Holiness

Holiness and obedience to God's word has practically disappeared. I have for years tried to get this across to people, but most just laugh. Here is a message that is very timely.

Two Worldviews

Two worldviews, two distinct effects, two end results. Francis Schaeffer, among others, spoke clearly of this clash of worldviews. Here is a video from 1982 by Francis Schaeffer.

Water

Water

A few facts about water:
The elephant can smell water up to 3 miles away. Also, a dogs' nose is so sensitive that it can tell the difference between a tub of water and a tub of water with a teaspoon of salt in it.
There are almost 800 different brands of bottled water for sale in the United States.
The human brain in two thirds water.
A human being is about 70% water.

But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. (Psalms 3:3)

Drowning--as a stone sinks to the bottom, so our soul sometimes falls. We are sure to drown in our troubles, but God can lift our head above the water and save us.
God is the one who saves us.

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. (James 1:6-7)

Wave unstable to build on.
People are unstable when they vacillate.
Reuben was labeled unstable by his father.
Unstable in doctrine: so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (Ephesians 4:14)

Willing to Suffer
A converted native was to be baptized in a river. The missionary took a long spear with him into the swift current to steady himself. Inadvertently he stabbed the foot of the convert beneath the water. The man neither spoke nor moved. After the ceremony when the accident was discovered, the convert was asked why he had kept silent. "I thought it was part of the ceremony," he replied. In a way he was right. Baptism should be an external expression of willingness to suffer for the Lord Jesus Christ in whose Name the believer is baptized.

One water is most important; it is the Water of Life.

And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let the one who hears say: "Come!" And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wants it take the water of life free of charge.
(Revelation 22:17)

About the Bible

I read this letter from Ebenezer, someone from India. The topic was about the Bible, and what it means, if it is a great book, just a book, or is the message the very words of God. Here is his letter:

From Chennai - India

If indeed the Bible is just another great book and Jesus Christ just another teacher, we would do well to dump this book in the nearest dust bin, forget all about the message and person of Christ and carry on merrily or miserably with the difficult business of life.

It is a well known belief amongst men of letters that one finds some thing new in the great classics in every fresh reading, since these books are creations of greatly endowed minds.

Well, take the bible ( not the RC version which includes a lot of non canonical books), any language, any version, flip open at random and read that chapter you chance upon once in the morn, the same chapter again once in the noon and once more at night.

This reading would take no more than 10 minutes at the most.

And blessed be ye be when you find that the matter that your mind confronts in every reading is completely different from that of the the previous reading.

This is so my friend since the inspirer of the matter you read is God The Holy Spirit.

All are welcome to repeat this "test" for as many times as they might desire.

I belong to the land of the Vedas, the most ancient group of books written and they all fall flat on this "test"

One may well judge by this test that there is no other book in this world of men and in the world of books, that is so self evidently divine.

In Christ Jesus

Ebenezer

True Fellowship

True fellowship is not mere Christian socializing. It is the sharing of love and concern, time and talents, possessions and even life itself, as need and circumstance demand, with others in the household of faith.

Henry M Morris

To many people understand fellowship as socializing. There is something to it, but it is much deeper than that.

God's Dream

The burden against Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite. God is jealous, and the LORD avenges; The LORD avenges and is furious. The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies; The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The LORD has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, And dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither, And the flower of Lebanon wilts. The mountains quake before Him, The hills melt, And the earth heaves at His presence, Yes, the world and all who dwell in it. Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, And the rocks are thrown down by Him. The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, And darkness will pursue His enemies. What do you conspire against the LORD? He will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time. For while tangled like thorns, And while drunken like drunkards, They shall be devoured like stubble fully dried. From you comes forth one Who plots evil against the LORD, A wicked counselor. Thus says the LORD: "Though they are safe, and likewise many, Yet in this manner they will be cut down When he passes through. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no more; For now I will break off his yoke from you, And burst your bonds apart." The LORD has given a command concerning you: "Your name shall be perpetuated no longer. Out of the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the molded image. I will dig your grave, For you are vile." Behold, on the mountains The feet of him who brings good tidings, Who proclaims peace! O Judah, keep your appointed feasts, Perform your vows. For the wicked one shall no more pass through you; He is utterly cut off.
(Nahum 1:1-15)

All these verses speak of judgment except verse 7: The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. (Nahum 1:7).

I am only a man--created. I cannot think as God thinks, so I have to describe things in human thoughts.

God had a dream. He wanted to create an universe. He wanted it to be beautiful. He made a beautiful universe, earth, and everything in it--birds, trees, animals, and people. He made it with laws so it would function perfectly.

He gave free will, too, not a sovereign free will. He wanted to have servants that would serve Him freely. He didn't want a bunch of robots that have no free will.

He made the angels. They too were perfect until some made a choice to do things their own way. For them He made a perfect punishment as well.

He made humans--Adam and Eve perfect. Shortly afterward they choose their own way. They didn't want to follow some of God's laws. He made a perfect punishment for them as well--death. He had warned them, but they went ahead and rebelled.

God started the church; the church is the people who are saved by grace alone by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. His church was set up perfectly; it has perfect rules and laws. Jesus, himself, said, "My yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

God made me. He has plans for me, things to do, rules to follow, and what am I doing?

He is a great King. He has plans and rules for everything to function beautifully. He has a right to be angry when people don't follow these rules.

All of us like to be thanked for a job well done or for something we have done to help another. Shouldn't He who sends the rain, the sunshine, and has the plants grow be thanked as well?

God punishes rebellion. He punishes those because: Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made. So those people have no excuse at all! They know God, but they do not give him the honor that belongs to him, nor do they thank him. Instead, their thoughts have become complete nonsense, and their empty minds are filled with darkness. They say they are wise, but they are fools(Romans 1:20-22).

There is one hope, however, and that is found in verse 7: The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. (Nahum 1:7).

God is not evil to punish; He is good to those who follow His rules and trust Him.

Birds Did Not Evolve from Dinosaurs

Birds did not evolve from dinosaurs: what creationists have been pointing out for years is now buttressed by new research.

So starts the article about dinosaur to bird evolution. Read the rest here.