Defending the Gospel - Modern Day Apologetics

The following is a wonderful article on Defense of the Gospel and Apologetics.

An exerpt:

While the Bible maintains that the Christian apologist is prohibited from adopting the starting point of unbelieving thought, he is encouraged to show the unbeliever the end result of his foolish philosophical principles if they are followed to their consistent end. As defenders of the only true faith, we are to "answer a fool as his folly deserves, lest he be wise in his own eyes" (Prov. 26:5). That is, we are to put the unbeliever's worldview to the test, showing how absurd it is when followed consistently. A world without God and moral absolutes leads to despair and moral anarchy. For example, Ted Turner, founder of CNN, is a good example of when he said the following about the Ten Commandments: "We're living with outmoded rules. The rules we're living under [are] the Ten Commandments, and I bet nobody here even pays much attention to 'em, because they are too old. . . . Nobody around likes to be commanded."

Does Ted Turner really believe that laws against theft (the eighth commandment) and murder (the sixth commandment) are "outmoded rules"? I wonder how he would respond if he had been scammed by the Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff. An outdated law, indeed! What if one of his children had been killed by the "Santa Claus" gunman, Bruce Pardo? According to atheists, the evolution of man was made possible by millions of years of intra-species killing. Get rid of the God factor, and there is no way that atheism can account for a commandment that states "You shall not murder." Commandments aren't just "outmoded"; there is no way to account for their validity given evolutionary assumptions. When Carl Sagan wrote "The cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be,"[3] he was making a declaration of faith that makes it impossible to make a claim for any kind of moral obligation or ultimate meaning.

The modern personification of the atheist is Dr. Gregory House, the exceedingly impolite, acerbic, but brilliant diagnostician played by Hugh Laurie on the television series House, M.D. (The character parallels that of Sherlock Holmes: Homes=House, Dr. Wilson=Dr. Watson as his only confidant, masterful diagnostician, uses music to help him think, and drug addict.) Dr. House claims repeatedly that there is no life after death, and life this side of the grave is meaningless, and yet he lives and breathes in a world of laws, cause and effect, and purpose. He craves love and meaning and pursues them in the confines of his self-imposed solitude. The creators of the show have made House a flawed character; he's not as smart as he thinks he is, especially about things that matter to most people. The same is true about all atheists. They love to attack the notion of God, and yet He "gives to all life and breath and all things" (Acts 17:25). The high-minded atheist can't account for life, air, or the means to breathe it. Like House, atheists limp through life with a cane and popping Vicodin, all the time denying they are lame and in a perpetual drug-induced haze to hid what they know is true (Rom. 1:18-23).

I was very excited this AM that my friend, Bob McCook, decided to cover 'obedience to the commands of Jesus in the Gospels' for his Monday Morning men's devotional for 2009.

I love this topic as it is always something that challenges me to stop and go back to get my head/heart straight on this matter.

It is John 15:10 that tells us, "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love." Oh my.... better figure out what all of those commands are and put them on a list to ensure I do not disobey one of them, dogonit...

Then I continue to read the rest of John 15 and the picture becomes much clearer. What do you see???

Lemme know.

1 John 3

Commentary summary.

As the one who is righteous, Jesus effects atonement and forgiveness (2:1). He destroys the unrighteous works of sin and the devil. He provides a model of conduct for the believer (2:6; 3:5). And he will return to complete the work he has begun--to transform us into the image of the God who is pure (3:3). Both the initial manifestation of Christ and his return are spoken of in terms of the effect his work had on sin: in his first coming he took away sin (3:5, 8); in his return (2:28; 3:3) he purifies us.

Clearly, in all this discussion, attention should be focused not on our efforts to become pure or to attain a state of sinlessness, but on what has been done for us to purify us, to transfer us to the realm where righteousness, and not sin, holds sway. God's work through Christ has created a realm where the purifying and transforming power of righteousness, truth and love are operative. And if now we are children of God by virtue of that power, what we will be has not yet been made known. From beginning to end of our life with Christ, the power at work within and among us is the power of righteousness. That is the privilege and promise that is ours.
Inherent in that promise is an exhortation to righteous conduct. Those born of God no longer live without acknowledging God, but are fully aware of the responsibility incumbent upon them as God's children. Their orientation is toward the God who is light (1:5). Their direction in life derives from the character of God. Their responsibility is to live as Jesus did (2:6), in conformity with the character of a God who is righteous, loving and just. Those who say yes to God, whose orientation derives from the will of God, open themselves to God's transforming power. Although God's purifying work is yet to be completed, that transforming power is even now at work among and in those who have been called the children of God.

