Atheists and sceptics are forever mocking the possibility that something - anything - could still be true after 2,000 years. Well, the ignorance of atheists is proverbial, however let’s double that # to 4,000 years.
In google blog search, type in Israel. Do that you’ll hear the voices of Ezekiel and Zechariah describing our daily News Broadcasts. What they say is true and relevant right down to the conflict regarding the bulldozing of settlements to make room for all the Jews returning home from around the world.
1948 was the first time since 70 A.D. that the people of Israel have been brought back to control their homeland.
Ezekiel - 37:21 (Written 597 years before the birth of Christ) - For the Lord God says, “I am gathering the people of Israel from among the nations and bringing them home from around the world to their own homeland, to unify them into one nation.”
Ezekiel 38:12 - “I will go to those once desolate cities that are now filled with people again, those who have returned from all the nations, and the whole earth revolves around them. This will happen in the distant future, in the latter years of history.
The new state of Israel now contains people who have come from 100 different countries, speaking 60 different languages and the trek homeward continues to this day.
Zechariah 12:2,3,7, & 9 (Written 520 years before the birth of Christ) - I will make Jerusalem and Judah like a cup of poison to all the nearby nations that send their armies to surround her. Jerusalem will be a heavy stone burdening the world and though all the nations of the world unite in an attempt to move her, they will all be crushed. For my plan is to destroy all nations that come against Jerusalem.
Zechariah 2: 4 & 7 - Jerusalem will some day be so full of people she won’t have room enough for all. I scattered you to the winds, but I will bring you back again.
This is the whole problem with Palestine and Israel right now. There is not enough room for all of the Jews coming home and they are building settlements in Palestinian territory.
I, God, will comfort Zion,
comfort all her mounds of ruins.
I'll transform her dead ground into Eden,
her moonscape into the garden of God,
A place filled with exuberance and laughter,
thankful voices and melodic songs.
Isaiah 51:3
The prophecy of a country coming back into existence 2,000 years after disappearing from the world stage and 4,000 years after these events were foretold means nothing to atheists. They are committed to ignoring and rejecting anything and everything that shows their belief system faulty. I on the other hand find it pretty cool.
Long live Israel!
God bless Israel!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Woman was Best
The height of God’s creation, the pinnacle of God’s creation was when God created woman. Creation itself was not declared to be “very good” until woman was created. The last finishing touch to a universe already glorious was the creation of the female human. While the creation of the human male was something “in the very image of God,” Eve was a refining moment of humanity; the final tweeking to make humanity perfect.
Human existence without woman is simply not complete and the Bible tells us so.
Not until the creation of woman was creation complete - and the Bible tells us so.
Paul, in 1st Corinthians 11:7 says that Eve, the fist woman, was the living embodiment of humanity’s glory.
The height of God’s creation, the pinnacle of God’s creation was when God created woman. Creation itself was not declared to be “very good” until woman was created.
The last finishing touch to a universe already glorious was the creation of the
female human. While the creation of the human male was something “in the very image of God,”
Eve was a refining moment of humanity; the final tweeking to make humanity perfect.
Human existence without woman is simply not complete and the Bible tells us so.
Not until the creation of woman was creation complete - and the Bible tells us so.
Paul, in 1st Corinthians 11:7 says that Eve, the fist woman, was the living embodiment of humanity’s glory.
Human existence without woman is simply not complete and the Bible tells us so.
Not until the creation of woman was creation complete - and the Bible tells us so.
Paul, in 1st Corinthians 11:7 says that Eve, the fist woman, was the living embodiment of humanity’s glory.
The height of God’s creation, the pinnacle of God’s creation was when God created woman. Creation itself was not declared to be “very good” until woman was created.
The last finishing touch to a universe already glorious was the creation of the
female human. While the creation of the human male was something “in the very image of God,”
Eve was a refining moment of humanity; the final tweeking to make humanity perfect.
Human existence without woman is simply not complete and the Bible tells us so.
Not until the creation of woman was creation complete - and the Bible tells us so.
Paul, in 1st Corinthians 11:7 says that Eve, the fist woman, was the living embodiment of humanity’s glory.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
The Revelation of Jesus
We’re studying the book of Revelation in Adult Bible Discovery on Sunday morning. Something interesting came this morning. Regardless of when a person thinks the end is coming, regardless of whether a person believes pre tribulation or post tribulation for the rapture of the Saints, the harvesting of believers will come BEFORE the wrath of God upon those who wish to remain His enemies, but not necessarily before the wrath of satan is unleashed upon those who have come to a believing faith in Jesus.
