For the Shire

How good is good?

2008-12-11T17:05:00.003-06:00

I had a thought that I wish to share...

Imagine that you are a basically good person (difficult, isn't it?). If I ask you, "who gets to go to Heaven and who gets to go to Hell?", what do you say? Most likely, something like "Well, really bad people go to hell, like murderers. Good people (like me) go to Heaven." "So, the only people who go to hell are murderers?" I'd reply. "Well, not exactly. I mean, others, like CEOs of big companies who only want to line their pockets with gold at the expense of the American people, they'd go to hell too!"

Then, I'd reset the scenario and ask the same question. "Imagine you are a really really good person. You are so good that nobody else on earth has done fewer bad things than you. In fact, you haven't done a single bad thing. No lies, no swearing, no lusting after another person. You are good. Does that change things?" To which you might reply, "Well, no, not really. I mean, people are all basically good. Just because I'm better, that doesn't mean that people who do little things like lie should go to hell. I want to have somebody to hang out with in Heaven." Do you see the problem here? We have such a lack of understanding of holiness, it makes us unable to comprehend what God has done for us.

Let me put it yet another way. "Imagine you are so good that if anyone who has done one bad thing comes into your presence, so many laws of reality will be violated that the universe will cease to exist. Problem is, your best friend has told a white lie once. You can no longer see them, because you'd destroy the universe and kill everybody. You are simply too good for your friend. In fact, your friend, with their one simple lie, is so evil compared to you that your nose begins to turn away from the awful stench of their atrocity. Your very nature is contrary to their actions. Does this sadden you?"

You see, this is the position God is in. If we truly understand His holiness, we would realize that we are simply unworthy to even look upon His face. But He loves us so much it hurts! So much that He allowed a part of himself to become human, to understand pain and suffering. That part of God, who became man, was so good that the Bible says He committed no sin. He never lied, or stole anything. He never even disobeyed his parents even once. He then caused that man, Jesus Christ, to go through the most horrific, excruciating experience imaginable. Not only was their earthly suffering put to him by the Roman crucifixion ritual, but all of the evil things you have ever done entered his mind and soul, and he felt the weight of an eternity of evil crushing him. But loving you so much, God turned His back on His most precious Son, and allowed Jesus to be crushed by the weight of your evil deeds. In fact, because of the end result, God was pleased by the pain His Son endured, because He knew that He would get to spend eternity with His best friend... You.

There's just one more problem. God is watching the activities of mankind, just waiting for someone to realize that the penalty for their evil and atrocious actions has already been propitiated. The fine that is demanded by God's perfection has already been paid. He asks just one thing of you. "Follow me." If you do that, He can have you back, you can come into His presence and fellowship with Him. His Son has taken your evil away, your sins have been cleansed, and no laws of the universe will be violated in your communion with the Father. He just desires that you accept His gift.

If this interests you, you should read the book of Isaiah and then read the book of John. You will find that the God you believe is playing games with peoples' lives does not exist. He is a God of love, and His solution to your sin problem couldn't be simpler. You don't have to do anything, accept acknowledge that He has done it.

Evolution, Genetics, and Homosexuality

2008-12-01T22:52:00.005-06:00

Can someone please explain to me how homosexuality is an evolutionary advancement? Please!?!?!

I'm sorry, but along with all of the other ridiculous lies that the world is buying into these days, this one just tops the list. Let me attempt to break it down for you, so you can understand not what my argument is, but what your own belief is (assuming you believe such lies).

The justification of homosexuality, as well as the belief in the theory of (macro-)evolution is based not on science but on a fairly prevalent worldview in western culture. This worldview is systematic and ideological. It has been foisted upon children at an early age in an attempt to wipe the slate clean of religious values and Biblical principles. This worldview starts with the presupposition "In the beginning man..." Those paying close attention will notice the symmetry (or lack thereof) with the Biblical thesis introduction "In the beginning God..."

The importance of this distinction manifests itself in the rationale behind the movement to push said worldview upon the general populace. To begin with "In the beginning God..." is to make oneself accountable to a higher power. This concept is sickening to the average human being, simply because accountability is the primary source of recognition of guilt. To be forced to give an account for oneself (for instance in the prophesied Great White Throne Judgment, Revelation 20:11-15) is to come face to face with those things in your life which you know are wrong. If even on a purely intellectual level, mankind seeks to alleviate the knowledge of this coming judgment, by painting God completely out of the picture. Once God has been satisfiably removed from the general stream of consciousness, a searing of the conscience can remove the feeling of guilt. Once guilt is removed, the temporary pleasures of sin are all that remain, and revelry (or perhaps gluttony) is perfectly acceptable. This is Satan's pernicious lie. "Did God really say 'You will surely die'?" Don't eat the fruit.

No science validates the theories proposed by Darwin. Neither does science validate homosexuality as justified, acceptable, traditional, or genetically inherited. The very idea demonstrates a complete lack of rational thought. I ask you again, how can homosexuals reproduce? Evolutions' own claims would remove homosexuals from the population through survival of the fittest and trimming of the gene pool. No, only the depraved human mind can conjure up such a vile and detestable act as homosexuality. Worse still, God has already demonstrated a specific judgment for homosexuality, in the volcanic destruction of both Sodom and Gomorrah. God grieved that only one righteous man was found in those cities.

There is one simple solution to this madness. One must identify those things in their life (sin of every kind) which are rebellious to the creator, and repent (turn away) from those deeds. Then, one must understand and accept the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross, specifically for that sin. One must ask the Savior to send the Holy Spirit into their hearts, to change their deeds and transform (metamorph) them like a cocoon transforms a larvae into a butterfly. Scripture says that the words of Jesus are like madness to an unbeliever. It doesn't have to be this way however. The Spirit of Truth has a specific role of revealing the mysteries of Scripture to us. Once this revelation has been allowed to take place, rational thought will return and science can be reconciled into harmony with God's word.

Website Update, 2008

2008-12-01T22:49:00.002-06:00

This is an official notice that I am semi-unofficially not quite sure if I will officially finish my website before the end of the 2008. So... there you go.

God's Remnant: Messianic Judaism

2008-11-15T23:49:00.004-06:00

For two years now I have grappled with the idea of the post-tribulational rapture. In that time, my wife Laurie and I have come to realize that we whole-heartedly believe it to be true. As disheartening as it may sound, pre-tribulation rapture dispensationalism is heretical. That doesn't mean those who believe it are not Christians. It just means we've been deceived. Now, interestly, when doing a search for discourses exposing the underlying theology behind post-trib, I realized something...

Messianic Judaism is where the strongest "branch" of God's church will come from during the tribulation. This is because they have not been fooled by dispensationalism. More horrifying is the fact that the "falling away" discussed in scripture will be 2/3 of the evangelical Christian movement in the United States. For this reason, I am bumping up my campaign to gently notify and alert my close friends, Christian brothers and sisters that we need to get serious about understanding scripture's underlying doctrine regarding the tribulation and the rapture of the Church.

This link is a strong and clear argument by a Messianic Jew (I believe) about this topic: http://www.lightofmashiach.org/post_trib_rapture.html.

More on this later!

Business in the middle of nowhere

2008-11-14T23:06:00.003-06:00

What business do we have here? Eh... the state. Can't get away from it. I've traveled with Laurie up to Pierre again, probably for the last time in quite a while. I have to help someone out with a small application installation task that's fairly important for them. We decided to couple it with a visit to Community Bible and to visit a few friends. It's incredibly inconvenient since we're trying to move, but otherwise it's been quite nice. We got up early, and got up here in time to be at the office for a few hours, and I'll finish up tomorrow morning. *yawn* For now, I'm going to bed.

John Hancock Day

2008-10-30T22:02:00.003-06:00

Well, today was officially "John Hancock Day" for Laurie and I. That basically means I signed my name on enough forms for my signature to lose all meaning to me. Actually, despite what many will say, it was easy. It only took 30 minutes (I've heard some say 2 - 4 hours, pssht!). After it was all over, we thanked our realtor John Lytle (give him a call if you're buying), and drove over to our new home!!!

First, it needs raking and yard cleanup. The owners weren't around this summer, so the yard was entirely neglected (along with the rest of the house). It's probably getting embarrassing for neighbors too, so if my new easterly neighbor is as domineering as my westerly neighbor claims, then he'll be bugging about the time we pull up with rakes. Also, the siding needs to be cleaned, and the garden brick cleaned up, tidied or just plain replaced. The fallen walnuts in the yard will go with the leaves to the curb.

Secondly, there's a bug problem in the window and door screens. Word on the street is this happens everywhere, so we'll get some fog and raid and knock them out quick.

Next is the preliminary decor. This means painting. There will be plenty of time to paint each room, since we won't immediately fill up the entire space. However, the master bedroom will get painted first. Also, we'll experiment with painting the trim, as it's fairly cheap wood with old stain, and it could use a modern update. Along with that, we'll put up $75-100 worth of crown molding and some new blinds. The carpet can stay for now.

Moving on, the fun part will be putting in furniture. Thrift stores will help with the initial expense. Decorative and accent tables, focusing on rustic or antique style wood will give our rooms the perfect flare. As for the furniture itself, primary seating will be a problem. Thrift stores are hit or miss, so hopefully we'll get lucky with enough furniture to fill the living room, and our couch can go in the basement for our entertainment room. Our current table will be getting touched up, as dings and scratches from the move have marred it slightly. It will be a beautiful addition to our empty dining room.

Still, we have the future projects to think about to give this house a truly unique feel.

We need to update the stain on the cabinets in the kitchen and master bathroom, possibly resurfacing them with a minor bit of sanding first. Once finished, we'll be adding backsplash above the sink in the kitchen, and of course eventually adding a new counter top. That can wait a while as the current counter is nice looking generic laminate, but brand new. The sink the previous owners chose is perfect, and will stay either way. Also, to add counter space, we'll remove the nook table and seating, and put in either more counters, an island or both. The pantries in this kitchen are to die for, and won't go away.

Out back, we're going to add a brick patio or a low profile deck and construct a basic outdoor kitchen. Either one will be doable myself, so I'll save bucks that way. I can't wait to get my construction hat on for that. I'm confident I can do it.