In short, the statement No one who is born of God will continue to sin, and others like it, ought to be heard simultaneously at several levels: First, it orients us to our future hope, a hope that as the children of God we shall yet become more like God. Second, in directing our gaze to our future hope, the statement also assumes that the same power that will remake us at that time is already at work in us. Third, that power is now active in the world because it was manifested by Jesus himself in his work of breaking the grip of sin on us. And finally, in his own life, Jesus exemplified the self-giving love and obedience to God that is the responsibility of God's children as well. If John's statement seems hyperbolic (exaggerated), it is because of his eager anticipation of the blessings of the future age, now being realized through the ministry of Jesus among his followers.

American Values importance....

Gary Bauer's organization American Values is on the cutting edge of our cultural battle in Washington and his daily newsletter cuts-to-the-quick on the challenging issues facing us all in America.

Below find an excerpt from his daily letter that I thought summed up the situation quite well;

No politician is going to “unite” Americans on the fundamental cultural and values issues that divide us. Either unborn children are fully human, with the inalienable right to life, or they are the equivalent of Styrofoam cups to be discarded at whim. Either marriage will remain what it always has been or it will be redefined in a radical way that says children do not need mothers and fathers. We will either teach our children that faith played an important part in the foundation of our nation or we will teach them that the Founding Fathers were liars or misguided fools when they said our rights come from our Creator. Either we will muster the courage to defend civilization against the evil of Islamofascism or we will deny we are at war, blame ourselves and try to reason with Holocaust deniers. These are some of the fundamental differences that divide us. Barney Frank has no intention of giving up. Neither do I, and I pray you don’t either.

Merry Christmas

Bill/Dad

Remember Christmas and Chuck Norris (bottom link)

Sin has affected the world. Even so, God has not forsaken it, just like He has not forsaken us because of our sin. His redeeming work in and over this world has a transforming effect on all aspects of our fallen domain. God was pleased to dwell in Christ "and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through His blood; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven" (Col. 1:20). We learn through Scripture that "whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith" (1 John 5:4). "The Christian's responsibility on earth is to transform the world that ‘thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven' (Matt. 6:10)."

Because God is the One who brought "heaven and earth" into existence and "upholds all things by the word of His power" (Heb. 1:3), this alone should be enough to convince all Christians who recite the opening line to the Apostles' Creed that this world should count for something. While evil may exist in this world because of sin, the world in and of itself is not evil. "Whatsoever is evil, is not so by the Creator's action, but by the creature's defection." We should be skeptical of any theology that defames any part of God's good creation. "There is no nature originally sinful, no substance in itself evil, no being, therefore, which may not come from the same fountain of goodness."

Redemption restores both man and creation in Christ. Early in his ministry, Peter failed to understand the gospel's comprehensive cleansing effects. He could not believe the Gentiles were "clean," even through Christ's redemptive work. In time he realized that "What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy" (Acts 10:15; cf. Matt. 15:11; Rom. 14:14, 20). The fall did not nullify God's pronouncement that the created order "was very good" (Gen. 1:31), because the Bible looked forward to what the renewing work of Jesus Christ would bring about: "For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer" (1 Tim. 4:4-5).

Scripture is our guide as we deal with the world and not the two-dimensional worldviews of secularism, pietism, or escapism. God "became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14) in this world! We, as Christ's disciples, are to carry out His mission in the world. Jesus worked in his earthly father's shop as a carpenter, affirming the goodness of the created order and the value of physical labor. We are called on to perform a similar task in the calling that God has for us and our posterity.

http://www.americanvision.org/article/is-christmas-a-celebration-of-losing/

Chuck Norris' take.. http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=84210

Ceremonial uncleanness vs Salvation

I have been reading the latter chapters of John; 18 and 19 about Jesus at the end of his ministerial walk on earth and his being given up by the Jews to the Roman authorities. One thing that kept catching my eye was how the worldiness of the Jews was employed to ensure they were not unclean in order to participate in the Passover activities vs giving up the Messiah to be murdered.

