tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-318457092024-03-12T16:42:19.369-07:00Wanna Get PREACHED AT?THE FOLLY OF JSB2JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845709.post-87101638136978010182011-09-27T08:56:00.000-07:002011-09-27T09:12:54.776-07:00180 the MovieHave you heard about it?<br /><br />If not,...<br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7y2KsU_dhwI?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845709.post-77025308612315243382010-10-16T06:20:00.000-07:002010-10-16T06:21:01.977-07:00Ray Comfort Meets Richard Dawkins...Almost!<object width="640" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iTElttRJ1dw&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iTElttRJ1dw&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></embed></object>JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845709.post-72470827937574804382009-07-13T12:14:00.001-07:002009-07-13T12:14:37.867-07:00Progress? No.Rodney King<br />OJ Simpson<br />Jesse Jackson<br />Mike Tyson<br />Kobe Bryant<br />Michael Jackson<br />Steve McNair<br /><br />Who are these men? These are a few of the criminals that the Black American community has rallied behind for the last twenty years or so. <br /><br />Rodney King was a thug on drugs who got a justified beat down from LA cops. In response, the black community rioted, punctuated by an unjustified murderous assault on Reginald Denny, a white man whose sufferings were completely discounted as the thugs who beat him were let off the hook as being not responsible for their actions. I wonder if God thought the same as the jury. I doubt it.<br /><br />He certainly did not agree with the jury who acquitted OJ Simpson of murdering his estranged wife and her adultery partner. True, by God's Law, they got what they deserved, but this wasn't OJ's first marriage, so he was certainly not really in a position to throw the proverbial stones. And, since Jesus said that divorce was permitted by Moses because of “the hardness of men's hearts,” and OJ was a wife-beater, one could easily argue that his wife should have left him long ago....or that she should never have married him in the first place, since he beat his first wife.<br /><br />Then we have Jesse Jackson, the pro-life preacher who suddenly became pro-abortion when he ran for the Democratic presidential nomination back in 1984. Reverend Jackson seems to have forgotten that Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood (the single largest infant-murder organization in the world), was a racist whose followers and successors deliberately plant their assassination clinics in black neighborhoods. The result? The black population of the United States of America is waning. We are no longer the chief minority in this country. Because the Hispanics seem to have enough brains to realize that progeny is what keeps a culture alive (2.11 children per family or go “bye-bye”). <br /><br />And this is the man who served as President Clinton's “spiritual advisor” when the president lied about committing adultery with Monica Lewinsky. Of course. Because he himself was an adulterer. His former adultery partner successfully took him to court for $120,000 per month in child support. No resignation from his position as a “reverend” even though the Bible calls for it (1 Timothy 3), because none of his followers actually believe or read the Bible. They wouldn't stand with him for abortion if they did.<br /><br />Mike Tyson is a failure who could have succeeded if he were a bit more humble. Sure, he was great in the boxing ring, but he, like Samson so many years ago, couldn't keep from the allure of fornication. Then he found out that “strange women” are not good company, so he sought to teach them a lesson. That only landed him in jail. Repeatedly. Now, he is a joke, though a very imposing one. <br /><br />Kobe Bryant didn't take notes from Tyson's saga (about avoiding loose women), but he did handle his own failures a little better. That is, this adulterer did not seek to take the life of the woman with whom he sinned against his wife. Unfortunately, to avoid criminal charges for raping her, he paid her off (technically, she sued him and settled out of court, but that was after the prosecutors asked the judge to permanently drop the case because she wouldn't testify). People all over the country sympathized with him (and threatened her), as if somehow he was the poor victim of some evil-hearted white girl out for his money. In truth, he was the perpetrator of a sin against God's Law, and against the wife to whom he had pledged the entire rest of his life. He got much less than what he deserved, but at least he repented. Which is a lot more than can be said for the people who backed him while he was traveling to and from Colorado for court hearings in between games.<br /><br />Ironically, Tracy McGrady was criticized for “attacking” Kobe when he said that the lesson in what happened was that “we need to stick with our wives.” How was that an attack? It was the simple wisdom that would have helped Kobe avoid all this trouble in the first place. Of course, Kobe just got another ring, and T-Mac just missed the playoffs again with an injury, so people are going to say that Kobe is vindicated. Not so. He got mitigated consequences because he repented: this ring he got took years after he should have gotten it. <br /><br />Michael Jackson may have been the “king of pop” in his heyday, but he was also a child-molester who never got his just due from man's court. When he died prematurely (at age 50), thousands upon thousands of people lined the streets with sympathy for him. Forget about the black children he raped. Their ruined lives are not as important as our entertainment.<br /><br />Finally, there's Steve McNair, the 36-year-old retired NFL quarterback with numerous accolades, who died at the hand of his adultery partner, who also shot herself. Again, thousands of people lined the streets to mourn this wicked man who betrayed his wife and children and then suffered his due consequences. Someone should have read Proverbs 7 at his funeral, but then they might have been booed off stage for being “disrespectful” to a man who didn't have the toughness to keep his most sacred promise.<br /><br />These are the people that the black community defends. To the deaths (threatened or actual) of those who call them out. I doubt that my life is in any danger whatsoever, but that's because I'm black. And that's stupid.<br /><br />Sin is sin. It doesn't matter whether a black man or a white man does it. “Getting a fair shake in court” does not mean being acquitted when you are guilty; it simply means that the guilty are punished and those not guilty go free. Somehow we have turned justice into equal numbers of criminals being allowed back into society. “Well, the white man has it happen all the time!” will not stand up before God on Judgment Day. <br /><br />Jesus isn't black—He's God and He became a Jew—Allah isn't real, Africa isn't paradise, and Mohammad hated black people—or “raisin heads” as he called them. The Bible decrees salvation for all, Jew and Gentile, Black and White, popular and unpopular, loved and hated—if we repent. Not if we make excuses for our sin, such as “white people do it all the time.” Jesus died for all sinners, but Jesus said, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5). <br /><br />So, we can go to the same Hell with the white people who practice evil, or we can dump sin like an cheating spouse and go to Heaven. The choice is yours.JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845709.post-64462941183581198132008-03-24T15:41:00.000-07:002008-03-24T16:04:14.779-07:00Ticket to Hell?How many of you have ever gotten a speeding ticket? You know what happens: a cop with nothing better to do--it is his <i>job</i>, you know--is just sitting alongside the road just waiting. Because he knows what's coming around the bend. Eventually. <br /><br />It never fails him, some idiot doing more than ten over the posted speed limit comes whizzing by. Never mind that many people have radar jammers/sensors/detectors--the cops always have a way around it, and the culprit--this time you--gets nailed for a $100-$200 fine. And a court date.