Picking What to Believe

Picking What to Believe

A friend of mine asked me a question.

"What if you don't know what to believe?  Where do you go from there? I need to know if there really is a god and that we're not just here by chance. How do you know you're in the right religion or does it matter?"

These questions condense down to three profound questions

1. Is there a god?

2. If so, does it matter what we believe?

3. If so, what is the right 'religion'

Why?

1. If there is no god, it really doesn't matter what you believe.  
2. If there is a god, but that God cares less about what we believe, then any or all religion is good enough.
3. If there is a god, and that God cares, it would seem to me that choosing the correct faith is a critical matter of eternal significance.

The Existence of God.

This is a true/false answer (or a boolean in computer-speak). So let's state the two possibilities frankly.

1. There is a God

2. There is no God

Each position has some implicit assumptions.

• If there is a God, God has to have always existed.  If not, something else would have had to create God, and that would be God.
• If there is no God then matter, space and time had to always exist.  If mater, space, and time were created, something else would have had to create it, and that would be God.

• If there is a God, then God created the universe in some manner.
• If there is no God the universe just happened.

• If there is a God, it may or may not be the case that religion is meaningless, depending on what that God thought.
• If there is no God, then religion is meaningless, and any or none is as good any other. Then again, if there is no God then life is meaningless and without purpose, and we are just rearranged pond scum.  We are nothing more than bags of chemicals.

In future posts, I'll broach each of those assumptions.  The first of which will be the Existent of God

Getting saved young

I was saved young. My mom tells me that she led me to the Lord when I was six.  I don't remember that event, I was baptized shortly after, which I do remember.

I have mixed feelings about being saved really young. Sure, you're in a better place to serve the Lord, but there is another side.

I have several friends who lived a reprobate lives.  When they were saved, the transformation was extensive, immediate, and profound.  For them, they have a bright line of delineation. On one side, they were lost, on the other, they are saved.

As for me, I was saved young.  I have no bright line of demarcation.   For years, each night I prayed, "And God, if I'm not saved, will you please save me?"

When I was around ten, doubts about my salvation lead my mom to call my uncle and he had me pray the sinner's prayer in the back of one of mom's Chick tracks.  I remember tears falling down as I did so as God touched me.

When I was a sophomore in High School, God dealt with my heart, convicted me of the sinful life I was living, and I repented and committed my life, again,  to the Lord.  From that moment on, my life was different.

So, when did I become a Christian?  When was I saved?  At six?  At ten?  At fourteen?  I don't know for sure.

My formerly reprobate friends don't have that problem.  They can tell you the hour, minute and second that the Holy Spirit changed their lives.  Many times, I've envied their certainty, especially when the seeds of doubt grow.

I often cringe when I hear many of these formerly reprobate friends testify "I wish I hadn't thrown so many years away in the world!" knowing that neither side of the fence has greener grass.  Many of those years I didn't "throw away" I spent with doubts they've never entertained.

But, in the end, it doesn't matter.  I know that I am saved.  I know the Holy Spirit lives inside of me.  I know that I am bought by the Blood of the Lamb of God.  I know this because God's presence has made a difference in me, in my life, in my thinking, and my family.

So, dear friend, entertain your child's doubts.  Let them seek the Lord as often as they feel is needed.  When Satan assails them with doubts of their salvation, they will have something to point to.

Believing in Christianity is Becoming More Difficult

I read crosswalk.com often.  One feature is an article where folks write into a pastor about their hard faith and practice questions.

Recently, a fellow wrote into Roger stating

Dear Roger,

I’m finding that believing in the validity of Christianity is becoming more difficult. 

How could a loving God allow so much suffering? With thousands of religions spanning the globe who are we to say, or for Jesus to say, that he is the only one who can help us find God? It just doesn’t make sense.

How could God send people to hell who’ve never had a chance to hear about Christ?

How can we believe that the six-day creation as recorded in Genesis One could ever be literally true? How are we supposed to trust in the Bible when it has demonstrable conflicts and errors?

I see some reasons why the fight surrounding gay marriage is worth the struggle. But what bothers me is that gays and lesbians actually have anatomic, structural brain differences from heterosexuals.

I’m asking questions that I’ve never asked before and the answers and non-answers are really bothering me. I’m not even sure exactly what I’m asking from you except that I’m really struggling with my doubts and miserable in the process. My anchor is slipping and the boat is drifting, do you see what I mean?

Please help me, Randy

While Roger's Response was well-reasoned and helpful, I felt he ducked all of Randy's questions. It's true that addressing the paradox of doubts within Christian faith may be of more help than answering a laundry list of questions since there are always new questions.  But it bothered me that Roger didn't speak to any of the doubts.

I consider my faith to be properly basic¹, meaning that I am justified in holding it apart from external evidence.  However, my faith is not a blind delicate egg-shell faith, lacking evidence and existing only in ignorant of the wider world.  Roger's answer reminds of the scene from the Wizard of Oz, where Dorothy is told to ignore the man behind the curtain.  Since I've studied apologetics, I decided to answer Randy's questions myself.

I’m finding that believing in the validity of Christianity is becoming more difficult. 
What has changed recently that would affect your ability to have faith?   That's a good question to ask yourself.  If the God of the Bible is true, and since Jesus died 2,000, the answer is nothing.

We have a real adversary, who is seeking to kill, steal and destroy.  The truth isn't important to Satan, after all, he is the father of lies.  What is important to him is keeping as many people as he can away from God.  

He will use every technique available to accomplish this goal.  One of his  favorites is to flood your mind with doubts of every size, shape, and color.  There is always a chorus of voices telling you why every aspect of the Christian faith is just plain wrong if you are willing to listen.  If you listen too closely, you'll doubt you exist.

