will give way to the everlasting song of victory as we overcome through faith in the Lord, Jesus, Christ.
1. Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross;
lift high his royal banner, it must not suffer loss.
From victory unto victory his army shall he lead,
till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.
2. Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the trumpet call obey;
forth to the mighty conflict, in this his glorious day.
Ye that are brave now serve him against unnumbered foes;
let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.
3. Stand up, stand up for Jesus, stand in his strength alone;
the arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the gospel armor, each piece put on with prayer;
where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there.
4. Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the strife will not be long;
this day the noise of battle, the next the victor's song.
To him who overcometh a crown of life shall be;
they with the King of Glory shall reign eternally.
We come to give ourselves anew to you.
We invite you to take us and use us according to your will.
We offer ourselves as slaves, willing to serve our master without reservations.
Give us the strength to take our stand for you in obedience to your leadership.
Help us to find our strength in you and in no other.
Let us know that this world is but a temporary dwelling place for us, that we will soon be in our eternal home with you.
The turmoil of this world will give way to the everlasting song of victory as we overcome through faith in the Lord, Jesus, Christ.
1. Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross;
lift high his royal banner, it must not suffer loss.
From victory unto victory his army shall he lead,
till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.
2. Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the trumpet call obey;
forth to the mighty conflict, in this his glorious day.
Ye that are brave now serve him against unnumbered foes;
let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.
3. Stand up, stand up for Jesus, stand in his strength alone;
the arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the gospel armor, each piece put on with prayer;
where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there.
4. Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the strife will not be long;
this day the noise of battle, the next the victor's song.
To him who overcometh a crown of life shall be;
they with the King of Glory shall reign eternally.
Saturday, April 22, 2006
It's All in the Name
I was interested in what He would do when the four men came up to Him carrying the crippled man.
He had been so totally limp for so long that they had to carry him in a blanket.
They seemed so intent on getting Jesus' attention.
"Jesus," the spokesman said, "Have mercy on this man. He has been crippled since birth. He has hardly moved since he was a child. Not a day has gone by that he has not longed to be able to walk like normal folks. Do you suppose you could find it in your power to heal this one?"
The words had no sooner left his mouth than another bystander shouted from the crowd, "Who do you think you are, just walking up to Jesus like that? He cannot possibly help this man, for his condition is too severe."
"We know He has a reputation for healing," cried out another, "but this is beyond the pale. You are asking too much of Jesus. Go away. Leave Him alone!"
"Don't get us wrong," shouted the first. "We did see Him heal a blind man. But, really, this is too much to ask. Even Jesus can't help this man."
There was another man in the crowd who wanted to be heard.
"I think you four have a lot of nerve bothering Jesus with a man whose condition is so obviously beyond help. Why do you get the poor man's hopes up like that? It is so unkind.
"While it is true that I saw Jesus heal the withered hand of a man not too long ago, this is just ridiculous. This man's condition is so bad that he is beyond hope."
"You know," this was a different voice, "I DID see Him cure a leper once. That was one wretched man! Jesus actually had the nerve to touch him! Yuck! But the man was cured.
"This, though, is way beyond reason.
"In the first place, this man has been this way forever and he will be this way forever.
"Besides, the condition is just too much! He is completely limp.
"There is obviously nothing Jesus can do for him.
"Go away. Leave Jesus alone!"
"Yes! Leave Hm alone. He is too busy to take on such an obviously worthless case." It was the voice of the first man again.
"Go away. There is no reason to expect that Jesus can help this man."
"We say you should all just get back about your business. This man cannot be cured. Such a cure would be too hard, even for Jesus."
It looked to me like the matter was about to be closed.
Most of the people in the crowd seemed to be in agreement with the three who had spoken.
We were pretty much all convinced that there are just some things even Jesus cannot do.
About that time another spoke up.
As he made his way to the front of the group, he seemed confident and poised. He had no stage fright, that's for sure.
"Pardon me," he said in a voice that commanded attention, "Please listen to what I have to say.
"I think you will find it very interesting.
"You seem to think this would be too great of a miracle for Jesus to pull off.
"I don't think so, myself.
"I have great confidence in Jesus ability.
"You see, for me it is great to be alive.
"I have even faced the intense questioning of the Pharasees without fear. Nothing they could do to me would frighten me."
"I can say without fear of contradiction that I have heard the very voice of God.
"My name is Lazarus."
He had been so totally limp for so long that they had to carry him in a blanket.
They seemed so intent on getting Jesus' attention.
"Jesus," the spokesman said, "Have mercy on this man. He has been crippled since birth. He has hardly moved since he was a child. Not a day has gone by that he has not longed to be able to walk like normal folks. Do you suppose you could find it in your power to heal this one?"
The words had no sooner left his mouth than another bystander shouted from the crowd, "Who do you think you are, just walking up to Jesus like that? He cannot possibly help this man, for his condition is too severe."
"We know He has a reputation for healing," cried out another, "but this is beyond the pale. You are asking too much of Jesus. Go away. Leave Him alone!"
"Don't get us wrong," shouted the first. "We did see Him heal a blind man. But, really, this is too much to ask. Even Jesus can't help this man."
There was another man in the crowd who wanted to be heard.
"I think you four have a lot of nerve bothering Jesus with a man whose condition is so obviously beyond help. Why do you get the poor man's hopes up like that? It is so unkind.
"While it is true that I saw Jesus heal the withered hand of a man not too long ago, this is just ridiculous. This man's condition is so bad that he is beyond hope."
"You know," this was a different voice, "I DID see Him cure a leper once. That was one wretched man! Jesus actually had the nerve to touch him! Yuck! But the man was cured.
"This, though, is way beyond reason.
"In the first place, this man has been this way forever and he will be this way forever.
"Besides, the condition is just too much! He is completely limp.
"There is obviously nothing Jesus can do for him.
"Go away. Leave Jesus alone!"
"Yes! Leave Hm alone. He is too busy to take on such an obviously worthless case." It was the voice of the first man again.
"Go away. There is no reason to expect that Jesus can help this man."
"We say you should all just get back about your business. This man cannot be cured. Such a cure would be too hard, even for Jesus."
It looked to me like the matter was about to be closed.
Most of the people in the crowd seemed to be in agreement with the three who had spoken.
We were pretty much all convinced that there are just some things even Jesus cannot do.
About that time another spoke up.
As he made his way to the front of the group, he seemed confident and poised. He had no stage fright, that's for sure.
"Pardon me," he said in a voice that commanded attention, "Please listen to what I have to say.
"I think you will find it very interesting.
"You seem to think this would be too great of a miracle for Jesus to pull off.
"I don't think so, myself.
"I have great confidence in Jesus ability.
"You see, for me it is great to be alive.
"I have even faced the intense questioning of the Pharasees without fear. Nothing they could do to me would frighten me."
"I can say without fear of contradiction that I have heard the very voice of God.
"My name is Lazarus."
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Waiting It Out
Cleopas here.
Remember I told you that Jesus had appeared to us and said, "...stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven?"
So we waited.
And waited.
Seven weeks we waited.
Can I tell you something?
We were confused.
Several of the other believers had started to doubt that Jesus was going to send this Holy Spirit person. Some thought He had already come and we missed Him.
It was the day of Pentecost and we had planned this big committee meeting, with a feast and all, to figure out what to do next.
I mean, if this was it, we might as well all go back to what we were doing before Jesus got our attention.
So there we were. People from all over.
It was tough. We didn't speak the same language. We couldn't communicate well.
How would we ever be able to decide what to do?
What happened next is beyond description, but I'll try.
There was this noise like a thousand tornados in the sky over us.
No, not a thousand...a hundred thousand.
It was ear piercing! We could not hear ourselves think, let alone talk to one another.
Then what looked like sparks or flame or something...no it wasn't really fire, but that's the closest I know how to describe it to you.
It's not like it was hot or anything, just all flickering and bright and red and orange and yellow. Not fire but like fire.
I guess.
The firey stuff came right down and settled on our heads.
That was tense.
Suddenly there was a presence in each of us that we could not understand. We all knew that everyone else there was having the same experience!
As soon as this presence entered us, we began to be able to communicate with people from far away lands whose language we had never heard before, let alone spoken.
The commotion attracted others from all around, more foreigners.
There were people from Greece, Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Turkey, Phrygia, Pamphilia, Egypt, Libia, and even Rome.
We met Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Jews, Cretans and Arabians.
It would have been a real mess, except that by some miracle we could all understand one another.
Here's what was happening. When someone started telling about the mighty miracles of God, we could understand him as though he was speaking in our own language!
Some non-believers in the crowd thought we were drunk.
Then Peter, one of the original men who had walked with Jesus, stepped up and started a speach.
He spoke Aramaic, but everybody understood him.
"People of Jerusalem and visitors, too! Listen up!
"Some of you think we are drunk, but we're not.
"What is happening is what was predicted by the prophet, Joel centuries ago.
"Remember he wrote, 'In the last days,' God said, 'I will pour out my Holy Spirit on all mankind, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men dream dreams. Yes, the Holy Spirit shall come upon all my servants, men and women alike, and they shall prophesy. And I will cause strange demonstrations in the heavens and on the earth - blood and fire and clouds of smoke; the sun shall turn black and the moon blood red before that awesome Day of the Lord arrives. But anyone who asks for mercy from the Lord shall have it and shall be saved.'
Peter went on to tell us all about the prophesies of Jesus in the Scriptures, His life, His death and His resurrection.
He closed by saying, "Therefore I clearly tell you all that God had made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be the Lord, the Messiah!"
I was totally impressed.
I shouted out, "What should we do?"
Peter heard me and answered, "Each one of you should demonstrate your willingness to follow Jesus by and act of repentance. Then you should give testimony to your identification with His death, burial and resurrection by being baptized.
"But take heed!" This came in a tone of warning, "Do not submit to baptism unless you have been called to repentance. When you have done this, you will understand that the Holy Spirit has come to live in you!"
Some people there did not think Peter was in his right mind. They just left, shaking their heads.
But you know what?
Three thousand people believed him and were baptized that very day!
I even helped baptize twenty or so. I actually lost count.
That was a long time ago, but I though you might be interested in my story.
I'm still filled with the Holy Spirit and still love Jesus.
I'm very old, now. I don't think I have much longer in this old body.
