I ordered some food online for lunch, so that I wouldn't have to wait in line - it's a cool thing that Chipotle does - then you can just go straight to the register and pay for your food without having to wait.
With my order in, I headed over to the ATM to get some cash out, but didn't have my wallet. That is odd, I never forget my wallet. I called home to make sure that I had left it there and hadn't lost it somewhere, and my wife assured me that it was, so that was good. However, I had already ordered food and had no money. I asked a coworker to borrow some cash for my lunch.
When I got to the restaurant, the manager was standing near the register and noticed some million dollar bill tracts (MDB) in my shirt pocket, so I handed him one and told him it was a Gospel tract and there's the million dollar question on the back. I got my food and headed out, but didn't give any more MDB's to anyone, not even the cashier (I am kind of quiet by nature and don't always witness as much as I should.) If I had, things might have gone better.
As I got back to the office, I noticed there was a message on my phone, so I listened to it. It was the manager from the restaurant, who apologized that they had given me the wrong order. I hadn't checked it because they never get it wrong. Well, almost never.
I called him back and he said I could come and get my original order, and he'd also pay for my next one. He said I could keep the wrong order that they'd given me as well. Since my work is close by, I went back. They gave me my original one, as well as a new fresh one and this time I gave the cashier a MDB. That's probably the real reason that I had to go back.
Note to self: Next time, just be obedient in the first place. I don't want to end up going through stuff like Jonah because I didn't listen. I guess it's just a good thing there aren't many big fish to swallow me up out here in the desert.
Out in the parking lot, there was a car parked next to the curb - he wasn't in a parking spot, but on the side, even though there were plenty of parking spots available. I thought he deserved a ticket for parking in the way like that, so on the way out, I stopped and put a Gospel tract under his windshield wiper. These particular ones are bright orange and say "Violation" on them, and look like some sort of parking ticket at first glance. But it states right on it that it is not, and then takes you through the law and the Gospel. I suppose people are relieved that it's not a real ticket and then read through the entire thing to see what it is, so they get a good Gospel presentation.
So, I ended up with three burritos (my original, the new freshly made one, and the one I got by mistake). Now, Chipotle makes huge burritos, you can't really eat more than one. The coworker who loaned me the money for lunch was still at her desk, so I gave her one one of the burritos and she split it with another person. I put the other on ice to take home for dinner.
Overall, things worked out pretty well, with extra food for others and a couple of Gospel tracts given out, too! Not a bad way to finish out the year!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Jefferson Bible Myth
Unbelievers like to site the "Jefferson Bible" as some sort of evidence that the founding fathers of our country were not Christians. Don't let them fool you, this nation most certainly was founded on Christian principles, by Christian men. Sadly, we may be moving farther and farther away from that now, but now they're attempting to rewrite history.
This particular "Bible" is in the archives of the Smithsonian.
Dr Catherine Millard was allowed to copy the title page and table of contents written by Thomas Jefferson himself. Here's what it says:
"The life and morals of Jesus of Nazareth, extracted textually from the four Gospels in English, French, Latin and Greek."
It's a harmony on the teaching of Christ, not some kind of "changed Bible" because of he didn't believe all of it.
He was not a deist, and neither was George Washington - too much evidence in their writings disproves it. They were both Protestant Christians.
This particular "Bible" is in the archives of the Smithsonian.
Dr Catherine Millard was allowed to copy the title page and table of contents written by Thomas Jefferson himself. Here's what it says:
"The life and morals of Jesus of Nazareth, extracted textually from the four Gospels in English, French, Latin and Greek."
It's a harmony on the teaching of Christ, not some kind of "changed Bible" because of he didn't believe all of it.
He was not a deist, and neither was George Washington - too much evidence in their writings disproves it. They were both Protestant Christians.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Recall Notice
I got this as an email a while back and thought it would make a good post.
Recall Notice
The Maker of all human beings is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart.
This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units.
This defect has been technically termed "Subsequential Internal Non-Morality," or more commonly known as S.I.N., as it is primarily expressed.
Some other symptoms include:
1. Loss of direction
2. Foul vocal emissions
3. Amnesia of origin
4. Lack of peace and joy
5. Selfish or violent behavior
6. Depression or confusion in the mental component
7. Fearfulness
8. Idolatry
9. Rebellion
The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect, is providing factory-authorized repair and service free of charge to correct this SIN defect.
The Repair Technician, Jesus, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs. There is no additional fee required.
The number to call for repair in all areas is: P-R-A-Y-E-R.
Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure.
Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus, into the heart component.
No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Jesus will replace it with:
1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self control
Please see the operating manual, the B..I.B.L.E. (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth) for further details on the use of these fixes.
WARNING: Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction voids any manufacturer warranties, exposing the unit to dangers and problems too numerous to list and will result in the human unit being permanently impounded.
DANGER: The human being units not responding to this recall action will have to be scrapped in the furnace.
The SIN defect will not be permitted to enter Heaven to prevent contamination of that facility..
Thank you for your attention! GOD
Please assist where possible by notifying others of this important recall notice and you may contact the Father any time by 'kneemail."
