2 Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Well, there will be no time to write a Lunch-Time thought today, so I will write a coffee-break thought! Actually, I have the privilege of preaching at Northstar's chapel today, which for some reason is one of the hardest venues wherein I have had to preach.
The topic of the message for NCA today is trying to establish a biblical reality as opposed to the reality that is presented to people today. My opening illustration has to do with "Reality TV" and how that is not reality at all, yet so many people in our society think that TV is what real life is supposed to be like.
Isaiah 6 is my text, and the first four verses have to do with God seated on His throne, and the seraphims and all of this spiritual activity going on. The point there is that there really is a spiritual world, and that according to 2 Corinthians 4:18, the spiritual world is more real, or more important, at least, than the physical world.
Then there's God... Holy, Holy, Holy, the LORD of hosts! The whole earth is full of His glory! If we could live our lives daily with that perception, recognizing the Holiness of the Lord, seeing His glory in the whole of the earth, what a difference that would have on our day and on our Christian walk.
Just a thought...
Friday, April 25, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Get a Job
Proverbs 24:27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.
Help me out with the application of this verse. It seems to me that God is saying for the man to get his work established, make it "fit for thyself" ("thyself" is singular, fit just for him), and then once it has been established, he goes and builds his house.
Sounds like the single man that is looking to build his home ought to establish his career first. He ought to work on being able to support himself before he considers getting married and having children, building his house.
I think the problem is that our society doesn't have our kids building their careers until after high school, or even not until after college. I think it would be better to start working with our boys on their careers when they are young - 11? 12? 13? Start getting them established in the career that they want to do. They, of course, will listen to your guidance in picking a career, since you've trained them right since birth!
It seems to me that the best career in the world would be one in which you could devote your time to the study of God's word and to prayer (of course, not to the neglect of the rest of life, but simply being compensated with carnal things for the spiritual ministry. See Rom. 15:27). All Christians should know how to study the Bible, how to evangelize, etc., so that should be a part of all of their educations!
Anyway, just a thought...
Help me out with the application of this verse. It seems to me that God is saying for the man to get his work established, make it "fit for thyself" ("thyself" is singular, fit just for him), and then once it has been established, he goes and builds his house.Sounds like the single man that is looking to build his home ought to establish his career first. He ought to work on being able to support himself before he considers getting married and having children, building his house.
I think the problem is that our society doesn't have our kids building their careers until after high school, or even not until after college. I think it would be better to start working with our boys on their careers when they are young - 11? 12? 13? Start getting them established in the career that they want to do. They, of course, will listen to your guidance in picking a career, since you've trained them right since birth!
It seems to me that the best career in the world would be one in which you could devote your time to the study of God's word and to prayer (of course, not to the neglect of the rest of life, but simply being compensated with carnal things for the spiritual ministry. See Rom. 15:27). All Christians should know how to study the Bible, how to evangelize, etc., so that should be a part of all of their educations!
Anyway, just a thought...
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
The Whole Earth
Isaiah 6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
The scene in Isaiah 6 is the temple of God. (A side thought: Since when was there a throne in the temple? Is that one of the differences between the OT Temple and the Heavenly? Or, is the mercy seat God's throne? Any thoughts?) Isaiah hears a seraphim cry unto another, and we all are very familiar with the "Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts," but how much do we think about the last phrase, "The whole earth is full of his glory"?
I thought on that verse for a little while and realized that I do not see God's glory in the whole earth. That is, I do not see the glory of God in a pile of dirt. So, there are a few possible explanations:
1) The seraphims were wrong, and God's glory isn't really in the whole earth, just parts of it. Ok, that one's unlikely.
2) God's glory can be found in the whole earth, but it's not really found in everything in the whole earth, just parts of it. I guess you could stretch it that far if you want or need to. Maybe that's right.
3) Here's what I think is right: I am just failing to see it!
God should get glory from a pile of dirt. It just goes to show His creative power. He made the dirt. It reminds me of the scientist that challenged God to a life-making contest. The scientist said that he would have a contest against God and see who could make a better living being. So, God accepted, and the next day they got together and as the scientist reached down to grab some dirt to make his "life," God said, "No, you have to use your own dirt!"
The whole earth is full of the glory of God. Do you see it?
Just a thought...