But don't you worry about me. I know that when I breathe my last breath here, I'll breathe my first in front of my wonderful Jesus, face-to-face once more.
He'll say to me, "Well done, my friend Cleopas! Enter into the joy of My Kingdom!"
And I will.
Remember I told you that Jesus had appeared to us and said, "...stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven?"
So we waited.
And waited.
Seven weeks we waited.
Can I tell you something?
We were confused.
Several of the other believers had started to doubt that Jesus was going to send this Holy Spirit person. Some thought He had already come and we missed Him.
It was the day of Pentecost and we had planned this big committee meeting, with a feast and all, to figure out what to do next.
I mean, if this was it, we might as well all go back to what we were doing before Jesus got our attention.
So there we were. People from all over.
It was tough. We didn't speak the same language. We couldn't communicate well.
How would we ever be able to decide what to do?
What happened next is beyond description, but I'll try.
There was this noise like a thousand tornados in the sky over us.
No, not a thousand...a hundred thousand.
It was ear piercing! We could not hear ourselves think, let alone talk to one another.
Then what looked like sparks or flame or something...no it wasn't really fire, but that's the closest I know how to describe it to you.
It's not like it was hot or anything, just all flickering and bright and red and orange and yellow. Not fire but like fire.
I guess.
The firey stuff came right down and settled on our heads.
That was tense.
Suddenly there was a presence in each of us that we could not understand. We all knew that everyone else there was having the same experience!
As soon as this presence entered us, we began to be able to communicate with people from far away lands whose language we had never heard before, let alone spoken.
The commotion attracted others from all around, more foreigners.
There were people from Greece, Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Turkey, Phrygia, Pamphilia, Egypt, Libia, and even Rome.
We met Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Jews, Cretans and Arabians.
It would have been a real mess, except that by some miracle we could all understand one another.
Here's what was happening. When someone started telling about the mighty miracles of God, we could understand him as though he was speaking in our own language!
Some non-believers in the crowd thought we were drunk.
Then Peter, one of the original men who had walked with Jesus, stepped up and started a speach.
He spoke Aramaic, but everybody understood him.
"People of Jerusalem and visitors, too! Listen up!
"Some of you think we are drunk, but we're not.
"What is happening is what was predicted by the prophet, Joel centuries ago.
"Remember he wrote, 'In the last days,' God said, 'I will pour out my Holy Spirit on all mankind, and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men dream dreams. Yes, the Holy Spirit shall come upon all my servants, men and women alike, and they shall prophesy. And I will cause strange demonstrations in the heavens and on the earth - blood and fire and clouds of smoke; the sun shall turn black and the moon blood red before that awesome Day of the Lord arrives. But anyone who asks for mercy from the Lord shall have it and shall be saved.'
Peter went on to tell us all about the prophesies of Jesus in the Scriptures, His life, His death and His resurrection.
He closed by saying, "Therefore I clearly tell you all that God had made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be the Lord, the Messiah!"
I was totally impressed.
I shouted out, "What should we do?"
Peter heard me and answered, "Each one of you should demonstrate your willingness to follow Jesus by and act of repentance. Then you should give testimony to your identification with His death, burial and resurrection by being baptized.
"But take heed!" This came in a tone of warning, "Do not submit to baptism unless you have been called to repentance. When you have done this, you will understand that the Holy Spirit has come to live in you!"
Some people there did not think Peter was in his right mind. They just left, shaking their heads.
But you know what?
Three thousand people believed him and were baptized that very day!
I even helped baptize twenty or so. I actually lost count.
That was a long time ago, but I though you might be interested in my story.
I'm still filled with the Holy Spirit and still love Jesus.
I'm very old, now. I don't think I have much longer in this old body.
But don't you worry about me. I know that when I breathe my last breath here, I'll breathe my first in front of my wonderful Jesus, face-to-face once more.
He'll say to me, "Well done, my friend Cleopas! Enter into the joy of My Kingdom!"
And I will.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
On the Road Again (Cont.)
We started telling everybody in Emmaus about our experience.
Then we knew we had to go back to Jerusalem to join the other followers.
And we did.
That very hour!
When we got there, we found the disciples who told us about Jesus having risen.
You should have seen the looks on their faces when we told them we had seen Him, too.
"Are you sure?" They asked the question as though they were not too certain of their own experiences.
"Yes, we are very..." but I did not get to finish the sentence.
Suddenly the room was filled with that same Light that Magmus and I had seen before.
And there before us stood Jesus!
"Why are you frightened? Why do you doubt that it is really I?"
"Look, here are my hands with the nail scars. Here are my feet. Don't be afraid. Touch me. I have a real body."
Out of nowhere, "Let's eat!"
Jesus seemed to really like to eat!
See, that's one reason we had to believe He was real. Ghosts don't eat that much.
"Do you remember how I told you about how what Moses and the prophets wrote and the Psalms must all come true?"
All of those Scriptures we had been told suddenly began to make sense. Our eyes were opened and we began to understand.
"Long ago it was written that I would suffer, be executed and rise again. It was written that this message of salvation should be taken from Jerusalem out to all the world. You have seen these prophecies come true right before your eyes.
"Shortly you will receive The Holy Spirit, just as the Father promised."
I was not sure what this "Holy Spirit" was, but if Jesus wanted me to have it, I certainly did want it.
"When you have received Him, He will give you the power to tell others about me. In fact, everything He does will point directly to my saving grace and nothing He does will fail to magnify me."
He. He called this Holy Spirit "He." That seemed very strange to me.
"Let's all go over to Bethany."
To be honest with you, at this point I would have followed Him anywhere.
He stopped for a moment.
I noticed that the breeze stopped and the place grew quiet.
Jesus lifted up His hands and the most remarkable thing happened.
He started rising into the sky!
This was no magic trick. Jesus was going up and up and up.
We stood awestruck for the longest time, until He had disappeared.
We were so amazed that we began to worship Him with all our souls!
It was with great euphoria that we continued in this spirit of worship all the way back to Jerusalem.
I cannot tell you how much joy just overflowed from us all.
We just kept praising and praising. And we told anybody who would listen about what had happened.
Even in the Temple we were telling and praising, telling and praising.
I am here to tell you, the feeling has never left me.
With every passing day, I love Him more and more. I have committed myself to serving him and telling His story for the rest of my life.
Oh, and by the way, the Holy Spirit did come.
I'll tell you all about that experience when next we meet.
Let me just say this for now.
Although you cannot go back in time and experience what I have told you about, I have it on good authority that if you'll confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, a remarkable chain of events will take place inside of you and will receive an indescribable gift: eternal life!
Do you want that?
It's free!
And if you have it, you will not be able to stop praising and worshipping Him, too.
Every day with Jesus
Is Sweeter than the day before.
Every day with Jesus
I love Him more and more.
Jesus saves and keeps me.
And He's the one I'm living for.
Every day with Jesus,
Is sweeter than the day before.
Every day with Jesus
I'll be walking down the King's highway!
Tell me the old, old story.
I love it better every day, Hallelujah!
I will make you fishers of men
If you'll only follow me.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
I'm from sin set free!
And that's enough to make me sing!
And that's enough to make me sing!
My sins are all forgiven and I'm on my way to Heaven
And that's enough to make me sing!
Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah!
Prasie ye the Lord!
Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah!
Prasie ye the Lord!
Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah!
Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah!
Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah!
Praise ye the Lord!
Then we knew we had to go back to Jerusalem to join the other followers.
And we did.
That very hour!
When we got there, we found the disciples who told us about Jesus having risen.
You should have seen the looks on their faces when we told them we had seen Him, too.
"Are you sure?" They asked the question as though they were not too certain of their own experiences.
"Yes, we are very..." but I did not get to finish the sentence.
Suddenly the room was filled with that same Light that Magmus and I had seen before.
And there before us stood Jesus!
"Why are you frightened? Why do you doubt that it is really I?"
"Look, here are my hands with the nail scars. Here are my feet. Don't be afraid. Touch me. I have a real body."
Out of nowhere, "Let's eat!"
Jesus seemed to really like to eat!
See, that's one reason we had to believe He was real. Ghosts don't eat that much.
"Do you remember how I told you about how what Moses and the prophets wrote and the Psalms must all come true?"
All of those Scriptures we had been told suddenly began to make sense. Our eyes were opened and we began to understand.
"Long ago it was written that I would suffer, be executed and rise again. It was written that this message of salvation should be taken from Jerusalem out to all the world. You have seen these prophecies come true right before your eyes.
"Shortly you will receive The Holy Spirit, just as the Father promised."
I was not sure what this "Holy Spirit" was, but if Jesus wanted me to have it, I certainly did want it.
"When you have received Him, He will give you the power to tell others about me. In fact, everything He does will point directly to my saving grace and nothing He does will fail to magnify me."
He. He called this Holy Spirit "He." That seemed very strange to me.
"Let's all go over to Bethany."
To be honest with you, at this point I would have followed Him anywhere.
He stopped for a moment.
I noticed that the breeze stopped and the place grew quiet.
Jesus lifted up His hands and the most remarkable thing happened.
He started rising into the sky!
This was no magic trick. Jesus was going up and up and up.
We stood awestruck for the longest time, until He had disappeared.
We were so amazed that we began to worship Him with all our souls!
It was with great euphoria that we continued in this spirit of worship all the way back to Jerusalem.
I cannot tell you how much joy just overflowed from us all.
We just kept praising and praising. And we told anybody who would listen about what had happened.
Even in the Temple we were telling and praising, telling and praising.
I am here to tell you, the feeling has never left me.
With every passing day, I love Him more and more. I have committed myself to serving him and telling His story for the rest of my life.
Oh, and by the way, the Holy Spirit did come.
I'll tell you all about that experience when next we meet.
Let me just say this for now.
Although you cannot go back in time and experience what I have told you about, I have it on good authority that if you'll confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, a remarkable chain of events will take place inside of you and will receive an indescribable gift: eternal life!
Do you want that?
It's free!
And if you have it, you will not be able to stop praising and worshipping Him, too.
Every day with Jesus
Is Sweeter than the day before.
Every day with Jesus
I love Him more and more.
Jesus saves and keeps me.
And He's the one I'm living for.
Every day with Jesus,
Is sweeter than the day before.
Every day with Jesus
I'll be walking down the King's highway!
Tell me the old, old story.
I love it better every day, Hallelujah!