<br /><br />Well, wouldn't you know it, God has put a traffic cop in your life. Only this guy isn't waiting around the bend for you--he's in your head. And he doesn't just occasionally catch you in a traffic violation (let's face it: for every ticket we gtet, we've probably done it 100 times). He sees every time that you lie, steal, hate, lust, curse, blaspheme, covet, worship idols, refuse to consult God, refuse to thank God, etc. And he rights a ticket for every violation.<br /><br />That's why you feel guilty when you do something wrong--your conscience has just written you a ticket with a court date on it, and a terrible fine: eternal damnation.<br /><br />Did you know that lying gets you a fine of eternal damnation--on the first offence?<br /><br />It's true. Revelation 21:8 says, "[A]nd all liars shall have their part in the Lake which burns with Fire and Brimstone, which is the second death."<br /><br /><br />Same with stealing (1 Corinthians 6:9-10), lust (which Jesus said is adultery--Matthew 5:27-30), divorce (Matthew 5:31-32; 19:4-10), hatred (which is murder in God's eyes--1 John 3:15--and includes name-calling and cursing--Matthew 5:21-26), murder (which includes abortion), etc.<br /><br />Have you ever had someone pay a traffic ticket for you? Felt good, didn't it? Or it would feel good, if it hasn't happened yet. How would you (or did you) feel toward the person who paid your $200 fine for you?<br /><br />How should you then feel toward the Person who volunteered to pay your eternal damnation fines? That is what Jesus did when He died on the cross almost 2000 years ago. Jesus was punished for the sins of the whole world, even though He had never sinned Himself (because God can't sin, and Jesus is God in the flesh).<br /><br />So, if you are truly grateful, then this is what you should do: repent. That's right, turn away from your sins. Don't just say, "Oh, God, I'm a sinner"--make sin your mortal enemy! Flee from it! Cut off relationships that would hinder a holy life! Be willing to lose friends, jobs, family members, and other comforts--because that's what it costs to walk in Righteousness with Him (Luke 14:25-33).<br /><br />Then start praying for your friends. As long as they are still breathing, it is not too late for them to do the same. Pray that God doesn't lose patience with them, just as He has shown so much mercy to you. Then read your Bible every day, and obey what you read. And find a good, Bible-living church (lots of churches say they believe the Bible--do they live it?), where you can get help in your Christian walk. <br /><br />And may God bless you.JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845709.post-43358736319196828262007-07-06T00:20:00.000-07:002007-07-06T01:12:27.822-07:00Does Homosexuality Send Someone to Hell?This is a serious question. No one wants to go to Hell--atheists deny the existence of Hell, quite simply because they don't want to go there; however, all people who go there will be there quite simply because they aren't willing to abandon their sins to escape the Wrath of God. In short, they expect God to bow to them. It doesn't work that way.<br /><br />The Bible says that "all liars shall have their part in the Lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8) That's not a place I want to go, and yet I have to admit, I am a liar: I have told lies, that makes me eligible to go to Hell. Have you ever told a lie? <br /><br />Revelation 21:8 doesn't just mention liars: it mentions "the fearful, the unbelieving, the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars..." Do you fit into any of those categories? <br /><br />Who are the fearful? Well, remember, the Bible was not written in English, but in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. Translation from one language to another is limited by the meanings in the words of the latter. The word translated "fearful" here specifically denotes someone who, when faced with calamity, refuses to trust the promises that God has made him. Specifically, I believe that this refers to those who deny God's provision for their souls in Jesus Christ. They live their lives in fear of their Lord, rather than in obedience to His Word, because they don't trust His promises. They call themselves Christians, but are actually "workers of iniquity" (Matthew 7:21-23), "wicked and slothful servant[s]" (Matthew 25:14-30), who will join the rest in the Lake of Fire.<br /><br />Who are the unbelieving? Quite simply those who reject the Gospel. They don't even pretend to be Christians, they don't humble themselves when presented with God's High and Holy Law, they just reject it. They, too, will received Eternal Justice on Judgment Day.<br /><br />Who are the abominable? Now this is where most conservatives would take the time to point out homosexuality. Now, they are right in one thing: homosexuality is an abomination to God (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13), but they are wrong in another, or, rather, incomplete: There are many things that are mentioned in Scripture as "an abomination"--just look at the entire chapter of Leviticus 18. Then go over to Proverbs 6:16-19. Read everywhere that the Bible speaks of idolatry. Or how about Proverbs 12:22? Why aren't these also included? We'll attempt to answer that later in the post.<br /><br />Who are the murderers? One would think that would be obvious, but listen to what Jesus said in Matthew 5:21-22: "You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire." First John 3:15 reiterates: "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and we know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."<br /><br />Who are the whoremongers? The Greek word translated "whoremongers" is pronounced "porneo," from which we get the word <em>pornography</em>, and it simply denotes any sexual relationship not in line with Genesis 2:24: "For this cause shall a man ... cleave unto his <b>wife</b> and they shall be one flesh." Notice, it does not say "spouse" or "girlfriend" or "boyfriend" but "wife." Those who disobey this priniciple, be they gay or straight, will have their part in the Lake of Fire. <br /><br />Who are the sorcerers? Well, the Greek word translated "sorcerers" is pronounced "Pharmacaea" and simply means drug abuse. Why would God send drug abusers to Hell? Because they refuse His help. They put getting high above serving the God who gives them every breath that they take. By the way, getting high and getting drunk are one and the same. We just use different means (snorting/shooting/smoking versus drinking).<br /><br />Who are the idolaters? Most people think of idolatry as bowing down before "false idols." I don't know where the term "false idols" came from, because, by definition, an idol is a false god. The term could even be contradictory to the meaning intended by the speaker: 1) Does this mean that there are "true idols" that we should bow down to? 2)Does this mean that these are not really idols? But enough of my diatribe on grammar, we're talking about going to Hell! Are you an idolater? Have you made a god to suit yourself, or do you worship the God who is? One can make an idol in his own mind (Ezekiel 14:3-4), a god who doesn't condemn him for his sins, but does condemn those who rebuke him for his sins.<br /><br />Who are the liars? Everyone that has told a lie is a liar. Even if they are just historical liars, they are still liars nonetheless. And "all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone."<br /><br />Now, I said I would address this issue later, and now is later: Why don't conservatives focus on these other sins? Why, it's for the same reason that liberals decry any mention of sin--they are guilty of them and don't want to face the fact that they deserve to go to Hell. <br /><br />The Bible says that almost every man will proclaim his own goodness (Proverbs 20:6). I have dished out the <a href="http://randomnessofjsb2.blogspot.com/2007/04/good-person-test.html">Good Person Test</a> to at least 1000 people. Very rarely will anyone admit that his is a bad person, and only some Christians see themselves as truly evil people. Yet, this is what the Bible teaches, that "there is none righteous, no not one" (Romans 3:10). No one likes to admit that he himself deserves to go to Hell, and yet that is the hard truth of Christianity.