Next will be the sub-basement finish. Now, we've been told it's not likely to raise the value of the house. Granted. It will raise the value for us, however. We don't plan on spending lots of money on this though. Plywood ceilings with a nailgun, I can do myself. Paint it a beatiful color with stain, and we've got an afforable solution. The ceiling is already beamed and insulated, so we won't have to worry about that. Even framing basic walls and wiring a few electrical outlets is no problem. Drywalling will probably be contracted. Laying down more plywood or a more sturdy but affordable material to level the floor, and covering it with carpet is also doable for me. The toughest job--still doable but something demanding great care--is ripping out the entrance wall, installing an archway, and building grand stairs. We'll add wall sconces for a beautiful lighting solution, too. We may even be able to put in a really basic bathroom, but who knows for sure. All in all, I think it's doable in about 3-5 years.

And last but not least, the crowning achievement, the most achievable, and probably the highest priority item to get done in the next few months is a bar! I don't think I'm up for building one, so I'll pick one up. However, I may build or buy a cheap buffet and shelving to put up behind it, as well as a mirror and more glassware space. We'll add barstools and a small cafe table, and viola! I can't wait for that one!

Keystone Bible Conference, 2008

2008-10-12T18:52:00.004-06:00

Well, this weekend was amazing. We were at my assembly's sister church, Keystone Bible Chapel for the annual Fall Bible Conference. Scott DeGroff and Jamie Hull were the speakers. Now, don't get me wrong, Jamie Hull was awesome, and had one of the most encouraging messages I've heard in a while. However, Scott DeGroff blew my socks off! Literally, I have no socks on right now.

Scott spoke passionately and eloquently on the message of Romans to the Christian in today's church. Many points were flying, including the idea of impending wrath, sin for the Christian and non-Christian, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and most importantly, the calling of the Saints to testifying of the Gospel message. Praise the Lord!

I am so thankful for the types of concepts and studies the Lord has been sending to me through the Holy Spirit and ministries of various individuals lately. Everything seems completely wrapped up in one ideological summation. The Church is called to testify of the Gospel, but we've lost our way. Various things are hindering us, whether it is sin, the failing of our zeal, the misunderstanding or loss of absolute truth, the list goes on. The main point however is this: people are heading for hell, and the lake of fire, and God's wrath. We have the key to Salvation, through Christ Jesus our Lord, if we would only share it, broadcast it!

I am more convinced than ever that, among many other foundational solutions, The Truth Project will be a springboard of evangelism revival in the Church in the U.S. That is why Laurie and I are going to be opening our home to show this DVD series as often as possible in the coming year. Of course, the first session we'll be doing is with our church in Council Bluffs (Council Bluffs Bible Chapel). They requested that we do it during the normal Wednesday night prayer and potluck. While not perfectly ideal or intended by the project framework, it will get the training and DVD set into the hands of those at that assembly. From there, it may spread through their families or acquaintances. I have no idea what God has in mind for my family at CBBC, but I just know it's my responsibility to begin spreading this training tool around the Omaha area. I hope that Keystone, Northwest, and Lincoln Bible Chapels get ahold of it shortly thereafter as well!

Well, that's all for now.

Home Owners

2008-10-05T18:32:00.002-06:00

And to add to my previous blog post, we are now officially home owners!!! The house in Quail Creek is officially ours! We close on October 30th if all goes well. Inspections, appraisals, and loan paperwork follow.

House Hunters

2008-09-30T21:06:00.004-06:00

If some of you haven't heard, I'd like to take a moment to update you about a pivotal time in our lives which is transpiring now. We are currently shopping for a house!!! We have seen 30 houses in the last month, and 20-25 of them in the last 9 days. There are some real downers in the bunch, considering we are purposely lowering our price range to one that is reasonable, not frivolous. However, there are a few beautiful houses in the lot as well! We're really encouraged.

After some discussion and thought, we have had an interesting full-circle experience. One of the first houses we saw, when we visited Omaha before moving was in Quail Creek, Bellevue. After viewing many other houses in open house showings, and making a run with our realtor, we came right back to the Quail Creek house. Even our realtor loved it! We saw a few more open houses, and went for a showing in Happy Hollow to see older homes.

After it all, we're more than convinced we know which house is right for us. The house is perfect just as it is, and it's in a beautiful quiet neighborhood, has a huge wooded yard, and is tucked into the end of a dead end street (similar to a cul-de-sac but without the lack of parking). The house would need zero work up front, but has the potential for us to add numerous things to it, including a home theater with stadium seating in the bonus sub-basement! The floor plan is a tri-level house, which they don't make anymore, making it a fairly unique house. Combined with the customisations we've envisioned, this house could have over 2600 square (it has 2250 now), and worth considerably more than we'll end up paying for it. Not to mention, the housing market is slumping, which means cheap houses!

I'm pumped!!! See it here!

The Truth Project

2008-09-20T00:34:00.004-06:00

Hey hey! It's me again. I haven't posted in a while, because I've been busy havin' fun meeting new people and hanging out with family and friends. Who has time for blogging?

Anywhoodles... er, stuff! Laurie and I were fortunate enough to be able to purchase The Truth Project DVD set, which we went through at Community Bible Church in Pierre, SD with pastor Harvey Friez. We will be embarking on a new journey, potentially of leadership or giving, or whatever it is God has in mind for us. We will be hosting a small group either in our apartment, or at a church, depending on the interest.

With that, I've put together a CD with all the files available from the support website (which is available only to group participants, along with the DVDs). Also, I'll open up a simple pre-registered site for all the group members, using either WordPress, phpBB, or both (Joomla takes too long to be worth a dime).

I feel God is moving me into a role of behind the scenes leadership, at the moment. To me, that means that I am being strongly called to help others around me see what God has in store for the body of Christ. However, I don't feel like that calling is leading me to stand in front of people and teach them. My passion, convictions, love for Christ, and adoration of the Father is being focused in a very specific ministry. I am so fired up for spreading God's word, but also in witnessing to lukewarm, backslidden, weak, disheartened, dry, and tired Christians, desperately needing a spiritual kick from behind. For some reason, God has seen fit to bless me with perspective and clarity I never knew I could possess. I have been given insight into ideas for reviving those around me that is clearly not originating from my own person. I see a hurting world, I see a hurting, malnourished, a failing church, and my heart breaks. We need to heal ourselves before we can effectively heal the world. The Truth Project is one of a few solutions for this disease. The Church needs a worldview check. And by check, I mean the hockey kind, where your face is smashed against the glass until you see stars, or nothing at all.

Well, that's all for now. Peace!

First Day, Sept 02, 2008

2008-09-03T18:29:00.003-06:00

Well, my first (and second) day is over at Solutionary. It seems to be going quite well. I'm doing no web development. Instead, I'm just involved in backend programming. I actually think I'm going to like it! The company has a strict policy on divulging details, since they do the security thing. So, yeah. Just... just come closer.. closer.. *whisper whisper whisper* So yeah, now I get to kill you!

Moved In At Last

2008-09-01T20:44:00.005-06:00

Well, finally we're moved in. Not only are we moved in, but we're actually unpacked (mostly). Several boxes are organized into the corner of our tiny apartment, but all the important things are unpacked. The TV, DVD player/Theater system, modem, router, etc. are unpacked and set up. We eventually picked up a new tv stand to put our tv on, as the rotating wall mounts are $400. My X-Box 360 is still packed, but in a box next to the tv. As soon as I have time, I'll open it up!

Moving sucked! Big time. But, at the same time it went as well as could be expected. Dwight was here to help, as well as the Browns, my parents, and Laurie's parents also.

Sunday, we headed over to Laurie's parents' house to do an offline draft for our fantasy football league. It was ok, but the sandwiches were great, and the company was good too! Stacey gave me the final piece of the present from the wedding/birthday/house warming gift, four medium sized hurricane glasses. Because of that, Laurie decided she won't unpack my Mall of America Rainforest Cafe glasses... I'm sad.

Tomorrow is my first day of work at Solutionary, Inc. We'll see how it goes.

Still Packing

2008-08-26T23:26:00.004-06:00

Yes, it is true. We are still packing. But now we're really close. We've spent part of today cleaning the two bedrooms in the apartment. Now that those are spotless, and all the miscellaneous items are getting packed, it's starting to come together. The big challenge was moving all the heaviest boxes down to the basement, and continuing to haul junk to the dumpster... I'm tired of junk, so I'm glad we're getting rid of ours.

Several people have offered to come help tomorrow, including Steve Valland, Ty, Jason, and possibly Tyler and Aaron Propst. It'll be cake, since we've done a fairly nice job packing, IMO.

On another note, we forwarded our address, canceled our utilities, and ordered Cox Digital Cable and High Speed Internet in our Omaha apartment. This ensures no interruption in access. If that fails for some reason, I will hack into the Thomasville free wifi in the clubhouse, and set up a string of wireless routers to our apartment... well, maybe not, but it sounds fun!

Packing Up

2008-08-25T10:57:00.003-06:00

Well, we're almost done packing. Things are still not quite looking bare because we haven't moved the furniture, but virtually everything is in a box, bin, or tote of some kind. My desk is clean!

Tonight, there will apparently be a little get together at Steamboat Park in our honor. Ty and Amber Margheim have contacted a few people from church and asked them to show up. I'm not sure what's planned though. Unfortunately, I won't be able to do my final lessons with my young students but that's ok. I'll just have to come back and visit them.

Super Laurie Website Released

2008-08-23T00:35:00.002-06:00

I have released a preview version of the new Super Laurie website, at SuperLaurie.org. Check it out, and subscribe to the feed.

Super Laurie, v0.1

2008-08-23T00:33:00.000-06:00

I have recently had just a tad more time on my hands (a temporary situation, I assure you). Therefore, I've been developing several websites. One in particular is SuperLaurie.org! For some of you, this is a day long coming. For others, you're a bit confused. Here's the lowdown:

Super Laurie is my wife, at least, that's her alter ego (nickname). Super Laurie is also a comic book character created by my wife. Several Super Laurie comic strips exist in a notebook that Laurie has kept with her since high school. The comic strip had taken on a life of its own for quite some time in college, when several of her friends seemed very interested to become "characters" in "The Adventures of Super Laurie"... then, Laurie met me.

Apparently, this had an adverse effect on her diligence to meet the demands of her fans, and the comic strip died. Until now!!! Since I was responsible for the death of this once loved comic book superhero, I figured I'd try and help bring her back. So, I'm here to tell you people that Super Laurie has gone digital! So, without further ado, I give you SuperLaurie.org.

Now, please keep in mind that this is a preview. We've had no time to really get into this, but interest from you guys will certainly give us some incentive to get it going after we finish moving.