I will make you fishers of men
If you'll only follow me.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
I'm from sin set free!
And that's enough to make me sing!
And that's enough to make me sing!
My sins are all forgiven and I'm on my way to Heaven
And that's enough to make me sing!
Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah!
Prasie ye the Lord!
Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah!
Prasie ye the Lord!
Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah!
Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah!
Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah!
Praise ye the Lord!
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
On the Road Again
Hello. My name is Cleopas.
I was a follower of Jesus of Nazareth. Well, not a follower in the sense that I was close to him or anything. I literally just followed the crowds, watching the miracles and listening to his strange and wonderful teachings, and hanging near his disciples.
I really thought he was going to be the one.
They crucified him Friday. That left me demoralized and shaken.
That had to be the low point of my life.
We don't even really know who to blame.
The priests wanted him dead, I can't imagine why.
So did the Scribes and the Pharasees.
King Herod thought he was nuts, but harmless.
Pilate could find nothing worthy of arrest, let alone death.
In the end, though, Pilate was more spineless and ambitious than anyone imagined.
He gave the crucifixion order to keep down the "Jewish Problem," and to show Rome how well he could handle the local uprisings.
Any way, they killed him and we did not know what to do.
One thing was for certain, we did not want to hang around Jerulalem so Magmus and I headed out of town.
We decided to go to back home to Emmaus.
There were not many people out that day, so Magmus and I pretty much had the road to ourselves.
Out of nowhere this other guy showed up.
He must have been behind the rocks or bushes or something, because he just sort of was all of a sudden walking beside us.
We both jumped like we were dodging a Roman spear. We didn't know whether he was there to rob us or what.
He spoke, "You must be concerned about something very important. Mind if I ask what you're discussing?"
"What is anybody discussing?" I asked, kind of...well, snootily, I guess. You know, like, how could he be so out of touch.
"We're talking about the last few days." That was Magmus' voice.
"What about them?" he asked. "What's up?"
"Are you part ostrich?" It was reall not a nice tone I used. "You must be the only one within a two day's journey who does not know what's on everybody's mind."
"Tell me."
"The crucifixion, man. The crucifixion."
"They crucified the man from Nazareth, that prophet, Jesus."
Magmus filled in. "We thought he was the glorious Messiah, come to rescue Israel for Rome. But it was not to be."
I interrupted his trailing words. "Then Sunday, some women went to his tomb and came back with a story about the missing body, angels and I don't know what all."
"They even reported that they had seen him alive! How pitiful is that?"
"Personally, I think the Jews stole the body, or maybe the ones closest to him. Or maybe he didn't really die, just swooned and was awakened by the cool temperatures of the tomb, although how he, in his condition, holes in his hands and feet, a sword wound in his side, managed to move that big rock, I'll never know."
Suddenly he spoke. This time it sounded different somehow.
"You are such foolish, foolish people. You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn't it clearly predicted by the prophets tht the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his time of glory?"
Well, when we heard that we knew a couple of things for sure.
First, he wasn't a robber.
Secondly, he was pretty smart.
He didn't look like a Rabbi or a student, but he sure did know the scriptures. It was as though he had written them himself.
He started in Genesis and went right on through to Malachi.
And every book and verse he quoted pointed to exactly what had taken place.
I don't know why the religious leaders had never shared that with the people. But it sure was an eye opener.
As we neared Emmaus, Magmus and I had so many questions and were so spellbound by what he was saying that we asked him to stay over with us.
At first he seemed to resist the idea, but finally he agreed and we had the most wonderful supper and conversation.
So many things suddenly became clear, as though our eyes were seeing Life for the first time.
And as we looked at him, it was as though the Light of the Universe was focused in our one room.
Oh, I tell you the truth, we realized that we had been walking, talking and eating with Jesus.
Magmus and I danced and bounced around the room like children of the living God.
TO BE CONTINUED.
I was a follower of Jesus of Nazareth. Well, not a follower in the sense that I was close to him or anything. I literally just followed the crowds, watching the miracles and listening to his strange and wonderful teachings, and hanging near his disciples.
I really thought he was going to be the one.
They crucified him Friday. That left me demoralized and shaken.
That had to be the low point of my life.
We don't even really know who to blame.
The priests wanted him dead, I can't imagine why.
So did the Scribes and the Pharasees.
King Herod thought he was nuts, but harmless.
Pilate could find nothing worthy of arrest, let alone death.
In the end, though, Pilate was more spineless and ambitious than anyone imagined.
He gave the crucifixion order to keep down the "Jewish Problem," and to show Rome how well he could handle the local uprisings.
Any way, they killed him and we did not know what to do.
One thing was for certain, we did not want to hang around Jerulalem so Magmus and I headed out of town.
We decided to go to back home to Emmaus.
There were not many people out that day, so Magmus and I pretty much had the road to ourselves.
Out of nowhere this other guy showed up.
He must have been behind the rocks or bushes or something, because he just sort of was all of a sudden walking beside us.
We both jumped like we were dodging a Roman spear. We didn't know whether he was there to rob us or what.
He spoke, "You must be concerned about something very important. Mind if I ask what you're discussing?"
"What is anybody discussing?" I asked, kind of...well, snootily, I guess. You know, like, how could he be so out of touch.
"We're talking about the last few days." That was Magmus' voice.
"What about them?" he asked. "What's up?"
"Are you part ostrich?" It was reall not a nice tone I used. "You must be the only one within a two day's journey who does not know what's on everybody's mind."
"Tell me."
"The crucifixion, man. The crucifixion."
"They crucified the man from Nazareth, that prophet, Jesus."
Magmus filled in. "We thought he was the glorious Messiah, come to rescue Israel for Rome. But it was not to be."
I interrupted his trailing words. "Then Sunday, some women went to his tomb and came back with a story about the missing body, angels and I don't know what all."
"They even reported that they had seen him alive! How pitiful is that?"
"Personally, I think the Jews stole the body, or maybe the ones closest to him. Or maybe he didn't really die, just swooned and was awakened by the cool temperatures of the tomb, although how he, in his condition, holes in his hands and feet, a sword wound in his side, managed to move that big rock, I'll never know."
Suddenly he spoke. This time it sounded different somehow.
"You are such foolish, foolish people. You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn't it clearly predicted by the prophets tht the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his time of glory?"
Well, when we heard that we knew a couple of things for sure.
First, he wasn't a robber.
Secondly, he was pretty smart.
He didn't look like a Rabbi or a student, but he sure did know the scriptures. It was as though he had written them himself.
He started in Genesis and went right on through to Malachi.
And every book and verse he quoted pointed to exactly what had taken place.
I don't know why the religious leaders had never shared that with the people. But it sure was an eye opener.
As we neared Emmaus, Magmus and I had so many questions and were so spellbound by what he was saying that we asked him to stay over with us.
At first he seemed to resist the idea, but finally he agreed and we had the most wonderful supper and conversation.
So many things suddenly became clear, as though our eyes were seeing Life for the first time.
And as we looked at him, it was as though the Light of the Universe was focused in our one room.
Oh, I tell you the truth, we realized that we had been walking, talking and eating with Jesus.
Magmus and I danced and bounced around the room like children of the living God.
TO BE CONTINUED.
Monday, April 17, 2006
No Post Today
I am sorry not to have a post today.
I had to do my income taxes.
So that's why there is no post.
Don't count this.
This is not a post.
This is only an explanation as to why there is no post.
You will be making a mistake to count this as a post.
Why have you been counting my posts, anyway?
OK
So now you know.
This is the end of this non-post.
The End.
I had to do my income taxes.
So that's why there is no post.
Don't count this.
This is not a post.
This is only an explanation as to why there is no post.
You will be making a mistake to count this as a post.
Why have you been counting my posts, anyway?
OK
So now you know.
This is the end of this non-post.
The End.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
The Celebration
"What a day this will be!"
He was full of energy and rarin' to go.
His voice was like a thousand fingernails on a thousand chalkboards.
"Is everything ready?
"How about the feast? Is the feast prepared?"
"What are we having? Lamb? I will LOVE eating the lamb!"
"What about the decorations? Did we have enough?"
"Do we have ample seating? There will be billions coming!"
The sun had gone down Saturday night, but he couldn't sleep.
As Sunday, the day of the celebration drew nigh, he had the mother of all caffine jitters
"What about the throne? Is the throne in place? "
"And the crown! I'll need the crown!"
"Somebody get the crown!"
"And turn off that incessant rumbling"
"What is that rumbling?"
"Is there something wrong with the sound system?"
"Why is it so loud?"
"It's hurting my ears!"
"Uh, a thousand pardons, Your Highness. But the sound system has not yet been turned on."
"Not on? What do you mean, 'Not on?" I can hear it. Don't you think I know what I hear? See to it at once!"
"Yes, Your Lightship. At once."
"And why is the ground trembling?"
"We can't have the ground shaking during the celebration!"
"I can hardly stand!"
"Somebody see to it that the ground stops trembling before the celebration or there will be heads rolling!"
"And that noise! Stop the noise!"
"It hurts like...like Hell!"
"Uh, master, we need to tell you something."
"Tell me what? What do you need to tell me?"
"It's the tomb, Master. Something's wrong at the tomb."
"What 'Something's wrong at the tomb?'"
"What are you talking about? Speak up, man! What's wrong at the tomb?"
"The stone, Master. The stone has been....well, the stone has been...rolled away!"
"Say what?"
"It took eight Romans to put that stone there and Caesar put his seal on it."
"The stone CAN"T be rolled away!"
"Yes, Master, of course. No one could roll away a stone that large."
"But Master, I'm afraid the stone is rolled away!"
"Are...you...sure?"
"There must be some mistake."
"No mistake, Master. The stone is rolled away."
"Rolled away. Rolled away? ROLLED AWAY?"
"What can this mean, rolled away?"
"Could it be...nonononono. That's not possible."
Lucifer's heart was raging!
"Quickly!"
"To the tomb."
"See for myself."
"Oh no! It's gone!"
"That can only mean..."
"No."