<br /><br />Jesus Himself said, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Then He said this: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man comes to the Father except through Me." Therefore, if you are not a sinner, then you cannot enter Heaven. <br /><br />But, wait a minute--Heaven isn't for sinners, is it? Well, not really. Jesus also said, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:1-5). But you have to be a sinner to repent. Doesn't matter what the sin is, you have to have done something that displeases God, and I'm sure that if you are honest with yourself, you will see that you have done <em>something</em>, whether it be lying, stealing, looking with lust (Jesus called that adultery of the heart in Matthew 5:27-30), hating someone, etc.<br /><br />But if you are too proud to admit to your sins, just remember one thing: the first thing on the list of abominations in Proverbs 6:16-19 is a proud look. A prideful person has made an idol--himself--putting his own judgment of himself above that of God. The Bible repeats, "Everyone who is proud of heart is an abomination unto the Lord" (Proverbs 16:5). Don't be a fool--repent of your sins today, no matter what they are.JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845709.post-56299204877722659072007-07-01T06:27:00.000-07:002007-07-01T06:29:55.298-07:00Repent or DieIn this relativistic world, where everything is up to personal interpretation, there is a universal truth: Ten out of ten people die. No matter if you are rich or poor, wise or foolish, you are going to die. King Solomon said, Then I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I myself perceived that the same event happens to them all. So I said in my heart, “ As it happens to the fool, it also happens to me, and why was I then more wise?” Then I said in my heart, “ This also is vanity.” For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come. And how does a wise man die? As the fool!<br /><br />Solomon understood that one day, everything that we strive for will be unkindly taken from our hands by the merciless and unbreakable jaws of death. What is it you strive for? Isn’t there something more important?<br /><br />Jesus said, “I tell you, that every idle word that a man shall speak, he will give an account thereof on the Day of Judgment.” After we die, we have to face the God who gives us every breath that we take, to give an account for how we have used those breaths. How will you fare?<br /><br />Have you ever told a lie? The Bible says, “..and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.”<br /><br />Have you ever stolen anything (even if it was small)? The Bible declares that thieves are not allowed into Heaven.<br /><br />Have you ever looked with lust? Jesus said that if you look with lust, you commit adultery in your heart, a violation of the Seventh Commandment for which God prescribed the death penalty.<br /><br />Have you ever hated anyone? Jesus said that if you so much as insult someone, you will receive the same punishment as a murderer. <br /><br />You see, if we trivialize God’s commandments, He could trivialize our breath. That would be a big deal for us, so we need to make God’s commandments a big deal. As such, there is not one of us who deserves to go to Heaven, for all of us have lies, stolen, lusted, and hated. <br /><br />But we know that God is a loving God, as well as a just God. So, do you know what Just thing God did so that we would not have to go to Hell? John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever will trust in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life.” If Jesus had not come down from Heaven and suffered and died for our sins, there would be no way for God to forgive us. But there’s more:<br /><br />God is not going to merely give a blanket pardon to everybody. Jesus said, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Jesus also said that on Judgment Day, many people would come to Him saying, “Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophecy in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and do many wonderful works [in Your Name]?” and He said, “I will tell them, ‘I never knew you, depart from me, ye workers of iniquity’”! God makes no exceptions for Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, or Jews. If we do not forsake our sins, God will not forgive us. God will not allow sin into Heaven. <br /><br />So repent, and trust Jesus today. You trusted in someone’s car to get you here, or you would not have ridden in it (whether it was your car, a friend’s car, a rental car, or a Metrolink car). Trust Jesus the same way. Jesus said, “If ye continue in My Word, then you are My disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” If you have repented of your sins, then you will get you instructions from Heaven rather than continuing to get instructions from yourself. So read your Bible daily, and obey what you read. God will never fail to keep all of His promises.JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845709.post-58911815367583051602007-02-25T08:21:00.000-08:002007-04-13T05:12:31.276-07:00Science and the BibleI get so tired of hearing people say that science has disproved the Bible. In what way? Why, the millions of years, they say. The Bible doesn't allow enough time for all the fossils to have formed. <br /><br />Actually, it does (because it has a different, more reasonable mechanism for forming them), but that's another sermon. Here's the real kicker: why would anyone ever trust scientists over the Bible? The Bible has always been ahead of science:<br /><br /> 1) The Bible is the only ancient text that teaches that the earth is round (Isaiah 40:22). <br /><br /> 2) The Bible is the only ancient text that teaches that the earth hangs on nothing in outer space (Job 26:7).<br /><br /> 3) The Bible is the only ancient text that teaches that the life of the flesh is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11).<br /><br /> 4) The Bible was the first text on medical cleanliness that is mandated today (all throughout Leviticus).<br /><br />When did science discover these things? Thousands of years and many unnecessary deaths later. So, how long are you going to wait for science to tell you to get right with God? The Bible is already doing it.<br /><br />Revelation 21:8 warns, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." First Corinthians 6:9 warns us, "Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." First John 3:15 says, "He that hates his brother is a murderer, and we know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." <br /><br />Jesus Himself said, "Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire....Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell." (Matthew 5:21-22, 27-30)<br /><br />You say, "But who is <em>not</em> guilty of these things?"<br /><br />My Friend, now you have begun to understand the necessity of Jesus of Nazareth and all that He claimed to be. He must be God in the flesh, because, as He said, "There is none good, but One, [and]that is God." (Matthew 19:17) That is why He had to die--for our sins, that Justice might be served and yet mercy extended to the wicked rebels in dire straits. You and I have been offered the awesome gift of eternal life through the death and resurrection of the Son of God. Will we pass it by?<br /><br />"But," you say,"I like my religion, my church, my life. I'm happy the way I am." <br /><br />But, my friend, God is not happy with you, and that is a much bigger issue right now. <br /><br />"I'll wait until I'm on my death bed."<br /><br />My friend, you may not get a death bed. <br /><br />Do you realize what you are saying? God is offering you reconciliation, but instead you say to Him, "God, I know that I have greatly offended You, even though with each breath I breathe out, You send another back to give me life. But I want to live my life that You gave me in my lusts. I will use up all the time I have here to serve myself, and I will give You nothing in return for Your gracious pardon at the end of my life. Just wait for me there, I'll repent before I die. But I just don't want to live in righteousness."