Ever since the New Testament writings, sceptics have mocked how long it’s taking Jesus to return. The implication being, of course, that He’s never coming back.
. 1st Peter talks about God being patient (“not slow as some understand slow”) so that everyone who is destined to be save will be saved. No one who should be in heaven is going to miss that opportunity.
. Revelation talks about God being patient (“not slow as some understand slow”) so that everyone who is going to be martyred will be martyred. “How long oh Lord before You avenge our blood?” “Wait a little longer until the full number of those who are going to be killed for My sake have come in.”
A couple related facts:
. More people have come to faith in Jesus in the last 200 years, than in all of the previous 1,800 years combined.
. More people have been martyred because of their faith in Jesus in the last 200 years, than in all of the previous 1,800 years combined.
Ever since the New Testament writings, sceptics have mocked how long it’s taking Jesus to return. The implication being, of course, that He’s never coming back.
. 1st Peter talks about God being patient (“not slow as some understand slow”) so that everyone who is destined to be save will be saved. No one who should be in heaven is going to miss that opportunity.
. Revelation talks about God being patient (“not slow as some understand slow”) so that everyone who is going to be martyred will be martyred. “How long oh Lord before You avenge our blood?” “Wait a little longer until the full number of those who are going to be killed for My sake have come in.”
A couple related facts:
. More people have come to faith in Jesus in the last 200 years, than in all of the previous 1,800 years combined.
. More people have been martyred because of their faith in Jesus in the last 200 years, than in all of the previous 1,800 years combined.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
No Evidence For God
Over at John Loftus blog there are some pretty funny things being said. Well, funny or sad, I guess, depending on your perspective. It reminds me of something that another atheist said a couple years ago. Since it’s in the same vein as what’s being talked about over at JL’s place, I let you read it hear.
It comes from Princeton physicist Freeman Dyson and it’s positively hilarious. In his comment,
- He’s referring to the constants and quantities that hold the cosmos together.
- He’s referring to the relationship between these constants that allow our biosphere to not only exist but to support intelligent life.
During his comedy routine, Mr. Dyson says, “There are many lucky accidents in physics. Without such lucky accidents, life as we know it would be impossible.”
If you can’t see the humour in that, chances are very good that you’re an atheist.
Other atheists look at the following information and say that to conclude that the evolution of "Us" was something other than luck or an amazing coincidence is “Resorting to a god of the gaps.”
Because of clear scientific evidence, we know that:
. Only in a universe so finely tuned as ours, could we expect observers such as ourselves to exist. Note: Fine Tuning is a neutral secular term in that it refers to constants and quantities (atomic weight, gravitational constant, strong & weak force, etc.) being just right for the existence of intelligent life. That’s in comparison with the huge range of possible values. In fact, the natural range of possible values is from 0 > 10 ^53 or from
0 - 1000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000.
If this number was conceptualized as a dartboard, the distance from one side of the dartboard to the other side would extended across the length of our entire Milky Way Galaxy. I’ll return to this comparison a little later. That being the case, let’s look at the ranges upon which our lives, our very existence depend.
It’s important to remember that the values of these constants and quantities were not something that evolved, or something that “settled in” as the universe aged. These constants were “put in” at the Big Bang. As well, you may be interested to note that the constants, quantities and values that are found in our cosmos appear to be unrelated in any way. They seem to be random, even arbitrary. In reality, they are independent of each other except for one thing. The only thing the constants, quantities and values of our universe have in common is that all of them, every single one of them need to be exactly as they are in order for intelligent life to exist on this planet. While there are around 100 constants and qualities, the most fundamental constants are the Fine Structure constant, the Gravitational constant, the Weak Force, the Strong Force and the Ratio between the mass of protons and electrons.
. What scientists, what ATHEIST scientists call an “astonishing coincidence” or “a lucky accident” is the following list of facts.
. At the Big Bang, and I mean before 10^-43 seconds into the event, the ratio of the strong force to electromagnetism had to have been exactly as it was or else at 10 to -17 second after the start of the singularity, the necessary binding of helium -4, beryllium -8 and carbon -12 would not have occurred and life as we know it would not have appeared.
. The exact number and types of neutrinos at 1 second after the beginning of the Big Bang had to be in place or the expansion rate would have prohibited the formation of our universe.