"NO!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
MEANWHILE
The gates and doors were barred
And all the windows fastened down
I spent the night in sleeplessness
And rose at every sound
Half in hopeless sorrow
And half in fear the day
Would find the soldiers breakin' through
To drag us all away
And just before the sunrise
I heard something at the wall
The gate began to rattle
And a voice began to call
I hurried to the window
Looked down into the street
Expecting swords and torches
And the sound of soldiers' feet
But there was no one there but Mary
So I went down to let her in
John stood there beside me
As she told me where she'd been
She said they might have moved Him in the night
And none of us knows where
The stone's been rolled away
And now His body isn't there
We both ran toward the garden
Then John ran on ahead
We found the stone and empty tomb
Just the way that Mary said
But the winding sheet they wrapped Him in
Was just an empty shell
And how or where they'd taken Him
Was more than I could tell
Oh something strange had happened there
Just what I did not know
John believed a miracle
But I just turned to go
Circumstance and speculation
Couldn't lift me very high
'Cause I'd seen them crucify him
Then I saw him die
Back inside the house again
The guilt and anguish came
Everything I'd promised Him
Just added to my shame
When at last it came to choices
I denied I knew His name
And even if He was alive
It wouldn't be the same
But suddenly the air was filled
With a strange and sweet perfume
Light that came from everywhere
Drove the shadows from the room
And Jesus stood before me
With his arms held open wide
And I fell down on my knees
And I just clung to Him and cried
Then He raised me to my feet
And as I looked into His eyes
The love was shining out from Him
Like sunlight from the skies
Guilt in my confusion
Dissappeared in sweet release
And every fear I'd ever had
Just melted into peace
He's alive yes He's alive
Yes He's alive and I'm forgiven
Heaven's gates are open wide
He's alive yes He's alive
Oh He's alive and I'm forgiven
Heaven's gates are open wide
He's alive yes He's alive
Hallelujah He's alive
He's alive and I'm forgiven
Heaven's gates are open wide
He's alive!
HE'S ALIVE
HE'S ALIVE!
From: "He's Alive" by Don Francisco
Have a blessed Resurrection Sunday!
He was full of energy and rarin' to go.
His voice was like a thousand fingernails on a thousand chalkboards.
"Is everything ready?
"How about the feast? Is the feast prepared?"
"What are we having? Lamb? I will LOVE eating the lamb!"
"What about the decorations? Did we have enough?"
"Do we have ample seating? There will be billions coming!"
The sun had gone down Saturday night, but he couldn't sleep.
As Sunday, the day of the celebration drew nigh, he had the mother of all caffine jitters
"What about the throne? Is the throne in place? "
"And the crown! I'll need the crown!"
"Somebody get the crown!"
"And turn off that incessant rumbling"
"What is that rumbling?"
"Is there something wrong with the sound system?"
"Why is it so loud?"
"It's hurting my ears!"
"Uh, a thousand pardons, Your Highness. But the sound system has not yet been turned on."
"Not on? What do you mean, 'Not on?" I can hear it. Don't you think I know what I hear? See to it at once!"
"Yes, Your Lightship. At once."
"And why is the ground trembling?"
"We can't have the ground shaking during the celebration!"
"I can hardly stand!"
"Somebody see to it that the ground stops trembling before the celebration or there will be heads rolling!"
"And that noise! Stop the noise!"
"It hurts like...like Hell!"
"Uh, master, we need to tell you something."
"Tell me what? What do you need to tell me?"
"It's the tomb, Master. Something's wrong at the tomb."
"What 'Something's wrong at the tomb?'"
"What are you talking about? Speak up, man! What's wrong at the tomb?"
"The stone, Master. The stone has been....well, the stone has been...rolled away!"
"Say what?"
"It took eight Romans to put that stone there and Caesar put his seal on it."
"The stone CAN"T be rolled away!"
"Yes, Master, of course. No one could roll away a stone that large."
"But Master, I'm afraid the stone is rolled away!"
"Are...you...sure?"
"There must be some mistake."
"No mistake, Master. The stone is rolled away."
"Rolled away. Rolled away? ROLLED AWAY?"
"What can this mean, rolled away?"
"Could it be...nonononono. That's not possible."
Lucifer's heart was raging!
"Quickly!"
"To the tomb."
"See for myself."
"Oh no! It's gone!"
"That can only mean..."
"No."
"NO!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
MEANWHILE
The gates and doors were barred
And all the windows fastened down
I spent the night in sleeplessness
And rose at every sound
Half in hopeless sorrow
And half in fear the day
Would find the soldiers breakin' through
To drag us all away
And just before the sunrise
I heard something at the wall
The gate began to rattle
And a voice began to call
I hurried to the window
Looked down into the street
Expecting swords and torches
And the sound of soldiers' feet
But there was no one there but Mary
So I went down to let her in
John stood there beside me
As she told me where she'd been
She said they might have moved Him in the night
And none of us knows where
The stone's been rolled away
And now His body isn't there
We both ran toward the garden
Then John ran on ahead
We found the stone and empty tomb
Just the way that Mary said
But the winding sheet they wrapped Him in
Was just an empty shell
And how or where they'd taken Him
Was more than I could tell
Oh something strange had happened there
Just what I did not know
John believed a miracle
But I just turned to go
Circumstance and speculation
Couldn't lift me very high
'Cause I'd seen them crucify him
Then I saw him die
Back inside the house again
The guilt and anguish came
Everything I'd promised Him
Just added to my shame
When at last it came to choices
I denied I knew His name
And even if He was alive
It wouldn't be the same
But suddenly the air was filled
With a strange and sweet perfume
Light that came from everywhere
Drove the shadows from the room
And Jesus stood before me
With his arms held open wide
And I fell down on my knees
And I just clung to Him and cried
Then He raised me to my feet
And as I looked into His eyes
The love was shining out from Him
Like sunlight from the skies
Guilt in my confusion
Dissappeared in sweet release
And every fear I'd ever had
Just melted into peace
He's alive yes He's alive
Yes He's alive and I'm forgiven
Heaven's gates are open wide
He's alive yes He's alive
Oh He's alive and I'm forgiven
Heaven's gates are open wide
He's alive yes He's alive
Hallelujah He's alive
He's alive and I'm forgiven
Heaven's gates are open wide
He's alive!
HE'S ALIVE
HE'S ALIVE!
From: "He's Alive" by Don Francisco
Have a blessed Resurrection Sunday!
Saturday, April 15, 2006
The Invitation
I invite you
TO A
CELEBRATION
SUNDAY AT NOON!
With Great Pride,
I, The Angel of Light
Invite you to
the
PARTY OF THE AGES
It will be a gas!
Come enjoy warmth like you've never known before
for all eternity.
It is with joy that I announce to you
Jesus is dead!
God has lost the battle!
I have won!
Just as I knew I would!
I will now be King of the Ages!
I will sit on the throne of the Most High
I will command your respect
as I give you all the things I have been
holding for you as I have awaited this
Inevitible Day!
Don't miss out!
Come bow before me!
Come collect your wages!
BRING YOUR FRIENDS!
EVERYONE IS WELCOME!
Signed: Lucifer
Alias: Satan
Friday, April 14, 2006
Crucified
The beating had been unimaginable.
The long walk up Via Dolorosa had been long, and hot, and exhausting.
In His mortal body, Jesus had nothing left.
The ugly tree lay on the slope of the hill. Its base stretched toward the road below. Its crossbar reaching out like arms receiving a loved one.
Placing one foot behind Jesus' heel and a shoulder into his chest, the Roman gave a mighty shove.
Jesus collapsed onto the splinter-filled cross.
Seven of the eight guards manipulated Him into position and held him there.
There was no resistance. Jesus had no strength left for that.
As one guard held the wretched man's arm against one crossbar, another placed the spike and raised the heavy mallet.
Michael looked back at the Father and pleaded, "I have a legion with me right now. Over ten thousand in number. We can go at your bidding and put a stop to this maddness. Please."
The Father's response was in that voice that did not invite argument. "No. Stay where you are."
The mallet came down with force enough to drive the spike into the beam behind the hand.
The sound reverberated past Michael, surrounding the entire legion and echoing with deafening intensity in all of Heaven.
Lucifer chuckled in that hideous way he had.
Jesus, unable to muster the energy to do more, exhaled over His vocal chords with the sound of death.
The other arm. The other crossbar. Another swing of the mallet.
Heaven shook.
Michael turned away.
The Father looked on.
Lucifer snorted.
Now the feet were placed on their rest and crossed so that only one spike would be needed.
Once more the mallet.
Heaven's thunder roared.
Where there were no tears, Michael cried.
Still the Father did not move.
Lucifer hissed, "Yessssss!"
The eight men had no trouble lifting the tree and its occupant to the vertical.
They placed it over the prepared hole and dropped it in. It bottomed out with a jolt.
Michael cried out with a loud voice.
The Father watched intently.
Lucifer almost danced with glee.
Jesus' body sagged at the sudden weight now pulling down on His hands and chest.
His breath left Him.
When he could stand it no longer, he pushed against the footrest and raised his chest high enough to take in some air.
It was a gasp.
Then He spoke. It was directly to God.
"Father, forgive them. They know not what they do."
Once again His body failed Him and He drooped.
One of the two being crucified next to Jesus that day, both convicted theives, looked over at the stuggling man and managed between his teeth, "If you are really the Messiah, save yourself, and us, too."
"Hey!" strained the other, "Leave him alone! Can't you see? We are getting what we deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong!"
With all he had left in that breath, he said to Jesus, "Please, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Jesus had pulled Himself up once again.
"Believe me when I tell you this: today you will be with me in Paradise."
And then He slumped back down.
As he looked down He saw His mother in the crowd with the ever faithful John.
Struggling up to speak, "Blessed woman, look. He is now your son."
Collapse.
Pushing up, "Son, she will be your mother now."
The sun was bright and hot.
"I'm thirsty." It was all He could do this time.
A guard took a sponge and soaked it in sour wine vinegar. He raised it to Jesus' lips.
Jesus recoiled.
Michael wept openly.
The Father had an expression never seen from eternity to eternity.
Now He looked no more.
He turned His back on Jesus.
The sky darkened with the breath of sin.
This time, as Jesus drew up to breathe, He could smell the eternal stinch of evil in the air.
"My God!"
Another breath of iniquity.
"My...GOD!"
Once more.
"WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?"
Michael withdrew. He could take it no longer.
The Father could not look upon sin, and so, kept His back to Jesus.
Lucifer, vomiting out the words, was beside himself with excitement, "We're winning! Im winning!"
Jesus summoned all the strength left in His ravaged body.
"Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit."