So, Randy, let's talk about your specific questions.

How could a loving God allow so much suffering? 
The most vexing problem the Christian apologist has is called the problem of evil, This is a great place to start since everything else is easier.  We can state it as follows:

• An all-knowing god would know that something bad was going to happen.
• An all-powerful god could prevent it something bad from happening.
• An all-good and loving God would want to stop the bad thing from happening.
• Since bad things happen, we can conclude that one or more of these statements are true 
• God is not all-good
• God is not all knowing 
• God is not all-powerful
• God doesn't exist

Since the evil exists and the God of the Bible is all-good, all-knowing, and all-powerful, atheists say this proves that there is no god.

This problem has two aspects.

1.  Moral Problem of Evil - This evil is a direct consequence of God granting us moral free will.  If we are free to choose, there will be consequences.  Yes, we can choose to do right, be we also can choose to do evil.  While this freedom is limited by God's sovereignty, atrocities such as rape, murder, theft, abuse, oppression, industrial accidents, and suicide are the results of sinful human choices.  Most of the bad things that happen, most of the suffering that humans endure, are the direct result of a sinful choice of another human.  But, as bad as humans are, our evil is limited by God, and He always will use the evil for good (Romans 8:28)

2.  Calamities - But what about the other "evil?"  What about the tsunamis, earthquakes, non-human caused forest fires, mudslides, floods, bear attacks, droughts, disease, and other catastrophes?  

Did you ever hear the phrase "that's above my pay grade?"  Well, that's the case here.  We, as temporal, weak, limited beings cannot fully see the consequences of these calamities.  

If God has a sufficiently good, moral reason for these things to occur, then the weight of this argument evaporates. If we can look at a calamity and say "the good results of this event far outweighed the bad" then we can see how the good God could allow such an event.

"But wait!  How can anything good come from this!", we wail as we point out some horrible event. You see, we have a problem of perspective.  Humanity sees things differently than God does.  God is eternal, we are temporal.  God knows all, we know very little.  God sees each possible repercussion of each decision, we can't.  Considering how inferior we are to God, I can say with confidence that we are not in the position to judge if God.

"But people died!"  you may cry.  Yes, they do.  In fact, all humanity is appointed to death.   If an earthquake kills 1,000 people, nothing really changed.  If the earthquake happens, people die.  If it didn't, people die.  Only the timing and nature of their deaths are in question.  Some people on the Tintanic died in the fidged waters of the North Atlantic.  Some died, years later, in their own beds.  But 100% died.

 Let me give you an example.  Let's say that you can go back in time and eliminate Hilter as a child. The death of a single innocent child would prevent one of the bloodiest wars in human history, savings of tens of millions of lives and avoiding an unspeakable amount of pain and suffering.  But as a child, Hitler was innocent.  The child Hitler had not killed anyone nor had he started any wars, but you know he will. Would it be moral for you to allow Hitler to develop a fatal case of a whooping cough, thereby preventing the unspeakable suffering and horrors of WWII?  

Assume there is a  mudslide that causes the death of 20 people.  The news reports on the tragedy inspire hundreds of people around the world to realize their mortality and commit their hearts to Christ. What if several of those people become evangelists who bring the gospel to tens of thousands, who then take it to hundreds of thousands more.  Would you count the premature ending of 20 lives to be moral if it would bring 100 million to Christ?  Would that be justified?  Yea, so would I.

With thousands of religions spanning the globe who are we to say, or for Jesus to say, that he is the only one who can help us find God? It just doesn’t make sense.

Who is Jesus? That, I believe, is your problem. The Jesus of the Bible is the all-power, infinite God.  The Jesus of the Bible is the creator and sustainer of everyone on the globe, the globe, and the entire universe the globe floats in. If  anyone has the right to say that something is right or wrong, it is the Jesus of the Bible, the one who created everything that exists!

And Jesus didn't come to 'help us find God.'  Jesus is God.  God, himself, became a man to pay for our sins.  He came to redeem us.  God's nature is both loving and just.  As a just God, He cannot ignore violations of his law, but as a loving God, he doesn't want us to go to Hell.  Therefore, God died in our place.

There is an enemy who desires to see people, who God loves, go to hell.  Of course, he would spawn as many counterfeits as possible, to lead as many away as possible.  If the Bible is true, then there is only one God, all the others are only the creation of human minds and the works of the dark forces.

How could God send people to hell who’ve never had a chance to hear about Christ?

Since God is transcendent, anything we know about God is what God has revealed to us, There are two types of revelation from God to man. First, called "General Revelation", talks about the natural world and all its wonders, including our own makeup.  The second, called "Special Revelation", is the Bible, inspired by God.

General Revelation shows us the existence of God, from just observing the natural world.  Ray Comfort says "when we see a painting, we know there's a painter."  When we look at the natural world, humans naturally know that there is a god.  

Besides the natural world around us, God's fingerprints are in the clay in our moral code, and we fail that code.  Even without the Bible to show their sin, most honest people would admit that we humans don't live up to our own moral codes, much less God's.  If we are judged just on our own, innate sense of right and wrong, we are guilty.  We know we fail. We know we fall short.

I believe that God will judge people based on the light available them.   I am not saying that there is salvation apart from Christ, only that the law from which we are judged differs based on our revelations.  They won't be judged on not accepting Christ, but on their own personal sin.  Romans 5:12 tells us we have inherited our sin nature from Adam, but will be judged "for all have sinned" When they stand before a perfect and holy God, they will admit that God's decree is just. 