<br /><br />My friend, if you offered your enemy reconciliation, and he instead said to you, "When I get old and decrepit and useless, I'll apologize for the irreparable harm that I have caused you. In the meantime I will continue to do the things that I know displease you and will offend you up to that point. But don't worry, I'll be quite sincere when I apologize at that point." You would be outraged. You think that God feels any other way?<br /><br />My friend, God may lose patience with you tonight. Don't put it off any longer. Get right with God today. Repent, and put your trust in the only provision He has made for you to be saved: Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God.JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845709.post-19004379394977597622007-01-27T20:11:00.000-08:002007-01-27T20:20:24.209-08:00A Biblical Case Against Unconditional ElectionThere have been statements made that those who do not accept the teaching of unconditional election despise it because they would like to get credit for their own salvation. While that may seem like a plausible statement, it is untrue for those who believe the Biblical Gospel.<br /><br />The Biblical Gospel is that “Christ died to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” “For God so loved the <strong>world</strong> that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the <strong>world</strong> to condemn the <strong>world</strong>, but that the <strong>world</strong> through Him might be saved.”<br /><br />Those supporting this doctrine have claimed that the word world does not mean world at all times. But Jesus used it four times in two sentences. I think that the rules of grammar (which were created by the Inventor of Languages Himself) state that unless you do some serious modification, words that are repeated in a sentence must have the same meaning throughout the sentence.<br /><br />Furthermore, Jesus gave us a parable of election in Matthew 22. It sounds nothing like Reformed Theology:<br /><br />And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.<br /><br />“Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.<br /><br />“Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.<br /><br />“And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.”<br /><br />What distinguished the few that were chosen from the many that were not? The chosen obeyed the King! They willed to do as He commanded. They were counted worthy, not because of their history, not because of their status, but because of their obedience on these two things: Come to the feast and wear a wedding garment. That’s it. The King’s prize list rejected the King’s wishes.<br />Christians are called to do two things: Repent and believe the Gospel. They are rewarded for keeping these two commands. Obviously, these are not works of the Law, for by them no man can be justified. However, Paul says that God will take vengeance on those who “obey not the Gospel” (2 Thessalonians 1:8); therefore, obedience in this matter does not constitute works, because this commandment is not of the Law but of Grace. Since we cannot keep the Law, God offers a pardon through His Grace and commands us to take it, else we die. Those who obey the Gospel (repent and trust) are rewarded as the chosen of God. It would seem that Reformed Theologians have it all wrong.<br /><br />Charles Haddon Spurgeon is often quoted by those who hold the Reformed position as being a Calvinist. But listen to what else he said in one of his sermons: “As it is my wish [and] your wish…so it is God’s wish that all men should be saved…He is no less benevolent than we are.”<br /><br />In His statements to the prophet Ezekiel, twice God said that He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but desires that the wicked repent (18:21-23; 33:11). These statements are the basis for both Paul’s and Peter’s statements in the New Testament:<br /><br />I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; <strong>Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth</strong>. –1 Timothy 2:1-4<br /><br />The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, <strong>not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance</strong>. –2 Peter 3:9<br /><br />These are very clear statements of the Love and Character of God Himself, comments made by God Himself and then repeated by His Apostles. To deny these truths is to call God a liar. And that is what Reformed Theologians have done.<br /><br />No matter the difficulty of reconciling these passages to others, we cannot let ourselves lose sight of what God Himself has said about Himself. We must interpret all Scripture in light of all Scripture. We cannot take single verses that appear to contradict these plain statements and create an opposing paradigm—no matter how many scholars support that paradigm.<br /><br />Romans 9 is a chapter often cited in support of the doctrine of unconditional election, because of its statements about Esau and Pharaoh. However, nothing in God’s counsel here condemned either of these men to eternal damnation.<br /><br />Concerning Esau, God only said that Esau would serve Jacob—nothing to do with his soul. That did not mean that Esau was condemned to do only the things which he did that cost him his birthright. The counsel of God would have stood one way or the other. This is just the way it played out. There were many other ways that it could have happened, but this is the way it did.<br /><br />He had picked this man to be Pharaoh at this time in order to show His power over the Egyptian gods, of whom anyone holding the title of Pharaoh was one. Thus His hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was intended for the salvation of many Egyptian souls, which did happen (the mixed multitude that came out of Egypt with the children of Israel). It did not mean that Pharaoh necessarily had to go to Hell. He still could have repented of his sins and humbled himself after such a disastrous defeat at the hands of a clearly Superior God.<br /><br />Another argument is made that God’s glory is lessened if we have anything to do with our salvation. What!?!<br /><br />“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him who justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness” (Romans 4:5)--Paul contrasts work with belief! Our repentance and faith are not works, in God’s economy. They are simply choices. We can continue to drown in perdition or we can allow the Savior to rescue us. There is no work involved in that.<br /><br />No glory comes to the man who is saved by the lifeguard, only glory to the lifeguard for saving him. But there is blame placed on the man who doesn’t trust in the lifeguard to save him from sure death. That is the Biblical picture of salvation.JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845709.post-43582855808340534602007-01-13T16:35:00.000-08:002007-03-09T21:36:12.316-08:00SexEverybody seems to want it, and in their time, and in their way. They can't imagine why a loving God would withhold something so wonderful from them and confine it to an institution as undesirable as marriage!<br /><br />"God gave me a sex drive, so He expects me to use it, right?" He also gave you food to eat, but calls gluttony a sin (Deuteronomy 21:20). <br /><br />"Then why did He give us a sex drive if we weren't supposed to use it?" Now, first off, that is an unreasonable question. God does want you to use it, but only in love toward your spouse. <br /><br /><b>Sexual intercourse is supposed to be your gift to your spouse for committing the rest of his or her life to yours.</b><br /><br />The Bible says that when God created man, He said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make a suitable helper for him." And then He made woman from man. Then He gave them both a wonderful reminder of their co-dependence on each other: sex drive. Sexual desires remind us of Genesis 2. Or at least, they are supposed to. <br /><br />As with everything else, sin has clouded our view of sex, so that, today, we tend to view sex as a rite of passage into adulthood. As if fornication, incest, and rape are evidences of maturity!?! Actually, those deeds are just more proof of the fact that we are all evil and deserve to go to Hell. <br /><br />What is marriage really? Is it an enslavement of man and woman to an intolerable, unlovable mate who doesn't understand or care about their needs and just is so selfish and jealous and mean that no one should ever want to get married in life? The Bible paints a very different picture.