Following Jesus
Luk 18:18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Luk 18:19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, even God.
Luk 18:20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor thy father and mother.
Luk 18:21 And he said, All these things have I observed from my youth up.
Luk 18:22 And when Jesus heard it, he said unto him, One thing thou lackest yet: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
Luk 18:23 But when he heard these things, he became exceeding sorrowful; for he was very rich.
Luk 18:24 And Jesus seeing him said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
Luk 18:25 For it is easier for a camel to enter in through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
...Following the LORD is a difficult thing for the natural man because just like the young ruler, we all have our personal property that we seem to be stuck on. As I sit here on 9/11/08 there are many things that run through my mind. I do, indeed, recall the thousands of folks tha6 were murdered for the cause of Mohammad, on this date and I also must think about the hurricane that appears to be targeting SE Texas, where I live. Life is full of items of concern and yet if we have chosen to follow God, these are already beyond our grasp for our LORD has taken command of our lives and has chosen our fate in all matters. (Matt. 6:25,26)
...When I served in Vietnam as a Killer Spade, my life, by legal contract, belonged to the United States Army, to do with as they chose. My pilot, when I was 24 years old, was a 19 year old Warrant Officer, whose only promise to me was to die trying to get me out of the messes he promised to get me into. Such a man deserves to be followed because he went everywhere I went. Today, I serve Jesus and He has made the most astonishing collection of promises that have ever been heard and then He, intentionally, died on the cross to prove His ability to honor His promises. He rose on the third day and proved His claim to be Second in the God Head. Having gone ahead of me, in time past, and walking with me, at this very moment, I cannot find reason to distrust Him.
...Having lived my life, along the Gulf Coast, I have seen thousands of folks die in the wake of the storms that are common here but if my LORD, Jesus, feeds the Sparrow and provides a home for the sparrow's babies, what can I, His loyal servant, ever have to fear? Paul said that to live is to live for Christ but to die is to profit. Today, after having had my aircraft shot to pieces with has many as 300 entry holes and not one of the 11 men on board injured, can I ever distrust God? I just cannot bring myself to ever distrust Him.
... Saturday. the storm could kill me, if that is God's plan but I will not be dead. Long ago, my wife and I, sold out to God and we have done our very best to live for His glory from that moment forward. Unlike the Young Ruler, we have given all that we hold over to the LORD to do with as it pleases Him, including our lives. And if the storm does get bad, maybe, God will need a witness, especially then and to serve and to follow is all I ever want to do.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Democrat, Republican or Christian?
Mark 7:7
... When asked I most commonly answer that I am an independent voter that of late has been voting Republican because they plain truth is shocking to most people. The truth is that I an a Christian and subscribe to the venues of neither party. When Moses was called by God to lead the people out of Egypt he was a sheep herder, empowered by God to work the will of God. When Joshua was commissioned as the Supreme Commander of the Israeli Army he was the student of Moses. Gideon was a farmer threshing his wheat, under cover when he was called to greatness and I could go on and on but the point is that God's servants are exactly that, His servants.
... The servant of God is neither Democrat nor Republican and neither party has a lock on the will of God. If any person loves God he or she seeks to be obedient to Him and cannot vote for anyone that flies policies in the face of what God has said. By the same token it is very unlikely that any candidate will align perfectly with the Christian's ideas of what God has said.
... At the same time we must never forget our first love and stray from the path. If a person is called by God they are called to obey Him before any other! This year we Christians are faced with a decision that has become the Gold Standard for us, once more, we must decide to vote for or against abortion, there is no other choice. The Obama/Biden ticket have made it clear that they will promote the Abortion Agenda and the McCain/Palin ticket have made it very clear that they are horizontally, vertically and diagonally opposed to abortion. At this time our nation is just one vote away from ceasing to slaughter thousands of babies each day and the balence of the Supreme Court is at issue in this election.
... The question that must be answered is, "Who's servant are you?"