Contact Page Updates

2008-08-21T16:00:00.004-06:00

I've added some superfluous updates to my contact page. I call them superfluous because, frankly, I don't even know why I did it. *sigh* Oh well. My twitter status is updated on the site, and there's a link to my facebook profile. Woohoo!

Social Networking: Pure Evil

2008-08-21T00:22:00.002-06:00

It's late... and guess what. I'm up just wasting my time browsing around in the social networking world. What an absolute waste of time. But, since there's sooo much to see, you can't help but waste your time if you want to actually browse. Ugh!

And is all I want to do is add a couple of cool badges to my site for my various profiles. Seeing little icons for various social networking sites seems to give visitors warm fuzzies. Blah! Why do I even bother.

Moving Time is Here

2008-08-19T22:49:00.005-06:00

Well, we're back in Pierre. It's that time... yep.. moving time! We'll be spending the next week seeing some close friends, getting a few stern looks at church from those who couldn't dream of anyone wanting to live anywhere other than Pierre, and finishing packing. There's at most one item in that list that will be pleasant. Can you guess which?

Seeing Chris and Karen was nice, as usual. I'm glad Laurie was able to see little Jonathan, finally. Chris alternated between gushing over his baby (which is quite respectable), and speaking (and encouraging me to speak) geek-ish nonsense that caused Laurie and Karen to promptly ignore us.

And naturally, eating lunch with the in-laws was nice also. It was nice to see them feeling over the rush of craziness involved in the wedding. Once we're back in town, we'll have them over and treat them to some grilled food.

The Aftermath

2008-08-18T16:38:00.003-06:00

We're back in Omaha, and everything is attempting to settle down. Cleaning up the reception site went smoothly, except for a wait for the maintenance dep't of Arbor State Park to get a ladder for us to get the lights down with. The bride's parents are de-stressing a little. Poor Shadow (the dog) didn't fare too well on the trip back from the kennel, and is in a state of exhausted anxiety, as well as pain in her failing hips.

I feel like I ought to mention that the "trickling" effect from this morning's hangover crowd didn't include me (despite the opinion to the contrary of the naysayers out there... just kidding...). However, as usual I woke up 15 minutes late. It's just my style. (have I mentioned I hate mornings?)

Sooo Early

2008-08-18T09:26:00.005-06:00

Well, it's the day after and--due to the "open bar"--people are a little slow waking up. Breakfast featured a "trickling" effect as everyone woke up and stumbled in. We have yet to clean up the site of the reception before heading back to Omaha.

It's My Birthday

2008-08-17T13:31:00.004-06:00

August 17, 2008, Jeff and Stacey's wedding, Nebraska City, NE

I'm about to head over to the Morton Historic Barns, near the Lied Lodge in Nebraska City, to prepare the music for this evenings wedding. It's been a fairly relaxing day, thankfully. The wedding will be late this evening, at 6:00 pm, so we'll be busy until midnight in all likelihood. It sounds like there will be some drinks at the reception too, which could be nice.

The deep breath before the plunge...

Wedding Fever

2008-08-16T10:20:00.005-06:00

Yesterday marked the beginning of the festivities for Jeff and Stacey's wedding! The event isn't until Sunday at 6:00 pm so we've got tons of time. Plus, it'll be my birthday!!! Party time!

Renovation

2008-08-15T12:57:00.002-06:00

This website is currently under construction. Please be prepared for minor turbulence.

Framework Development

2008-08-15T12:44:00.011-06:00

It's official. This website is about to not suck. I'm refactoring the entire site, specifically including the blogger and flickr syndication, using a new framework for php I've been working on. It's based on concepts I've picked up in all my research in the last two years, and work I've already done for this website. Here are the features, which ought to look familiar to framework conisseurs:

URL rewriting using the routing pattern
module/action based organization structure
templating in raw php, with capability to use templating engines
request filters
class autoloading
native caching
configuration system
zone/slot system
simple template helpers system

The only thing that's actually revolutionary about this framework is that it's not bloated. It's lean, mean, and lightning fast. To process a single request, you hit basically four (4) scripts. That's compared to a typical framework with a stack trace usually 10-15 deep.

Nonexistence of Atheism

2008-05-03T23:06:00.005-06:00

One day, I was walking along in the park and I encountered a young man, just over thirty I think. I decided to stop and talk to him, on no account of my own. "Hello, how are you doing?" I asked.

"Just fine." He said. "Just enjoying the weather."

"It is nice out, isn't it?" I asked, hypothetically. "Do you live around here?"

"Sure. Just up the street, there." He pointed towards a nearby neighborhood.

"Do you go to church?" I asked, swinging the conversation rather differently than he expected.

"Nah.. I don't believe in religion." He quickly stated.

"Religion...?" I asked. "You mean, you're an 'atheist'?" I used my fingers to indicate quotes.

"Yes, I'm an atheist. I don't believe in God."

"Can I ask you a question?" Questions were just flying, already.

He paused a moment. "Yeah, go ahead."

"What if I said to you, 'I don't believe in atheists.' What would you say?"

He replied, "I'd say that's insane. I'm standing right in front of you, telling you I'm an atheist."

"Interesting... But do you know how many hairs are on the back of a full-grown male Tibetan yak?"

"No..." He stuttered.

"Do you know the combined weight of the sand on all the beaches in Hawaii?"

"No..."

"So you don't know everything?"

"No, I don't. Nobody knows everything." He seemed smug to admit his ignorance of all things.

"Thomas Edison once said, 'We don't know one millionth of one percent of anything.' That seems quite a statement, doesn't it?" I paused, but continued quickly. "Suppose you know one percent of everything. That's quite a generous hypothetical, isn't it?"

"Yes, I suppose." He replied.

"Well, in the 99 percent of everything you don't yet know, wouldn't it be possible that there is ample evidence to prove that there is in fact a God?"

"I... suppose." He stammered again, irritated just a little.

"If I were to say, 'There is no gold in China.' What would I need to prove that statement? I'd need to know that there is no gold in the rivers, coasts, mountains, dirt, pawn shops, or fillings of teeth in all of China, right? I'd literally have to know everything." He nodded, and I continued. "But if I were to say, 'There is gold in China.' I'd have a much safer statement. I wouldn't need to know much at all, would I? One ounce of gold produced could prove my statement absolutely correct." He nodded yet again, really bewildered by my reasoning. "So, I say to you sir, 'I don't believe in atheists.'"

He blinked. "I... I don't see how you arrived at that conclusion, from gold in China."

"In order for you to know that God doesn't exist, you'd need to know everything." I continued. "And we've already agreed that one percent of everything is more than you know. So, in fact, since nobody knows everything, no one can know that God doesn't exist, and therefore atheists do not exist."

He began to speak, but I kept on speaking. "In fact, you are only really saying that you don't really know whether God exists or not. They have a word for that: 'agnostic' or 'those who profess ignorance'."

He cringed, and I said, "Yeah.. I know. It's painful, but now you see that my unbelief in atheism is a lot safer than your unbelief in God, simply by logic alone. And here, I see God's creation all around us. It takes only a child's intelligence to know that a painting has a painter or that a building has a builder. The Bible says, 'The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that does good."

Adapted from Ray Comfort, The School of Biblical Evangelism.

New Phones!!!

2008-04-15T17:43:00.006-06:00

I'm so excited.. I can't stop thinking about my new phone, coming tomorrow! It's a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _!!! Yeah, I'll let you figure it out, but I'm excited. Hopefully I'll be able to do more moblogging (blogger), networking (facebook), tweeting (twitter), eating (del.ico.us), etc.

Another New Theme

2008-02-16T19:30:00.001-06:00

...and yes, I did change my website's theme again. I get bored easy. Don't you know this by now?

Contact Page

2008-01-30T22:24:00.001-06:00

There is a new Contact Me page on the site, complete with contact form+validation and hex-encoded email address. Check it out, and drop me a line.

Flickr Page

2008-01-29T23:38:00.001-06:00

Check out my new photos page integrated directly into my site, using similar technology to that of my blog!

If anyone needs some help getting similar in-website syndications of their blogger or flickr feeds, let me know. The code is surprisingly easy to use and extremely customizable.

New Banner

2008-01-22T23:14:00.000-06:00

Check out the new banner (one of many options I have) graciously donated by SuperL!!!

Lord of the Rings Fever

2008-01-22T19:59:00.000-06:00

Yep, I have it again. I've decided to read the books over, since I just love it so much!

I even decided to do a very basic restoration of one of my favorite maps for LotR. The original was scanned in with very bad creases. These were then removed (mostly) for the second version. You can view each original in full size on my website.

Flickr / Full version

Flickr / Full version

New Theme

2008-01-10T00:00:00.000-06:00

I've put a new theme into my website. It's jump started my interest in getting content into the site. Therefore, I've also integrated my blog directly into the site using a swanky blogger feed aggregator I built in php. Check out the site now!

http://www.iconium.org
http://www.iconium.org/blog

I love www.oswd.org!

I could just quote something:
Somebody once told me something. I'm quoting it now. It'll never end.
Or type out some code:

background: url(../img/bgcode.gif);
border: 1px solid #F0F0F0;
border-left: 6px solid #39F;

Yay!

Updated Resume

2008-01-09T00:00:00.000-06:00

I have a new resume posted. It's a step up from the very sad OpenOffice generated html from my last resume. Check it out!

New Guild Site

2007-10-12T00:00:00.000-06:00

I'm proud to announce (sort of) the unveiling of our Guild Wars site, at GoT.IconIUM.org. I'm working on getting the basic layout working, and plan on making a Guild Wars theme soon.

Currently, it has just a little content, some of which is interesting. Mostly, you can see that we have a nice place to put our character introductions, stories, and guild lore, all of which are important aspects of any guild site.

Stop by and check that out!

Daniel's Seventieth Week

2007-07-27T11:48:00.000-06:00

Yep, that's right. This is about the end times (eschatology)! Gotta love it!

After about three years of banging my head against a Bible, struggling to understand what in the world is going on in the multitudes of passages referring to end times events, and specifically the "rapture," I've finally hit the jackpot!

During a trip to Omaha for a friend's wedding, my wife and I stumbled on some unmistakable concepts. While reading through some passages in Matthew while completely free of preconceptions, we realized how painfully obvious it is when exactly the rapture occurs.