<br /><br />"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. <br /><br />Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. <br /><br />For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. <br /><br />Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband."<br /><br />"Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. <br /><br />For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement. <br /><br />Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered."<br /><br />Two different passages, two different emphases, but the exact same instructions. Peter and Paul tell the wives to submit to the husbands as the God-given heads. But then, in honor of Christ's admonition that the leader must be the servant of all (Matthew 23:11), they both command the husband to remember to exalt their wives. If each does this, then there will be far fewer divorces and much happier marriages.<br /><br />Will there be misunderstandings, etc? Yes. You have two sinners in the same building. There will be conflict! But it can be minimalized if each remembers God's admonition to them specifically and why God created both of them in the first place. God created man in His image. God created woman for man. If men and women bear this in mind when dealing with each other, oh what joy marriage would become! Instead of two selfish pigs stuck in a relationship, there will be two loving adults united as one before God, living in harmony for all their days. That's God's design. Follow it if you want to be blessed.JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845709.post-1156657532678124442006-12-13T17:19:00.000-08:002006-12-13T15:19:20.651-08:00Faithful and True"As I look back, on this road I've travelled/I've seen so many times He's carried me through/If there's one thing I have learned in my life/My Redeemer is Faithful and True<br />"My Redeemer is Faithful and True/Everything He has said, He will do/And every morning, His mercies are new!/My Redeemer is Faithful and True." ~Steven Curtis Chapman<br /><br />"My God is Faithful/Not a promise He has made/Has gone unfulfilled/All according to His Will/And He is able/For by His grace He supplies/My every need/Oh, His faithfulness exceeds/Beyond what I can see." ~Larnelle Harris<br /><br />"Have faith in God." ~Jesus Christ<br /><br />God has always kept His promises to us. The problem is that we don't know what His promises are, because we don't read His Word.<br /><br />One of the main promises Jesus made to any who would follow Him is that they would be persecuted for righteousness' sake by those they loved the most (Luke 14:25-33; John 15:18-16:3). People often overlook this reality, quite simply because we don't tell them about it. We would rather they believe that God always does good things for us. And that is true--but who defines what is good?<br /><br />Romans 8:28 says, "And we <em>know</em> that God works all things together for good to them that love Him, to them that are called, according to His purpose." Paul, who wrote this, suffered many persecutions. If you don't think so, just read 2 Corinthians 11:21-33. In fact, Paul says that he will <u>boast</u> in his infirmities! Why?<br /><br />Because suffering for righteousness' sake makes us like Jesus. 1 Peter 2:19-23 says, "for this [is] gracious, if because of conscience toward God any one doth endure sorrows, suffering unrighteously; for what renown [is it], if sinning and being buffeted, ye do endure [it]? but if, doing good and suffering [for it], ye do endure, this [is] gracious with God, for to this ye were called, because Christ also did suffer for you, leaving to you an example, that ye may follow his steps, Who did not commit sin, nor was guile found in his mouth, Who being reviled -- was not reviling again, suffering -- was not threatening, and was committing himself to Him who is judging righteously..."(Young's Literal Translation)<br /><br />When we say that we have faith, are we just speaking words into thin air in hopes that all of our troubles will go away? Or are we actually reading and trusting in the promises that God has given us? God keeps all of His promises. Do you know what they are?JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845709.post-43887023071896141552006-11-30T13:33:00.000-08:002006-12-03T05:44:17.829-08:00Repentance: A Biblical Definition<span style="font-family:arial;">I've heard it said that if you believe that the Salvation of a Christian is secure--that is, he cannot lose it--then you must believe that a Christian can sin in anyway and still get to Heaven. Theoretically, that could be possible, but in reality that is a far-fetched conclusion, one that is derived from a misunderstanding of the Gospel, often made possible by a poor presentation of it.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Here is the Gospel in a nutshell: </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">First the Bad News: You are a sinner. If you don't think so, <a href="http://www.livingwaters.com/good">take the test</a>. The fact of the matter is, you deserve to go to Hell. You are no better than me--and I know I definitely deserve to go there. Why do I say this? Because God's standard of "good enough" is perfection. Are you perfect? Nope. Neither am I. So how can anyone get into Heaven? That's the </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Good News: God sent His only begotten Son to suffer the penalty that we had earned for ourselves for all the sins that we have committed. Now He offers a free pardon to all who call upon His name.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">But there is a catch: You have to repent of all your sins in order for Him to save you. What does that mean? Let me illustrate this with the following anecdote:</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Imagine that you're out to sea in a pleasure craft (yacht, fishing boat, whatever you'd like) and there is a fierce and dangerous storm coming that you cannot outrun. Knowing the plight of all vessels in the area, the Coast Guard sends helicopters out to save the people the storm hits. The helicopters will fly everyone to safety--but not the boats.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">When the Coast Guard helicopters come, do you:</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">A) Wave them off and have them come back in two hours because you're having too much fun right now -or-</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">B) Insist that they save your boat, too--it represents many years of hard labor and sweat and "climbing up the ladder of success rung by rung" -or-</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">C) Send your family and/or friends along, but you'll stay back and try to ride out the storm -or-</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">D) Stay with your family and friends who don't want to leave the boat (they have all kinds of excuses, like, "Oh, it's too cramped in the helicopter" and "Wouldn't it be fun to swim with the fishes and sharks and killer whales"?) -or-</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">E) Abandon the ship and all who cling to it and go to the safety of the helicopter, no matter what you spent on it or their efforts to call you back down?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Well, let's look at the consequences of each action:</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">If you chose A, then the question becomes, what if they don't come back in time?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">If you chose B, is the boat worth more than the lives of the others?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">If you chose C, are you too proud to be with your family in safety? The Coast Guard is providing the heroes, you know.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">If you chose D, what kinds of friends demand that another person drown with them?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">If you chose E, then you are ready to understand the Christian walk.