... When asked I most commonly answer that I am an independent voter that of late has been voting Republican because they plain truth is shocking to most people. The truth is that I an a Christian and subscribe to the venues of neither party. When Moses was called by God to lead the people out of Egypt he was a sheep herder, empowered by God to work the will of God. When Joshua was commissioned as the Supreme Commander of the Israeli Army he was the student of Moses. Gideon was a farmer threshing his wheat, under cover when he was called to greatness and I could go on and on but the point is that God's servants are exactly that, His servants.
... The servant of God is neither Democrat nor Republican and neither party has a lock on the will of God. If any person loves God he or she seeks to be obedient to Him and cannot vote for anyone that flies policies in the face of what God has said. By the same token it is very unlikely that any candidate will align perfectly with the Christian's ideas of what God has said.
... At the same time we must never forget our first love and stray from the path. If a person is called by God they are called to obey Him before any other! This year we Christians are faced with a decision that has become the Gold Standard for us, once more, we must decide to vote for or against abortion, there is no other choice. The Obama/Biden ticket have made it clear that they will promote the Abortion Agenda and the McCain/Palin ticket have made it very clear that they are horizontally, vertically and diagonally opposed to abortion. At this time our nation is just one vote away from ceasing to slaughter thousands of babies each day and the balence of the Supreme Court is at issue in this election.
... The question that must be answered is, "Who's servant are you?"
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Who Are We?
1Pet. 2:9
Who Are We?
Who Are We?
1Pe 2:9 But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1Pe 2:10 who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
... The Christian is a special person and most of the people calling themselves by that name disapprove of my position on the matter and yet I cannot find it in myself to back up and to take a more liberal stance. I feel that if I am to err, it must be on the conservative side. Before I was saved I believed that determining whether a person was a Christian or not was much the same as determining who was a Killer Spade. When I became a Spade I obeyed the commands of the lowest of ranks above me and yet was prone to disregard even the commands of the Generals if they were not Spades and of course, some wished they were but they were not. I have long been of the opinion that the Christian can be spotted in the same manor as the Spades were recognizable, they obey their commander. I am not telling anyone that they are not saved but when I became a Spade I had a set of orders that “elected” me to be a Killer Spade and in 1 Peter I have my orders once more and they are directly from the Supreme Commander. I am a Christian and just as I flew, in spite of the weapons used against me as a Spade, as a Christian I cannot find it in myself to fear what people might think of me.
... I am now a member of the people of God and as such, you might spray me with Agent Orange, Agent Blue and Agent White and take my legs out from under me but you cannot stop me, I belong to God and I will live forever and that does not begin tomorrow, I began my eternal life the very moment I surrendered to God, picked up my guitar and walked off that stage and bid farewell to all my fans and the fame that had just one week before been offered to me and that was sought for over twenty-five years. Since I am an eternal being and since I love God, I hope somewhat in the manor He loves me, how could I ever seek to ignore His commands to me? Since I live in pain, twenty-four hours a day, why would I ever fear moving from this realm into the next? I am a Christian, devoted servant of my Heavenly Father through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Sarah Palin
... I was very proud of the Old Fox today as he blew my socks off with his Vice Presidential nomination. On various boards I have seen unsubstantiated lies spread concerning John McCain's Christianity, claiming the lack of it and I knowing that he is respected by his captures as well as by the men he served with in the Hanoi Hilton have been unable to sit still and just watch folks slander a true American Hero that way. The Honorable Senator John McCain was held prisoner for almost six full years while he was tortured and watched some of his friends murdered by the North Vietnamese guards.
http://www.mishalov.com/Vietnam_hanoi_hilton.html
... People like myself respect Lt. Comm. McCain because he exhibited the highest honor during his capture, setting men's broken arms with sticks and dirty rags while he, himself was being tortured. His guards respect him because he never showed a sign of breaking. I will not, presume, to tell you that he never considered taking the easy way out, I was never in Hanoi and I considered eating the barrel of my side arm to end the constant uncertainty of when they would kill me and I was just being shot at every day. When I grew up my stepfather was in the Airforce and we were forever building plastic models of Fighter Planes and I built rubber band powered paper and balsa aircraft. All I ever wanted to do was to fly a fighter but not off a postage stamp! When I was in Vietnam I once had the honor of landing on a Carrier in my Helicopter, no mean feat at all. As we approached at 100 knots it looked incredably small out there in the water. Before that time I always respected any man that would put a super-sonic aircraft down on that tossing and yawing surface while being in-bound at that speed but after that day they held my highest regard for thier intestenal fortitude (just plain guts.)