. If the mass of a neutron were slightly increased by 1 part in 1,00000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000,0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000, then stable hydrogen burning stars would cease to exist.
. If the strong force were a long-range force (like electromagnetism or gravity) instead of a short range force that only acts between protons and neutrons in the nucleus, all matter would either instantaneously undergo nuclear fusion and explode or be sucked together forming a black hole.
Pretty lucky for us, huh, that all this just happened by chance? You sure wouldn’t want to think that maybe there was some intelligence behind this “amazing coincidence.” But that’s not all.
. If what we call the Pauli-exclusion principle did not exist, all electrons would occupy the lowest atomic orbit, which would make complex chemical interactions impossible.
. If what we call the quantization principle did not exist, there wouldn’t be any atomic orbits, electrons would be sucked into the nucleus and therefore no complex chemistry would be allowed.
. The gravitational constant must be EXACTLY 10 ^ 40 weaker than the Strong Nuclear Force or again, no us. For those that are interested, that’s ten thousand, billion, billion, billion, billion times weaker than the strong force.
Pretty lucky for us that it just happened to work out that way. I've been told that to suggest that it’s anything more than an amazing coincidence is jumping to conclusions or falling for a god of the gaps scenario.
A change of only 1 part in 10, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000 in the Gravitational constant as well as in the Weak Nuclear Force would prevent life from existing.
If the density of the universe and the speed of expansion had been off by one part in one hundred thousand million million, again, no life.
Remember, these values had to be put in prior to what is known as Planck time; that is, prior to 10 ^ - 43 second after the singularity.
How lucky do you feel so far?
The cosmological constant is what drives the inflation of the universe. It is tuned to 10 ^1,230. Any variation greater than that in EITHER direction and - no universe. Atheists will sometimes scoff at this by throwing out the term, “the magic of large numbers.” The phrase makes them feel secure in their ignorance. Let me however describe the above equation in yet a different manner. Scientists have described it this way. Imagine an aircraft carrier weighing 100,000 tonnes. If the weight of the ship was balanced to 10 ^ 1,230 it could not be off by more than billionth of a trillionth of the mass of an ELECTRON on one side or the other, or the ship would capsize.
Are you getting this? Do you really think it accidental?
Now, I mentioned this galaxy wide dartboard comparison. If the universe was an accident the values of these potential constants and quantities could potentially and theoretically fall anywhere within that area. The equation that I just gave you gives us a target within our galaxy wide dart board (get a picture of that) that is less than 2.5 centimetres in diameter. For us to exist, the values HAD to fall within that range.
Listen up now because here comes what atheists call the really lucky part. The amount of fine-tuning of the cosmological constant, one that we come upon, according to atheists, by accident and not by jumping to the conclusion of an intelligent designer, is like blindfolding yourself, spinning around ten times and then randomly firing a dart at our GALAXY wide dart board and hitting the target exactly in the centre of its 2.5 centimetre disk. Missing that target by any amount and - that’s right, no universe.
What I find sad and absolutely amazing is that if you’re an atheist, none of the above will be enough to convince you to consider Creator God as part of the equation. So let me use a different example.
The distance from one edge of the Milky Way galaxy to the other edge is the potential distance or range for our constants and quantities. Travelling at the speed of light, that’s 100,000 years of travel.
. If the cosmological constant had varied any more than 2.5cms, no us, no life.
. If the entropy per baryon had varied any more than the width of ONE PROTON - no us, no life of any kind - No Universe!
If, by this point your mind isn’t numb with the credulity and gullibility that atheists force themselves to live with, I just don’t know what it would take to get you to throw up your hands and give up. I mean, just how blind does a person have to be before s/he willingly stops demanding the right to drive the car? This is not a joking matter any more. Atheist scientists have discovered this information. They know it, but obviously maintaining their bias against Creator God is worth throwing away their integrity. It’s embarrassing. It’s shameful. It should be a crime for them to teach “The Universe As An Accident” to your children.
Still not impressed? Listen up. Remember, these constants and quantities are independent of and unrelated to each other. There's no natural reason for any one of them to be just as they are. So, as astronomical are the odds of any one of them being just right for a life sustaining universe, to find all of them being as they are in the same universe, by accident is beyond comprehension. To figure out those odds, you would take, say, the Weak Force constant of 1 in 10^100, add to that the constant of gravitational constant 1 in 10^120, which gives you 10 ^ 100 + 120 + . . . and so on for ALL of the 100 + constants and quantities.