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The ship is your life right now. The Storm is the Wrath of God. The Coast Guard is Jesus. The turbulent waters in which all will perish who do not embrace the Savior represent Hell.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">When Jesus offers you the gift of salvation, you have two choices: let your sins perish and while you live, or perish in your sins. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Many people want to put it off--"Well, when I've had my fun, then I'll get saved." You fool! Many people die while "having fun"; salvation is now!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Most people don't receive Jesus because they don't want to let go of their old lives--"If I become a Christian, then I have to stop doing this, and that, and that other thing I do with the buds once a week, and..." So those things are worth perishing for? They aren't beneficial anyway--not to you, not to the people you sin against by doing them, not to your friends. Ultimately, anything that stands between you and salvation is an idol, a violation of the First and Second Commandments.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Some say, "Oh that Christianity is good for you, but I don't need it. I'll make it my way, you make it yours." Dude! You cannot outrun the Wrath of God! Jesus promised that God will make us give an account for <em><u>every idle word we say</u></em>!! That is how <em>thorough</em> the Judgment of God will be! You <em>cannot</em> escape! Jesus said that just looking at a woman with lust is all the same to God as adultery, and that unjustified anger is just as bad as murder--unjustified meaning both degree of anger and reason for it. Later, the Apostle John wrote that hatred is murder (1 John 3:15). One lie makes you a liar--and the Bible says that all liars have their part in the Lake of Fire. One stolen item--no matter what the value is--makes you a thief, and the Bible promises that no thief can enter Heaven at all. Man, you do need Jesus.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">Others say, "But my friends!" Man, it's time you showed your friends a good example, for a change. If they don't follow you, then you are off the hook--but if you follow them, then you are responsible for their deaths, too, because you knew the truth and did nothing about it.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">And, finally, there are those who leave their former lives behind, and serve the King of kings. If there is not a radical change in your behavior following your "conversion experience," then something is deathly wrong with the Gospel you accepted. Jesus requires that you let your sins drown in perdition, that you submit to Him--not merely "accept" Him, submit to Him for the God He is. If your coworkers, buddies, family members, friends, etc. cannot tell the difference that Jesus makes in your life, then you are not saved.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">The Bible makes it very clear that there are vast differences between the way the world lives and the way that true servants of Christ live: </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law [because grace makes you better than the Law ever could, </span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%206;&version=9;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Romans 6</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">].<br /><br />"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.<br /><br />"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. <strong>And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts</strong></span><span style="font-family:arial;">" (Galatians 5:16-24). If you haven't crucified your flesh with its affections and lusts, then you are not saved. Period.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">What is the difference? Lusts are always evil desires. Affections may or may not be evil, they are just uncooperative with the Will of God for you at the moment. Asking for a wife is not a sin. Making obtaining a wife the goal of your life is a sin. Disobeying God in order to obtain a wife is a sin. "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you," Jesus said (Matthew 6:33). </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">"But the context is not about marriage." No, but it is about basic needs. Jesus did say that there are men who <em><u>need</u></em> to get married (Matthew 19:10-12) and so did Paul (1 Corinthians 7). So, a spouse is definitely included. If you seek God first. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">But anything that comes between God and you does not belong in your life if you are now His.</span>JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845709.post-1162674300912271342006-11-04T13:03:00.000-08:002006-11-14T05:02:52.242-08:00DivorceLet me start by saying that there are reasonable, biblical grounds for divorce--but God hates it anyway (Malachi 2:15-16)<br /><br />Sin is the only reason for divorce. Someone or some people sin against each other and against God, and the marriage falls apart. Well, truthfully, nothing is sound for those who forsake God's commandments. There are two things which God commands us to do, basically:<br /><br />Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.<br /><br />Love your neighbor in the way that you love yourself.<br /><br />There is no love of God in the heart of a man or woman who commits adultery. There is no love of God in the heart of a man who abuses his wife. There is no love of God in the heart of a man or woman who does wickedly and denies it (1 John 1:8-10).<br /><br />It is infuriating and saddening to watch "break-up" after "break-up" of family after family around this country. It doesn't matter who the couple is, it doesn't matter how old they are, or how many children they have (if any). It's still sad, still infuriating. It seems that loving one's neighbor, is more important than loving one's wife. And that loving oneself is supreme above all.<br /><br />Fact: you will never stop loving yourself, so quit worrying about it. Self-love is never taught in the Bible because it is assumed (Proverbs 16:26; Ephesians 5:25-33).<br /><br />Fact: the more you focus on loving yourself, the less you will focus on loving God, and in turn loving your neighbor: thus, a focus on self-love becomes a dangerous sin-trap for those who follow it.<br /><br />Fact: divorce hurts more than just your spouse and you. I don't have to quote the stats for how the children turn out. I don't have to do extensive interviews for the number of people that are discouraged, "Well, if they can't make it, how can we?" And I shouldn't have to quote the numerous Bible passages that warn against adultery, but I will reference a few: Matthew 19:4-9, Mark 10:1-12, Hebrews 13:4, 1 Corinthians 7, and, of course, Exodus 20:14.<br /><br />So how do we avoid the issues that break so many couples apart?<br /><br />1) Avoid fornication. Previous fornication is the most prevelant cause of adultery. If you don't hold out for "the one," it will be infinitely harder for you to hold in for "the one."<br /><br />2) Be patient. Be patient selecting a spouse if you are not yet married, be patient with your spouse if you are married. It is not easy deducing the faults of a person who charms you, but time is the truest test. It is also not easy dwelling with another sinner, but you have no alternative: "For all have sinned..." Let love cover a multitude of sins--and don't abuse your spouse's love when you are tempted to sin.<br /><br />Where does this unmarried 24-year-old who has never had a girlfriend get off telling you how to stay married? From watching people who don't obey God ruin their own lives and the lives of those they love. It is heart-breaking. Don't follow them.JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845709.post-1159738471323293452006-10-01T14:18:00.000-07:002006-11-14T05:02:52.071-08:00True Wisdom"Be not wise in thine own eyes: Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It shall be health unto thy navel, and marrow to thy bones."