... My friends and I respect John McCain for any number of reasons. It is very likely that he flew some of the missions that covered our landings and takeoffs when we were pulling some group of Infantrymen out of a particularly bad situation and I will never cease to remember how the machine guns would fall silent when the Navy and the Airforce Fighters would roll hot on them as we landed. God bless John McCain and every other nut that has no better sense than to swoop down out of the sky, where they are safe, and get down inside the trees with an aircraft that should never be in any kind of a hole and do the work they did for us.
... Now, Sarah! I'd never heard of her before today, after all, I live in Texas and we will never forgive the Alaskans for stealing our Thunder. This young, and good-looking, Goveror of Alaska never proclaimed her religion and yet, before the Liberal Democratic Media cut her speach short I knew she was a child of God. She spoke of "a servants heart" and she and her husband refused to abort their new son even though they knew that he would be born with Downs Syndrom. I have done some research on this Washington Outsider and I urge everyone to do the same, she's quite a lady.
http://www.mishalov.com/Vietnam_hanoi_hilton.html
... People like myself respect Lt. Comm. McCain because he exhibited the highest honor during his capture, setting men's broken arms with sticks and dirty rags while he, himself was being tortured. His guards respect him because he never showed a sign of breaking. I will not, presume, to tell you that he never considered taking the easy way out, I was never in Hanoi and I considered eating the barrel of my side arm to end the constant uncertainty of when they would kill me and I was just being shot at every day. When I grew up my stepfather was in the Airforce and we were forever building plastic models of Fighter Planes and I built rubber band powered paper and balsa aircraft. All I ever wanted to do was to fly a fighter but not off a postage stamp! When I was in Vietnam I once had the honor of landing on a Carrier in my Helicopter, no mean feat at all. As we approached at 100 knots it looked incredably small out there in the water. Before that time I always respected any man that would put a super-sonic aircraft down on that tossing and yawing surface while being in-bound at that speed but after that day they held my highest regard for thier intestenal fortitude (just plain guts.)
... My friends and I respect John McCain for any number of reasons. It is very likely that he flew some of the missions that covered our landings and takeoffs when we were pulling some group of Infantrymen out of a particularly bad situation and I will never cease to remember how the machine guns would fall silent when the Navy and the Airforce Fighters would roll hot on them as we landed. God bless John McCain and every other nut that has no better sense than to swoop down out of the sky, where they are safe, and get down inside the trees with an aircraft that should never be in any kind of a hole and do the work they did for us.
... Now, Sarah! I'd never heard of her before today, after all, I live in Texas and we will never forgive the Alaskans for stealing our Thunder. This young, and good-looking, Goveror of Alaska never proclaimed her religion and yet, before the Liberal Democratic Media cut her speach short I knew she was a child of God. She spoke of "a servants heart" and she and her husband refused to abort their new son even though they knew that he would be born with Downs Syndrom. I have done some research on this Washington Outsider and I urge everyone to do the same, she's quite a lady.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Reading the Bible and Heresy
... In 2Tim. 2:15 we learn that we are to handle the word of God carefully or that we are to study to understand what God has said. Since the day of my salvation, I have held tight to the truth that "no" book can be understood without reading the entire book. In the case of the scriptures I have made it a practice to read the Bible through, from beginning to end just as I read a novel. I will, in the case of a novel, put it on the shelf, after reading it and the best ones are reread after a few years. With the Bible, I do not read it through every year, in fact it has taken me as long as three years, reading just one chapter a day and I have been so focused on a topic study that I have gone through long periods 0f time where I was not reading through but was instead researching a particular topic or two. The point is though that no one scripture, nor any portion of scripture can be taken from the Bible and isolated, this is how heresy begins. It sounds like the scripture is correct because we've heard those words from the Bible before so it gains popularity because man likes to have the upper hand and, generally, we are to lazy to check it out ourselves. After all, didn't that preacher teach it?