Recall Notice
The Maker of all human beings is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart.
This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units.
This defect has been technically termed "Subsequential Internal Non-Morality," or more commonly known as S.I.N., as it is primarily expressed.
Some other symptoms include:
1. Loss of direction
2. Foul vocal emissions
3. Amnesia of origin
4. Lack of peace and joy
5. Selfish or violent behavior
6. Depression or confusion in the mental component
7. Fearfulness
8. Idolatry
9. Rebellion
The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect, is providing factory-authorized repair and service free of charge to correct this SIN defect.
The Repair Technician, Jesus, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs. There is no additional fee required.
The number to call for repair in all areas is: P-R-A-Y-E-R.
Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure.
Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus, into the heart component.
No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Jesus will replace it with:
1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self control
Please see the operating manual, the B..I.B.L.E. (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth) for further details on the use of these fixes.
WARNING: Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction voids any manufacturer warranties, exposing the unit to dangers and problems too numerous to list and will result in the human unit being permanently impounded.
DANGER: The human being units not responding to this recall action will have to be scrapped in the furnace.
The SIN defect will not be permitted to enter Heaven to prevent contamination of that facility..
Thank you for your attention! GOD
Please assist where possible by notifying others of this important recall notice and you may contact the Father any time by 'kneemail."
Hate the sin, Love the sinner
Really? Can you tell me where it says that in the Bible? I couldn't find it. Maybe that's because it's not a quote out of the Bible at all, but a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, a Hindu. How about that, huh? Reason enough to start reading your Bible for yourself so you know what it says?
It actually says quite the opposite from that quote. I mean, really, how do you hate something inanimate, while loving the agent of the act? Do you hate rape but love the rapist? There would be no rape apart from the rapist. No, God's wrath abides on the rapist, not some kind of abstract idea.
Here's what Charles Finney said:
--------------------------------------
--------------------------------------
You can see how it appeals to our sinful nature, though, can't you? Ah, God hates lies, theft and fornication, but when I commit these acts, He doesn't hate me, just the acts themselves. Ridiculous, isn't it? Who's going to be punished for those acts?
We do what we are.
Good trees produce good fruit.
A good person that does bad things? If you're a good person, why on earth would you do bad things?
It's like this:
I'm an apple tree.
"Do you make any apples?"
No, I make oranges.
"Guess what you are - you're an orange tree!"
Duh! Why is it any different when it comes to spiritual things?
What you do is a reflection and echo of what you are inside - you're not deep down a really good person. You're a really bad person.
Matthew 15:19
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
God hates that, and WE'RE the object of His wrath!
Psalm 5:5
The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong.
That's the bad news, and we all fall into that category. There is not one righteous on the earth, no not one!
The good news is that there is forgiveness available. But there is only One Way! It is the narrow path and there are few that find it. But wide is the road to destruction.
Jesus Christ paid the fine for you! But that's not some kind of free ticket to sin - quite the opposite!
Hebrews 10:26-29
If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
If you loved Him, you would follow His commands.
1 John 5:3
This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome
Now, don't fall in the ditch on the other side of this issue, either. We are not to hate sinners but to warn them. After all, weren't we just like them at some point before conversion?
1 Corinthians 6:11
And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Ephesians 2:3
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
Colossians 1:21
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.
God will judge and His holy, righteous wrath abides upon the sinner.
So what are we to do? Here's our job description:
Ezekiel 33:7-9
"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you will surely die,' and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself.
And it's repeated in the NT by Jesus Himself in the Great Commission.
We are commanded to witness to people, sharing the Gospel. Only God will make an actual conversion, we just need to be obedient. Go and tell the Good News.
It actually says quite the opposite from that quote. I mean, really, how do you hate something inanimate, while loving the agent of the act? Do you hate rape but love the rapist? There would be no rape apart from the rapist. No, God's wrath abides on the rapist, not some kind of abstract idea.
Here's what Charles Finney said:
--------------------------------------
"God is not angry merely against the sin abstracted from the sinner, but against the sinner himself. Some persons have labored hard to set up this ridiculous and absurd abstraction, and would fain make it appear that God is angry at sin, yet not at the sinner. He hates the theft, but loves the thief. He abhors adultery, but is pleased with the adulterer.
"Now this is supreme nonsense. The sin has no moral character apart from the sinner. The act is nothing apart from the actor. The very thing that God hates and disapproves is not the mere event—the thing done in distinction from the doer; but it is the doer himself. It grieves and displeases Him that a rational moral agent, under His government, should array himself against his own God and Father, against all that is right and just in the universe. This is the thing that offends God. The sinner himself is the direct and the only object of his anger."
--------------------------------------
You can see how it appeals to our sinful nature, though, can't you? Ah, God hates lies, theft and fornication, but when I commit these acts, He doesn't hate me, just the acts themselves. Ridiculous, isn't it? Who's going to be punished for those acts?
We do what we are.
Good trees produce good fruit.
A good person that does bad things? If you're a good person, why on earth would you do bad things?
It's like this:
I'm an apple tree.
"Do you make any apples?"