The sound filled the countryside. The corridors of Heaven shook under its pressure.
"IT"
"IS"
"F..I..N..I..S..H..E..D!"
His head dropped.
The Spirit left Him.
Lucifer sat down. His eyes wide. His evil heart pounding.
The smell of awful victory was in the air.
"It is time for a celebration!"
The long walk up Via Dolorosa had been long, and hot, and exhausting.
In His mortal body, Jesus had nothing left.
The ugly tree lay on the slope of the hill. Its base stretched toward the road below. Its crossbar reaching out like arms receiving a loved one.
Placing one foot behind Jesus' heel and a shoulder into his chest, the Roman gave a mighty shove.
Jesus collapsed onto the splinter-filled cross.
Seven of the eight guards manipulated Him into position and held him there.
There was no resistance. Jesus had no strength left for that.
As one guard held the wretched man's arm against one crossbar, another placed the spike and raised the heavy mallet.
Michael looked back at the Father and pleaded, "I have a legion with me right now. Over ten thousand in number. We can go at your bidding and put a stop to this maddness. Please."
The Father's response was in that voice that did not invite argument. "No. Stay where you are."
The mallet came down with force enough to drive the spike into the beam behind the hand.
The sound reverberated past Michael, surrounding the entire legion and echoing with deafening intensity in all of Heaven.
Lucifer chuckled in that hideous way he had.
Jesus, unable to muster the energy to do more, exhaled over His vocal chords with the sound of death.
The other arm. The other crossbar. Another swing of the mallet.
Heaven shook.
Michael turned away.
The Father looked on.
Lucifer snorted.
Now the feet were placed on their rest and crossed so that only one spike would be needed.
Once more the mallet.
Heaven's thunder roared.
Where there were no tears, Michael cried.
Still the Father did not move.
Lucifer hissed, "Yessssss!"
The eight men had no trouble lifting the tree and its occupant to the vertical.
They placed it over the prepared hole and dropped it in. It bottomed out with a jolt.
Michael cried out with a loud voice.
The Father watched intently.
Lucifer almost danced with glee.
Jesus' body sagged at the sudden weight now pulling down on His hands and chest.
His breath left Him.
When he could stand it no longer, he pushed against the footrest and raised his chest high enough to take in some air.
It was a gasp.
Then He spoke. It was directly to God.
"Father, forgive them. They know not what they do."
Once again His body failed Him and He drooped.
One of the two being crucified next to Jesus that day, both convicted theives, looked over at the stuggling man and managed between his teeth, "If you are really the Messiah, save yourself, and us, too."
"Hey!" strained the other, "Leave him alone! Can't you see? We are getting what we deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong!"
With all he had left in that breath, he said to Jesus, "Please, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Jesus had pulled Himself up once again.
"Believe me when I tell you this: today you will be with me in Paradise."
And then He slumped back down.
As he looked down He saw His mother in the crowd with the ever faithful John.
Struggling up to speak, "Blessed woman, look. He is now your son."
Collapse.
Pushing up, "Son, she will be your mother now."
The sun was bright and hot.
"I'm thirsty." It was all He could do this time.
A guard took a sponge and soaked it in sour wine vinegar. He raised it to Jesus' lips.
Jesus recoiled.
Michael wept openly.
The Father had an expression never seen from eternity to eternity.
Now He looked no more.
He turned His back on Jesus.
The sky darkened with the breath of sin.
This time, as Jesus drew up to breathe, He could smell the eternal stinch of evil in the air.
"My God!"
Another breath of iniquity.
"My...GOD!"
Once more.
"WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?"
Michael withdrew. He could take it no longer.
The Father could not look upon sin, and so, kept His back to Jesus.
Lucifer, vomiting out the words, was beside himself with excitement, "We're winning! Im winning!"
Jesus summoned all the strength left in His ravaged body.
"Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit."
The sound filled the countryside. The corridors of Heaven shook under its pressure.
"IT"
"IS"
"F..I..N..I..S..H..E..D!"
His head dropped.
The Spirit left Him.
Lucifer sat down. His eyes wide. His evil heart pounding.
The smell of awful victory was in the air.
"It is time for a celebration!"
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Thirty Nine
The three burly Roman soldiers drew back their glass and iron impregnated cat-O-nine tails and brought them down on the back of the tethered Jesus.
1 - Anger
2 - Hatred
3 - Bitterness
4 - Malace
5 - Lying
6 - Stealing
7 - Adultry
8 - Coveteousness
9 - Avarice
10 - Greed
11 - Arrogance
12 - Pain
13 - Suffering
14 - Self-Centeredness
15 - Thoughtlessness
16 - Sullenness
17 - Self-Delusion
18 - Murder
19 - Lust
20 - Wickedness
21 - Fruitlessness
22 - Deceit
23 -Ill-Temperedness
24 - Foolishness
25 - Laziness
26 - Gluttony
27 - Impetuousness
28 - Evilness
29 - Cursing
30 - Treachery
31 - Bragging
32 - Cheating
33 - Rebellion
34 - Slander
35 - Gossip
36 - Hard-Heartedness
37 - Complaining
38 - Mockery
39 - Pride
By His stripes we are healed.
1 - Anger
2 - Hatred
3 - Bitterness
4 - Malace
5 - Lying
6 - Stealing
7 - Adultry
8 - Coveteousness
9 - Avarice
10 - Greed
11 - Arrogance
12 - Pain
13 - Suffering
14 - Self-Centeredness
15 - Thoughtlessness
16 - Sullenness
17 - Self-Delusion
18 - Murder
19 - Lust
20 - Wickedness
21 - Fruitlessness
22 - Deceit
23 -Ill-Temperedness
24 - Foolishness
25 - Laziness
26 - Gluttony
27 - Impetuousness
28 - Evilness
29 - Cursing
30 - Treachery
31 - Bragging
32 - Cheating
33 - Rebellion
34 - Slander
35 - Gossip
36 - Hard-Heartedness
37 - Complaining
38 - Mockery
39 - Pride
By His stripes we are healed.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Once More...Pilate
The gloom settled in over the marble floor like a soupy smog.
The Procurator sat with his head down, weighted there by the depression slowly rolling in on him.
The events of late had left him drained. The dream. His wife. The trial.
And now it was about to begin again.
Into the outer court they came. The soldiers. Enough of them to guard a menacing murderer.
Their charge looked tired, weary and worn. Hardly worthy of such an escort.
The Jews cowering along behind them should not even have been there. It was almost Passover, and they should have been home preparing.
Pilate sat for a long time, not looking up. He wondered why they did not come in to him.
Forever came and went.
At last, Pilate lifted his head, stood and went to the courtyard.
"Why. "
It wasn't really a question. More of a moan.
Finally, "Why have you brought this man back to me?"
"Your Procuratorship, please. We only want to show our undying alegience to Rome. If he were not a criminal, we would not have brought him to you." It was the voice of the one they called Chief Priest.
"We knew you would be wise enough to handle this case."
Pilate stood there with an expression of weary contempt. He spoke, "Take him to your court and try him and judge him by your own law."
This will not do. The mind of Chief Priest raced. We need to be rid of him. He is a danger to us. We want him dead.
"Please, your lordship, we are lowly servants of Rome. In your brilliance, you know we have no right to execute anyone. You must handle this for us."
Pontius Pilate turned and walked slowly into the palace.
A heavy sigh was followed by, "Bring him to me."
Jesus followed the guards without resistance.
Pilate gazed into the eyes of the pitiful, putrid man facing him.
"Haven't we already had enough of this?" he was more sad than mad.
"Tell me, Jesus, once and for all, are you king of the Jews?"
"Is that your own idea, or did others talk to you about me?"
"You know, I am not a Jew," said Pilate, with some agitation in his voice. "How would I know a thing like that?
"Your people brought you to me, your priests. What have you done to anger them so? Why do you insist on letting them think you are king of the Jews? You frighten their stupid little minds. Don't you understand? They are afraid of you.
"Besides, you will never be king, of the Jews or anybody else. Look at you! You are nothing more than a vagabond, itinerate preacher. You....are...not...a...king."
"My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would have fought to prevent my arrest by both the Jews and you.
"My kingdom is from another place."
"Oh! So you are a king, then?" Pilate's tone was incredulous. I cannot believe what I am hearing. This man is delusional.
A fire suddenly flared in Jesus' eyes. "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."
Arrgh! Why does he keep persisting? Doesn't he know I have the power to execute him?
"What is truth?" He had turned to walk away as he asked the question.
Standing at the courtyard, Pilate addressed the Jews.
"I find no basis for a charge against this man.
"Here's what I can do, and this will be the last of it.
"Every year at your Passover holiday, it is customary to release to you one prisoner. I have two: this man, Jesus and a felon named Barabbas. I will release one to you to do with as you wish.
"I can release Jesus to you, if you wish."
In almost planned unison they shouted, "No! Not him! Barabbas! Release to us Barabbas!"
"And what would you have me do with Jesus"
"Crucify him!" came the frenetic reply. "Crucify Jesus!"
What is it with these people? This is going to be so much trouble. Maybe if I just beat him to within an inch of his life they'll see the horror of it and let it be.
And Pilate ordered the beating of Jesus.
"Take him!" It was to the Captain of the Guard he spoke. "Use the straps with the glass and iron in the end of them and give him thirty nine lashes. Hit him hard and rip his flesh. Make him look near death. But don't let him die."
And it was done as Pilate ordered.
The Procurator sat with his head down, weighted there by the depression slowly rolling in on him.
The events of late had left him drained. The dream. His wife. The trial.
And now it was about to begin again.
Into the outer court they came. The soldiers. Enough of them to guard a menacing murderer.
Their charge looked tired, weary and worn. Hardly worthy of such an escort.
The Jews cowering along behind them should not even have been there. It was almost Passover, and they should have been home preparing.
Pilate sat for a long time, not looking up. He wondered why they did not come in to him.
Forever came and went.
At last, Pilate lifted his head, stood and went to the courtyard.
"Why. "
It wasn't really a question. More of a moan.
Finally, "Why have you brought this man back to me?"
"Your Procuratorship, please. We only want to show our undying alegience to Rome. If he were not a criminal, we would not have brought him to you." It was the voice of the one they called Chief Priest.
"We knew you would be wise enough to handle this case."
Pilate stood there with an expression of weary contempt. He spoke, "Take him to your court and try him and judge him by your own law."