God has moved in many ways that would blow your mind, such as Muslims getting visions about Jesus, despite never hearing the gospel and God working in the hearts of native peoples through dreams and visions before missionaries arrive.  There are several examples of this in Scripture, such as Cornelius, Philip, and the Ethiopian Eunuch, and Paul's Macedonian vision.

How can we believe that the six-day creation as recorded in Genesis One could ever be literally true? 

Why shouldn't we believe in a six-day creation?  Does your concept of God make Him so small and weak that it would require billions of years?  I don't mean to sound condescending, but you misunderstand the relationship between God and creation.

God is transcendent.  That means He is apart from and above creation.  God exists necessarily.  He created everything including all matter, space, time, and energy.  Apart from God, nothing else exists He is the sculptor of the universe and the author of every natural law.

I personally believe in a literal six-day creation.  Furthermore, I believe that most Christians who
believe something contrary are doing so in an accommodationist mentality.  Pure Biblical Exegesis
seems to support a literal six-day creation.  In addition, historic Christian Biblical interpretation also credited a literal six-day creation.

That being said, a literal reading of the Bible does not explicitly require a six-day creation.  Read Genesis chapter one again.  There are many interpretations which allow for billions of years, such as the Gap and Day-Age interpretations.  If science saying "Billions of years" is causing you to doubt, read Genesis 1:1-2, and ask yourself if any time frame is demanded by those verses?  Go ahead and hang your faith on billions of years.  God can take it. Just don't be suprised when the Holy Spirit of God changes that heart in a few years of study.

The alternate view from creation is that the universe, which science says had a beginning, just popped into existence, uncaused by itself.   Does that make more sense than an eternal, self-existent and all-powerful God created the universe?

How are we supposed to trust in the Bible when it has demonstrable conflicts and errors?
Let me state emphatically, there are no errors in the Bible.  None.  Period.
When properly understood, there are no conflicts in the Bible.  None.  Period.

Sometimes people who don't understand Biblical inerrancy see conflicts and errors when none exists because of an inaccurate understanding of inerrancy. Dr. Charles Ryrie says it well when he said 

The inerrancy of the Bible means simply that the Bible tells the truth. Truth can and does include approximations, free quotations, language of appearances, and different accounts of the same event as long as they do not contradict

A few points to consider when accusing the Biblical of having errors:

• There were no quotation marks in the time the Bible was written. Quotes of speech should be considered to be indirect references, not exact quotations.  
• Sometimes, the Biblical narrative is arranged chronologically, sometimes thematically, and sometimes geographically.  For example, it is not a contradiction or error if I tell you about what happened at the mall, then what happened at home, and what work I had to do to my car, even if they happened at different times.
• The Bible should be held the accuracy expected from that kind of speech.  If I say something is five miles away, and it's actually 5.24312341232123455 miles away, is five correct?  Yes.  If I say, in a poem, that her eyes are an ocean, should I put on a life vest?  No, because humans communicate in this manner.  Hyerbole, metephorical statemsnts, similies and overstatements are common figures of human speech that are used for empasis ("I've told you a million times" reallyd doesn't mean million.  More like 376, but we use million to emphasis a great number.)  If you read a poem that says "her eyes were deeper than the ocean" the truth being convend isn't geographic distance.  The author never intended you to pull out a tape measure.  
• Language and classifications change over time.  Today, we know that a whale is not a fish but a mammal.  In Jesus' day, anything that swam in waters was a fish, so calling a Whale a great fish was not wrong, but using their classification system.  Likewise, botanists tell us that the mustard seed is not the smallest of all seeds.  But what would the definition of "seed" be in a pre-microscope,  agrarian society?  The word seed meant "seed of a food-baring plant" and the mustard seed is the smallest of those.
• Sometimes, writers recorded different parts of the same speech, and it seems as if the speaker said two different things.  It's not wrong.  Both are right.  
• Understand that we don't have a full and complete secular accounting of history.  Over the hundreds of centuries, records of kings and kingdoms can fade away.  Sometimes, arrogant archeologist and historians will point at the silence of the archeological record and say "the Bible got this wrong!"  Usually, they've been proven wrong by new archeological discoveries.  The absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence. 
• Finally, some people are looking for a reason not to believe.  Their reasons differ.  Some of them are hurt and bitter, some are willful, some don't want to accept the consequences that an Almight God would bring, and some are just arrogant, unable to accept that they are not the highest intellect in the universe.  They would make any assertions they can to avoid believing in a God to whom they will answer. They will presuppose just about anything, including some of the most ludicrous things you can imagine, in order to avoid believing in God.  It would not be wise to listen to them.

Gays and lesbians actually have anatomic, structural brain differences from heterosexuals.
Assuming that you're correct about the anatomic differences(which is a huge leap), are you suggesting causation or correlation? Those are two very different things.  Correlation only means one thing is related to the other.  This doesn't cause any problems to the Biblical worldview since their behavior could alter their brain's structure.  If you're implying causation, I think you have problems.  If such a proven causal relationship existed, I have no doubt that the homosexual lobby would trump it from every news outlet and on every talk show.  It would be plastered on every billboard and in every magazine.   

Even so, it seems to me that a genetic source of the behavior seems to be contraindicated by twin studies where one is homosexual and one isn't  The mantra "they are born that way" is more of a political push to legalize and seek acceptance of their lifestyle.

1 All knowledge starts with certain assumptions.  The most initial assumptions are called properly basic.  My faith is self-attested.  If someone accused me of robbing a bank, and I knew I didn't rob the bank, no amount of external evidence could prove to me that I did something I know I didn't do.  I have, in my heart, the Holy Spirit.  His presence provides me all the evidence I need that my faith is correct.