The irony is way too obvious. In John 18:28 "Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover."

You see, they didn't know that Jesus WAS the Passover!!!!

And in John 19:31 "Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down."

OK, so let's remain ceremonially clean and 'break the bones' of the victums so they wouldn't be 'left on the crosses during the Sabbath'. We wouldn't want our dirty laundry to be evident during our 'holy' day.

They didn't know that Jesus WAS the Sabbath!!!!

It's amazing as we who have the Holy Spirit in our hearts and are reminded, as Jesus said we would be, of Jesus' miracles and message and transforming of our lives; that there is such and obvious difference between the reality of the Spiritual world vs the supposed reality of the world we live in and see around us.

Amen

Love you

Bill/Dad

The TRUTH

I happened to view the Illinois Gov Blagojevich's statement to the press yesterday and what caught my attention was his standing behind the following statement; "I have on my side the most powerful ally and it's the TRUTH." Whether the beleagured governor is telling the truth or not, we will soon find out from the audio tapes that have been captured by the FBI, but, I immediately thought of the real TRUTH and was planning to focus on it in a future entry.

Then, low and behold, the devotional scripture this AM was, John 18 and in this chapter is the following; " 37 "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

38"What is truth?" Pilate asked."

Here is the TRUTH; Jesus Christ came into the world to save us and He is the 'Way, the Truth and the Life'. No one can come to the Father, but through Him. BTW, that statement is called, the Gospel.

As Jesus stated above, 'Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.' Pretty telling, eh?

The other thing that caught my focus relative to this subject was how, knowing the Scriptures, I was able to hear God's message in the worldly situation with the governor. Just another reason to be in the Word regularly in order to keep a good handle on the real TRUTH.

Love you

Bill/Dad

This Holy Spirit guy...

Note: I had a conversation with Anne the other day and told her I was losing control of the length of these posts and she exhibited her incredible insight; "Well, shorten them then." ha!! So here goes;

Do you think Jesus is serious about the Holy Spirit/Counselor coming?

John 16:7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10 in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

12 "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you."

I want to focus on the first 'convict' of the Holy Spirit; 'Sin'.

8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me.......

The Holy Spirit will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin.... because men do not believe in me.

Not convict the world of guilt in regard to sin because;

You break the ten commandment

You lust

You steal

You don't do a devotional

You get angry

You were mean, but...........

because MEN DO NOT BELIEVE IN ME!!!!!!!!

The penultimate SIN, the utmost sin, is NOT BELIEVING IN JESUS CHRIST.... hmmm!!

Make every effort....

Ever since studying the James Dobson series; "Why Wait" regarding the reasoning to wait until marriage before having sexual relations, I have identified my explanation regarding sexual purity to my children and the boys and girls they are getting intimate with as "Bill's/Dad's Talk".

The talk is based upon the greatest commandment; "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.". Matthew 22

I say that the utmost expression of love for your girlfriend/boyfriend (neighbor) is abstenance. How else can people who are growing into an intimate relationship show their respect and care for each other than to leave sex out of the equation and grow to know each other? I believe that when either of the people in the relationship seek sexual relations without total trust, commitment and sacrifice for each other in lawful marriage, that to take that special gift (virginity) from someone, which is reserved for their spouse, is a violation of the greatest commandment; 'Love your neighbor as yourself'.

I always say that the desire for sexual relations in the boys/men is normal and that the desire for intimacy and understanding is natural in girls/women. But, it is clear to me that the dignity and honor; love for each other in dating couples, has been obscured by the world. Most kids think that sex is the ultimate expression of love. I contend it is the ultimate expression of selfishness and non-love for your 'neighbor'.

The contention in Dobson's series was that sexual intimacy contains the ultimate in spiritual, physiological, and phsycological stimulus and memory. When a couple experiences that level of stimulus, the memory of that encounter is etched into the brain in a very special and continuously remembered location. It is the ultimate experience and the two are 'joined together as one flesh' forever. There is a reference in 1 Corinthians 6:13 that is applicable here as well; "b. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." 17 But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body."