...A great example of this is 1Ti 2:4 who would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. (CEV) This is one of the verses used as a mainstay to support Universal Salvation. This scripture must, however, be taken in the light of what the rest of scripture says and since I have only used one of the heretic's favorites, I'll only point to one place to refute the case and illustrate the truth;
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby.
Mat 7:14 For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.
Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. (ASV)
... The case is made by the Universalist that 1 Tim. 2:4 is the perfect will of God and for that reason all men will be saved. They totally ignore that Jesus taught, in The Sermon on the Mount that there would be few that will find the path and they lend no importance to the fact that Jesus, throughout the Bible taught more on Hell and the perils there-of than He did on Heaven and the rewards.
... For the Christian that desires to follow God and has not been able to find it in themselves to develop the habit of daily study of the word of God, I have a very inexpensive, paperback book that will be found essential after it is purchased. Where to Find it in the Bible, by Ken Anderson is less than ten dollars and is very simple to use. I cannot urge you strongly enough to own a Bible that is easy for you to understand and to keep this book by Ken Anderson with it.
...A great example of this is 1Ti 2:4 who would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. (CEV) This is one of the verses used as a mainstay to support Universal Salvation. This scripture must, however, be taken in the light of what the rest of scripture says and since I have only used one of the heretic's favorites, I'll only point to one place to refute the case and illustrate the truth;
Mat 7:13 Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby.
Mat 7:14 For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.
Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. (ASV)
... The case is made by the Universalist that 1 Tim. 2:4 is the perfect will of God and for that reason all men will be saved. They totally ignore that Jesus taught, in The Sermon on the Mount that there would be few that will find the path and they lend no importance to the fact that Jesus, throughout the Bible taught more on Hell and the perils there-of than He did on Heaven and the rewards.
... For the Christian that desires to follow God and has not been able to find it in themselves to develop the habit of daily study of the word of God, I have a very inexpensive, paperback book that will be found essential after it is purchased. Where to Find it in the Bible, by Ken Anderson is less than ten dollars and is very simple to use. I cannot urge you strongly enough to own a Bible that is easy for you to understand and to keep this book by Ken Anderson with it.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Why I have learned to avoid Windows
... I used to test Beta software for Microsoft but in doing so I was always displeased with the condition they would release their new software in. There were always bugs that were being worked on, at least I would hope they did not ignore the reports from the testers, and still the programs would go on sale. One program Iwas very happy I tested was Windows One Care, as a result of running it alongside my normal, free, maintainence software I knew before hand that it was a dismal flop. I then began to question the eforts of the MS Team and they released Windows Vista, which I immediately went along with the techs at ZD Net and called it Windows 95+12.
... I was, at that time, the member of a Christian Forum where a Linux Convert posted, proclaiming the attributes of the Ubuntu release of Linux. Being my normally cautious self I began to research this idea while several other Christian users switched and also proclaimed the wonders of Ubuntu, There was even a Christian Edition that was, apparently being worked on by Missionaries on the ground. The more I researched and asked questions the more I was impressed. This system, as it was then, was made to do everything the Windows Vista system had claimed to be ready to do when it was released and it was virtually impregnable to viruses and mal-ware was not a problem at all.
... After about four months research I finally downloaded the free image file of the Live CD and burned it to disk. After two days of intense testing I was so impressed I loaded it onto my Windows Computer and had a dual boot system set up for me automatically. I loved the system so much that I never booted Windows again because with my downloading a program called "wine," all my required Windows programs run as native on the Ubuntu system. The only fault I found in the system turned out to not be a fault at all. I installed the e-Sword Bible program, written, only for Windows and was finding that several dll files must be downloaded and placed into the proper file, That was fine for a nerd like myself but was not going to be possible for most of my friends. The solution was there the entire time and all I had to do was to ask on the twenty-four hour support forumm and I was introduced to "esword4linux." This nifty little program installs all the required files into the proper directories and provides the user with a point and click Application that will download and install every bible version, commentary, maps and all theb rest of the options that are available, all free of charge.