If you examine Matthew 24 (the teachings of Jesus himself... shocker!), you will notice some very specific language regarding information on the end of the age. Verses 4 - 8 discuss birth pains of the end. Verse 9 begins, "Then you..." Now, Jesus is talking to his disciples. What is it he says will happen regarding his disciples in the end times?

"...will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." (Matt. 24:9-14, NIV)

Huh... Interesting. "He who stands firm..." What's that? "...will be saved." I'm really freaking out now. What in the world does that mean? Obviously, it ain't yo mammas pre-trib doctrine, that's fo sho!

"So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel ... then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. ... So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man." (Matt. 24:15-28, NIV)

So, if lightning, being visible from a great distance, so will be the coming of Jesus Christ. Interestingly, no Christians will deny that this is the second coming of Christ. So what's my point? right?

At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. (Matt 24:30-31, NIV)

Ok, so I'm getting sick of quoting this stuff. Just read the whole chapter. I'll refer to it often from here on out.

Oh, it gets better. Check out the next passage. This is often where it gets confusing. The pericope heading on my bible is "The day and hour unknown." Which, by itself is meaningless, until you read the passage and listen to Jesus' words. "...you do not know on what day your Lord will come." If you do the math, and I have, it would be impossible for us to not know when Jesus was coming (roughly, plus or minus several weeks at the most), if we were to be raptured at the end of the tribulation, instead of the beginning. That's what got me for so long. We shouldn't know at all when Christ is coming, because that would nullify this passage. But, guess what! It doesn't!!! We don't know the day Christ is coming! That's all it says. The day!

At this point, it all starts coming together for me. I examine 1 Thessalonians 4 and continue on into 5, and notice the perfect lining up of events, Paul referring to trumpet blasts and angels, etc. Then, in chapter 5 verse 4, Paul tells us (why us, if we're raptured?) that we will not be surprised, but those who are pacified by the antichrist will be taken by surprise, Jesus coming like a thief in the night (vv. 1-3). Furthermore, his instruction to comfort each other is aimed at the worry of wrath being applied to believers during this time, and that we will not be made to suffer, but will enjoy Christ eternally, just as we were meant to do. This seems to go right back to Jesus mentioning those days being "cut short." It is a seven year period, after all, and won't last forever. That too would be comforting to the Christian striving to live through a horrible time such as the tribulation.

Now, if you need final clinching proof, check out Paul's words in the greek, specifically "meet" or "caught up with" and notice how the connotation is specifically mentioning the type of "meet" where you usher a foreign dignitary back to your city, which you just left to meet him. Zion, anyone? And finally, examining Revelations and Daniel, where again trumpets and angels are mentioned, and see how the entire series of events lines up perfectly through several concurrent passages.

Wow. It's over. I'm done. What more is there? My advice is this: quit sitting around looking up, expecting Jesus to appear "at any moment," and start living out his commands, preparing the world for the wrath to come. When Jesus finally does come, it's not going to be a surprise. We'll have been waiting for seven years, and the "rapture" that we've been taught about all our lives is simply us, going into the clouds to usher a conquering king into his new kingdom, where we will be with him forever, never to leave his side.

It's That Time

2007-06-06T22:07:00.002-06:00

Well, we're getting ready to go to Mexico. I wish work didn't exist... I hate deadlines and stupid unreasonable clients. It would be different if I was sharing God's word with them and able to witness on some level, but telecommuting leaves little option. You work, get stuff done, and get paid.

Oh well. I'm thankful for God's blessings anyway. While stressful, work certainly pays the bills and allows for abundance on top. Ironically, I wish I could bring my laptop on the trip and program, but there will be little time for such things. I'm personally getting very excited about doing more evangelism.

I hope that guy Joseph, whom I talked to at Griffon Park, is encouraged by our conversation. He had a very big worry about backsliding, and I could tell that he wanted to know where he stood with the Lord. On the other hand, I sensed that he felt very attached to his lifestyle, and was hesitant to give it over to the Spirit. I will pray that God gives him a wake-up call, and that he finds Christ's example to be an unavoidable representation of what he needs to pursue for his own life. I also pray that the repentance he claimed is real, and that no matter how much he struggles in life, that he is right with God.

The Spirit of God

2007-06-04T23:04:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 50: The Holy Spirit

Four main things the Holy Spirit does for sinners:

draw them
convict them
give birth to them
keep them

By showing the ten commandments (the schoolmaster) to us.
The Holy Spirit is not allowed to use the main tool He has for preparing sinners hearts.
Godly qualities:

guides
appoints
calls men to the ministry of Christ

Acts 28:25, Romans 8:34
I was not aware of the personal qualities of the Spirit.

The Spirit's personal qualities seem to make Him relate more to God the Father and the Son in a way that helps with the cohesive mental picture of the Trinity. The Spirit also seems involved in every aspect of our faith, especially salvation.

The God-Man

2007-06-03T22:42:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 49: The Deity of Christ

Deity of Christ is understood through scripture.
John 2:24-25.
Matthew 2:11.
Jesus, who demonstrated full understanding of the danger of blasphemy, accepted worship, demonstrating he was actually himself claiming worthiness of the worship.
"...by his Son... through whom he made the universe..." Hebrews 1:2
Man can create from existing material, while God can create from nothing.

I once spoke at church about who Christ was. I compiled a list of names that Jesus was called by in scripture, read them all emphatically, and used the long list for dramatic effect. The last name by which Jesus was called, according to my list, was God, or the I Am.

However, just thinking of his names still doesn't even give us a glimpse into who he really was. As a man, he did miraculous things and spoke many eloquent words. As God, He created the universe. Still, our understanding of the Godhead and of Christ is limited at best. I yearn for the day when I can comprehend in full who He is!

Three In One

2007-06-02T22:56:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 48: The Trinity

The word trinity appears in the Bible... *crickets creak*
The Trinity is that God exists in three distinct persons who are all God Eternal.
Ephesians 1

the Father chooses those in Christ to be saved
the Son redeems them
the Holy Spirit seals them

The three persons are not equal and not all God, and Jesus is a created being only, according to JWs.
The redemptive qualities of the collective Godhead strengthens faith through the knowledge of the perfect harmony of God and his perfect plan for salvation.

Salvation By Baptism?

2007-06-01T21:55:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 47: Water Baptism, Part 2

Salvation by grace becomes salvation by "works" when baptism is a requirement.
Ephesians 2:4,8-10 talk of salvation by grace alone.
Important acts of obedience are:

baptism
witnessing
living holiness and purity
fearing and worshiping God

Damnation comes from lack of repentance and belief.
The thief on the cross was never baptized, and who could blame him. Certainly not Christ.
Paul was sent to preach the gospel.

I love how obvious these things are in scripture. Baptism is one example of how easy it is for people to go wrong, but how easy it is to show them the truth. Baptism is not a precondition of salvation, but instead a post-condition of belief. It is a command as the result of our faith, to show our obedience to all of Christ's commands. It is no more a condition for salvation than complete sinlessness is for a saved person.

It is also interesting to note that baptism is more a command for the giver of the gospel than the receiver. Jesus says "Baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit." He didn't say, "I really hope you're reading this because you need to be baptized and if you miss this little tidbit, you're out of luck."

In the Name of Jesus

2007-06-01T21:37:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 46: Water Baptism, Part 1

The Great Commission (Matthew and Mark) demonstrate Jesus command of baptism.
Baptism in Greek (baptizo) means to immerse.
In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Baptism is indeed an outward physical sign of an inward spiritual change or event.
Amen.

Holier Than Thou

2007-05-30T21:31:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 45: Holiness

Holiness can sometimes mean being of high regard, being in a certain religious position, or being detached from the world.
The church is not only a place of solace for most Christians, but also the only place of congregation and isolation, closed off from the world.
Jesus Christ exemplifies true holiness.
Jesus was on earth for a singular purpose of seeking and saving lost souls, and he didn't care about social status or other concerns like "he's a sinner."
Hypocrites are to be avoided at all costs.
Holiness can come from a tender heart or conscience, God's Word, obedience and fear of God Almighty.

Survival of the Most Read

2007-05-29T23:17:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 44: The Survivor's Guide

Survival techniques from scripture:

prayer without ceasing
have endless faith
give God the glory

God has given us all things that pertain to life.
Knowledge of scripture keeps us accountable to God for our sin, and keeps our hearts soft for His work of reaching the lost.
The psalmist rejoiced over the words of God.
Paul subjected his undisciplined spirit, to be an effective minister.
The body is another way of talking about our flesh, and bringing it into subjection is allowing the Spirit to reign in our sinful nature.

God answers prayer, and nine times out of 10 it's in His word. Survival guide indeed.

The Power of Prayer

2007-05-29T23:03:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 43: Prayer

Prayer is the recognition of God's sovereignty in our lives.
Pray without ceasing, always, continuously.
Prayerlessness states "I do not need God."
God's feelings towards prayer are that of delight.
Pray

with faith
with clean hands and a pure heart
genuine heartfelt prayers
to God revealed in scripture

Far too little. Meals, an evening prayer before bed... and on test days.

Prayer is a powerful statement of God's sovereign control of our lives. I feel as though prayer can allow God to act on the things he promises, because of the willful action of the Christian on his knees. God has the power to grant requests regardless, but only a prayerful Christian will beg His attention. Let us pray without ceasing. Excuse me... I need to pray.

For the Love of the Game

2007-05-29T22:54:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 42: The Enemy, Part 4

Unbelievers are blinded to the gospel because of Satan.
Their understanding is darkened because the light would otherwise shine in them.
Satan is seen as an angel of light.
Satan is called the prince or god of this world.
Satan hates our understanding of the law because it harvests true repentance and conversions.
False conversions due to lack of true repentance.
Satan has created a plethora of false religions to confuse the world.

How can we be fearful of an encounter with an unsaved person, when the fire of truth burns in our hearts. I can't believe I myself have given in to this ridiculous and irrational emotion. Jesus Christ, the high priest of our salvation, has filled out the shadow of things to come (the old covenant) in such an amazing way. He is the author and perfecter of our faith, and the lamb slain, who defeated death for the countless sinners of this world. We owe him just one conversation, just one tract handed out, something, ANYTHING!

I can't wait for Saturday!

The LORD God is With You

2007-05-26T23:28:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 41: The Enemy, Part 3

We should become personally involved in the ministry of our Father.
Revivals won't win the war, only "one to one" witnessing.
We are not "fishers" because we are not following the Master closely.
Satan will attack through trusted individuals and words of discouragement.
Satan usually attacks when we are most vulnerable, weak with a burden or personal problem.
Israel was not allowed to talk while marching around Jericho.
Hold your shield high, and keep words of discouragement from affecting you.