This will not do. The mind of Chief Priest raced. We need to be rid of him. He is a danger to us. We want him dead.
"Please, your lordship, we are lowly servants of Rome. In your brilliance, you know we have no right to execute anyone. You must handle this for us."
Pontius Pilate turned and walked slowly into the palace.
A heavy sigh was followed by, "Bring him to me."
Jesus followed the guards without resistance.
Pilate gazed into the eyes of the pitiful, putrid man facing him.
"Haven't we already had enough of this?" he was more sad than mad.
"Tell me, Jesus, once and for all, are you king of the Jews?"
"Is that your own idea, or did others talk to you about me?"
"You know, I am not a Jew," said Pilate, with some agitation in his voice. "How would I know a thing like that?
"Your people brought you to me, your priests. What have you done to anger them so? Why do you insist on letting them think you are king of the Jews? You frighten their stupid little minds. Don't you understand? They are afraid of you.
"Besides, you will never be king, of the Jews or anybody else. Look at you! You are nothing more than a vagabond, itinerate preacher. You....are...not...a...king."
"My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would have fought to prevent my arrest by both the Jews and you.
"My kingdom is from another place."
"Oh! So you are a king, then?" Pilate's tone was incredulous. I cannot believe what I am hearing. This man is delusional.
A fire suddenly flared in Jesus' eyes. "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."
Arrgh! Why does he keep persisting? Doesn't he know I have the power to execute him?
"What is truth?" He had turned to walk away as he asked the question.
Standing at the courtyard, Pilate addressed the Jews.
"I find no basis for a charge against this man.
"Here's what I can do, and this will be the last of it.
"Every year at your Passover holiday, it is customary to release to you one prisoner. I have two: this man, Jesus and a felon named Barabbas. I will release one to you to do with as you wish.
"I can release Jesus to you, if you wish."
In almost planned unison they shouted, "No! Not him! Barabbas! Release to us Barabbas!"
"And what would you have me do with Jesus"
"Crucify him!" came the frenetic reply. "Crucify Jesus!"
What is it with these people? This is going to be so much trouble. Maybe if I just beat him to within an inch of his life they'll see the horror of it and let it be.
And Pilate ordered the beating of Jesus.
"Take him!" It was to the Captain of the Guard he spoke. "Use the straps with the glass and iron in the end of them and give him thirty nine lashes. Hit him hard and rip his flesh. Make him look near death. But don't let him die."
And it was done as Pilate ordered.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Pilate and Herod
Pilate.
Ambitious.
Political.
Frightened.
Wishing he was somewhere else.
Wishing the "Jewish Problem" to go away.
Jesus stands before him.
Black eyed.
Clothes torn.
Spit in his beard.
Looking like a street beggar.
The Jewish assembly reports to Pilate, "We found this man subverting our nation."
They were referencing the Roman-ness of the region.
If they could get Him accused of threatening Rome, Pilate would surely have Him executed.
Pilate speaks.
"Oh, so you're the rabble rouser who's been giving me so much trouble. Funny, you don't look that influential. You look, if I may say so, pretty weak. You don't look at all like a king.
"Tell me, Jesus, are you a king? Are you the king of these Jews?"
"So you say."
"What kind of an answer is that? That's no answer.
"Tell me, tell me plainly. Are you king of the Jews?"
"Yes, it is as you say."
"Where are you from, king?"
"Pilate, oh great Governor," it was the spoksman for the Assembly, "He is a Galilean."
"Oh, good! then he belongs to Herod." Pilate looked relieved, even joyful.
"Have him taken to Herod."
Herod was a wierd, almost crazy little man, given to outbursts of sarcasm and ridicle.
"Jesus! Come on in, Jesus! I've heard so much about you! Welcome to my humble court!"
"I need a few things done around here. I hear you are very resourceful and can do things nobody else can do,
healing cripples, raising people from the dead. Maybe you could take care of them for me."
"Now I understand you're God. At least that's what you've said."
"Hey! I'm talking to you! What's up? Has the cat got your tongue? Speak to me!"
"Uh, why don't you just show me. Here! Here's some water. Turn it into wine for me."
"See the fountain out there? If you'll answer me, I'll let you walk away...right on the water!"
"Here's your chance, Jesus! You can prove right now that you are who you say you are."
"Bread. Here's some bread. It's almost time for supper. Feed my family with this bread."
"Well, if you're a king, you'll need a crown. Perhaps a name tag or something. I don't think people are going to accept you as their king as long as you look like that."
"Somebody get a robe! We've got to make this guy look like a king!"
"King of the Jews! Indeed!"
"Hey, aren't you Scared of me?"
"You're a joke! You're not a king. You're a fraud."
"Get him out of here! Take him back to Pilate. I'm done with him."
Ambitious.
Political.
Frightened.
Wishing he was somewhere else.
Wishing the "Jewish Problem" to go away.
Jesus stands before him.
Black eyed.
Clothes torn.
Spit in his beard.
Looking like a street beggar.
The Jewish assembly reports to Pilate, "We found this man subverting our nation."
They were referencing the Roman-ness of the region.
If they could get Him accused of threatening Rome, Pilate would surely have Him executed.
Pilate speaks.
"Oh, so you're the rabble rouser who's been giving me so much trouble. Funny, you don't look that influential. You look, if I may say so, pretty weak. You don't look at all like a king.
"Tell me, Jesus, are you a king? Are you the king of these Jews?"
"So you say."
"What kind of an answer is that? That's no answer.
"Tell me, tell me plainly. Are you king of the Jews?"
"Yes, it is as you say."
"Where are you from, king?"
"Pilate, oh great Governor," it was the spoksman for the Assembly, "He is a Galilean."
"Oh, good! then he belongs to Herod." Pilate looked relieved, even joyful.
"Have him taken to Herod."
Herod was a wierd, almost crazy little man, given to outbursts of sarcasm and ridicle.
"Jesus! Come on in, Jesus! I've heard so much about you! Welcome to my humble court!"
"I need a few things done around here. I hear you are very resourceful and can do things nobody else can do,
healing cripples, raising people from the dead. Maybe you could take care of them for me."
"Now I understand you're God. At least that's what you've said."
"Hey! I'm talking to you! What's up? Has the cat got your tongue? Speak to me!"
"Uh, why don't you just show me. Here! Here's some water. Turn it into wine for me."
"See the fountain out there? If you'll answer me, I'll let you walk away...right on the water!"
"Here's your chance, Jesus! You can prove right now that you are who you say you are."
"Bread. Here's some bread. It's almost time for supper. Feed my family with this bread."
"Well, if you're a king, you'll need a crown. Perhaps a name tag or something. I don't think people are going to accept you as their king as long as you look like that."
"Somebody get a robe! We've got to make this guy look like a king!"
"King of the Jews! Indeed!"
"Hey, aren't you Scared of me?"
"You're a joke! You're not a king. You're a fraud."
"Get him out of here! Take him back to Pilate. I'm done with him."
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Just Musing
Let's see...
NBC Saturday Morning Show:
The President "leaked" information.
The press is intensely reporting the "leak."
The Constitution of the United States of America: The President can declassify stuff (a paraphrase).
NBC Saturday Morning Show: The whole country is up in arms because the President "leaked" information. (3 minutes). Bythe way: The Constitution gives him permission (10 seconds). But everybody knows he shouldn't have done what the Constitution says he can do because we don't like him and he should not do what we think he should not do, except he can do the same thing if he is not him, but somebody else, and if we thought of it first ( 4 minutes).
I kid you not. That is what they, in essense, said.
Are you too stupid to see through that?
I am sure you are not.
But just in case...it's an example of slanted, dishonest, hypocritical reporting which the MSM is either unable to recognize in itself or is too frenetically bent on distroying this President to report fairly.
Now, if the President determines that something should be classified, that is part of his Constitutional responsibility.
If someone beneath him releases informatin without his permission, that is a leak.
If the President desides to release classified information, it becomes, by definition, no longer classified information and he has the Constitutional right and sometimes responsibility to release it.
If he did NOT release it, he would be accused of hiding things from the "American people."
Watchership of the mainstream media is lower than the ratings they helped impose on the President. That's because we do not believe them.
We don't believe them because they are liars, both directly and by proxy.
Even Katie Couric will not improve their ratings. She will lower them even more.
Talk about a lack of credibility!
Only the incredible leadership of the MSM (specifically CBS) could imagine that placing an incredible person in the Main Chair would improve their credibility.
That is how far their inability to deal with reality has come.
NBC Saturday Morning Show:
The President "leaked" information.
The press is intensely reporting the "leak."
The Constitution of the United States of America: The President can declassify stuff (a paraphrase).
NBC Saturday Morning Show: The whole country is up in arms because the President "leaked" information. (3 minutes). Bythe way: The Constitution gives him permission (10 seconds). But everybody knows he shouldn't have done what the Constitution says he can do because we don't like him and he should not do what we think he should not do, except he can do the same thing if he is not him, but somebody else, and if we thought of it first ( 4 minutes).
I kid you not. That is what they, in essense, said.
Are you too stupid to see through that?
I am sure you are not.
But just in case...it's an example of slanted, dishonest, hypocritical reporting which the MSM is either unable to recognize in itself or is too frenetically bent on distroying this President to report fairly.
Now, if the President determines that something should be classified, that is part of his Constitutional responsibility.
If someone beneath him releases informatin without his permission, that is a leak.
If the President desides to release classified information, it becomes, by definition, no longer classified information and he has the Constitutional right and sometimes responsibility to release it.
If he did NOT release it, he would be accused of hiding things from the "American people."
Watchership of the mainstream media is lower than the ratings they helped impose on the President. That's because we do not believe them.
We don't believe them because they are liars, both directly and by proxy.
Even Katie Couric will not improve their ratings. She will lower them even more.
Talk about a lack of credibility!
Only the incredible leadership of the MSM (specifically CBS) could imagine that placing an incredible person in the Main Chair would improve their credibility.
That is how far their inability to deal with reality has come.
Friday, April 07, 2006
And In Conclusion
If I teach you that 1 + 1 = 2, and then I hand you one Snickers bar and then I hand you another Snickers, how many Snickers bars would you conclude that you have?
If you said, "Two," you would be correct.
How did you arrive at that conclusion?