1 Thessalonians 4

Living to Please God "1 Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit."

I know this was alot to digest, I got going and could not stop.

JOIN IN THE DISCUSSION AND GIVE YOUR THOUGHTS!!! COME ON!

Letter from God to His Children This Holiday Season

Dear Children,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My Son's name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I didn't send my Son in December, it was some of your ancestors who decided to celebrate My Son's birthday at what was, in ancient times, a pagan festival; although, I do appreciate Jesus being remembered...anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate Jesus' birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My Son's birth, then make room on your lawn for the nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all my followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all the trees. You can remember me anytime you see a tree. Instead of fusing over trimmings and traditions, consider giving My Son one of the gifts below this Christmas…

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone who's hurt you in the past, forgive them, and give them the gift of a future—free from the pain, shame, and guilt of yesterday's yuck.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile, it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local Hot-Line: they talk with people like that every day.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone like that.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. Be sensitive to the needs of others. A few cans of food or a simple gift can go along way towards good will on earth.

10. Finally if you want to make a statement about your belief in Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Please, if you love me, love my children—all of them, especially the ones that challenge your traditions. I'll take care of all the rest.

Invite others to a Christmas festival that has more to do with eternity than all the trimmings and traditions of December 25th.

"Merry Christmas!" means: "I love you." –

God

GREAT PRAYER!!!!!!!!!

Received this from Sharra this AM....

Best Prayer I Have Heard In A Long Time...

Heavenly Father, Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, that this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.

Working for God on earth doesn't pay much....but, His retirement plan is out of this world.

Amen, love you, Bill/Dad

Romans 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Isn't it amazing?

How can anyone not get it?

We run around wondering what the answer to life is, don't we? Why are things so messed up? What happened to America? Why are families so broken? How are we going to fix it?

Hello! Hello!! Hello!!! Don't we get it??????

John 14:6

"6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

I can't understand it, most of the time, but when I remember how God's word, the Bible, talks about the reality of the world vs the REALITY of the spiritual world (God's world), it is clear that "men loved darkness rather than come to the light, because their deeds were evil."

You know, my deeds are evil!! What?? Yeah, my deeds are evil. We talked about it several posts ago; Paul states; "wretched man that I am." Well, I'm wretched as well. When I want to do something good for someone, I have a little pride back there in my mind that says; "yeah, there you go, Bill. You're amazing, eh." NOT.... prideful, comparative, judgemental... spiritual, no, worldly proud!! Oh, God, who can save me from this body of sin and death?

Praise be to God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Bill's quote.... "He has saved me!!"

For there is now, no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. All things have passed away. All has become new. All that matters is a new creation..... Praise Him!!

It's amazing to me how the simple statement above by Jesus doesn't resonate with everyone who reads it or hears it. Jesus says; I am the way. I am the truth. I am the LIFE.

HE IS THE LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hello, THE LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!

That's what's wrong with us. That's what's wrong with the world. That's whats wrong with America. That's what's wrong with everything.

We think that we are the way, the truth and the life. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Please look and see what He is and what His statement means;

Come to ME.

Love you

Bill/Dad

Yesterday, I received the following from a friend of mine;

"A mother asked this President. 'Why did my son have to die in Iraq?

'A mother asked this President...'Why did my son have to die in Saudi Arabia?'

A mother asked this President... 'Why did my son have to die in Kuwait?'

Another mother asked this President.. 'Why did my son have to die in Vietnam?'

Another mother asked this President...'Why did my son have to die in Korea?'

Another mother asked this President...'Why did my son have to die on Iwo Jima?'

Another mother asked President...'Why did my son have to die on a battlefield in France?'

Yet another mother asked President... 'Why did my son have to die at Gettysburg?'

And yet another mother asked President...'Why did my son have to die on a frozen field near Valley Forge?'

Then long, long ago, a mother asked... 'Heavenly Father, why did my Son have to die on a cross outside of Jerusalem?' The answer is always the same...

'So that others may live and dwell in peace, happiness, and freedom.'

This was emailed to me with no author. I thought the magnitude and the simplicity were awesome.

If you are not willing to stand BEHIND our troops, please, please feel free to stand in front of them...."