The Five Solas

There are five central points around which the Protestant Reformation formed.  Termed the five "solas" from the Latin word meaning "only" or "alone", these are still as valid today as they were in Martin Luther's.  These are:

1. Sola scriptura - By Scripture alone
2. Sola fide - By Faith Alone
3. Sola gratia -By Grace Alone
4. Solus Christus-  By Christ Alone
5. Soli Deo gloria -  Glory to God, Alone

Note:  I would suggest the Bible scholar learn the Latin terms, understand that quidquid latine dictum, altum videtur or "Whatever is said in Latin sounds profound"

By Scripture Alone

By scripture alone means that we accept the Holy Scripture as the highest and final authority of our faith and practice.  While tradition and church organizations can provide the believer a framework to understand the scripture, and help to work towards edifying the body and provoking believers to good works, only the unchanging Word of the Everlasting God provides the foundation of our beliefs.  It defines what we see as right and wrong.  In a recent poll, only 22% of mainline Protestant denominations ¹ believe the Bible is the Word of God, meant to be taken literally.

By Faith Alone

We are saved when we put our faith in Jesus Christ.  It has nothing to do with how much we work, how good we are, how much we tithe, how many church services we attend, what clothes we wear, how much we sacrifice, or what we do.  True Christianity is not man reaching up to God, doing enough to merit salvation, but that a loving God reaching down to fallen humanity.  True Christianity teaches that man is depraved, completely corrupted, and unable to make up for what he's done. The wonderful news of the Gospel is that the cost of our sins were paid in full by God through the atoning work of Christ on the Cross.  God presents this expensive salvation as a free gift to all who believe. That's it.  Nothing else is required.  Every other religion teaches that man reaches up to their god, earning their own salvation by a series of rituals and duties.

By Grace Alone

Grace is unmerited favor.  My favorite description is an acronym, God's Riches At Christ's Expense, gives us the fullest understanding that we are not saved by what we do.  Further, it is not because God saw something worthwhile in us, only be God is so good.  I could repeat most of what I wrote about faith, but you get the idea.  We are saved because of what Jesus did, not because of what I've done.

By Christ Alone

We are saved by what Jesus did for us on the cross, if we accept His sacrifice and make Him Lord of our lives ².  By Christ alone, we have access to the Father.  By Christ alone, we receive salvation. We don't need a priest, a church, a pope, Mary, Peter, or anyone else.  There is no other name under which man can be saved.

Glory to God, Alone

The Bible is pretty clear.  We are to worship God and God alone.  We are not to worship saints, pastors, churches, ancestors, countries, flags, cows, frogs, chickens, sex, money or rock-and-roll.  While some quibble over the difference between 'veneration' and worship, I am a firm believer in Si suus ' sonat anatem anatem, which being translated means "If it quacks like a duck, it's a duck."  If you bow or pray to anything other than God, you're wrong.  Glory belongs to God alone.

1. http://www.evidenceunseen.com/theology/ecclesiology/understanding-american-protestant-denominations/#_ftn7

2 Romans 10:10 says to accept the "Lord" Jesus.  I am not advocating a form of Lordship salvation, that rests upon behavior, but simply pointing out that simple mental acceptance that the Gospel is fact isn't saving faith.  The devils believe but aren't saved.  The idea of true faith involves both the heart and the head.  When you honestly come to believe in and put your faith and trust in the God of Glory, whose hands hung and the the stars, your only rational reaction is to fall on your face, like Saul of Tarshish, and call Him Lord.

Deity of Jesus

Pick any Bible doctrine, and I can show you at least three vastly different interpretations.  On most of these we, as followers of Christ, can agree to disagree.  Some other teachings push the boundary of what can be called Christian, and border on heresy.  I cannot categorically say someone holding to these beliefs are not saved, on the basis these beliefs alone.

My mother was a woman of very strong beliefs.  She felt obligated to share those beliefs with  everyone around her (mostly being oblivious about the general interest of her crowd.)  Mom also loved to argue and debate.  She seemed happiest while fussing about something, a trait my wife tells me I inherited.

I distinctly remember a time that my mother and my brother-in-law got into a vigorous debate on the deity of Jesus at the kitchen table.  Well, it was actually a green booth that mom had recovered.  I must have been about eight at the time, and the only point I remember is my brother-in-law asking to whom Jesus was praying, if Jesus were God.

While I don't know why this one episode burned itself into my mind over the hundreds of other times mom hotly debated somebody over a specific doctrine, I remember thinking at the time that mom was making a rather big deal over a rather minor doctrinal point.

Once  I started to study the Bible for myself, I realized how critically important was mom's point, and how pathetically wrong I was.   

You see, out of the many doctrines taught in the Bible, there are only a very few crucial teachings that define Christianity.  A short list of them are:

• Deity of Christ
• The resurrection of Jesus
• Virgin birth
• Salvation by Grace alone, by faith alone, through Christ alone
• Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross
• Monotheism

(Most apologists put the Trinity in the list above.  While I see denial of the trinity as a serious heresy, I am not convinced that this error alone would in every circumstances prevent salvation.  For example, Modalism, the belief that God was at times the Father, then the Son, then the Holy Spirit, may allow the person holding to this to accept Christ. )

As much as it pains me to say so, if a person denies one of these bedrock beliefs, then that person cannot be a born-again Christian. 

Recently, I was involved in another conversation on this topic.  The person to whom I was talking denied that Jesus is God incarnate, and sincerely asked me where the Bible calls Jesus God.

Since I remember having similar questions myself when I started my Christian walk, I thought I'd write down a few of the many, many references.

Note:  The Bible only needs to say Jesus is God once for it to be true.

Clear Statements

Heb 1:8   But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

This is a quote of Psalms 45:6-7, but the writer of Hebrews says this refers to Jesus (the Son.)  Jesus is called God.