The scene in Isaiah 6 is the temple of God. (A side thought: Since when was there a throne in the temple? Is that one of the differences between the OT Temple and the Heavenly? Or, is the mercy seat God's throne? Any thoughts?) Isaiah hears a seraphim cry unto another, and we all are very familiar with the "Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts," but how much do we think about the last phrase, "The whole earth is full of his glory"?I thought on that verse for a little while and realized that I do not see God's glory in the whole earth. That is, I do not see the glory of God in a pile of dirt. So, there are a few possible explanations:
1) The seraphims were wrong, and God's glory isn't really in the whole earth, just parts of it. Ok, that one's unlikely.
2) God's glory can be found in the whole earth, but it's not really found in everything in the whole earth, just parts of it. I guess you could stretch it that far if you want or need to. Maybe that's right.
3) Here's what I think is right: I am just failing to see it!
God should get glory from a pile of dirt. It just goes to show His creative power. He made the dirt. It reminds me of the scientist that challenged God to a life-making contest. The scientist said that he would have a contest against God and see who could make a better living being. So, God accepted, and the next day they got together and as the scientist reached down to grab some dirt to make his "life," God said, "No, you have to use your own dirt!"
The whole earth is full of the glory of God. Do you see it?
Just a thought...
Monday, April 21, 2008
Sending Missionaries
(Act 13:3) And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.Alright, I have a question.
Why don't churches send missionaries any more? I mean, why doesn't First Bible send missionaries?
{dramatic pause here, while everyone gasps, and says, "What do you mean?!"}
I know that First Bible has many missionaries that have gone out from the church. I actually know a couple of them very well. But, I am not talking about the common day connotation of "Sending." My question is why does it not happen like it happened in Acts 13 any more? The Holy Spirit told the church to separate Paul and Barnabas to go out. It does not say that Paul and Barnabas felt the call on their lives, and then came to the church leadership and told them that they were going to go somewhere.
Why don't our churches, and why doesn't my church, instead just send misionaries out. It's easy, we walk up to someone that has shown himself faithful in the ministry, possessing the necessary gifts and abilities, and has a willingness to serve God wherever He desires, and (after we are certin that we are being directed by the Holy Spirit) we tell him that God wants him to go some place where there is a specific need.
Oh, and another missions thought... I wonder if God wants His people to tithe on the church members. That is, 1 out of every 10 families is supposed to be given up to God.
Just a thought...
What's this?
This is not a thesis topic...
This is not a fictitious declaration of independence...
This is not going to be about Jonathan Edwards (sorry, Dan)...
This IS... just a thought...
I went to see Expelled in the movie theaters Friday night after Home Bible Study, and I think it is a very worthwhile movie. It is not a Christian movie, so don't go with the expectation of such. It is simply a movie that exposes some of the characteristics of some of the more prominent evolutionists.Ben Stein did a great job in putting the movie together. Now, from what I understand, he may not have been totally honest with the evolutionists when he approached them for an interview. The story goes that he told them that he was doing a movie on the disconnect in America between religion and science, or something like that. A New York Times article can be found here about it. Well, the evolutionists got a bit upset about that. They would not have taken part in a movie like what was produced! Apparently, they wouldn't say those things if they were going to be presented in a negative light.
But, why not say them? I mean, the purpose of this movie shows that there is a silencing of critics of evolution. By the evolutionists saying that they wouldn't say the same things had they known, just goes to demonstrate the point better that they do have something to hide!
I'm rambling... Here's the thought: Make sure that you mean what you say, and that you can defend what you say. If there is some doubt to what you are saying, then do not say it as if it were fact. Otherwise, you may look silly like Richard Dawkins, and say things like, "No, there can be NO God, of course not! ...but, Yes, maybe aliens seeded life on earth. But, NO GOD!" Or like the other scientist in the movie who suggested that life may have begun on crystals. That's just a theory though :)
Well, it is good to be back. I'm not making promises that it will be daily yet, but I'm here!
Just a thought...
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Thesis 36/36: Other Religions
DOCTRINES OF CULTS
Doctrine 36 / 36: Other Religions
Religions can be categorized into one of four categories: Atheism, Monotheism, Polytheism, Pantheism. The belief that there is no God is atheism. There are three major monotheistic religions in the world: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The rest of the religions in the world are some sort of polytheism or pantheism.
Atheism is something that must be taught to a person, as only a fool would say that there is no God (Psalm 53:1). Atheism usually is accepted when a person wants to get out from under the authority of a higher being. If a man can consider himself to be the most important being in the universe, then all of his actions are justified and he will not have to give account for them.