Being a soldier and a Believer in Jesus Christ as my Saviour, this ditty above got me fired up a bit, however, it also caused me a slight uneasiness and I wanted to know why.....

So, I searched http://biblegateway.com/ for 'life, friends' and it came to John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

Ha... I have referenced that verse before as well when talking to families that have had sons or daughters join the Service. I believe it is a noble act to join the military to fight for the ideals of the USA. But, more, intimately, most soldiers will tell you they would die for their buddy, not necessarily for their country or the cause, etc. BUT... I wanted to review what Christ was saying about this SACRIFICE, so....

John 15:9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other."

Why did Christ die? As a way, a sacrifice, for all of mankind to turn to Him, Believe and be saved for eternity; a way back to a right relationship with God. Yes, the result is peace, blessings and freedom from the burden of sinfulness.

What was Christ's command? To love each other as Christ has loved you.

Then He continues by saying, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

Jesus physically gave his life for us as the ultimate sacrificial expression of love.

We are to sacrifice our lives, give up our lives for our friend, Jesus Christ, as the ultimate expression of our love for God. Giving up our lives could be dieing, indeed, but, I believe it means surrendering control and dominion of our ... alive ... lives, to God and serving Him each and every day. Sacrificing our desires, our focus, our living for Him and not living for ourselves, the world around us, etc. But, living in His presence through the guidance of His Holy Spirit to do His work here on earth. To the glory of God the Father.

Amen

Love you... Bill/Dad

The results of a life in Christ

As was identified at the bottom of this Blog, 1st Post, "My objective for creation of this blog is to engage other Christians in discussion regarding 'actual' evangelistic opportunities presented by the Lord and acted upon by His saints."

I was pleased to receive the following note from a friend of my oldest daughter, Sharra, (BTW, I am not tooting our horn, but that of God and His work in us);

(Sharra on the right, Anne on the left)

"Mr. Poirier,

I am a friend of Sharra's here in TN. We have met several times before on your visits here- I am married to Bart, and Presley and Brooklyn are our girls. Bart and Robert graduated from the police academy together. Sharra forwarded me your blog and I wanted to let you know I have truly enjoyed reading it this morn. What a blessing! Thank you for taking the time to share some insights.

Also, I know you already know this, but I wanted to remind you what a great job you guys have done raising your kids. I can speak most personally about Sharra and what a truly, wonderful, genuine friend she is. She is always a great support to me and a true Christian sister I know is always there. She is now a parent who does a marvelous job raising their kids, I am sure much the same way you raised her and Robert's parents raised him. And we know how they turned out! Both Bart and my parents are still married and devoted to their marriage. In a world where this is not so common, I am thankful to have been raised by them both, in a wonderful Christian home. I know Sharra is too!!!!!!!!!! What an encouragement and blessing to read of you starting your day together in devotion- even on a busy Monday morning.

Keep the blog going. You (God) are touching people each time you write!

I hope your family as a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Tara Rader

My response

Tara; What a wonderful email. Thank you so much, but keep in mind; "Sharra's not that cool..." JK.

I am nothing, He is everything. If it wasn't for His saving grace my life would be worthless. I was saved in 1981 and it has been a marvelous journey for the past 27 years. The answer always is the same; Believe in God through a faith in Jesus Christ and your life will be planted on the rock. Growing in the knowledge of God through regular reading of the Bible, devotional prayer and fellowship with other Believers are the other tools that allow that growth.

Keep in mind, again, I am a regular guy with faults, mistakes made and need of constant 'pruning' by the Holy Spirit to even maintain a glimpse of Jesus in my life.

What is very special is that Sharra has now become one of my spiritual mentors and we are able to apply her wisdom to our lives as well.

Blessings to you, Tara, and thank you for your friendship to my favorite 32 year old (on December 12th).

Your friend in Christ,

Bill

Sharra's response

You guys are making me cry!!!!! I love you both!

I am so proud to have a father who is consistantly trying to follow Christ! I am so proud to have a friend who no matter how long we don't see or talk, we are alway spirit sisters in Christ!

I love you both so much!

You are both so special to me!