He Seriously Kills People???

2007-05-25T21:01:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 40: The Enemy, Part 2

If a Christian does not battle lust, they aren't fighting. They've given in to it.
Lust is something we want (usually sexual) that we can't have, or shouldn't idolize.
Deceit is the exemplary quality of sin, leading sinners to a path of delusion.
Sinful people who don't care are usually happy, as they are oblivious to the damage they are causing. Later on in life, however, a frequent sinner will regret their lifestyle and lack of fear of God.
When we are witnessing, the devil targets us, trying to break down our walls.
An idle hand is the tool of the devil.
Keeping busy doing God's work will allow us to flee from the devil, as well as a scripture and God centered mind.

God actually took the lives of several people throughout scripture. This is serious stuff. We need to be mindful of God's wrath towards sin.

New Site

2007-05-25T19:19:00.001-06:00

I have a new website, recently added, at IconIUM.org! There's not much there, but it's a work in progress. I'm just happy I have hosting now, so I can pursue some of my projects with real hosting.

He Actually Kills People???

2007-05-24T23:53:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 39: The Enemy, Part 1

When we repent, we immediately are foisted into a battle involving, the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Using the amour of God (Ephesians 2), we can put out the flaming arrows of the devil. Memorizing scripture is one example of the analogy in practice.
The flesh is the only gateway the devil has for temptation.
Guilt caused by our sin can devastate our prayer life by removing our confidence to be in God's presence.
Seeking the approval of man causes us to fear witnessing. Instead we should fear God, and fear for the souls of the lost.
Allowing our mind to be filled with thoughts of God and His word, as well as keeping ourselves busy doing His work will stop us from being available for temptation.

Giant Despair

2007-05-24T00:15:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 38: Faith, Part 2

Giant Despair was the giant in Doubting Castle in Pilgrim's Progress. Giant Despair is an allegory to someone who doubts God's promises, and the lack of hope they will face.
Tribulation is a faith tester, and a measure of our faith can be the amount of joy we retain during it.
If we did not believe God will deliver on his promises, we could easily lose faith.
The joy of the Lord is our strength.
Jesus Christ slept during the storm in the boat while the disciples feared for their lives.

My prayer is to have faith in God like Jesus did. The way of the master is truly the path to follow. It has been a big interest of mine to expose all of the things we take for granted about the gospel accounts of Jesus' life. He lived an amazing life, full of strength, purity, faith, and conviction. We could only hope to live the full life that he did.

Faith

2007-05-22T23:46:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 37: Faith, Part 1

faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith is the that which is belief without seeing, and hope of what we believe.
Because people expect to be taken at their word.
Planes, bankers, cars, books, history, etc. (all things we have faith in).
God is is untrustworthy, either a liar, or a deceiver.
God is perfect, his nature does not include imperfection, and lying is imperfection.
I am struck with questions everyday, but at the end of the day, I have faith AND evidence that God will deliver on his promises. I am sold (souled) out to God's promises.

Recent Activity

2007-05-22T22:36:00.000-06:00

This last week and weekend has been crazy. Weddings, travels, etc. kept me busy all weekend. This is just a post to note that I have been doing my lessons, but have not posted the questions online... sad, I know, but what are you gonna do. I may go back and post them, but for now I'm just going to pick up on the most recent lesson.

A Smile and a Dollar

2007-05-17T23:06:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 32: Creative Ways to Share Your Faith

Giving a dollar to young people will establish credibility due to your willingness to part with the money and the fact that they did very little to receive the money.
Asking questions gets people to open up.
Quoting scripture establishes a truer form of credibility, and also allows the Holy Spirit to do the heavy lifting.
The Holy Spirit convicts the sinner, and convinces them of the reality of hell.
As Christians, it is our responsibility to give the word, and be the witness.

Power of Our Testimony

2007-05-16T22:58:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 31: Personal Testimony

To speak of spiritual things, and condemnation, will create closed doors among unbelievers.
The woman at the well used her personal testimony to draw others to truth.
Come see the man who knows all my doings! Is not he the Christ?
Include in your testimony:

spiritual nature of the 10 commandments
nothing is hidden from God
reality of judgment day
the cross, repentance, and faith
not the "Bible" but the power of the gospel

Our testimony should center on the cross.
A prepared and memorized testimony follows 1 Peter 3:15.
We know the Lord through the Law.

What You Can Do

2007-05-15T23:25:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 30: Gospel Tracts, Part 2

54% of conversions are from gospel literature.
Tracts were adapted for silent preachers, those who feel they have no eloquent ability whatsoever.
Gospel tracts are silent preachers.
Tracts can be placed:

in phone booths
in newspapers
on atm machines
in newspapers
in cabs
in magazines
with fast food workers

It is truly amazing what one little white-haired man can do for the Kingdom of Heaven. http://livingwaters.com/listenwatch/georgestreet.m3u

God does some amazing things with the lives of simple people. Like the pastor preaching that message said, that little white-haired man, while unbeknown to most, is likely famous in Heaven. We will, at the end of all things, receive reward for our dedication to the commandments of Christ. If we aren't witnessing for the sake of God's grace, why not? Praise God!

The Tract-el Message

2007-05-14T23:05:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 29: Gospel Tracts, Part 1

George Whitefield and Hudson Taylor were saved by tracts.
Five advantages:

provide an opening for sharing our faith
do the witnessing for us
speak to individuals when they are ready
find their way itno people's homes
no arguments

An effective way to get people a tract is to... hand it to them? leave it in a phone book (naughty yellow pages sections)? greet them before offering the tract, to break the ice?
Satan causes us to fear witnessing/tract distribution.
Meditation on the fate of unbelievers will cause you to willingly discard fear in an effort to reach the lost.
Tracts where private conversation are not possible, and never leave home without them.

Will to Live

2007-05-13T23:18:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 28: How To Capture the World's Attention

Appeal to the sinner's "will to live."
Hebrews 2:15
Years is too familiar a concept. The use of remaining weekends is a more awakening concept.
Our mortality should not make us fear, but should make us feel for the lives of the lost.
The ungodly are going to hell.
Men have been helped to live by remembering that they must die. -C. Spurgeon

Power From On High

2007-05-12T22:57:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 27: The Empowering of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit was sent to empower and strengthen the Church, each individual, to achieve effectiveness in the face of adversity.
Through the Holy Spirit's strength, the disciples were eventually able to go out and minister to the entire known world.
Only 2% of believers in America regularly share their faith.
Most people have a complete fear that sharing their faith will cause persecution in the sense of loss of reputation, confrontation, or being made fun of.
To be filled with the Holy Spirit, turn your heart with repentance, and also seek the power of the Almighty to complement your weaknesses.

Workers Are Few

2007-05-11T23:12:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 26: The Fear of Man

Paul was afraid of losing his reputation when evangelizing. He said he had "weakness" and "fear," resulting in "much trembling."
Having a fear of evangelism couldn't possibly have a benefit on its own, but it causes us to rely on something other than ourselves (God) to finish the work, which is a tremendous benefit.
Putting these fears into perspective involves meditating on what God is not asking us to do.
The Navy wants recruits to learn how to conquer their fears, not have no fear.
The scriptures are God's words, and have power over fear that might shield us from finishing our tasks.
We fear man so much because we fear God so little. God has the power to exact judgment for our sins. Why do we not tell others of this wrath to come.

Neglecting Duty

2007-05-10T23:08:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 25: Our Primary Task

The lighthouse keeper neglected his duty for other "charitable" activities.
If the law is just, the lighthouse keeper deserved to be punished for the lives lost while neglecting his duty.
The Church is tasked with reaching the lost.
Our priority is being involved in the church, not involved in the Church. We're too obsessed with how the Church makes us feel and less concerned with our job as Christians.
Pass.
Having little or no concern for the lost is a sure sign of lack of Salvation.

See You Tomorrow Morning... Baby

2007-05-09T23:57:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 24: Man's Sinful Condition

Original sin: 1) Adam's sin and 2) the sin present in all born into the world since Adam.
Original sin and the sinful nature present in all of us is called depravity.
Depravity:

void of original righteousness
lack of holy affection toward God
defiled from within, not from without
continual bias towards evil

People are basically sinful. People are completely sinful. People are depraved. However, people are also God's creations, and God's perfect creation can be seen in all the good things about being human (food, friendship, marriage... sex!). In general however, we cannot take advantage of the perfection of our creation until we resolve the problem that separates us from God: sin.
Being sensitive (as opposed to desensitized) to sin will keep us guarded against it.
If being sensitive to sin will guard us from it, the U.S. is totally hosed. See ya, America...

Uhh... I think she said, "See you tomorrow morning... maybe." Ha! That kills me. *continues giggling on into the night*

Hell: Fact or Fiction

2007-05-08T23:04:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 23: The Reality of Hell

If hell were not real, the implications would be the complete breakdown of the time-space continuum. No, really! The bible would be revealed as a hoax, and all of the things in history up until modern culture would stop making sense. Luckily, the bible is truth.
To some, hell is a giant drunken orgy, or a unconscious state of stasis or non-existence, or perhaps a temporal punishment (purgatory) to chastise us.
In reality, hell is eternal torment, fire and brimstone, damnation, punishment, the absence of God, the absence of good things, darkness, the lake of fire, shame and contempt, weeping and nashing of teeth, unquenchable fire, wrath, tribulation, anguish, destruction, I could go on...
Justice being done signifies that punishment occurs. Hell as annihilation, or ceasing to exist, indicates that no cognizant punishment will be felt physically by the perpetrator of heinous sin.
Convincing sinners of God's perfect standard, the Law, and his perfect justice and holiness, demand a response of the reality of hell, a place set aside for punishment against God's perfect standard.

Imagine the Virginia Tech murders, and a young man so delusional that he believes he can accomplish a horrible massacre and escape unpunished simply by committing suicide. What a terrible dilemma that young man will find himself in on judgment day, which in his time line is the instant he wakes up from his death (I'm taking theological liberty here). He will be swiftly tried, judged, and damned. For all his plans to come to fruition in satisfying terror, he will have the judge of the universe to face, who will take vengeance for the innocent lives taken. Our earthly sensibilities demand that he be punished, and are frustrated by our inability to exact vengeance on the suicidal killer. However, God will have his. Hell is a very real place, and Cho will realize his error quickly.

