Sunday, January 29, 2012

How Can We Know The Bible Is True?

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I recently received this question in a comment:

"Yes, God's word is perfect. You assume that the bible is God's 'perfect' word. How can you prove that, without using the flawed argument that the bible says so?"

Let me start out this "answer" with a remark.

I can in no way "prove" anything to anyone. All I can do is provide evidence for my claims. The Bible says that many people are blind and unwilling to settle for evidence no matter how much evidence you provide.

(Romans 1:21, Ephesians 4:18, and many others!)

Now, the best answer (though if you'd like more, check out the video in the side bar titled "Can We Trust The Bible" after you finish reading this) I can give you does in fact come from Scripture. It is not "flawed" to use the Bible to prove the Bibles Truth. Doing so would be like trying to prove gravity without using gravity.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Flexing Our Mercy Muscles: When Loving Others Begins To Cause A Strain (Part 1)


Mercy-- "kindness and forgiveness, especially when given to a person who doesn't deserve it"

We all know those people.  It almost doesn't matter what they do, but they seem to find someway to irrate every person in the room.  It makes you wonder if they didn't have sort of spirtual gift for it.


Every person, as one time or another, has met someone who has caused them to wonder, "How can I love this person?"



Sometimes it's the lady at the cash register who decides that, because they hate there job, they will share there bad attitude with everyone who is fortunite (or unfortunite) enough to visit there check out that day.


Or it is the old guy driving slow in the fast lane. 


Or maybe it's the workers in the restraunt who have returned your food wrong three times.


We all know people who have hurt us.


Who have broken our hearts.


And who we haven't been able to forgive.


These are not only times that test our patience but cause too flex our mercy muscles.


We are easy to forget the patience and mercy God has shown to us when we are faced with trying situations.  (myself included)


We talk about this in multiple parts.  Today we will look alittle at what Paul says about mercy.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

"My Spirit Will Speak Through You"

I saw this commercial and thought, "This is what happens when we go into the world and tell others about Jesus.  We have nothing to fear!  The Spirit speaks through us!"

Go and share your faith with a lost and dieing world while you still have time.

But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say,  for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. ~Matthew 10:19-20


Monday, January 16, 2012

In Remembrance...

"This will be the day, this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning 'My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!'"  ~Martin Luther King, August 28, 1963

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Tales Of A Fearful Fisherman: When You Run Into Nicodemus



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Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst. ~ 1 Timothy 1:15

Sometimes we go about our days, just going and living life inside of a Christian bubble.  But, over my nearly two years as a Christian, God had showed me that life is meant to be lived outside this bubble.

That's where the lost are.  That's where Jesus always was: among the lost.  They are His passion and were His purpose for coming to earth.  (Luke 19:10)

So, when God pops my Christian bubble, though it isn't always the most comfortable place to be, I rejoice.  Why?  Because once I leave my bubble I get to see the world the way God sees it.  Even more then that, outside of the bubble is a prime place to experience "God Moments" that will truly change you.

Here is a testimony to one I had over the last year.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Happy 180 Day!



Today is "180 Day" See what the big deal is by checking out the video!

"What one question changed these peoples minds about abortion?"

Pro-life? Pro-choice?

Share this eye opening, award winning documentary.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Tales Of A Fearful Fisherman: Survey Style

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In a small town, large scale evangelism is hard to do.  The town I live in has maybe two large events (meaning of over a hundred people or so) in a year.  Living in the Bible belt is both a blessing, because there are lots of churches, but there are also lots of lukewarm Christians, hypocrites and people who have been hurt by those hypocrites.  Even amongst this, there are still Christians going out and sharing there faith, and people who God has made open to the message.

Me and a company of friends took off on the last day of my winter break to do some Evangelism "Survey Style."  Normally, in this small town, there is very few places to go where lots of people are gathered.  We tryed to go "fishing" at the public park, and after receiving very little "biting" there. (The first guy we asked actually told us he had already take our survey, even though we had just arrived there and he had no knowledge as to what it was about.)

Monday, January 2, 2012

A Couple Of Thoughts (and a Challenge) About Prayer

 I have recently been inspired to begin work on a custom Gospel Tract in response to the “Can I Pray For You?”challenge by H.L.Hussmann. Whether or not this project becomes an effective ministry is up to the Lord, but it’s an idea I feel should at least be worked on.

This has inspired me too write blog about prayer. Something I haven’t really touched on too much yet. Don’t consider this a “prayer guide.” But more of a prayer 101 with some additional thoughts.

Let start with what prayer is. Prayer is simply communication with God.

We are meant to come to God to ask, to thank, and exalt God.

The Bible has a lot too say about having faith and it’s power. But, a caution, when reading those verses (such as Matthew 21:21-22 etc..) remember that God doesn’t answer prayers outside of His Will (1 John 5:14-15) and that ultimately God gives us what is best for us, if we are ready for it (Matthew 7:7-12). God is Sovereign and doesn’t need our prayers to work in life, God already knows whats going on in our lives, but it is apart of our relationship with our Father. (Matthew 6:8) (I’ll talk more about this relationship in coming posts)

I mean, just think about it. How could you say you have a relationship with a friend if you never took the time to call them and tell them whats going on in your life?