Sharra

From Bob McCook a friend of mine;

(I thought you'd appreciate the photo, Bob, lol)

Monday Morning
Challenging the way we think about our week
December 1, 2008

The Secret Exposed

“Life in Christ comes to us on its way to someone else, congregations should focus outward instead of inward, congregations exist for those who are not a part of them, life is meant to be given away not kept, God does not honor congregations that seek merely to raise money and survive.”
William M Easum, “Sacred Cows make Gourmet Burgers” p.8

Anyone who knows me well will believe that this quote is one of my favorites. I believe that Easum grasps one of the fundamental problems that we in the church are seeing today. Of course, it didn’t just begin. The last Century as well saw much of the church failing to reach out to the lost and dying world.

From the very beginning of the Gospels, the excitement of knowing Jesus naturally causes men to share Him. “Philip found Nathanael and told him, ‘We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’” (John 1:45) It was impossible to restrain anyone who had been touched by Jesus from telling others about Him.

On far too many occasions, I have heard church people say, “No I don’t like to talk about my faith. It’s a private thing.” That is like making a conscious decision not to share bread with a starving person! The message is too wonderful to keep hidden in the recesses of our heart only to be used when it suits our mood. Therefore, I whole heartedly agree with Easum. We receive the message on its way to someone else. It comes into our hearts and comes out of our whole being careening into the lives of others. It is disobedient to keep it.

Jesus’ prayer in John 17 just before He is crucified is very important to us. “As you (Father) sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.” (John 17:18) Do you feel inadequate, unprepared for this task and feeble of word? Good. We cannot do this awesome task on our own ability. We were given the Holy Spirit to enable us to do it. Trust Him in us, live and speak His name in word and deed.

Bob McCook
PO Box 634
West Chester, PA 19381
484-614-0367cell
610.429-4076 office
bmccook@priorityone.org
http://www.priorityone.org/
Ministering to men since 1982

The people who go out into the workplace are the church. The pastor needs to read his congregation and see where they are spiritually, see where they are physically. Then ask God, “How do I organize the church to help equip members to function where God has put them in the marketplace.”

Dr. Henry Blackaby, in an interview with His Church at Work founder, Doug Spada.

The snake in the wilderness, what?

I pride myself on my knowledge of the Scriptures. In fact, I believe that of the Spiritual Gifts distributed by God to Believers, teaching the Scriptures is the gift that God has given me. Man, am I cool and worthy, eh?

NOT!! Did you see that first sentence.... PRIDE? Where in the world did I ever get PRIDE and Scriptures in the same sentence?

I was rudely reminded of this anomaly this AM as Anne and I were having a short devotional before she jetted out of the door to work. She was the one that ensured we had that time together before the Lord after we both slept in a bit; Monday, after Thanksgiving, come on.... lol.

So, she pulls out the Bible and reads John 3:1-21... everyone knows that story, right? "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

Then down in the 14-15th verses we read this; "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." So, I (internally of course) get a little pious and ask her if she understands the 'snake in the desert' reference and she says, "Yes, when Moses was chased by the snake." Well, I get a bit more huffy and state, "No, Honey (with a slight smug snicker) it is when the Israelites are attacked by snakes in the desert and Moses ...." Anne begins to read from her Bible at Exodus 4,

"1 Moses answered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, 'The LORD did not appear to you'?"

2 Then the LORD said to him, "What is that in your hand?" "A staff," he replied.

3 The LORD said, "Throw it on the ground." Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. 4 Then the LORD said to him, "Reach out your hand and take it by the tail." So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.

5 "This," said the LORD, "is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you."

I am, internally of course, astonished! That was not the story I remembered or was thinking of. Granted it was the same message; "Just as Moses lifted the snake in the desert, so must Jesus be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." But, I was being haughty and 'holier than though' about my knowledge of the Scriptures and I was, spiritually, smacked right-up-side-the-head and humbled on the spot.

OK, so you get the message; I was prideful. I accept that and ask forgiveness. But, the important message may be lost, to you.... Believe in God. Believe also in Christ. He is God and He has been sent to us to save us from ourselves that we might have real life, eternal life. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Him.

Even to a prideful Believer like me. Wow!!

Love you all

Bill/Dad

My Devotional Place...

2 Peter 3

The Day of the Lord 1 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.[a]
11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.[b]That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

17 Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever!