As for the monotheistic religions, Judaism is the basis for Christianity, with the major fault that they failed to recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah. Islam is a religion that began with Muhammad in 7th century Arabia. Muhammad was exposed to Judaism and Christianity, and also to the polytheistic gods of the neighboring tribes. He claims to have been visited by the angel Michael, and was given visions from which he recorded the book of Koran. The god Allah was taken from one of the deities of the neighboring tribes, the "moon god." Islam is a religion that promotes proselytizing by all means necessary, including the sword. While some have strayed from the fundamentals of Islam, and created their own version of it, that method of spreading the religion is what was practiced by Mohammad himself. Islam teaches that heaven is gained by works, by following the teaching of the Koran. Those that die in war for the cause of Islam are promised immediate rewards in a heavenly paradise.
Buddhism is an offshoot or sect of a greater religion of Hinduism. Both of these religions can be considered polytheistic. However, they are essentially humanistic in their teaching. They emphasize the real light being found inside of man. Meditation is emphasized so that man can discover himself and find out his own meaning for life. There can be no right or wrong, as there is no authority. Hinduism teaches that the law of Karma, all deeds in past and present life will be rewarded or punished. Because they believe in reincarnation, their current estate in life may have been caused due to good or bad done in a previous life, and if they do harm to others in the present life, they will have a lower estate in a future life. Some sects believe that the perfect state, Nirvana, can be achieved during the present life by an "Enlightenment," while others believe that Nirvana is a future state at which a person will arrive once all of the bad has been punished. Though some of these teachings of Hinduism and Buddhism are attempted to be meshed with Christianity (such as the moment of Enlightenment and the Conversion of a Christian), the fact is that they do not hold to a Sovereign God, and Jesus Christ is at best a mere prophet.
The New Age Movement in America, which in recent times has been popularized by Oprah Winfrey's web class teaching Echart Tolle's book, "A New Earth." This teaching specifically, and most New Age teaching in America, is simply the American version of Eastern Hinduism. It teaches the idea that there are many ways to get to God. It teaches that Jesus is not the only way. Man again is taught to look to himself to determine what is right to his own spirit and conscience.
All non-Christian religions have a few things in common. They do not have the same negative perception of man and his depravity. They fail to recognize a loving God that would sacrifice His only Son as a substitution for man. They do not accept that Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh. The end result is that, while some of these religions make the world a nicer place in which to live, they are simply making a nicer world from which they will go to hell.
"I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me."
Doctrine 36 / 36: Other Religions
Religions can be categorized into one of four categories: Atheism, Monotheism, Polytheism, Pantheism. The belief that there is no God is atheism. There are three major monotheistic religions in the world: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The rest of the religions in the world are some sort of polytheism or pantheism.
Atheism is something that must be taught to a person, as only a fool would say that there is no God (Psalm 53:1). Atheism usually is accepted when a person wants to get out from under the authority of a higher being. If a man can consider himself to be the most important being in the universe, then all of his actions are justified and he will not have to give account for them.
As for the monotheistic religions, Judaism is the basis for Christianity, with the major fault that they failed to recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah. Islam is a religion that began with Muhammad in 7th century Arabia. Muhammad was exposed to Judaism and Christianity, and also to the polytheistic gods of the neighboring tribes. He claims to have been visited by the angel Michael, and was given visions from which he recorded the book of Koran. The god Allah was taken from one of the deities of the neighboring tribes, the "moon god." Islam is a religion that promotes proselytizing by all means necessary, including the sword. While some have strayed from the fundamentals of Islam, and created their own version of it, that method of spreading the religion is what was practiced by Mohammad himself. Islam teaches that heaven is gained by works, by following the teaching of the Koran. Those that die in war for the cause of Islam are promised immediate rewards in a heavenly paradise.
Buddhism is an offshoot or sect of a greater religion of Hinduism. Both of these religions can be considered polytheistic. However, they are essentially humanistic in their teaching. They emphasize the real light being found inside of man. Meditation is emphasized so that man can discover himself and find out his own meaning for life. There can be no right or wrong, as there is no authority. Hinduism teaches that the law of Karma, all deeds in past and present life will be rewarded or punished. Because they believe in reincarnation, their current estate in life may have been caused due to good or bad done in a previous life, and if they do harm to others in the present life, they will have a lower estate in a future life. Some sects believe that the perfect state, Nirvana, can be achieved during the present life by an "Enlightenment," while others believe that Nirvana is a future state at which a person will arrive once all of the bad has been punished. Though some of these teachings of Hinduism and Buddhism are attempted to be meshed with Christianity (such as the moment of Enlightenment and the Conversion of a Christian), the fact is that they do not hold to a Sovereign God, and Jesus Christ is at best a mere prophet.