You took a set of facts, coupled them with things you have been taught and applied them logically to deduce the answer.
Arriving at the correct answer depends on several things:
1) You must have been taught correctly;
2) You must have learned what you were taught;
3) You must have an awareness of how to apply what you were taught and
4) You must be able to use logic to arrive at your answer.
In my last post I discussed numbers. Not just any numbers, the numbers in Numbers.
It is interesting to note how many people drew obtuse conclusions about the post after purportedly having read the post.
What was the post about?
Was it about the use of numbers in Scripture to represent various things? You know, like "7" is the number of perfection, "666" is the number of the beast, etc.
No, it was not about that.
Well, maybe it was about insomnia and its cure.
No, that's not right, either.
It was about how the tents of Israel were laid out on the plains of Moab and what Balaam did when he looked on them.
They were laid out like a cross and Balaam blessed them.
Now let's see what we can conclude from that.
Can we conclude that some mystical force gripped Balaam and he was therefore unable to pronounce the curse for which he had been paid?
No, we cannot.
Perhaps we can conclude that God was trying to tell Balaam something.
Nope. God does not try to tell anybody anything. He tells. If we study His Word and listen, we hear.
Can we conclude that Balaam saw the future, that God would provide a cross to save the people He loves?
There is nothing in the text, or subsequent texts, that would indicate that.
Balaam probably did not recoginze the cross shape of the tent layout (and it was probably a cross shape in the same sense that the stars of the Zodiac are laid out like animals...kind of rugged looking).
Why, then, did God go to the trouble of giving a tedious account of the way the tribes of Israel were lined up on that plain?
For me.
And you.
See, Balaam may not have known what he was looking at, but I do.
When Balaam saw it, he probably said to himself, "Oh, look! The Israelite camp."
When I read about it I think, "On a hill far away, stood an old rugged cross..."
God has had me and my needs in mind from before the foundations of creation.
He has had you in mind, too.
Isn't that exciting, comforting, and worthy of our confidence and faith?
What a mighty God we serve!
If you said, "Two," you would be correct.
How did you arrive at that conclusion?
You took a set of facts, coupled them with things you have been taught and applied them logically to deduce the answer.
Arriving at the correct answer depends on several things:
1) You must have been taught correctly;
2) You must have learned what you were taught;
3) You must have an awareness of how to apply what you were taught and
4) You must be able to use logic to arrive at your answer.
In my last post I discussed numbers. Not just any numbers, the numbers in Numbers.
It is interesting to note how many people drew obtuse conclusions about the post after purportedly having read the post.
What was the post about?
Was it about the use of numbers in Scripture to represent various things? You know, like "7" is the number of perfection, "666" is the number of the beast, etc.
No, it was not about that.
Well, maybe it was about insomnia and its cure.
No, that's not right, either.
It was about how the tents of Israel were laid out on the plains of Moab and what Balaam did when he looked on them.
They were laid out like a cross and Balaam blessed them.
Now let's see what we can conclude from that.
Can we conclude that some mystical force gripped Balaam and he was therefore unable to pronounce the curse for which he had been paid?
No, we cannot.
Perhaps we can conclude that God was trying to tell Balaam something.
Nope. God does not try to tell anybody anything. He tells. If we study His Word and listen, we hear.
Can we conclude that Balaam saw the future, that God would provide a cross to save the people He loves?
There is nothing in the text, or subsequent texts, that would indicate that.
Balaam probably did not recoginze the cross shape of the tent layout (and it was probably a cross shape in the same sense that the stars of the Zodiac are laid out like animals...kind of rugged looking).
Why, then, did God go to the trouble of giving a tedious account of the way the tribes of Israel were lined up on that plain?
For me.
And you.
See, Balaam may not have known what he was looking at, but I do.
When Balaam saw it, he probably said to himself, "Oh, look! The Israelite camp."
When I read about it I think, "On a hill far away, stood an old rugged cross..."
God has had me and my needs in mind from before the foundations of creation.
He has had you in mind, too.
Isn't that exciting, comforting, and worthy of our confidence and faith?
What a mighty God we serve!
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
The Importance of Numbers
I have been reading on some other blogs about numbers.
In my humble, but correct, opinion, while "numbers" do not define a church or its effectiveness, they are one measure thereof.
It seems to me that God put an emphasis on numbers on numbers of occasions.
He has counted the hairs on my head. It did not take Him long.
He told us how many men were fed by Jesus with the young boy's loaves of bread and fish.
We know how many disciples there were in the beginning of Jesus' ministry on earth.
We're told how many were saved at Pentecost.
He even wrote a whole book that He called, "Numbers."
The book of Numbers was written to cure insomnia.
If you don't believe that, some night when you can't get to sleep just start reading Numbers. You'll be asleep in no time.
Actually, there are some astounding things in Numbers that escape a cursory reading.
In chapter two, for instance, God found it necessary to tell us how the tents of the Israelites were laid out on the plains of Moab.
I'll not quote it all, but I'll give you the basics.
Numbers 2:1-2 Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.
Numbers 2:9 All that were numbered in the camp of Judah were an hundred thousand and fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred, throughout their armies.
Numbers 2:16 All that were numbered in the camp of Reuben were an hundred thousand and fifty and one thousand and four hundred and fifty, throughout their armies.
Numbers 2:24 All that were numbered of the camp of Ephraim were an hundred thousand and eight thousand and an hundred, throughout their armies.
Numbers 2:31 All they that were numbered in the camp of Dan were an hundred thousand and fifty and seven thousand and six hundred. They shall go hindmost with their standards.
Read the account for yourself. There is a great deal more detail in the Scripture.
Why on earth did God go to all of the trouble to tell us these minutia?
OK, let's jump over to the 25th chapter of Numbers and lay hold to an enigmatic story.
King Balak was afraid of the Israelites (22:1).
So he hired a "prophet," Balaam, to go curse them (22:4 ff) to keep them from eating the Moabites like an ox eats grass.
Balaam goes up one of the mountians surrounding the tents of the Israelites to curse them, but he cannot.
King Balak figures he needs more incentive, so he offers more money and some ambassadors, and sends Balaam off again.
He goes up another mountain to curse them. But Balaam cannot curse Israel.
Two more times, Balaam is sent by Balak to curse Israel.
Instead of cursing them, Balaam ends up saying things like,
Numbers 24:5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! 6 As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.
and
Numbers 24:17ff: I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel,...
In my humble, but correct, opinion, while "numbers" do not define a church or its effectiveness, they are one measure thereof.
It seems to me that God put an emphasis on numbers on numbers of occasions.
He has counted the hairs on my head. It did not take Him long.
He told us how many men were fed by Jesus with the young boy's loaves of bread and fish.
We know how many disciples there were in the beginning of Jesus' ministry on earth.
We're told how many were saved at Pentecost.
He even wrote a whole book that He called, "Numbers."
The book of Numbers was written to cure insomnia.
If you don't believe that, some night when you can't get to sleep just start reading Numbers. You'll be asleep in no time.
Actually, there are some astounding things in Numbers that escape a cursory reading.
In chapter two, for instance, God found it necessary to tell us how the tents of the Israelites were laid out on the plains of Moab.
I'll not quote it all, but I'll give you the basics.
Numbers 2:1-2 Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.
Numbers 2:9 All that were numbered in the camp of Judah were an hundred thousand and fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred, throughout their armies.
Numbers 2:16 All that were numbered in the camp of Reuben were an hundred thousand and fifty and one thousand and four hundred and fifty, throughout their armies.
Numbers 2:24 All that were numbered of the camp of Ephraim were an hundred thousand and eight thousand and an hundred, throughout their armies.
Numbers 2:31 All they that were numbered in the camp of Dan were an hundred thousand and fifty and seven thousand and six hundred. They shall go hindmost with their standards.
Read the account for yourself. There is a great deal more detail in the Scripture.
Why on earth did God go to all of the trouble to tell us these minutia?
OK, let's jump over to the 25th chapter of Numbers and lay hold to an enigmatic story.
King Balak was afraid of the Israelites (22:1).
So he hired a "prophet," Balaam, to go curse them (22:4 ff) to keep them from eating the Moabites like an ox eats grass.
Balaam goes up one of the mountians surrounding the tents of the Israelites to curse them, but he cannot.
King Balak figures he needs more incentive, so he offers more money and some ambassadors, and sends Balaam off again.
He goes up another mountain to curse them. But Balaam cannot curse Israel.
Two more times, Balaam is sent by Balak to curse Israel.
Instead of cursing them, Balaam ends up saying things like,
Numbers 24:5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! 6 As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.
and
Numbers 24:17ff: I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel,...
What was going on? What did Balaam see that caused him to be unable to curse those tents?
As we learned in chatper 2 (if we were able to stay awake through it all), the tents were set out with the Tabernacle at the center and the tents laid out like this:,
On Ephriam’s side, about 108,000,
On Dan’s side about 150,000
Judah’s side about 186,000.
On Ruben’s side about 150,000.
They were laid out with Dan to the north, Ruben to the south, Ephriam to the east and Judah to the west.
Do you see it?
Does it all make sense now?
Is your heart pounding and your breath stopped?
My sweet Jesus!!!!
It's a CROSS!!!
Now guess how far you'll get with me the next time you try to tell me that numbers are not important.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Dialectic
When I teach a class, whether in Sunday School, Discipleship Training, or whatever, the technique I most often use is to ask a series of questions leading to a specific conclusion.
The first questions are ones I know the participants know the answers to.
Then I progress to the tougher ones that get to the point of the lesson.
This style of teaching would be disallowed in a court of law because it would be considered "leading the witness."
But in a class setting it really encourages discussion and gets a lot of people involved.
Here's the key: The questions must be adjusted to the group. If you do that, it does not matter the age of the group, they can get involved.
Suppose I am teaching John 3:16 "For god so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
I might begin with such an elementary question as: Who inspired the Bible?
Usually this gets the response: God.
Someone in the class will know that.
Then I might ask: Did He do it recently, or a long time ago?
"A long time ago," someone will say.
By now people are beginning to relax, thinking, "This is going to be easy. Maybe even boring."
Next, I'll ask something like, "So how long is everlasting?"
"Forever."
"OK, good. What does 'forever' mean?"
Usually this gets a few brave souls to try to venture an opinion or two which we will discuss long enough, but not long enough to flush it out completely.