Amen.

From Focus on the Family Outreach Letter

We are certainly living in interesting times that could cause us to throw our hands up in despair, but we continue to move forward in the hope of the Gospel, expecting that in this world, we will have trouble. We do not despair; in fact, we take heart because Christ has overcome the world. We may take the time to mourn through the night, but we must then wake with the Morning Star, whose mercies are new for each of us every day. Remember that the reason we labor and persevere is because our hope and faith are in the One who calls us to stand. He has called Focus on the Family to continue to stand, armed with His Word, truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation, with a mission to nurture and defend His institution of the family. I'm standing with the strength only He can provide, and I hope you will continue to stand with me, as we pray for healing and the courage to take the challenge He has placed before us. Thank you for your faithfulness to the Lord and your hearts for His ministry.

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/

What does it take to be a Christian man?

Hi Bill,

As I read your e-mail this morning it made me ask myself, “What is reality in a Christian’s life?” What does it take to be a Christian man? What does God expect of me?

Because God knows me completely, inside and out, He knows not to expect too much from me. He knows that apart from Him, I can do nothing. But by His grace, He has given me some wonderful tools.

He has given me prayer, the privilege of walking into the throne room and telling him exactly what is going on in my life and seeking the help I need.

He has given me the ability, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to be transformed by the renewing of my mind. How does a man become transformed? By using the tool called CHOICE.

We use the tool continually all through the day, whether it is consciously or unconsciously. When we wake up we can consciously decide to live our day to glorify our Lord. By not consciously choosing to do so, we unconsciously make the choice not to.

We can consciously decide to work at having a better relationship with our wife and our children or by not consciously choosing to do so, we unconsciously make the choice not to.

Any day we wish; we can discipline ourselves to change it all. Any day we wish; we can open the book that will open our mind to new knowledge. Any day we wish; we can start a new activity. Any day we wish; we can start the process of life change. We can react to a situation or consciously choose to respond to the situation. We can do it immediately, or next week, or next month, or next year. We can also do nothing. We can pretend rather than perform.

If the idea of having to change ourselves makes us uncomfortable, we can remain as we are. We can choose rest over labor, entertainment over education, delusion over truth, and doubt over confidence. The choices are ours to make. But while we curse the effect, we continue to nourish the cause. As Shakespeare uniquely observed, "The fault is not in the stars, but in ourselves."

We created our circumstances by our past choices. We also have to take the sole responsibility for those choices. We have both the ability, given by God, and the responsibility to make better choices beginning today. Those who are in search of a Godly life do not need more answers or more time to think things over to reach better conclusions. They need the truth. They need the whole truth. And they need nothing but the truth.

We cannot allow our errors in judgment, repeated every day, to lead us down the wrong path. We must keep coming back to those basics that make the biggest difference in how our life works out. And then we must make the very choices that will bring life, happiness and joy into our daily lives.

And if I may be so bold to offer my last piece of advice for someone seeking and needing to make changes in their life - If you don't like how things are, change it! You're not a tree. You have the God given ability to totally transform every area in your life - and it all begins with your very next choice. Now just do it!

And that is reality.

When we walk to the edge of all the light we have, and we make the choice to take the step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe that one of two things will happen. God will provide something solid for us to stand on... or He will teach us to fly." – Paul Marshall

Wretched 'rescued' man that I am...

You know, I'm always trying to reconcile my faith in God through my Belief in Jesus Christ with the reality of what is going on in my private life.

You know what I mean, right? That private life we all lead and hope no-one else can see too clearly. You have one, right? Of course you do....

Anyway, since we all have one, you may be like me.... I'm always running into my weakness and slothfulness and 'worldliness' and falling short of what I read in the Bible or expect to be as a Christian man.

I feel so guilty everyday, many times, every few hours, about what I am thinking, saying and doing in my actual life vs what I know I am called to be as an example of a Christian man.

Paul relates to this paradox when he talks about his private life in Romans 7

"23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin."

Paul, the greatest Apostle and self proclaimed 'greatest of sinners' admits that he has this same paradox. He reconciles his condition and proclaims that God, through Jesus Christ has rescued him.