The New Age Movement in America, which in recent times has been popularized by Oprah Winfrey's web class teaching Echart Tolle's book, "A New Earth." This teaching specifically, and most New Age teaching in America, is simply the American version of Eastern Hinduism. It teaches the idea that there are many ways to get to God. It teaches that Jesus is not the only way. Man again is taught to look to himself to determine what is right to his own spirit and conscience.
All non-Christian religions have a few things in common. They do not have the same negative perception of man and his depravity. They fail to recognize a loving God that would sacrifice His only Son as a substitution for man. They do not accept that Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh. The end result is that, while some of these religions make the world a nicer place in which to live, they are simply making a nicer world from which they will go to hell.
"I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me."
Thesis 35/36: The Occult
DOCTRINES OF CULTS
Doctrine 35 / 36: The Occult
When Jesus went into the wilderness, Satan tempted Him by telling Him to worship him. It seems that beginning at the fall of Lucifer in Isaiah 14, Satan's desire is that people would worship him, by following him and not following God. There are many ways in which he does this; some of them are not as frequently recognized as being of him. For example, liars and murderers are said to be people whose actions take after the father of lies, the devil (John 8:44). However, in recent times, the following of Satan has not been hid, and there are people that claim to simply be worshippers and followers of Satan.
The First Church of Satan started in San Francisco in the 1960's by Anton La Vey. He promoted the worship of Satan by name, and said that since man was simply full of carnal passions, he may as well just give in to them. Sex has always played a large part in the church of Satan and its religious ceremonies. Sacrifices, animal and even human, are also known to be performed in certain rituals of devil worship as well. People are drawn to this occultic worship for numerous reasons. Some of them partake in devil worship simply to rebel against the standards. For example, many young people find interest in it because they know that their parents would be opposed to it. Others join because of the sexual acts that are accompanied with it. Since these sexual perversions are allowed in that society, people join them to simply allow their lusts to run uncontrolled and remain accepted.
Spiritism is another way in which Satan draws people to follow him. Spiritism is the interaction of humans with spirit beings of different forms. This includes necromancy, divinations, and speaking with familiar spirits. The Bible gives an example of this type of activity in 1 Samuel 28, when King Saul went to the witch at Endor, and asked counsel of her. To her surprise, the dead prophet Samuel actually spoke to her. Some of these spiritist practices are proven to be hoaxes, however these things do exist, and there can be communication between spirits and humans. Some of these spirits, which are devils, fallen angels, will pretend to be a dead relative of the person seeking them. Due to the knowledge that devils have of people that have lived (Satan is not omniscient, but he is very observant and knows of people from the past), they are able to communicate facts about them that nobody else living could possibly know. These devils deceive people that the spirits of the dead are actually speaking to them, however the Bible teaches that those that are dead without Christ are in hell already (Luke 16:19-23). In Deuteronomy 18:10-11, the Bible directly forbids the practices of divination (foretelling the future), consulting with familiar spirits, and necromancy (speaking with the dead). Ouija boards are another medium through which access into occultic practices begin. They are not just harmless board games.
Another from of following the devil that has become prominent in America as a result of the Harry Potter series of books is that of witchcraft. Witchcraft is the art of using magic, or supernatural powers, to accomplish something. As with Spiritism, some have disregarded witchcraft, considering it a hoax, or some other illusion. While certainly there have been cases of these, the Bible teaches that Satan does have the power to perform signs and lying wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9). Wicca is the name of the practice that came from the Celts in Ireland, from which came the name witch. A witch is a female practitioner of Wicca, and a male would technically be called a wizard or a warlock. Witchcraft is often accompanied by drugs, which tend to open up people to devilish influences and possessions. The man possessed with a devil in Mark was able to break chains; it is no surprise that supernatural events would take place around such situations. Enchantments (magic spells), witches, charmers and wizards are also forbidden in Deuteronomy 18:10-11.
A less obvious practice of the occult is in the area of fortune-telling and astrology. In most, if not all, newspapers in America, there is included a horoscope. The word horoscope comes from the Greek words meaning "hour" and "sight." It means looking at the times, and specifically divination based upon the time of a person's birth. A horoscope is an astrologer's prediction about a person's life based on the position of the heavenly bodies and the date of the person's birth. Horoscopes should not be treated as a game or as a silly comic in the paper. Rather, God again directly prohibits the "observer of times" and him that "useth divination" (Deuteronomy 18:10).