Still not impressed? Science states that anything beyond 10 ^ 50 is the same as impossible. On the one hand Stephen Hawking has said “If all the grains of sand on all the beaches of the Earth were possible universes, and only one of those grains of sand was a universe that allowed for the existence of intelligent life, then that one grain of sand is the universe we inhabit.” Yet on the other hand we know that Hawking remains an atheist. In the face of this evidence, why would Hawking or any atheist for that matter continue to search for natural solutions? They have to. In order to maintain their dogmatic, definite, deliberate denial of God’s existence, atheists must believe that the impossible is possible.
And that is why atheists say that we’re really, really lucky to be here.
That is why atheists say all this is just an amazing coincidence.
That is why atheists say there is no evidence for Creator God
That is why atheists say that any one who suggests that Creator God is involved in this miracle of life is just jumping to conclusions.
It comes from Princeton physicist Freeman Dyson and it’s positively hilarious. In his comment,
- He’s referring to the constants and quantities that hold the cosmos together.
- He’s referring to the relationship between these constants that allow our biosphere to not only exist but to support intelligent life.
During his comedy routine, Mr. Dyson says, “There are many lucky accidents in physics. Without such lucky accidents, life as we know it would be impossible.”
If you can’t see the humour in that, chances are very good that you’re an atheist.
Other atheists look at the following information and say that to conclude that the evolution of "Us" was something other than luck or an amazing coincidence is “Resorting to a god of the gaps.”
Because of clear scientific evidence, we know that:
. Only in a universe so finely tuned as ours, could we expect observers such as ourselves to exist. Note: Fine Tuning is a neutral secular term in that it refers to constants and quantities (atomic weight, gravitational constant, strong & weak force, etc.) being just right for the existence of intelligent life. That’s in comparison with the huge range of possible values. In fact, the natural range of possible values is from 0 > 10 ^53 or from
0 - 1000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000.
If this number was conceptualized as a dartboard, the distance from one side of the dartboard to the other side would extended across the length of our entire Milky Way Galaxy. I’ll return to this comparison a little later. That being the case, let’s look at the ranges upon which our lives, our very existence depend.
It’s important to remember that the values of these constants and quantities were not something that evolved, or something that “settled in” as the universe aged. These constants were “put in” at the Big Bang. As well, you may be interested to note that the constants, quantities and values that are found in our cosmos appear to be unrelated in any way. They seem to be random, even arbitrary. In reality, they are independent of each other except for one thing. The only thing the constants, quantities and values of our universe have in common is that all of them, every single one of them need to be exactly as they are in order for intelligent life to exist on this planet. While there are around 100 constants and qualities, the most fundamental constants are the Fine Structure constant, the Gravitational constant, the Weak Force, the Strong Force and the Ratio between the mass of protons and electrons.
. What scientists, what ATHEIST scientists call an “astonishing coincidence” or “a lucky accident” is the following list of facts.
. At the Big Bang, and I mean before 10^-43 seconds into the event, the ratio of the strong force to electromagnetism had to have been exactly as it was or else at 10 to -17 second after the start of the singularity, the necessary binding of helium -4, beryllium -8 and carbon -12 would not have occurred and life as we know it would not have appeared.
. The exact number and types of neutrinos at 1 second after the beginning of the Big Bang had to be in place or the expansion rate would have prohibited the formation of our universe.
. If the mass of a neutron were slightly increased by 1 part in 1,00000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000,0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000, then stable hydrogen burning stars would cease to exist.
. If the strong force were a long-range force (like electromagnetism or gravity) instead of a short range force that only acts between protons and neutrons in the nucleus, all matter would either instantaneously undergo nuclear fusion and explode or be sucked together forming a black hole.
Pretty lucky for us, huh, that all this just happened by chance? You sure wouldn’t want to think that maybe there was some intelligence behind this “amazing coincidence.” But that’s not all.
. If what we call the Pauli-exclusion principle did not exist, all electrons would occupy the lowest atomic orbit, which would make complex chemical interactions impossible.
. If what we call the quantization principle did not exist, there wouldn’t be any atomic orbits, electrons would be sucked into the nucleus and therefore no complex chemistry would be allowed.
. The gravitational constant must be EXACTLY 10 ^ 40 weaker than the Strong Nuclear Force or again, no us. For those that are interested, that’s ten thousand, billion, billion, billion, billion times weaker than the strong force.