--Proverbs 3:7-8<br /><br />"The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate." --Wisdom speaking in Proverbs 8:13<br /><br />"The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding." --Proverbs 9:10<br /><br />"...But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil." --Proverbs 13:19b<br /><br />"A wise man feareth and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth and is confident." --Proverbs 14:16<br /><br />"By mercy and truth iniquity is purged; and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil." --Proverbs 16:6<br /><br />"Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show his works out of good conduct and with the meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envy and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. Such wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envy and strife are, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of those who make peace." --James 3:13-18JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845709.post-1159446385609832882006-09-28T05:10:00.000-07:002006-11-14T05:02:51.925-08:00In My Humble Opinion--A Contradiction in TermsI hear or see this phrase entirely too often: "In my humble opinion..." comes from the mouths of Christians who are supposedly trying to tell the truth in an inoffensive manner to those who reject Jesus Christ and His Word. But, you know, there really is only one way to be truly humble: to submit oneself to the Authority of God.<br /><br />Jesus said, "If you continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Later, He said, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the deeds of your father ye will do; for he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of himself, for he is a liar and the father of it."<br /><br />If you abide by lies, then you follow the devil, not God. Period. There is no way around that truth. You must find out the truth, if you would follow God. To say that you cannot know the truth for certain is a contradiction to the Word of God Himself, and therefore is not humble at all.<br /><br />"There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD" (Proverbs 21:30), and therefore those who contradict Him are not wise. That is the real reason that men don't acknowledge the truth--that they do not fear God nor follow Him. They are proud and need to be humbled with reality. Skirting the truth as if it is really not that important is folly on our part, as well as unloving, because these people will perish if they do not come to know the Way the Truth and the Life.JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845709.post-1156660059586750092006-08-26T23:26:00.000-07:002006-11-14T05:02:51.809-08:00Why I don't believe in Free WillBut am still not a Calvinist.<br /><br />We make up these terms as if we understand their full implications, but, the way people argue their points, I wonder. <u>Free Will</u>, <em>Total Depravity</em>--all of these wonderfully high sounding terms that supposedly define the Christian faith.<br /><br />If only they were found in the Bible.<br /><br />That's right, you will never see the phrases "free will" or "total depravity" in the Scriptures at all. And I believe that these terms were invented as a part of a lack of understanding by both "sides"--neither of whom is actually capable of grasping the truth (quite simply because it is "unsearchable", Romans 11:33-36). Only pride would tell a man otherwise.<br /><br />This is what I find in Scripture: God ordains two paths, the path of obedience and blessing, and the path of disobedience and condemnation. He lets us choose which path we take--but we are never out of His control. God knows all the decisions we will make before we make them, and God has divinely orchestrated events in our lives using the good and evil choices that He knows we will make.<br /><br />There are so many things that we cannot control, specifically the consequences for our actions whether good or evil and even the dates of our births, that for us to think that we could ever accomplish our own will is foolhardy to say the least. However, it is a clear contradiction of Scripture to say that we have no choice at all in whether or not we heed God's call.<br /><br />"Choose you this day whom you will serve" is very clear. There is no arguing against it. But it is foolish to say that God is not in complete control, because He ordained who would be there at that time to make those choices.JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845709.post-1156201532847606562006-08-21T15:36:00.000-07:002006-11-14T05:02:51.528-08:00Money: A Biblical Perspective.There are a lot of verses in Scripture about money. Many people think that the Bible says that it's wrong to be rich, but that's not what the Bible says. Many people think that the Bible says that being rich means that you have favor with God, but that is not what the Bible says. It would be really nice if people actually read what the Bible has to say on a subject before speaking...<br /><br />The Bible never says that money is evil. It says that covetousness is evil (covetousness=lust, which we covered in the previous post). It does, however, caution those whose security is money.<br /><br />"Labour not to make wealth, From thine own understanding cease, Dost thou cause thine eyes to fly upon it? Then it is not. For wealth maketh to itself wings, As an eagle it flieth to the heavens" (Proverbs 23:4-5, YLT).<br /><br />Jesus said, "Treasure not up to yourselves treasures on the earth, where moth and rust disfigure, and where thieves break through and steal, but treasure up to yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth disfigure, and where thieves do not break through nor steal, for where your treasure is, there will be also your heart" (Matthew 6:19-22, YLT).<br /><br />Like everything on this earth, money will pass away. Even those who think they have secure incomes are reminded that there is something far more important:<br /><br />"Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”<br />--(Luke 12:16-21)<br /><br />Everybody dies. It is therefore more important to spend time on the eternal, rather than the temporal. So many people spend so much time chasing money. And it won't last. And it won't help them on the other side. Get saved from your sins. Today.JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845709.post-1155388589066054132006-08-19T12:45:00.000-07:002006-11-14T05:02:51.387-08:00Lust--A Biblical DefinitionOn my <a href="http://jsb2.blogspot.com/2005/07/modesty-always-opposing-lust.html">other blog</a>, I talked about modesty and its opposition to lust, primarily sexual lust. But here, I want to define lust in the broadest Biblical terms. The Apostle Paul said, "I had not known lust except the law had said, 'Thou shalt not covet'," so it is pretty clear that "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" aren't always and only about sexual matters. The actual commandment reads, "Thou shalt not covet...anything that is thy neighbors," not just his wife, or her body.<br /><br />This is one of the most often overlooked commandments of the Ten. Most people who define themselves as good never think of this one. Covetousness, or lust, actually initiates one into breaking all the other nine. I'll show you how. But first, I want to define lust.<br /><br />Simply put, lust is a desire for anything that is not yours and is forbidden by God. A married woman, an unmarried woman's body (it's not yours!), a car that's too expensive, etc. In short, lust is a desire for something that is out of the revealed will of God for you. How do you know what He wants for you? By reading His Word. That's where God speaks most audibly to those who are willing to hear Him.<br /><br />Truthfully, lust, by its very nature, places something above God in your life. It makes getting what you want more important than obeying God. When God says that you can't have this, lust says to obtain it by however you can, which usually includes lying, stealing, doing hateful things (remember 1 John 3:15 says that whoever hates his brother is a murderer), disobeying parents, etc. When God says to be content with this, lust says to pursue something else. When God says to pursue this, lust says to settle for that, because it's "easier. "<br /><br />In short, lust leads directly to disobedience, if indulged. "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death." (James 1:14-15, NKJV). That is why Paul urges us to "clothe {ourselves} with the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and make no provision for [indulging] the flesh [put a stop to thinking about the evil cravings of your physical nature] to [gratify its] desires (lusts)" (Romans 13:14, AMPL).