Praise God for His just standard.

Wrath to Come

2007-05-07T23:08:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 22: Judgment Day

It should concern us that speaking of God's wrath to come makes sinners fear. It should concern us because it is not being done, not because we're worried about their fear.
If judgment day is not made known, the world will perish not knowing the Savior, or the need for salvation.
Judgment day and hell are not understood as reasonable without sinners understanding God's perfect standard, and how sinners fall short.
The Law makes judgment reasonable.
Most people probably feel that God's wrath is either a myth, a bad joke, or an unreasonable reality that they would like to ignore (and do so successfully).
Eternal punishment for sin as a reality gives us insight into just how perfect God really is. He is just and holy, and cannot be near sin, or those that carry it. Sin (among other things) is the absence of perfection, the exact opposite of God.

It is an amazing thing what the reality of the Law can do to a sinner with a functional conscience (mostly everyone). Furthermore, the concept of judgment brings the Law into its rightful place, showing people what the consequences for encroachment are. The result is terrible fear of God and his wrath, which is exactly the respectful emotion we need to demonstrate towards God. Fear brings forth legitimate repentance, and with repentance and a need for Christ comes Salvation and eternal life. The Law and judgment can also break down barriers of intellect that are so common a block in "religious" debates and attempts to witness. When a sinner is made aware of the fact that they are on a collision course with a very grave damnation at judgment day unless they deal with their sin through Christ, even the most skeptical atheist will have second thoughts.

One of the most rewarding aspects of evangelism would (to me) be getting the privilege to watch the Law and the gospel message rip down the barriers of a proud and stubborn intellect, as in the case of C.S. Lewis, who was brought to his knees before Almighty God, as he was made aware of his sin and hell-bound path.

Wrath Upon Judah

2007-05-06T21:50:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 21: The Certainty of Judgment

John the Baptist told Herod of the transgression of the Law that he had done, and Herod took John's life for the offensive conviction he brought.
Hannaniah, in Jeremiah 28:1-9, prophesied that there would be no judgment for the tribe of Judah, which marked him a false prophet.
If the Law and judgment are not preached, repentance for sin will not exist, and the Lord's will is not done. This is a rebellious and destructive act.
The modern gospel message is a convenient omission of the truth, for the sake of harmony (political correctness - blah!). It would seem to me to be accurately described as rebellious of God's commands.
The tribe of Judah sinned against God numerous times, and in various ways. They were prideful, arrogant, selfish, and ignorant of God's continually bestowed Grace. Since God allowed people to attempt to earn justification for themselves through rituals, and the people failed in these attempts (the problem with the Old covenant), God judged them righteously.
If the United States is under God's judgment, I wouldn't be surprised. However, God's "people" are now the whole world. God needed to judge Judah as a father must discipline children. In the "Church" age, I would assume that the Great White Throne judgment is all that remains for sinners and hypocrites.
God must judge the world in order to be consistent in His holiness. However, He provides continual grace through Christ and the gospel message. These two concepts are fundamentally linked and interconnected, through the nature of God's new covenant (see all of Hebrews).

The Two-faced Church

2007-05-05T23:47:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 20: Hypocrisy

When the world sees church-goers who preach one way and act another, they are led to believe that the Christian life is a hypocrisy and a lie.
Hypocrisy is claiming to believe in one set of standards or viewpoints, and indeed doing something else entirely in practice.
According to Charles Spurgeon (who is correct), the Church is not really filled with hypocrites because the "Church" is comprised only of true Christians, and true Christians are not hypocrites.
Hypocrites will ultimately be judged in the same manner as unbelieving sinners, and damned. This is their final end.
Hypocrisy is rooted in idolatry, and a lack of fear for God, which is the response to God of a selfishly sinful heart.
It would be a terrible thing to genuinely have fooled yourself into believing you are a true Christian, when in fact you are a complete hypocrite. Examining ourselves for the existence of hypocrisy will give us the insight needed to act on any false beliefs we may erroneously and foolishly hold. Remember, the mind is a powerful deceiver, even if it's your own.

Wheat and Tares

2007-05-04T19:40:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 19: True and False Conversions

When asked about the parable of the sower, Jesus asked in turn if the hearers did not understand, and if they did not understand, how could they understand any other parables.
Other parables dealing with "true and false" are wheat and tares, good and bad fish, wise and foolish virgins, and sheep and goats.
False converts will be caught in the net of truth at judgment day.
If the church doesn't understand false conversion, the church will continue to generate material that lacks substance, and become full of "empty suits" so to speak.
If true Christians make sinners aware of God's Law, and bring them to true repentance, there will be less false conversions, and the church will prosper and become powerful, not filled with emptiness and unproductive attendees.

The Parable of the Sower is a powerfully informative testimony to the problem associated with lack of true repentance. It can relate to the human soul on many levels, and be filled with many parallel meanings; Jesus intentionally used this parable with surgical precision. As in Jesus day, this parable, while easily relating to the hearers of the Gospel, will be lost on them as well. We can effectively use its message, but must be prepared to help the audience to understand its relation to them.

I personally think th at this parable could be used as an effective complement to the use of God's Law as a tool for bringing conviction. It would ensure that the audience subsequently understands the possibility of negligence in understanding the message and the importance of conviction.

Prayer From the Heart

2007-05-03T23:54:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 18: The Sinner's Prayer

Guiding the person is to simply ensure that they know what they are doing, and have an earnest heart of repentance.
For a sinner to pray a prayer of repentance, not understanding the reasoning or even the full spectrum of reality surrounding it will cripple their spiritual growth, and probably result in "falling away."
Understanding comes by the Law in the hands of the Spirit.
A sinner who understands the true nature of repentance, and how it allows for their salvation need not say a word at all. God hears the words of the heart.
...? The best "alter call" I've heard is the preacher finishing by saying, "May no one leave here without knowing Christ as your personal savior. Christ died on the cross for you individually, that you might have life. Only through Christ can you be free of the sin that plagues your life and condemns you to hell, separating you eternally from God." This message gives sinners the understanding that it is in their hands, and that they are in God's hands.

Way of the Master

2007-05-02T22:47:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 17: Personal Witnessing: How Jesus Did It

RCCR: Relate, create, convict, reveal
To relate to a sinner in the natural realm, talk about general conversation topics like background, family, weather, dwelling, etc.
Asking if someone has kept the 10 commandments will not be confrontational because the conviction of the conscience will do its proper work.
Unbelief cannot negate reality, because the world is based on tangible fact; this is a law that cannot be violated any more than gravity or speeding trucks hitting you (and killing you) on the freeway.
God, while being profoundly good, is also jealous and just. God will not suffer His children to have another master, nor will He allow sin to prevail in a person's life and come into His presence.
When a sinner is firmly convicted of the reality of their sin and its penalty, the gospel message can do its saving work, and the Savior can be presented.

13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (NIV)

Confess and Forsake

2007-05-01T23:21:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 16: The Necessity of Repentance

The gospel message as "believe and be saved" is appealing and easy because it says nothing of the sin problem, and the world would like nothing more than to ignore that problem, and get good things like heaven anyway.
Repentance is summed up by God saying "Attention! About turn! Quick march!"
Salvation comes only when the sin problem that separates God and man can be resolved. The bible says that without repentance, there is no forgiveness of sins (Christ + cross), and in your sin, you cannot commune with God, and therefore cannot enter heaven.
God commands repentance because He will one day judge the world. A non-repentant heart is still under the wrath of God and will be judged harshly for their sin.
According to scripture, we should preach both repentance first, and then forgiveness of sin unto salvation.

To repent is to "confess your sin and forsake it." The word forsake has special emphasis here, because it is the keystone for repentance, and an issue not often addressed or focused on. How often do we Christians confess our sins, without truly turning away from it.

The pericope heading for Romans 6 (and therefore the main theme of the pericope itself) is "Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ." We need to be die in our sin, and come alive again in Christ. Baptism is a good representation of this process, and is encouraged in scripture exactly for this purpose. Dying in ones self to the world, just as Jesus did, and rising again through the power of Christ's blood and presence in our bodies.

Sin-wareness

2007-04-30T21:58:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 15: Our Ally: The Conscience

Conscience (con + science) = with knowledge.
The conscience alerts the mind when deeds done are in fact sin.
Sinners who love to sin simply abandon their reservations and ignore their conscience, choosing to live in darkness, and attempting to hide from a judgment they know very little about.
Using the Law as a precision surgical instrument of the mind, we can cut away the bonds that tie down the conscience, and awaken it allowing it to do its job.
The ordinary method of the spirit, according to John Wesley, is to convict sinners of sin by the Law.
To address the conscience of the sinner, we can ask if they are innocent of "X" commandment. Also, we can ask "Do you know right from wrong?" to trigger an awareness of the conscience for its sole purpose.

The conscience is a powerful ally in the arsenal of a true evangelist. This method of preaching the Gospel message is so refreshing, that I constantly find myself plotting to use it. Soon, maybe I will get my first chance. It seems to me that it will open up a door so much wider for actually sharing the beauty and intricacy of Christ's purpose and work, that evangelism might actually feel like a successful endeavor, instead of a lost cause. I can't wait to find out...

Such Things As You Have

2007-04-29T15:25:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 14: The Ten Commandments, Part 10

Covetousness is malcontent for your possessions and wanting those of someone else. It shows a lack of gratitude towards God for what you have been blessed with.
Covetousness is almost always followed by a "more serious" sin, as it sparks the need to fall into another temptation in order to satisfy selfish desires.
Covetousness stands in direct opposition to thankfulness, but even more appropriately, to praise of our Father in Heaven.
Through Psalm 23, we can see that God provides all that we have as we dwell in His house. (Psalm 23:5)
While I try to remain thankful to God for everything I have (as I once realized that I showed a lack of gratitude towards God), there are still times when I see someone who has something that I want to have, and feel jealously seep in.
In the materialistic society in which we live, covetousness is commonplace. We constantly are seeing things that would make our life "better" and feel like we ought to have such things. Usually, it is our neighbors, friends, and family that already own these "life-enhancing" objects, and our materialistic cultural world-view kick in.

Pray that God shows us how to live in America, but not be of America. What do I mean by that? This society is as materialistic as it gets. We (myself included) are constantly indulging our greedy desires and stocking up on earthly possessions. Is a careful bit of materialism a sin, related to covetousness? I don't really know, but I suspect that our attitude has a lot to do with it. If we are living our lives according to God's Word, and attempting to glorify God in everything we do, and our focus is not on ourselves, but God's glory, we will likely not have a problem with materialism anyway. I also believe that being thankful for God's blessings, and truly (not superficially) being willing to listen to what God tells us to do with our money, will guard us against the culture's obsession which is leading them to hell.