The next question I might ask may be something like: Where did you get that idea? Did you just think of it or did someone tell it to you?
That question is a pivot point.
It is a question I think we should be asking more often, of ourselves and others.
Question: Where did evolutionists get the idea that things in the universe evolved?
Answer: They were taught it by someone.
Question: Why did you believe them?
Answer: (either) 1) They're the teacher. or 2) They are certified by the State of Florida to teach, they MUST know what they are talking about.
Aside: This begs the question, "How come 30% of public education students in the State of Florida, every last one of whom was taught by a 'certified' teacher cannot read their own diploma?"
The point of all of this is that most people either have no respect for learning at all, or think that everything they are taught is absolute truth, even when they are taught that there is no such thing as absolute truth.
Very few people are able to be independent thinkers.
Sadly, that includes Christians.
Most Christians spout the "party line." They regurgitate the doctrines, philosophies and beliefs of whoever it was who taught them, as long as that person was personable, funny, charismatic (in the Biblical, not the denominational sense of the word), or some combination of the above.
It is grevious that so few really delve into God's Word to learn it well enough to apply it to their actual lives.
Even if they do, they try to take bits and pieces, here and there, and form some kind of life-view that is void of the point(s), principles and ultimate teaching of the Word.
Most of all, they tend to see Scripture as a rule set by which people, especially others, are to be judged.
They fail to relate every word, jot and tittle to the person of Christ.
Yet He is the whole point. There is no other.
I urge you to learn to think independently of others, while learning from their input, but dependent on the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
I implore you to study the Word, not for its history (though that is important, of course), not for its sociology (though that is important, of course), not for its science (though that is important, of course), not for its psychology (though that is important, of course), not for its philosophy (though that is important, of course), but for its revelation of God in Christ and His claim on your life.
You will be astonished at the difference it will make.
Don't you think?
The first questions are ones I know the participants know the answers to.
Then I progress to the tougher ones that get to the point of the lesson.
This style of teaching would be disallowed in a court of law because it would be considered "leading the witness."
But in a class setting it really encourages discussion and gets a lot of people involved.
Here's the key: The questions must be adjusted to the group. If you do that, it does not matter the age of the group, they can get involved.
Suppose I am teaching John 3:16 "For god so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
I might begin with such an elementary question as: Who inspired the Bible?
Usually this gets the response: God.
Someone in the class will know that.
Then I might ask: Did He do it recently, or a long time ago?
"A long time ago," someone will say.
By now people are beginning to relax, thinking, "This is going to be easy. Maybe even boring."
Next, I'll ask something like, "So how long is everlasting?"
"Forever."
"OK, good. What does 'forever' mean?"
Usually this gets a few brave souls to try to venture an opinion or two which we will discuss long enough, but not long enough to flush it out completely.
The next question I might ask may be something like: Where did you get that idea? Did you just think of it or did someone tell it to you?
That question is a pivot point.
It is a question I think we should be asking more often, of ourselves and others.
Question: Where did evolutionists get the idea that things in the universe evolved?
Answer: They were taught it by someone.
Question: Why did you believe them?
Answer: (either) 1) They're the teacher. or 2) They are certified by the State of Florida to teach, they MUST know what they are talking about.
Aside: This begs the question, "How come 30% of public education students in the State of Florida, every last one of whom was taught by a 'certified' teacher cannot read their own diploma?"
The point of all of this is that most people either have no respect for learning at all, or think that everything they are taught is absolute truth, even when they are taught that there is no such thing as absolute truth.
Very few people are able to be independent thinkers.
Sadly, that includes Christians.
Most Christians spout the "party line." They regurgitate the doctrines, philosophies and beliefs of whoever it was who taught them, as long as that person was personable, funny, charismatic (in the Biblical, not the denominational sense of the word), or some combination of the above.
It is grevious that so few really delve into God's Word to learn it well enough to apply it to their actual lives.
Even if they do, they try to take bits and pieces, here and there, and form some kind of life-view that is void of the point(s), principles and ultimate teaching of the Word.
Most of all, they tend to see Scripture as a rule set by which people, especially others, are to be judged.
They fail to relate every word, jot and tittle to the person of Christ.
Yet He is the whole point. There is no other.
I urge you to learn to think independently of others, while learning from their input, but dependent on the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
I implore you to study the Word, not for its history (though that is important, of course), not for its sociology (though that is important, of course), not for its science (though that is important, of course), not for its psychology (though that is important, of course), not for its philosophy (though that is important, of course), but for its revelation of God in Christ and His claim on your life.
You will be astonished at the difference it will make.
Don't you think?
Monday, April 03, 2006
So There You Have It
It's official!
Prayer does not "work!"
Or so says a group of "scientists" who did a study.
Since they did a study, we know they must be right.
They did a study.
A study!
They studied heart attack patients, some of whom "were prayed for," and some of whom "were not prayed for," and some who were "a control group." Sort of a standard "scientific" study.
They found no statistical differences in the outcome of each illness, whether prayed for or not.
OK...let's look at the issue.
It begins with the sovereignty of God.
"Sovereignty," as it applys to God, means that He is the absolute, unequivocable determiner of what has been, what is and what is to come. He is the boss of bosses. He does what He wants, when He wants. Period. I said, "period...end of discussion."
If God is NOT sovereign, then He is not God and if the God you serve is not sovereign, then you are not serving the God of the Bible.
He does not have to fit my mold. He does not have to do my will. He does not have to give me what I ask for in my prayer(s). He does not have to go with the majority or the "flow."
He cannot be manipulated by us.
If He can be manipulated by us, He is not God.
It is in submission to the sovereign God that we find peace and joy.
If we have no peace and joy, we are not submitted to Him.
So, in the sense that we use it to make God do what we want Him to do, prayer certainly does not "work."
Prayer is not an incantation by which we get God to see things our way, to do what we want Him to do, when we want Him to do it, the way we want Him to do it.
Prayer is talking with God about what He IS doing and how we can change our agenda to go along with Him.
So we pray for a sick person and the person dies.
Do we conclude that our prayer was not heard? Do we deduce that God did not answer our prayer? Not at all. We are not all knowing and cannot know what is best for them or us.
We can say that it SEEMED not to be the best, but there is a way that SEEMETH right to a man, the end thereof is death.
Don't count on what SEEMS right.
(Why do we say, "God answered our prayer," when He does what we want and, "God did not answer our prayer," when He does NOT do what we want?).
If God is omnicient, omnipotent and omnipresent, and if God knows what we need before we ask, then He knows what is best in terms of the big picture, which we cannot even see vaguely.
Make no mistake! When we ask for what He wants us to ask for, in submission to and according to His will, He gives us what we want because what we want is what He wants, therefore we get what both He and we want.
So what about the study?
The study is grossly flawed by its very nature and purpose.
In the first place, the study could not possibly restrict who was praying for whom to those participating in the study. In other words, the studiers had no way of knowing who else might be praying for which patients.
Secondly, God is not bound to or restricted to statistical analysis.
Thirdly, there is no way of knowing how much worse a patient might have been had he/she NOT been prayed for.
Now I am not contradicting myself. Nor am I saying that God might have been manipulated without the knowlege of the "scientists."
I'm saying that the very act of doing such a study demonstrates a total lack of understanding of the concept of prayer, which is an act of submission, not an act of exploitation.
We don't manage God...He manages us...or else we are not His.
We become His by, and only by, trusting in the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary and His resurrection.
So, pray without ceasing and in complete submission to the will of God.
Then watch prayer "work!"
Prayer does not "work!"
Or so says a group of "scientists" who did a study.
Since they did a study, we know they must be right.
They did a study.
A study!
They studied heart attack patients, some of whom "were prayed for," and some of whom "were not prayed for," and some who were "a control group." Sort of a standard "scientific" study.
They found no statistical differences in the outcome of each illness, whether prayed for or not.
OK...let's look at the issue.
It begins with the sovereignty of God.
"Sovereignty," as it applys to God, means that He is the absolute, unequivocable determiner of what has been, what is and what is to come. He is the boss of bosses. He does what He wants, when He wants. Period. I said, "period...end of discussion."
If God is NOT sovereign, then He is not God and if the God you serve is not sovereign, then you are not serving the God of the Bible.
He does not have to fit my mold. He does not have to do my will. He does not have to give me what I ask for in my prayer(s). He does not have to go with the majority or the "flow."
He cannot be manipulated by us.
If He can be manipulated by us, He is not God.
It is in submission to the sovereign God that we find peace and joy.
If we have no peace and joy, we are not submitted to Him.
So, in the sense that we use it to make God do what we want Him to do, prayer certainly does not "work."
Prayer is not an incantation by which we get God to see things our way, to do what we want Him to do, when we want Him to do it, the way we want Him to do it.
Prayer is talking with God about what He IS doing and how we can change our agenda to go along with Him.
So we pray for a sick person and the person dies.
Do we conclude that our prayer was not heard? Do we deduce that God did not answer our prayer? Not at all. We are not all knowing and cannot know what is best for them or us.
We can say that it SEEMED not to be the best, but there is a way that SEEMETH right to a man, the end thereof is death.
Don't count on what SEEMS right.
(Why do we say, "God answered our prayer," when He does what we want and, "God did not answer our prayer," when He does NOT do what we want?).
If God is omnicient, omnipotent and omnipresent, and if God knows what we need before we ask, then He knows what is best in terms of the big picture, which we cannot even see vaguely.
Make no mistake! When we ask for what He wants us to ask for, in submission to and according to His will, He gives us what we want because what we want is what He wants, therefore we get what both He and we want.
So what about the study?
The study is grossly flawed by its very nature and purpose.
In the first place, the study could not possibly restrict who was praying for whom to those participating in the study. In other words, the studiers had no way of knowing who else might be praying for which patients.
Secondly, God is not bound to or restricted to statistical analysis.
Thirdly, there is no way of knowing how much worse a patient might have been had he/she NOT been prayed for.
Now I am not contradicting myself. Nor am I saying that God might have been manipulated without the knowlege of the "scientists."
I'm saying that the very act of doing such a study demonstrates a total lack of understanding of the concept of prayer, which is an act of submission, not an act of exploitation.
We don't manage God...He manages us...or else we are not His.
We become His by, and only by, trusting in the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary and His resurrection.
So, pray without ceasing and in complete submission to the will of God.
Then watch prayer "work!"
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