Pretty lucky for us that it just happened to work out that way. I've been told that to suggest that it’s anything more than an amazing coincidence is jumping to conclusions or falling for a god of the gaps scenario.
A change of only 1 part in 10, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000, 0000000000 in the Gravitational constant as well as in the Weak Nuclear Force would prevent life from existing.
If the density of the universe and the speed of expansion had been off by one part in one hundred thousand million million, again, no life.
Remember, these values had to be put in prior to what is known as Planck time; that is, prior to 10 ^ - 43 second after the singularity.
How lucky do you feel so far?
The cosmological constant is what drives the inflation of the universe. It is tuned to 10 ^1,230. Any variation greater than that in EITHER direction and - no universe. Atheists will sometimes scoff at this by throwing out the term, “the magic of large numbers.” The phrase makes them feel secure in their ignorance. Let me however describe the above equation in yet a different manner. Scientists have described it this way. Imagine an aircraft carrier weighing 100,000 tonnes. If the weight of the ship was balanced to 10 ^ 1,230 it could not be off by more than billionth of a trillionth of the mass of an ELECTRON on one side or the other, or the ship would capsize.
Are you getting this? Do you really think it accidental?
Now, I mentioned this galaxy wide dartboard comparison. If the universe was an accident the values of these potential constants and quantities could potentially and theoretically fall anywhere within that area. The equation that I just gave you gives us a target within our galaxy wide dart board (get a picture of that) that is less than 2.5 centimetres in diameter. For us to exist, the values HAD to fall within that range.
Listen up now because here comes what atheists call the really lucky part. The amount of fine-tuning of the cosmological constant, one that we come upon, according to atheists, by accident and not by jumping to the conclusion of an intelligent designer, is like blindfolding yourself, spinning around ten times and then randomly firing a dart at our GALAXY wide dart board and hitting the target exactly in the centre of its 2.5 centimetre disk. Missing that target by any amount and - that’s right, no universe.
What I find sad and absolutely amazing is that if you’re an atheist, none of the above will be enough to convince you to consider Creator God as part of the equation. So let me use a different example.
The distance from one edge of the Milky Way galaxy to the other edge is the potential distance or range for our constants and quantities. Travelling at the speed of light, that’s 100,000 years of travel.
. If the cosmological constant had varied any more than 2.5cms, no us, no life.
. If the entropy per baryon had varied any more than the width of ONE PROTON - no us, no life of any kind - No Universe!
If, by this point your mind isn’t numb with the credulity and gullibility that atheists force themselves to live with, I just don’t know what it would take to get you to throw up your hands and give up. I mean, just how blind does a person have to be before s/he willingly stops demanding the right to drive the car? This is not a joking matter any more. Atheist scientists have discovered this information. They know it, but obviously maintaining their bias against Creator God is worth throwing away their integrity. It’s embarrassing. It’s shameful. It should be a crime for them to teach “The Universe As An Accident” to your children.
Still not impressed? Listen up. Remember, these constants and quantities are independent of and unrelated to each other. There's no natural reason for any one of them to be just as they are. So, as astronomical are the odds of any one of them being just right for a life sustaining universe, to find all of them being as they are in the same universe, by accident is beyond comprehension. To figure out those odds, you would take, say, the Weak Force constant of 1 in 10^100, add to that the constant of gravitational constant 1 in 10^120, which gives you 10 ^ 100 + 120 + . . . and so on for ALL of the 100 + constants and quantities.
Still not impressed? Science states that anything beyond 10 ^ 50 is the same as impossible. On the one hand Stephen Hawking has said “If all the grains of sand on all the beaches of the Earth were possible universes, and only one of those grains of sand was a universe that allowed for the existence of intelligent life, then that one grain of sand is the universe we inhabit.” Yet on the other hand we know that Hawking remains an atheist. In the face of this evidence, why would Hawking or any atheist for that matter continue to search for natural solutions? They have to. In order to maintain their dogmatic, definite, deliberate denial of God’s existence, atheists must believe that the impossible is possible.
And that is why atheists say that we’re really, really lucky to be here.
That is why atheists say all this is just an amazing coincidence.
That is why atheists say there is no evidence for Creator God
That is why atheists say that any one who suggests that Creator God is involved in this miracle of life is just jumping to conclusions.
The Atheist Challenge
“God, I know surely that You do not exist. But if perchance You exist, which I contest, it is not my duty to believe in You; it is Your duty to reveal Yourself to me.”