Satan has power to perform signs and lying wonders, and he has a desire to deceive and to devour (John 8:44; 1 Peter 5:8). Care must be given to avoid being sucked into his traps. God has promised power through His Holy Spirit by the humiliation of man. Satanism and other occultic practices promise power through self-exaltation and the desire to satisfy carnal lusts.
"Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."
Doctrine 35 / 36: The Occult
When Jesus went into the wilderness, Satan tempted Him by telling Him to worship him. It seems that beginning at the fall of Lucifer in Isaiah 14, Satan's desire is that people would worship him, by following him and not following God. There are many ways in which he does this; some of them are not as frequently recognized as being of him. For example, liars and murderers are said to be people whose actions take after the father of lies, the devil (John 8:44). However, in recent times, the following of Satan has not been hid, and there are people that claim to simply be worshippers and followers of Satan.
The First Church of Satan started in San Francisco in the 1960's by Anton La Vey. He promoted the worship of Satan by name, and said that since man was simply full of carnal passions, he may as well just give in to them. Sex has always played a large part in the church of Satan and its religious ceremonies. Sacrifices, animal and even human, are also known to be performed in certain rituals of devil worship as well. People are drawn to this occultic worship for numerous reasons. Some of them partake in devil worship simply to rebel against the standards. For example, many young people find interest in it because they know that their parents would be opposed to it. Others join because of the sexual acts that are accompanied with it. Since these sexual perversions are allowed in that society, people join them to simply allow their lusts to run uncontrolled and remain accepted.
Spiritism is another way in which Satan draws people to follow him. Spiritism is the interaction of humans with spirit beings of different forms. This includes necromancy, divinations, and speaking with familiar spirits. The Bible gives an example of this type of activity in 1 Samuel 28, when King Saul went to the witch at Endor, and asked counsel of her. To her surprise, the dead prophet Samuel actually spoke to her. Some of these spiritist practices are proven to be hoaxes, however these things do exist, and there can be communication between spirits and humans. Some of these spirits, which are devils, fallen angels, will pretend to be a dead relative of the person seeking them. Due to the knowledge that devils have of people that have lived (Satan is not omniscient, but he is very observant and knows of people from the past), they are able to communicate facts about them that nobody else living could possibly know. These devils deceive people that the spirits of the dead are actually speaking to them, however the Bible teaches that those that are dead without Christ are in hell already (Luke 16:19-23). In Deuteronomy 18:10-11, the Bible directly forbids the practices of divination (foretelling the future), consulting with familiar spirits, and necromancy (speaking with the dead). Ouija boards are another medium through which access into occultic practices begin. They are not just harmless board games.
Another from of following the devil that has become prominent in America as a result of the Harry Potter series of books is that of witchcraft. Witchcraft is the art of using magic, or supernatural powers, to accomplish something. As with Spiritism, some have disregarded witchcraft, considering it a hoax, or some other illusion. While certainly there have been cases of these, the Bible teaches that Satan does have the power to perform signs and lying wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9). Wicca is the name of the practice that came from the Celts in Ireland, from which came the name witch. A witch is a female practitioner of Wicca, and a male would technically be called a wizard or a warlock. Witchcraft is often accompanied by drugs, which tend to open up people to devilish influences and possessions. The man possessed with a devil in Mark was able to break chains; it is no surprise that supernatural events would take place around such situations. Enchantments (magic spells), witches, charmers and wizards are also forbidden in Deuteronomy 18:10-11.
A less obvious practice of the occult is in the area of fortune-telling and astrology. In most, if not all, newspapers in America, there is included a horoscope. The word horoscope comes from the Greek words meaning "hour" and "sight." It means looking at the times, and specifically divination based upon the time of a person's birth. A horoscope is an astrologer's prediction about a person's life based on the position of the heavenly bodies and the date of the person's birth. Horoscopes should not be treated as a game or as a silly comic in the paper. Rather, God again directly prohibits the "observer of times" and him that "useth divination" (Deuteronomy 18:10).
Satan has power to perform signs and lying wonders, and he has a desire to deceive and to devour (John 8:44; 1 Peter 5:8). Care must be given to avoid being sucked into his traps. God has promised power through His Holy Spirit by the humiliation of man. Satanism and other occultic practices promise power through self-exaltation and the desire to satisfy carnal lusts.
"Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."
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