John 1:1-3; 14-18  1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Here, John specifically identifies the Word as God.  Further, he states that the Word created all things (vs 3).  He goes on in vs 14 to say the Word was made flesh (birth of Jesus), that John the Baptist came before the Word(Jesus), and if that is not plain enough, John tells us that grace and truth came by Jesus, who is the Word.

Col. 2:8-9 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

For in Jesus the Christ dwells all of the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form.  Basically, this is saying the all of the attributes of God were in Christ Jesus.  That's pretty plain.

Phil 2:5-6 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

In the form of God?  In other words, Jesus was the same form (or nature or substance) as God.  To be equal to God, Jesus would have to be be God himself, since God is unique.  There is none like God.   

Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Great God and Savior Jesus Christ.  Pretty plain.

John 20:28-29 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

I can't see why Jesus would not have corrected Thomas if he got it wrong, and Jesus was not God.  Instead of correcting him, he congratulates him for his belief.

Col 1:12-17 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Here, Paul says Jesus created everything (even angels), and is the image of God.

Comparison Verses

Sometimes the Bible writers makes statements that are best understood when we see the Old Testament verse to they were referring.  Please note that Lord in the Old Testament is used as a reference of God, specifically Yahweh, Jehovah or Adonai,

Old Testament	New Testament
Isaiah 44:6 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.	Revelation 2:8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive
Exodus 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.	John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
Joel 2:32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.	Romans 10;9-13 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Isa 44:24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; Nehemiah 9:6  Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee	1 Cor 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. Col 1:16-17 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Isa 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.	Matthew 1:21-23 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.	Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

The Jews of Jesus Day Understood
The claims Jesus made were quite plain to the Jews of his day.  On several occasions, they took up stones to kill him, because he claimed to be God.

John 5: 16-18 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

John 10:30-33 I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?  The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

John 8:56-59  Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.  Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.  Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

Worship
We are not to Worship of Anything but God alone.

Psalm 81:9  There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.

Exodus 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

Matt 4:9-10 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.  Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

In the Bible, men and angles refuse worship, since it is due to God alone.

Acts 10:25-26 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man

Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Rev 22-8-9 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.


Yet Jesus received worship...

Matthew 2:1-2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

Matthew 8:2-3 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Matt 9:18-19 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.  And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.

Matthew 14:33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

Matthew 15:25  Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

Matthew 28:9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

Luke 24:51-52 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.  And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:

Hebrews 1:6-8  And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

Revelation 4:10-11 he four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

Hebrews 1:6 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?  And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

Attributes
Jesus has the incommunicable attributes that only God posses.

• Sinless 1 Peter 2:21-22 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
• Knows all John 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him,
• Is eternal  (John 8:58)
• Everywhere at once  Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.   Matthew 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. 
• All Powerful John 11:43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. John Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 

Resources

https://carm.org/responding-jehovah%E2%80%99s-witness-attacks-deity-christ
http://www.gotquestions.org/deity-of-Christ.html
http://thecripplegate.com/did-the-early-church-affirm-jesus-deity/
https://carm.org/jesus-god
https://carm.org/bible-verses-show-jesus-divine
http://bugman123.com/Bible/JesusIsGod.html
http://www.gotquestions.org/is-Jesus-God.html
http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/churchandministry/evangelism/rodgers_deity.aspx
http://www.everystudent.com/features/faith.html

The Love of God

Romans 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

This verse has been going through my mind. Think about this. While we were sinners, while we were enemies of God, standing in full rebellion, shaking our fists in His face, refusing to submit to God's authority, God showed us His loved for us by sending His only son to die for us.

That is love, my friend.  We can do nothing for God.  His love is unconditional and  unimaginable.

Pet peeve

2 Corinthians 12:2-5
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. [3] And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) [4] How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. [5] Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.

Some maintain that the apostle Paul was speaking of himself, but out of a great humility, refers to himself in the third person. 

While this may be true, it is only a unfounded supposition, bearing no weight or authority. The Bible doesn't say abt more than this.   A casual mention in a sermon our lesson is fine, however that's all you can honestly do.

Yet whole doctrines are built in much less a foundation by those who read into the Bible all kind of things that it doesn't say. 

Don't impose onto the scriptures your opinions, biases, and prejudices.  That is known as isogesis, and leads to hearsies.

Santa Claus Neatly Encapsulates Modern Theology

You better watch out You better not cry
Better not pout I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He's making a list And checking it twice;
He's gonna find outWho's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you're sleeping He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good So be good for goodness sake!

This little ditty sums up modern thoughts of theology.  You better be good because Santa, um, I mean God is watching you , and is making a list.  If you do good, you get treats, er eternal life.  If you do bad, you get coal, um OK hell.

Is that what the Bible says?

Romans 3:20  Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Romans 3:22-25 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no  difference: [23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: [25] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

None of us are without sin.  None of us can do anything to save ourselves.  We are saved by faith through grace.  We can't work out way there 

Faint Not

Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Recently, I've been feeling rather despondent about the bus ministry.  I know God has called me to this.  I know it is His will for me, but I was to the point I didn't want to do it anymore.  This past Sunday, the kids in Junior Church were wound up.  Vacation Bible School was just around the bend, and they were excited.  While I preached, I felt as though none were listening.

Later, as we took the children home, and I had to remind the same kids over and over to stay in their seat, I felt as though I was wasting my time.  I got home and told my wife that I was done.  I just didn't want to do it anymore.

I didn't want to sacrifice every Saturday to go on visitation.  I didn't want to have to get up early to make the bus on Sunday.  I didn't want to miss the preaching and I didn't want to have to stay late. 