The then Jewish atheist Richard Wurmbrand
Mr. Wurmbrand went on to become one of the world’s greatest evangelists and founder of Voice of the Martyrs which is currently active in 80 restricted countries. His books promoting Jesus as Messiah have been translated into more than 50 languages.
The then Jewish atheist Richard Wurmbrand
Mr. Wurmbrand went on to become one of the world’s greatest evangelists and founder of Voice of the Martyrs which is currently active in 80 restricted countries. His books promoting Jesus as Messiah have been translated into more than 50 languages.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Are You Good Soil?
Most people who go to Church have heard Jesus’ parable of the Sower and the Seed. This is the one where Jesus predicts that roughly three quarters of those who make a commitment for Jesus will sooner or later fall away, give up, quit the cause. This must be disappointing for guys like John Loftus who think that there is something marvellously independent and rational and courageous about them for quitting Christianity when Jesus knew they would do it all along. In fact, people like Loftus aren’t the exception; they’re the norm! A dull, dreary and tragic norm.
According to Jesus’ story, some seed falls on gravel and dies. Some falls in shallow soil and dies. Some falls among thorns and is choked to death and dies. And some, the one quarter who fall on good soil are the ones who Jesus nurtures and tends and uses to produce a bountiful crop. "For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." Philippians 2:19.
As the apostle Paul said, “I’ve finished the race. I’ve fought the good fight. I’ve kept the faith.” He, as I also hope to be one day, is the exception.
Here’s what I wonder.
What percentage of those of us who attend Church etc. believe that we are the good soil? How many of us believe that we are the one's through whom God "works out everything in conformioty with the purpose of His will" Ephesians 1:11, producing a bountiful crop with the Word that God has given us?
What percentage of us think that there aren’t any thorns choking out our love for Jesus?
Do we recognise busyness as thorns?
Do we recognise “Jesus plus works = salvation” as something depleting our ability for growth?
How about the amount of time we devote to sports or other hobbies?
How about the way we strive for more material “blessings”?
I work with a lot of Christians who don’t even recognise cherished sins as something that is choking out their love for Jesus. One woman, one “Christian” woman said to me last week with a big smirk, “Well, if lust is wrong then I guess there are a lot of us doing stuff wrong.” Are you surprised that she and her husband are separated and she’s living with another man?
Do you assume that you are good soil in which the Word of Jesus flourishes?
Does your relationship with Jesus actually make a difference in how you live?
Or are you like the proverbial frog being slowly boiled to death by the society in which you’re immersed?
According to Jesus’ story, some seed falls on gravel and dies. Some falls in shallow soil and dies. Some falls among thorns and is choked to death and dies. And some, the one quarter who fall on good soil are the ones who Jesus nurtures and tends and uses to produce a bountiful crop. "For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." Philippians 2:19.
As the apostle Paul said, “I’ve finished the race. I’ve fought the good fight. I’ve kept the faith.” He, as I also hope to be one day, is the exception.
Here’s what I wonder.
What percentage of those of us who attend Church etc. believe that we are the good soil? How many of us believe that we are the one's through whom God "works out everything in conformioty with the purpose of His will" Ephesians 1:11, producing a bountiful crop with the Word that God has given us?
What percentage of us think that there aren’t any thorns choking out our love for Jesus?
Do we recognise busyness as thorns?
Do we recognise “Jesus plus works = salvation” as something depleting our ability for growth?
How about the amount of time we devote to sports or other hobbies?
How about the way we strive for more material “blessings”?
I work with a lot of Christians who don’t even recognise cherished sins as something that is choking out their love for Jesus. One woman, one “Christian” woman said to me last week with a big smirk, “Well, if lust is wrong then I guess there are a lot of us doing stuff wrong.” Are you surprised that she and her husband are separated and she’s living with another man?
Do you assume that you are good soil in which the Word of Jesus flourishes?
Does your relationship with Jesus actually make a difference in how you live?
Or are you like the proverbial frog being slowly boiled to death by the society in which you’re immersed?
“I’ve lived in prison for a long time now. And I’ve met a lot of men who were motivated to commit violence against women just like me. And without a single exception everyone of them was deeply involved in pornography. Without exception they were deeply influenced and consumed by an addiction to pornography. There is no doubt about it, the FBI’s own study on serial homicide shows that the most common interest among serial killers is pornography.”
Ted Bundy, killer of 23 women, the day before he was executed.
Ted Bundy, killer of 23 women, the day before he was executed.
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