Our Belief and faith in God through Jesus Christ is the only way out from our private lives. This does not mean, I believe, that we will be pure or holy, but that through our faith in Him we are able to practice godliness, self-control and, most importantly, empathy for others because we know we are all the same.... in our private lives.

We know that our rescue came from our faith in God through Jesus Christ, so we are forgiven and clean and equiped by His Spirit to 'put on' the wonderful attributes of God's spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, perseverence, godliness, brotherly kindness, self-control and to grow in the knowledge of God. And, Peter tells us in 2 Peter 1:8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are sinful beings, but it is the saving grace of God that has allowed us to get past our 'private lives' of sinfulness and to grow in the knowledge of God that we can ACT in love and hope and faith in this world.

Amen...

Love you all;

Even in Burbank, CA

Boy, traveling these days by the airlines is such a hassle; parking, ticketing, security, stuffed airplanes, delays, lost baggage……….. aaagghhhhh!!! But, we know that the Lord causes all things to happen for the good for those that love Him, right? Right!!

So, I’m sitting in the Burbank, CA airport waiting for my flight to Vegas and, then, Providence, RI. Waiting and waiting and waiting until a 60ish woman sits beside me and we begin a conversation;

“Hello, how are you?” She says. “I’m fine, just waiting and waiting.” I say. And we begin to share who we are and what we do, etc. etc. Seems like a nice California lady, living and working in Los Angeles, in fact, she manages the State supported farm co-op in Los Angeles. Interesting. So, we’re having a nice conversation and she begins to read the newspaper. The article that is blazoned across the front pages is about the Proposition 8 decision on Nov 4th and the subsequent protests throughout California by those that did not support the final decision which was to support the bill calling for a legal definition of marriage as that between one man and one woman.

She can’t believe it and is disturbed that so many ‘minorities’ supported Prop 8 which tipped the scales for it to be passed. This, apparently, is not the will of the people of California, but, of those folks that turned out to vote, supporting Obama, who also voted FOR Prop 8 and, thus, Prop 8 was approved. How dastardly, I thought to myself… NOT.

She stated something like; “It’s the ‘right’ of people to be able to live together and to have legal rights relative to ‘marriage’, etc. etc.” I stated the worldly focus of the disruption of traditional laws and administrative issues like, insurance and retirement plans, estates, etc. etc., but this met with a blank stare from my new acquaintance. So, empowered by the Holy Spirit, I began to explain the design of God relative to ‘one man for one woman’. It was gutsy on my part, but I felt emboldened and free to express my opinion sharing my own testimony about failures as a younger man with my relationships before my marriage and the example of my oldest daughter who waited until marriage to have sex with her new, also virgin, husband and how their marriage was an example of modern day love, compassion, respect and honor versus their friends who had tempestuous marriages with tremendous difficulties, separations and divorces.

As usual, I was pretty heavy relative to the conversation. I could see a slightly different look on her face now. She didn’t come back at me with any argument. She just had this look on her face as if she was somewhat surprised that I had gone in that direction. I could even sense a bit of an epiphany that may be going on in her mind. I am a little whacked in this regard, but, I sensed she was reflecting on her life, her relationship with, maybe, her husband (she had no wedding band on) or her other relationships in her life or whatever, but I got an incredible sense that she was having to deal with something very close to her that was touched by this differing outlook by her newly made acquaintance.

That was it, she turned back to her paper, the people on my flight began to bustle around the gate and we began the loading process. I wished her well, shook her hand and went on my way to mangle bodies together, get poured into a too-small seat for a 4+ hour flight to the east coast and meet my next new friend traveling from Las Vegas to Providence; Fred Flintstone…. It’s true. More on that later.

I wonder how my acquaintance in Burbank was effected by our conversation. The Lord only knows. Amen.

Here we go...

Hello, all;

My objective for creation of this blog is to engage other Christians in discussion regarding 'actual' evangelistic opportunities presented by the Lord and acted upon by His saints.

I pray that many will join-in and share their successes and not-so-successful opportunities in heeding the call of the Holy Spirit during actual life experiences in sharing the Gospel and/or responding to the needs of others.

We, as Believers, are called to "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." 1 Peter 3:15.

Join in and let's see how this goes.

Amen