The Bible says that we should pray continually (1 Thess. 5:16-18), pray for others (Colossians 4:12), for bold and clear Gospel proclamations (Colossians 4:4), which comes through the Holy Spirit. The Bible also teaches to pray in trouble and in sickness (James 5:13-20). We are also meant to follow the example of Jesus in prayer. He prayed for Himself, those close to Him and the world (John 17)

The teachings of Jesus on prayer have a lot to say about it.  Lets look at Matthew chapter 6. We’ll look at the Lords prayer and work backwards. Jesus, just in the Lords Prayer (verse 9-13) teaches us a few things.

1. Put God first in your Prayers. (9)

2. Come into pray expecting to be challenged through the Holy Spirit (11-12)

3. Have faith and expect God to move (notice how Jesus prayed that it would happen, remember my above caution though about “faith and prayer”)

Jesus, within the Lords Prayer, says a statement that is sung in countless worship songs and prayed countless times in the World. “Your Kingdom come…you’re will be done.”

A thought about this:

When we pray “Your Kingdom Come…” we expect an immediate change in the world. But, in reality, His Kingdom must first come into our hearts, before we’ll ever see a change in the world.

Prayer puts wheels into motion, but luckily God controls the directions.

So, yes, we have the power to change the world around us. But let’s expect God to change us into servants before we expect the next great Revival (Remember what Jesus said about the plank in our own eyes? See Matthew 7:1-5).

As some final thoughts, lets look at the opening of Matthew 6.

1. Do it for God, not men. (6:5)

2. It’s about the words, but the heart (6:7)

3. Make sure to have private prayer time. (6:6)

Corporate prayer is important and powerful. All of God’s Church calling out for change in our world is an inspiring image and is guaranteed to bring a change.

But, a quote from A.W. Tozer really shows us the importance of private prayer, “Social religion is perfected when private religion is purified.” (check out the rest of this awesome quote in his book “The Pursuit of God”)

The Church will never bring God’s Kingdom to Earth until we make it come into our hearts.

One final thought. Maybe you’re reading this and your skeptical of prayer. Or maybe you don’t even believe in God or Jesus and just happened by this. This word from Jesus is for you too.

In Matthew 6:6 tells us that God sees everything we do, even in secret. Isn’t that a scary thought? The Creator and Judge of the universe sees and hears our every idle word, thought and emotion. Our hate for our neighbor, our darkest, most sinful of thoughts. One day all people must stand and give an account for these thoughts. God is Holy and will punish sin. He will send them to Hell, an eternal place of torment and Judgement.

But God is rich in mercy. He loved us so much as to go to a Roman Cross for us. God came down in the Person of Jesus Christ too pay our fine before the Holy Judge. Now we can go free and be saved from Hell, if we repent and trust in Jesus Christ ALONE for salvation.

Skeptical of prayer? Sincerely call out to God for forgiveness and trust in Christ and He will give you a new heart with new desires. Then you will see for yourselves the power of prayer and the power of the Gospel.

“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” -2 Chronicles 7:14

Hope you found this helpful. Also, check out and except the “Can I Pray For You?” Challenge! An amazing way to encourage others and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (link at the top)

God Bless!

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The Mountain, The Treadmill, and The Bearded Dragon.

This bearded dragon is similar to much of the world today.  He is running a never ending race.  This is a picture of religion.  Man trying his hardest to run toward God with good works and missing the whole point…the race has already been won.

Jesus won the race toward God two thousand years ago on the Cross, where He died for our sins that put us into this made dash to begin with. 

The sinfulness in our lives keeps us running after God trying to earn His approval, but all God sees is our sin.  But, Jesus took our sins upon Himself, so that God will see us as a clean, perfect slate (2 Cor. 5:21).

David Platt, in his book Radical put it this way,
I was engaged in a conversation with a Buddhist leader and a Muslim leader in this particular community. They were discussing how all religions are fundamentally the same and only superficially different. “We may have different views about small issues,” one of them said, “but when it comes down to essential issues, each of our religions is the same.”

I listened for a while, and then they asked me what I thought. I said, “It sounds as though you both picture God (or whatever you call god) at the top of the mountain. It seems as if you believe that we are all at the bottom of the mountain, and I may take one route up the mountain, you may take another, and in the end we will all end up in the same place.”


They smiled as I spoke. Happily they replied, “Exactly! You understand!”

Then I leaned in and said, “Now let me ask you a question. What would you think if I told you that the God at the top of the mountain actually came down to where we are? What would you think if I told you that God doesn’t wait for people to find their way to him, but instead he comes to us?”

They thought for a moment and then responded, “That would be great.”

I replied, “Let me introduce you to Jesus.”

This is the gospel.

Jesus is the only way, the only truth, and the only life, why would He have died and rose again if there was any another way?
Stop running, repent (meaning: turn) of your sins and put your trust in Jesus for salvation. 

God Bless!