She told me that the pastor's sermon (which I missed to be in Children's Church) was "Faint not."

"That sermon, babe, was for you.", she said. 

You see, I had taken my eyes off of the big picture and have lost hope.  I haven't seen God changing lives, or showing up in a big way for awhile now and just got drained.  I have forgotten that the bus ministry is not a microwave, it's a Crockpot.  I felt frustrated because I didn't see results, but I believe that the lack of results are partially my fault.

You see, while I need to pray God's anointing down every Saturday before I go visiting,  I haven't been.  While I need to beg the Lord for each of those precious bus kids who I have a chance to influence, I haven't.  When I needed to be in the Word, letting God set my mind right, I wasn't.  When I should have been firm and dealt consequences for bad behavior from the kids, I resisted dispensing consequences which they took as weak.

Tonight, I  was totally out of gas, and wanting, again, to just quit.  I wanted to walk away and say "This is too hard.  This costs too much."

But God...

Ever notice how many times the bible says "But God"?  Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life..."  It appears 43 times.  There is a reason.  God is the contrast

But God broke my heart tonight through this video and reminded me, yet again, why I do what I do.  It's not for the praise and recognition of man or of  earthly rewards.  I do it for Him.  I do it to reach a lost and dying world with the message of hope and it is God who is responsible for the results I have.

All ministry is difficult.  It breaks your heart.  You give and give, and sacrifice and sacrifice and it seems there is only heartache in return.   Sometimes, the best we  imperfect humans can do is just not to give up, and trust God, and, as our verse tells us, faint not.

Bus ministry Video

KJV Only

GotQuestions.org is a wonderful resource. The brother who runs the site attempts to answer people's questions about the faith and usually does a great job. Each week, he answers a new question. 

I unfortunately take issue with the a question answered some time ago. This one was on King James Only-ism. Some statements made are either logically weak, unsound, or just plain wrong.

So here's the statements which which I have problem:

GotQuestions Point One

1.  The KJV Only movement claims its loyalty to be to the Textus Receptus, a Greek New Testament manuscript compilation completed in the 1500s. To varying degrees, KJV Only advocates argue that God guided Erasmus (the compiler of the Textus Receptus) to come up with a Greek text that is perfectly identical to what was originally written by the biblical authors

 Uh, no.  Talk about missing the boat!  The Textus Receptus is also known as the "Majority Text."  It is called thus because the majority of the existent copies (like 95% of them) read the same.  It is not about picking a collection of manuscripts to venerate!  Erasmus doesn't even enter into the discussion.

Until the late 1800's, there wasn't much debate as to which manuscripts to use.  If 95% of the 5,000+ manuscripts supported one reading, that was the reading that was used.

Then two fellows named Wescott and Hort decided that the 95% wasn't good enough.  They were convinced that all manuscripts were corrupted, and that they had to become detectives in order to determine what the originals really said.  They came up with several guidelines for wading through all copies and piecing together a version that they felt was closest to the original readings.  Their guidelines were as follows:

1. Older is better.
2. Shorter is better.
3. More confusing is better

The truth is that there never was a manuscript that read like modern versions.  They were constructed out of whole-cloth from various manuscripts like a patch-work quilt.  There are, however, two manuscripts which modern translators hold with deep veneration.  They are the Sinaiticus and the Vaticanus.  Both are old and both are corrupt.

The old lie is that since these manuscripts where found after the KJV translators did their work, their readings couldn't be considered and thus the KJV is less accurate.  While the manuscripts were discovered after the KJV translation in 1611, the readings contained therein were available and discounted.

GotQuestions Point Two

2.  Our loyalties are to the original manuscripts of the Old and New Testaments, written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Only the original languages are the Word of God as He inspired it.

Be loyal to the original manuscript?  What are they talking about?  This line is both illogical and dishonest.  The "original manuscripts" have turned to dust, along with the first copies of them.  All we have left are copies of copies. How can we be loyal to what doesn't exist?  We can't, and that's the point.

By that same logic, since only the original manuscripts were inspired, and since those manuscripts do not exist, then none of the Word of God today is inspired, and thus the logical conclusion is that the Word of God doesn't exist.

If they believed that the Word of God exists only in the original languages, then why support any translation?  Isn't that just encouraging people to replace the scriptures with a second-rate commentary?

Furthermore,  implied in their comment is the supposition that God, who was powerful enough to create the universe, took the time to inspire his word,  was somehow  too weak to preserve it.

GotQuestions Point Three

3.  The New Testament of the New King James Version is based on the Textus Receptus, just as the KJV is. Yet, KJV Only advocates label the NKJV just as heretical as they do the NIV, NAS, etc.

First, I've already discussed the Textus Receptus line above.  So what about the NKJV?  After all, it is only a updating of the obsolete language of the  KJV, right?  Plain and simple, the NKJV it is NOT an updating of language. It is a complete retranslation of the Textus Receptus, informed by the Wescott and Hort Greek.

Here are my problems with the New Kings James:

1. Despite the glowing praise of the accuracy of the KJV, the New Kings James translators felt the need to retranslate the Bible instead of just updating the existing translation.  If the translation was as accurate as they stated in the preface, then why bother?  Simple answer is that they must feel that the former translation was lacking somehow.  
2. The NKJV is markerted as an "updated"  KJV with the "thee's and thou's" and other archaic words replaced.  This is quite false.  Here are three examples with refute that proposition.  Note that none of these words are archaic, obsolete, or hard to understand.
1. John 1:3 (KJV) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
   
   John 1:3 (NKJV) All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
2. Acts 17:22(KJV)  Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
   
   Acts 17:22(NKJV)  Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious;
3. 2 Cor 2:17 (KJV) For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
   
   2 Cor 2:17 (NKJV) For we are not, as so many,[a] peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.
   

These are but a few of the thousands of such changes in the NKJV.  Oh, and by the way, several of the translators of the NKJV worked on the NIV, and it shows.