False Witness

2007-04-29T15:10:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 13: The Ten Commandments, Part 9

A lie is defined as a something not true deliberately presented as being true.
Discretion is the omission of truths that would be detrimental to a given situation if revealed in full. Usually, it is used to give the impression of being the whole truth, while in truth, only being part truth.
Lying to save someone from certain death or something terrible is, from human perspective, not only ok, but often standard procedure. If we lie for a good cause, we have to be aware of the consequences, but need to follow our hearts to the "most right" thing in a given situation. There is no biblical evidence of this, but logic tells us that it is certainly possible for this type of lie to be something other than sin. However, it isn't up to us to determine the criteria for this, even if it were, on the off-chance, true. The important thing is that only God sees the heart and our conscience tells us if we sin.
The different "categories" of lying only describe the motive and severity of the lie from human perspective.
One lie makes a person a liar.
Liars will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.

A Loaf of Bread

2007-04-28T14:56:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 12: The Ten Commandments, Part 8

Stealing is still thievery even if it is something small, just as a lie is a lie is a lie (sin) no matter what. If you are not convinced that the importance of an item is relevant to its consideration as being stolen, think about who has committed murder according to Jesus.
When a man was "reported" to have returned a wallet full of money, people were surprised. This demonstrates the unnatural quality of being honest in our culture and our species (the human race).
If someone steals because he is destitute, he is not a true thief from a human point of view, but the circumstances don't justify the sin in God's eyes. It is still sin.
If I were to see half a million dollars fall out of a truck on the freeway, I would think two things:

I wonder how much will be left when I get there?
I'll get trampled trying to get out of that mess... better not try.. *sigh*

I would likely not take the money in the end, because I knew it was incredibly dishonest, and very public (revealing my sin in the open frightens me... I think this is typical of everyone). However, it would frustrate me that being honest would do me no good, as that money will never be returned to its rightful owners anyway.
Scripture indicates that sin is still a debt unpaid no matter when it happened or how old it is. Therefore, a candy bar stolen 20 years ago still makes you a thief, and you will be judged accordingly by God's righteous standard.

Like Kirk's comment at the beginning of the lesson said, this commandment is a good tool for pointing out the obvious flaws in the sinner who thinks themself good enough to get into Heaven. However, it seems to me that too many people are far too convinced they have never broken this commandment, that it would be prudent to continue on if the person denies ever stealing in their life.

P.S. I forgot to do my lesson last night... I am ashamed. What's worse, I considered changing the post date... and was even more ashamed. *begins sobbing* (I'm being a little sarcastic here, so don't read into it too much)

The Heaviest Burden

2007-04-26T23:05:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 11: The Ten Commandments, Part 7

Jesus made the Law honorable by demonstrating its saturation into the innermost thoughts of your life, instead of being a superficial measure of perfection.
Accompanying lust are fornication and murder.
This most pervasive sin wants to take life, by causing a cascade of other sin.
Jesus said that adultery is committed even in your lust of a woman, therefore premarital sex is breaching the commandment, not to mention adultery against your future wife.
Lust is a pervasive sin but God gives us tools to defeat the temptation, including memorization of scripture, diligence in the word, and the Holy Spirit. These tools must be used as offensive weapons.
Fear of the LORD is the true offensive weapon against sin, and those who view lustful personal activities (you know what I'm talking about) as harmless lack this respectful fear.
In Proverbs 2, the LORD asks us to cry out to Him, and only then can we adequately deal with Satan and the sin problem, and only then can we attain a wisdom meant for a creature created in the image of God.

Engraved into my laptop is a reference to Hebrews 12:1-3 which follows:

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (NIV)

Jesus Christ gives us the power to defeat sin forever. It is my prayer for myself first, and others second (sorry for that selfishness) that the Holy Spirit adequate equips us, and furthermore that we are receptive to His presence, in order to allow sin to die in us, and Christ to live.

1 Corinthians 6:12-20 provides a sobering message, alerting us to the dangers of adultery, lust, and sexual immorality. Our bodies are temples, and sexual sins disallow Christ's presence in that holy place inside us. Furthermore, Christ paid for our "temple" with His blood, a high price. We should keep it holy for His sake, and for the glory of God on high.

Murdering Hearts

2007-04-25T22:47:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 10: The Ten Commandments, Part 6

Civil law cannot see what is in the mind of a man, and therefore cannot have the far-reaching perfection of God's Law.
While relatively few people are physically guilty of murder, Jesus said that someone expressing causeless anger is guilty of murder and in danger on judgment day.
Hatred implies guilt of murder in God's eyes, simply because of the lack of commitment to the Great Commission that we will have for the object of our hatred.
Personally, I am plenty guilty of harboring dangerously ill feelings towards certain individuals. Sixth commandment aside, this is dangerous ground to tread on, but God certainly views this hatred as a breach of the sixth commandment, especially if our thoughts dance around the person losing their eternal soul.
The bible specifically deals with the precious life of children on several accounts. It is undoubtedly a fact that abortion pains God's heart, and He most certainly will judge this behavior according to the sixth commandment.
Capital punishment is outlined in the bible as the valid and pre-ordained jurisdiction of the worldly judicial system, and therefore not murder.

The message of murder being equated with an angry heart is indeed a sobering one. While the culture at large is more or less convinced of their innocence in regards to the sixth commandment, the bible says otherwise.

When you examine Jesus message involving the famous phrase "turn the other cheek" from this perspective, you begin to see the true meaning. Jesus wasn't propagating a message of passivism in any way, but instead was encouraging the faithful disciple to suppress the urge to harbor ill feelings and hate. He was teaching us to understand love in a deeper way than was previously known and to use that understanding to glorify God the Father. He was also giving us a means to obey the sixth commandment, when it is so easy to commit such a serious sin in our hearts and minds.

A Parent's Honor

2007-04-24T22:14:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 9: The Ten Commandments, Part 5

To "honor" your parents, you must obey, respect, and esteem them.
A child's role is to be an honoring child, and therefore, even a mother who has a disrespectful job deserves to be treated with respect by their child. God commands it.
Obeying the fifth commandment ensures that you are on a path of righteousness, or at least self-control. Disobedience ensure that you will have trouble in other areas of life.
It is impossible to deny the sins of the flesh (lying, thieving, lust of the flesh), which ironically demonstrate disobedience against the fifth commandment of honoring your parents. Therefore, we should allow conviction of the sins of the flesh since most will deny having failed this commandment.

Parents deserve to be honored. They are in a position in life that demands the child's respect, simply because of the sacrifice represented by being a parent. Personally, I honored my parents far too little. My parents are magnificent people, and I am truly thankful for their example and leadership. I pray that God gives me the opportunity to use my life for the honor of my parents, as that will honor God in itself.

God's promises are wonderful. Praise God for His wonderful blessings, His convicting Law, and His redeeming grace!

Sunday Churchgoers Marked???

2007-04-23T20:50:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 8: The Ten Commandments, Part 5

The specific details of the 4th commandment deal with rest.
Exodus 31:14 clearly states the holy status of the sabbath for the Jewish nation, which seems to indicate exclusion of that same concept for everyone else.
Paul firstly ministered to the Jews in Jerusalem on the sabbath because they were at the temple that day. Paul, being a Jew with Roman citizenship had the choice, and seemed not to be particularly interested in the issue at all, other than to point out that we are no longer bound to the law.
The Law brought with it a curse that the Jews could not escape, and ultimately brought about the realization (from human perspective) that a new form of sanctification was necessary; therefore, Christ abolished the Law as a means to communion with the Father.

While I agree 100% with what this lesson had to say, I think it could have been phrased and crafted slightly better. Firstly, the arguments used weren't convincing enough. Here's my take on it.

The Law of Moses is a Jewish Law. It was written to the Jews by God, to give them a moral benchmark by which to measure their inadequacy according to God's principles. The sabbath was a very real issue for the Jews, because it was part of who they were and part of God's Old Covenant with them. When the New Covenant was established through our new high priest Jesus Christ, the bondage to the Law was broken. Obeying the Law no longer has any ability to save, sanctify, or justify and is not required as a means to any end or for compliance with any existing framework. Now, it only has the power to convict. The point of these lessons is a simple and pointed one: Use the Law for its single remaining intention, which is conviction of sin. Since the Law regarding the Sabbath day does not have a direct effect on our covenant with God the Father, it is not of a high amount of use in convicting the sinner.

Therefore, it is important to note specifically that this commandment does not have a real bearing on us for the purpose of evangelism, and certainly should not be used as a justification for judgment between believers.

The theory that Sunday churchgoers will be marked by the beast is a very surprising theory, one that would make me have trouble taking the person who mentioned it seriously. Unfortunately, the lesson didn't revisit this issue and I have no other knowledge of such a theory.

God's Holy Name

2007-04-23T20:37:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 7: The Ten Commandments, Part 3

Blasphemy reveals contempt for the creator, God.
Some people claim not to hate the God they blaspheme, simply because they like the created "God" they have envisioned in their head.
God's name is synonymous with His glory, and using his name in vain is cursing His glory, which we should not want to down-trod.
Blasphemers compound their sin by claiming that God's name is being used as just a word, which demonstrates their lack of respect for God instead of nullifying the charges of the sin.
Normally, I might cringe when hearing someone use God's name in vain, or ignore them, or even reprimand them. Now, I may instead use it as an opportunity to witness.

God deserves to be glorified, and therefore we should seek to never use his name in vain. Furthermore, it can be a powerful tool, just as the other laws, to convict a sinner that they have truly sinned against God in a way that is deserving of eternal judgment. As we have observed so far in the lessons, fear of God is a proper motivator for seeking salvation in Christ, rather than a taboo and misused incentive as some in the church would have us believer (along with Satan).

Note: Posting this late because my internet was out last night when doing the lesson.