<br /><br />Thus, the very nature of lust is a violation of the First Commandment, as well as leading to breaking the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eight, and Ninth.<br /><br />It also leads to breaking the Third Commandment, because there is no more fear of God when He is not viewed as being on the throne. Not only using His name as a curse Word, but also pretending to be one of His, which is taking His name to yourself in vain--in vain, because it has no effect; or as Paul says, "For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]" (2 Timothy 3:5, AMPL).<br /><br />Another problem with lust is that, in order to indulge it, you have to create your own God. Why? Well, think about it. If you know that the true God hates what you want to do, then you have a choice: crucify it or crucify Him. Most people choose to crucify Him.<br /><br />Paul says, "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. " (Romans 1:18-25, ESV)<br /><br />See the progression? Jesus said that this is why people go to hell, "[because] light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed" (John 3:19-20, NKJV). This is why "they did not like to retain God in their knowledge" and therefore why "God gave them over to a reprobate mind" (Romans 1:28)--because they would rather serve a new god than give up their lusts.<br /><br />Paul says that, in doing so, they actually make life harder on themselves, "to do those things which are not convenient" (the end of Romans 1:28, KJV). This would constitue a breaking of the Fourth Commandment in spirit, whether or not they observed it in the letter (which most Christians don't because the real Sabbath is Saturday, not Sunday). How? Jesus said that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. The Sabbath was given to us to give us rest from our labors, just as God rested from His.<br /><br />Most lust-buckets don't really get a break, because they spend all their time trying to get what they want. They forget about the rest that God has given them, because they can't take that break and still pursue their own goals. (I know--I used to be one of them.)<br /><br />Steven Curtis Chapman thoroughly illustrates this with his song "Land of Opportunity", from his <em>Signs of Life</em> project:<br /><br />"Another day is off and running/And I hear somebody pounding on my door/It's opportunity knocking/Says what I need is just a little bit more<br />"Every time I turn around I'm finding/Another chance to climb a little higher up/But it's never what I thought once I get there/And I'm left wondering "How much is enough?"<br /><br />"I can live like a prisoner to all that could be/I'm living in the land of opportunity/But a heart pure and simple/Is a heart that stays free/Living in the land of opportunity/I'm living in the land of opportunity<br /><br />"This is a world full of options/It's like a never ending buffet line/While all that I'm really needing/Is living water and the bread of life<br />"So as I'm walking through this life making choices/There is one thing I must never forget/This land of opportunity has one God/If I seek Him first He'll take care of the rest!<br /><br />"I can live like a prisoner to all that could be/I'm living in the land of opportunity/But a heart pure and simple/Is a heart that stays free/Living in the land of opportunity/I'm living in the land of opportunity<br /><br />"Seek ye first the kingdom of God...Seek ye first the kingdom of God<br /><br />"I can live like a prisoner to all that could be/I'm living in the land of opportunity/But a heart pure and simple/Is a heart that stays free/Living in the land of opportunity/I'm living in the land of opportunity<br /><br />"(Seek ye first the kingdom of God)So many choices, so much it could be/(Seek ye first the kingdom of God)Living in the land of opportunity/(Seek ye first the kingdom of God){And His righteousness!}/(Seek ye first the kingdom of God){He'll take care of the rest!}"<br /><br />Having that perpesctive makes life a lot easier. And it precludes all lusts. If you are focusing on the Kingdom of God, you will not walk in lust. Paul says, "walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16, KJV).JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31845709.post-1154235336794377152006-08-09T17:42:00.000-07:002006-11-16T15:58:56.582-08:00Are You Really A Christian?"And why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"<br /><br />One of the things that really bothers me is how many people claim to be Christians, yet when you see them in real life, they disobey God at almost every turn. Then when you show them what the Bible actually says, they reply, "Oh, that's <em>your</em> interpretation!" Really? I wonder what Jesus would say to that?<br /><br />Actually, Luke 6:46 (our thesis verse today) is what I think He would ask most "Christians" today. There are so many that do what they want to do, but then try to call themselves by His name. In Matthew 7, Jesus warned us to be on the look out for those who claim to be His but actually seek to destroy us. He went on to say that many people will approach His throne, pleading their case to be let into Heaven, talking about the works they did before men in His name, but that He will command them to depart from Him as workers of iniquity, whom He never knew. Are you one of them?<br /><br />Just what does it take to be a Christian anyway? I think we need to answer this question before we do anything else at all.<br /><br />Simply put, it is one who has repented of his sin and been therefore forgiven of his sins, by God for the sake of Jesus Christ who paid for our sins. What does it mean to repent? The Greek word translated "repent" throughout the Bible is a word that means to turn around completely. An about face. Bascially, you recognize your life before Christ as worthless and make whatever changes He deems necessary for you to line up with His will.<br /><br />You say that's not what you signed up for? Well, maybe you aren't really a Christian, then. This is what Jesus said: Now huge crowds were going along with [Jesus], and He turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his [own] father and mother [in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God] and [likewise] his wife and children and brothers and sisters--[yes] and even his own life also--he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not persevere and carry his own cross and come after (follow) Me cannot be My disciple.<br />"For which of you, wishing to build a farm building, does not first sit down and calculate the cost [to see] whether he has sufficient means to finish it? Otherwise, when he has laid the foundation and is unable to complete [the building], all who see it will begin to mock and jeer at him,<br />Saying, 'This man began to build and was not able (worth enough) to finish.'<br />"Or what king, going out to engage in conflict with another king, will not first sit down and consider and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand [men] to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if he cannot [do so], when the other king is still a great way off, he sends an envoy and asks the terms of peace.<br />So then, any of you who does not forsake (renounce, surrender claim to, give up, say good-bye to) all that he has cannot be My disciple."<br />--Luke 14:25-33, Ampl.<br /><br />Jesus Himself said that there was a cost to believing on Him, and that price tag is your rights and all you hold dear. "My rights?" Yes, your rights. How does a dead man--one who is crucified--have rights? He has none. He is ruled by the Cross. His natural affections are abandoned, because he is ruled by the Cross. The world's enticements mean nothing to him, because he is ruled by the Cross. That is the kind of life that Jesus calls us to live. That's the price that he calls us to pay.<br /><br />Are you willing to pay it?JOSHUA S BLACKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14231382872743752400noreply@blogger.com0