No, I make oranges.
"Guess what you are - you're an orange tree!"
Duh! Why is it any different when it comes to spiritual things?
What you do is a reflection and echo of what you are inside - you're not deep down a really good person. You're a really bad person.
Matthew 15:19
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
God hates that, and WE'RE the object of His wrath!
Psalm 5:5
The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong.
That's the bad news, and we all fall into that category. There is not one righteous on the earth, no not one!
The good news is that there is forgiveness available. But there is only One Way! It is the narrow path and there are few that find it. But wide is the road to destruction.
Jesus Christ paid the fine for you! But that's not some kind of free ticket to sin - quite the opposite!
Hebrews 10:26-29
If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
If you loved Him, you would follow His commands.
1 John 5:3
This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome
Now, don't fall in the ditch on the other side of this issue, either. We are not to hate sinners but to warn them. After all, weren't we just like them at some point before conversion?
1 Corinthians 6:11
And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Ephesians 2:3
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
Colossians 1:21
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.
God will judge and His holy, righteous wrath abides upon the sinner.
So what are we to do? Here's our job description:
Ezekiel 33:7-9
"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you will surely die,' and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself.
And it's repeated in the NT by Jesus Himself in the Great Commission.
We are commanded to witness to people, sharing the Gospel. Only God will make an actual conversion, we just need to be obedient. Go and tell the Good News.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Hollywood and God
Click the title above to view a video clip that might give you something to think about next time you're going to the movies.....
Daily Bible Quiz - How'd you do?
Post your results and discuss the daily Bible quiz here. Don't forget to also copy the title, so that we know which quiz we're talking about.
The Meaning of Life
What is the meaning of life? The question has been asked and searched for by man since as far back as anyone can remember.
It is not an unanswerable question. As a matter of fact, the answer has been with us for a long time, it's just a matter of looking in the right place. And where is the right place to look for the answer? Go straight to the source - the Creator of life would be the only One who could give us the true answer - and He has, in His Word - the Bible.
Ah, the Bible is a big Book to go through, though isn't it? Although it certainly wouldn't hurt you to read through the entire thing, and I encourage everyone to do so.
2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
But in the meantime, let's answer the question.
The answer is given in Ecclesiastes by the wisest man who ever lived. He was given this wisdom by God Himself, to rule Israel.
1 Kings 3:11-14
So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both riches and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life."
Even with his God-given wisdom and discernment, Solomon had his problems. He allowed himself to be led astray and to follow false gods.
1 Kings 11:6
So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely, as David his father had done.
Ecclesiastes starts out with his search and claim that everything is meaningless. This man had it all - riches, wisdom, and power, yet something was still lacking. In the end, we find out that which was lacking was also the answer to our question.
After an extensive search for what was missing, and what would bring him satisfaction, Solomon finds that nothing does. This is detailed in the book of Ecclesiastes. Near the end of the book, we are given what Solomon learned through all his experience and searching.
Ecclesiastes 12:13
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
There is a Commentary by Ray Stedman at the Blue Letter Bible that helps this fit together better and make more sense, answering the age old question.
In it, he explains that "duty" is in brackets, which means it was added by translators. If you remove that added word, the verse makes more sense.
Fear God and obey His commandments, for this is the whole of man.
Not our duty, but actually who and what we ARE - our very definition and the true meaning of life, the very essence of our being and the reason we were created. The answer was right there in the Bible all along!
It is not an unanswerable question. As a matter of fact, the answer has been with us for a long time, it's just a matter of looking in the right place. And where is the right place to look for the answer? Go straight to the source - the Creator of life would be the only One who could give us the true answer - and He has, in His Word - the Bible.
Ah, the Bible is a big Book to go through, though isn't it? Although it certainly wouldn't hurt you to read through the entire thing, and I encourage everyone to do so.
2 Timothy 3:16
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
But in the meantime, let's answer the question.
The answer is given in Ecclesiastes by the wisest man who ever lived. He was given this wisdom by God Himself, to rule Israel.
1 Kings 3:11-14
So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both riches and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life."
Even with his God-given wisdom and discernment, Solomon had his problems. He allowed himself to be led astray and to follow false gods.
1 Kings 11:6
So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely, as David his father had done.
Ecclesiastes starts out with his search and claim that everything is meaningless. This man had it all - riches, wisdom, and power, yet something was still lacking. In the end, we find out that which was lacking was also the answer to our question.
After an extensive search for what was missing, and what would bring him satisfaction, Solomon finds that nothing does. This is detailed in the book of Ecclesiastes. Near the end of the book, we are given what Solomon learned through all his experience and searching.
Ecclesiastes 12:13
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
There is a Commentary by Ray Stedman at the Blue Letter Bible that helps this fit together better and make more sense, answering the age old question.
In it, he explains that "duty" is in brackets, which means it was added by translators. If you remove that added word, the verse makes more sense.
Fear God and obey His commandments, for this is the whole of man.
Not our duty, but actually who and what we ARE - our very definition and the true meaning of life, the very essence of our being and the reason we were created. The answer was right there in the Bible all along!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)