No Graven Images

2007-04-21T22:18:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 6: The Ten Commandments, Part 2

Idolatry could perhaps be the greatest sin due to its direct contribution to the avalanche of other sins, some of which could be rooted in unrestrained evil.
Idolatry appeals to the mind of the secular sinner because it allows justification for things realistically viewed as sin, by manipulating your god to be more forgiving towards certain actions.
...? I have no recollection of my view of God before Salvation. However, I could imagine that God would tend to be a god that was adapted to my view of sin and other important theological implications.
Some have described their belief system (claimed to be rooted in Christianity) to me, describing God and his "tendencies" in lieu of their own interpretation of biblical and religious principles. Their "God" was one that wouldn't send people to hell, or one who would send people to heaven/hell based on completely different criteria than that of the gospel message.
The Catholic version of the Ten C's completely removes the second commandment, which specifically deals with physical idols and the worship thereof.

The Catholic version of the Ten Commandments issue is an interesting one (makes you wonder if they realize what they're doing with those virgin Mary statues and the prayers to saints). Catholicism at its core is a complete perversion of the first and second commandments, not to mention blatantly ignoring the gospel and Jesus Christ's true purpose on earth. I think it's fair to say they know very well what they are doing, and Satan is having a field day and has been since the 2nd century.

No Other gods

2007-04-20T23:48:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 5: The Ten Commandments, Part 1

There should be no other gods before the one true God.
God Himself has veiled the gospel for unbelievers.
The greatest sin humanity has committed is captured by the first commandment, the premise of which is idolatry (it's the first for good reason).
I personally have breached the first commandment by making "idols" out of the things I've broken the other commandments for (the object of my sin when breaking another of the commandments).
Human nature is characterized by:

lack of righteousness
failure to seek God
failure to do good
possessing deceitful mouths
eager to shed blood
knowing not the way of peace
failure to fear God

Jesus Christ did everything in the name of the Father, never putting himself or anything else before Him.
Besides the whole damnation thing, we should put God first simply because He commanded it!

The first commandment, as spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment." Mark 12:30.

Jesus lived this out to his dying breath, and we can't even put God above our tv habits, or our possessions. Maybe we ought to live a stint somewhere outside this country, somewhere where everyone has nothing! It's about the only way we can cut out a majority of the things that we idolize in our lives.

The bottom line, however, is that the bible says everyone is guilty of putting something before God, and we should use that to convict the lost, and win souls for Christ for real!

Bathsheba the Lamb?

2007-04-19T21:50:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 4: How to Confront Sinners

For a sinner to hear that "God has a wonderful plan for their life" brings up a dichotomy between the Christian definition of "wonderful" and the worldly one.
A previous lesson highlighted Jesus' emphasis on the Law (10 commandments) with the rich young ruler, where Jesus explained that the man lacked compliance with the law, and the man went away sad, convicted of his sin.
The message of God's love is most appropriate when being applied to His interest in our eternal wellbeing, where God demonstrates His love and grace through our Lord Jesus Christ.
David, when confronted by Nathan about his sin with Bathsheba, was first introduced to the reality of his transgression through a parallel parable, in which he saw the wrong-doing clear as day.
Romans 3:23 demonstrates the plague of all mankind, but fails to convict the sinner of his personal sin and the personal consequences he will face on judgement day.

David was one of the most powerful men in history (who also came from one of the most humble beginnings). He went on to break all ten of God's commandments through typical human weakness. When he was approached by Nathan with a parable of a stolen lamb, he was outraged and demanded that the transgressor be made to pay, and then killed. It was then that Nathan revealed to him that David was the transgressor. David was so ashamed he cried out immediately that he had sinned against almighty God.

Showing the sinner the reality of a transgression, and then forcing them to make a correlation between that sin—which must be paid for—and their own sinful life, they will quickly realize the value of Christ's sacrifice, and the beauty and perfection of God's New Covenant with mankind. Christ was the substitutionary sacrifice, taking upon himself the consequences of our actions that we might enjoy the benefits of communion with our Creator, and avoid the wrath that our sin has made us deserving of.

Stupid Parachute

2007-04-18T21:42:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 3: The Problem with the Modern Gospel

The text states that 80-90% of those that profess faith during an evangelistic outreach event fall away from the faith.
Modern evangelism has abandoned God's Law as the message to the unbeliever, and instead sought a message of sure happiness.
When a man was given a parachute as a means to enhance the experience of his flight, he found the parachute to be an annoyance and a disappointment.
When a man was given a parachute and told that he would soon be jumping 25,000 feet, he didn't notice any of the issues caused by being a wearer of the parachute.
As true believers, we need to alert other "passengers" that we are about to jump, and without a parachute we will surely perish.
In Proberbs, the Bible says that righteousness, not riches, will deliver from death.
As a true believer, you will see, as a result of your good works, fruits like joy and peace, but these are not legitimate "dangling carrots" to use on the unbeliever.
Also, as a true believer, we can look to the Lord in tribulation, because we know that our salvation is sure.

Salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ is the essence of the Gospel message, but how do we convince the skeptical sinner of their need for the Saviour? Conviction through the law is surely more powerful than that of a "friendly" ministry. False promises of flowery and fruitless "happiness" will not result in true repentance. After all, why should a person come to the feet of Jesus Christ if he doesn't truly believe he has sinned before God and deserves death?

Someone who takes up the cross with Christ will not put it down when tribulation comes if they came to Him in true repentance so that He might wash them clean with His blood. But if a person experimentally takes up the cross, seeking happiness, prosperity and other false promises, they will wait for the fruits of the faith to find them, and when they don't, they will likely turn their back. That is the problem with modern evangelism.

Grace Abounds

2007-04-17T22:05:00.000-06:00

Lesson No. 2: Making Grace Amazing

Grace is defined in my words as "a beautifully free gift to an undeserving sinner."
Christians should make grace "amazing" to the world so that the sinner will not misunderstand the reason for needing salvation.
The bible says "where sin abounds, grace much more abounds." And where the Law abounds, sin abounds.
The law itself (or the consequences of the transgression) shows a sinner seriousness of that transgression.
Charles Spurgeon mentioned that "the Law serves a most necessary purpose."
The world may be interested in hearing of God's love, but only because of a decided lack of that type of love in their life. The law will show the world their sin, and cause the world to turn to God for salvation, as a means to deal with that sin.

Grace is the single most important thing for a sinner to understand. Yet it is nearly impossible to get a person to grasp the beauty, depth, and powerful implications of God's Grace as a free gift. Using the law to demonstrate these points through conviction of the sinner's heart is radical and powerful. It has the ability to sidestep the persons intellect and attack the conscience of the sinner directly, transforming their heart into a God-sponge, longing and ready for the Water of Eternal Life.

The School of Biblical Evangelism

2007-04-17T21:57:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I started a new bible study for the Mexico missions trip, using the book by Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort.

This book is like a dictionary... It's huge!

But the important thing is the content. I've grown up in the church, and have been exposed to several forms of evagelism. By the time I got to college, I was at least smart enough to realize the fairly ineffective form that Campus Crusade propagates. However, using the "God's Law" as the method to convict the heart of a sinner is so radically different (and seemingly effective) that I'm seriously blown away by it.

Being a connoisseur of the message of Hebrews, and the wonderful dynamics of the New and Old Covenants of God and man, this method of evangelism seriously rocks my world! It makes me want to start evangelizing 24-7!

I plan on posting several of my responses to each days lessons, using an almost narrative approach. The answers will hopefully read like a mini-message, explaining the content of each days lesson. We'll see how it goes...

The Hardway

2007-04-04T21:59:00.000-06:00

Play Video

The Beach Ball

2007-04-04T21:35:00.000-06:00

Yesterday evening, Smart Software made an appearance at the extravagant and very expensive fund raiser for the St. Mary's Foundation. They do... you know... stuff.

We enjoyed the event, and there was a Margaritaville tent which served 'ritas in lit margarita glasses. They were good! I believe "yummy" is the technical term for it. Anyway, it was cool of Matt and April (or at least the company) to allow us to attend with them. We certainly enjoyed the dessert, which probably cost Matt an arm and a leg, I wouldn't even want to imagine. It was just cheese cake, but there was a silent auction... you know... for charity.

South Dakota isn't so bad right...?

2007-03-28T19:56:00.001-06:00

Swan Lake uploaded by sjohnr.

That water is particularly blue. So blue. Too blue. Mmmmm... blue.

You guessed it. This one was taken in Custer State Park. Not too original, I know, but we enjoyed our stay there. I hadn't actually been to the black hills before this, so it was pretty fun.

Anyway, just wanted to post a pretty photo. I like pretty.

BWAHA

2007-03-21T22:24:00.001-06:00

I'm taking over!!!!!

Bierle Sunday

2007-03-19T22:08:00.000-06:00

Dr. Don Bierle spoke at CBC on Sunday.

Seeing a guy who has dedicated his life to Biblical scientific endeavors, and being able to preach a good 'ol sermon on something not related to science is really cool. We bought one of his books (Surprised by Faith) and accompanying workbooks as well. Hopefully we can go through it as part of a bible/book study, which would encourage my wife and I to continue building a strong devotional foundation in our relationship.

By the way, marriage is great! The adventure of getting to know your other half through years of discovery and relationship building is an incredible gift and blessing. I am amazed at how it gets better instead of duller as time goes on. You feel like new doors are opened as you learn new things about each other and learn to work together as a team in ways you never thought possible.

How did I get on this topic? Anyway, Dr. Bierle spoke on Evolution on Sunday evening, and we got the workbook he wrote on that as well. It's a bit short, and lacks detail in some areas, but still has enough content to arm me with good arguments for Intelligent Design and Creation for years to come.

What am I lookin' at?

2007-03-17T18:30:00.001-06:00

Kalaupapa Lookout uploaded by sjohnr.

Do you have a guess?

No?

Keep trying...

It's really not that hard.

Do you give up?

It's a leper colony! Woohoo. This picture was taken at the Kalaupapa Lookout on Molokai, Hawaii June 16, 2005 during my honeymoon.

Kalaupapa Lookout uploaded by sjohnr.

And you should see the view these guys have! The entire peninsula is surrounded in sea-cliffs, and only accessible by boat or mule-ride. And only then, when you have permission. The remnants of the leper colony instituted by King Kamehameha V (Dragonball Z anyone?) are no longer forced to stay there, as Hansen's disease has been discovered to be everything but contagious. However, no one can visit the peninsula unless provided permission by its residents.

New Blog

2007-03-17T15:16:00.000-06:00

Welcome to my newest blog. I seem to have dedicated my first one to technical ramblings, rants, and articles, so I need a personal blog. Here it is... isn't it grand?

I intend to strip out more of this theme as time goes on, but for now, I just wanted to get the header having a pretty image. John Howe rocks!