I admit that I have read other versions. I am so familiar with the KJV that reading a different version can sometimes reveal something that's right there in the text that I've glossed a hundred times.  I read several, but I trust only one, and that's the King James. Why?


The King James is a literal translation.  
This means that the translators translated word for word, as closely as they could to the original. Most, if not all, modern translations are dynamic translations (meaning 'thought for thought'). While this results in an easier-to-read text, I find it the highest form of arrogance for the translators to assume that they can possibly know the mind of God with enough clarity to do a 'thought per thought' translation. All this means is that the text is being filtered through the fallible translators mind.


The King James translation is an honest translation.
The translators made it plain whenever the translators added words (which the modern versions don't even attempt.) Even the sentence structure of the original languages wormed its way into the English translation. The goal of the translators was to convey the Word of God from source languages to English, and they did so with a careful hand, full of respect for the Word of God.

The King James is translated from a reliable source.
The modern versions are based upon different source material. Some opponents would have you to believe that there is only one original manuscript in the original languages. In all actuality, there are several families of manuscripts. The newer versions are based upon, what I believe, are less pure manuscripts than the King James. The same readings were available to the translators in 1611, and rejected.


The King James translators believed in God's Word.
Most newer translations rely upon the work of textual criticism, which is itself predicated on the fact that God's Word (His true Word) cannot be known. The logic is that since God's Word was only perfect and inspired in the original manuscript, and such manuscripts are now dust, then everything is a matter of opinion. The King James translators believed they had the very words of God in their hands and acted accordingly.

What if I'm wrong?

What if I am wrong and my atheist friends are right that there is no God?

• I would have lived my life helping others because my fictional god demanded it. 
• My behavior would have been bound to an old book of fiction, which sets impossibly high goals of goodness, and I would spend my life trying to live better because of it.
• I would have forgave others because my fictional god demanded it.
• I would have stuck with my wife when times got bad, because my fictional god demanded it. 
• I would have been comforted at the passing of my loved ones because I believed that there was hope beyond the grave.
• I would have lived a life of purpose and meaning, due to my faith in my fictional god.
• I never would feel alone, because I believed my fictional god was with me.
• I never could feel hopeless, because my fictional god was my hope.
• I was part of a group of people who accepted me as a brother and loved me because our mutual faith in that fictional god.
• I would have developed closer personal relationships with people I would have otherwise never met or interacted with, all because our mutual faith in a fictional god.
• I would face my death without fear, knowing I'd close my eyes in death and see the face of my redeemer.
• And if I were wrong, I WOULD NEVER KNOW.  As my last breath would escape my body, and the blackness would envelope me and I would simply cease to exist, all while believing with all my heart I'd see my loved ones and savior on the other side.  

So even if I'm wrong, my life is richer, my community better, and my relationships are stronger.  I face the unknown with certainty and hope.  My life has structure and meaning.  Where's the downside?

But, if I am right and you, dear atheist friend, are wrong and there is a God, then

• While you pride yourself in your wisdom, if there is a god, your wisdom is for naught.  The very basis of all of your logic is flawed.  All the deductions you have built your life on  is also flawed. 
• Your brilliant deductions based on the assumption we're nothing more than animals has hurt more people than you can imagine.
• You spent your life fighting against the Almighty Judge, and will be judged according to your works and found guilty.
• Your absolute certainty that you were so much smarter than us dumb Christians proved to be a fatal mistake.  As you lift up your eyes in Hell, and you will KNOW YOU WERE WRONG, and will spend an eternity with that knowledge.
• For an eternity, you will reflect on how that you wasted your life on things that do not matter.
• For an eternity, you will realize that many of the others who you encouraged to abandon any belief in a saving god are condemned to eternal torment just as you are.

Cold fire

I saw an old campfire in the woods. Its coals were cold and dead. Next to it was a nice stack of firewood. It struck me that this is a picture of a lot of churches today.

Everything they need is right there.   They have the people,  the building,  the program and the God, but they're dead and cold.  Their coals are extinguished and their spark has died long ago.   Without that spark,  the church us useless,  just like that dead fire.  Oh Lord, I pray, let me not lose my spark!

A shaman's Tale

I recently discovered podiobooks.com, an online repository of free audio books distributed as a podcast form.  One series I've followed was the Quarter Share series by Nathan Lowell.  

They are very well done, and I've enjoyed them greatly (except for the last book, sorry Nathan.  I just don't like how it ended.)

In one of the stories, South Coast, the main character is a Shaman.  I noticed that the belief system was similar to the world's spirituality.  

1.  While there is a belief in the supernatural, there is no specific belief in a personal god.

2.  The supernatural force is a helper, but otherwise makes little to no demands of humanity.

3.  The supernatural force, if interested in morality at all, is only interested in gross misconduct.  Murder, rape, etc.

4.  The supernatural force must be accessed through special rituals preformed by special people.

Mankind always creates gods for himself.  In the Old Testament days they did it with physical idols.  Nowadays, we make up gods to suite ourselves by saying "to me, god is like..."


While 90% of American believes in a god, they don't believe in THE GOD, the God who has revealed Himself to man through the Bible.

Liberalism True Nature

Normally, I blog politics elsewhere but I decided to do a simul-post to both because this topic spans both faith and politics.

Liberalism today preaches that all faiths are equally valid. Basically, it's a "all roads lead to Rome" approach. Christian, Buddhist, or worshipers of coffee grounds are all viewed as equally 'right' to the liberals.

To quote Oprah Winfrey,

"One of the mistakes that human beings make is that there is only one way to live, and that we don't accept that there are diverse ways of being in the world and there are millions of ways to be a human being and many paths to what you call God. That her path might be something else and when she gets there she might call it the light."

Or how about this quote from http://www.manypathshome.com/

The core of interspirituality is the understanding that there are many paths with heart, many ways to be in relationship with something greater, and that truth is not confined to any one path ...

Some call this God or Goddess, some Spirit, Nature, Source, the Divine, the Numinous, Great Mystery, the Self. What we call That is not important to me; what is important is that you find your inner connection to this sustaining energy, and that it bear fruit in your life.
Some call this God or Goddess, some Spirit, Nature, Source, the Divine, the Numinous, Great Mystery, the Self. What we call That is not important to me; what is important is that you find your inner connection to this sustaining energy, and that it bear fruit in your life.
Rev. Sharon Gervasoni

This is basically "all religions are true", and it is mind-numbingly stupid. Let's logically look at the statement and see why it is so.

One of the three basic laws of logic (or, if you prefer, rational thought) is the law of non-contradiction. Stated basically, something cannot be and not be at the same time. A fact cannot be both true and false.

Christianity states man is a sinner, and is going to Hell unless he repents and follows Christ.

Eastern religion states that man's individuality is nothing but an illusion, and that when he understands (i.e. reach enlightenment) he will realize the illusion and cease to be.

Oprah thinks we are all gods.

Non-contradiction clearly shows that one is wrong.

Changing Churches

There are times that the moving of God breaks hearts. Thus it was with us when God moved us from our home church. I started writing this post many months ago, but never finished it.

We attended Victory Baptist for almost ten years.  We started going when Rebecca was pregnant with Laura.  We had been out of church for awhile.

I had not been I getting anything out of Rebecca's parent's church (a rather large community church), although it is a good church with good people.  Rebecca didn't feel welcome in my old church (plus it was too far to drive every Sunday.)

We started on a Sunday morning, and didn't stop.  We became part of the church family.  The church ladies threw Rebecca her baby shower. We fell in love with the people, and God move in our hearts. 

It started when my cousin invited us to his church's revival.  We enjoyed Capitol City Baptist a good bit.  The pastor of the church had taught me in Sunday School teacher when I was a teenager.   We started to attend Bible study on Thursday nights.

It was fun, refreshing, and spirit filled. We were drawn closer to this body of believers.We were very faithful to Thursday nights.

Then we went to a camp meeting the church held.  God touched my heart and had me surrender parts of me I've held back for years. God rekindled a fire that had long laid dormant in my heart, something I feared I never would have again.


That fall, we put our daughter in the church's school. Even though we were involved with both churches, I knew where God wanted me, and didn't waver. My rekindled fire was used of God at my church, and things started to progress.


I had much responsibility in my church. I lead Children's Church. I lead the youth. I played bass guitar. I did the web site. I taught Sunday School. 

Over the course of a year or so, God started removing things from me.  One at a time, slowly, he took them away.  First, the bass playing went when our piano player left. Then another lady took over my Sunday School class. Then a fellow at church wanted to take over the web page.

Isn't it funny how we don't see the hand of God except in the rear view mirror!  I don't think I could have left if all of this was still on me!



Then about November,  the progress fizzled. From our perspective, God's forward movement stopped. The services became dry and the contrast between Victory and Capitol City became very vibrant.


Abraham's heart must of been torn in two when he was told by God to sacrifice his son of promise. The boy was an answered prayer, and his birth was a miracle by anyone's standards, and in him the promise of God to Abraham was confirmed.

Yet, it was only when Abraham gave God the very thing  he loved the most that Abraham could be what God wanted him to be.  We can't serve God holding ourselves back from God.

My wife knew first.  She told me she felt God moving us on.  I resisted.  I still had the youth ministries, and couldn't even imagine leaving.  But the draw of God became urgent.

I wanted to make sure that we were doing God's will.We earnestly sought God's will.  We even went so far as to lay out the fleece.

In the book of Judges, we are told of a young man who God told to lead an army against invaders.  Lacking confidence, he asked God to confirm His will with a physical act of His power. 

Our prayer was "God, if you wish us to stay at Victory, move in the service during youth Sunday."  Such a simple request..

The Sunday before the meeting, there came a huge snow storm.  Power was knocked out, and church was canceled.  Since this happened to be the night the Christmas play and Cantata were supposed to be performed, the leadership canceled youth Sunday and moved the play and Cantata in its place.

Not only did God not move in the youth service, he prevented the service from being held just to remove any doubts.  We had our answer.

I spent several days trying to find the right 'protocol'. How do you leave a church in the right way?

Most people leave a church when they just get upset over something, and leave.  Their example I did not want to follow.

I also didn't want to be a hindrance to the church, nor did I want people to be upset.  After prayer and much reading, I decided that we just needed to leave.  We gave no speeches.  We tried to draw as little attention to ourselves as we could.  We provided no unsolicited explanations to friends. We just left.

It was with a heavy heart that I wrote a letter to the pastor, telling him we were leaving. Then, we left.  I dropped off the letter and my keys, and that was that.  One Sunday Victory.  The next, Capitol City.. 

Since that day, my heart still aches at times for my old church.  They have had a very hard year.  Within weeks of our leaving, storms overtook the church.  They've lost most of their attendance, and their pastor.  I am so grateful that I listened to the Word of the Lord and left when we did, before any of the problems.  The church is in my prayers regularly. 

We are, however, where God wants us.  God has moved me into new ministries.  I still play the bass. I help in Children's Church.  I am working in the bus ministry.  I've even preached a few times.