... By this time everyone knows that Bill Gates and crew are multi-billionaires and we have all noticed that the new Windows programs just continue to increase in cost, so what does this, Ubuntu, cost? First, let me tell you that there are well over four thousand programs available for this system that do everything that Windows programs do and that is just the free ones. The system, it's the same price and you are free to install it on as many computers as you might choose. You are free t0 go to ubuntu.com and pay about 40 dollars for a disk, you can have someone like myself burn you a legal copy for ten dollars or you can downl;oad the image and make your own disk.
... I was, at that time, the member of a Christian Forum where a Linux Convert posted, proclaiming the attributes of the Ubuntu release of Linux. Being my normally cautious self I began to research this idea while several other Christian users switched and also proclaimed the wonders of Ubuntu, There was even a Christian Edition that was, apparently being worked on by Missionaries on the ground. The more I researched and asked questions the more I was impressed. This system, as it was then, was made to do everything the Windows Vista system had claimed to be ready to do when it was released and it was virtually impregnable to viruses and mal-ware was not a problem at all.
... After about four months research I finally downloaded the free image file of the Live CD and burned it to disk. After two days of intense testing I was so impressed I loaded it onto my Windows Computer and had a dual boot system set up for me automatically. I loved the system so much that I never booted Windows again because with my downloading a program called "wine," all my required Windows programs run as native on the Ubuntu system. The only fault I found in the system turned out to not be a fault at all. I installed the e-Sword Bible program, written, only for Windows and was finding that several dll files must be downloaded and placed into the proper file, That was fine for a nerd like myself but was not going to be possible for most of my friends. The solution was there the entire time and all I had to do was to ask on the twenty-four hour support forumm and I was introduced to "esword4linux." This nifty little program installs all the required files into the proper directories and provides the user with a point and click Application that will download and install every bible version, commentary, maps and all theb rest of the options that are available, all free of charge.
... By this time everyone knows that Bill Gates and crew are multi-billionaires and we have all noticed that the new Windows programs just continue to increase in cost, so what does this, Ubuntu, cost? First, let me tell you that there are well over four thousand programs available for this system that do everything that Windows programs do and that is just the free ones. The system, it's the same price and you are free to install it on as many computers as you might choose. You are free t0 go to ubuntu.com and pay about 40 dollars for a disk, you can have someone like myself burn you a legal copy for ten dollars or you can downl;oad the image and make your own disk.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Pro-choice Christian?
... I have been seeing and hearing a lot of discussion on the matter of pro-choice Christians. It seems that the pro-choice (a.k.a. pro-abortion/murder) group is being heavily influenced by the world God intends them to influence. I notice that many of them want to run down rabbit trails and divert attention from the issue. That tactic was very popular in the sixties and used very effectively used by the atheist, Bill Taylor and is now considered, by the Christian, Bill Taylor, as the strongest and clearest sign of the inability to justify one's position. Often the pro-abortionist will attempt to mix such matters as taking the life of a convicted murderer and many more unrelated issues to muddy the water and to confuse the dedicated servants of God. As the bond servants of God, purchased with the price paid by God, in the flesh, on the cross, it is therefore imperative, not that we know every answer but, that we read the scriptures, on a regular basis so that we show ourselves approved and are equipped to be used of God when the need is there.
... Christian, in it's first usage meant Christ-like or Little Christ. Christ is the Greek word for Messiah and to this day when one takes that name for themselves they are openly proclaiming themselves to be the Slave of Jesus, the Christ who was, is and will remain, God. In John 1, right from the beginning of the book we learn that Jesus, God in the flesh of man, is the creator of everything. It, then follows that He is the author, not the writer but the one that dictated the Old Testament. Folks like Samuel and Ezekiel were the secretaries that penned the words dictated to them. (A bit simplified but accurate.)
... Exodus 21:22-25 says:“If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so
that her fruit depart from her [the New King James says “gives birth prematurely”], and yet no
mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon
him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give
life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound
for wound, stripe for stripe.”
... Searching the scriptures reveals many other verses in an assortment of the Books of the Bible. The first one that always stands out is the statement by Our Creator in Jeremiah that He knew him before he was in his mother's womb. There are others in Isaiah and so on. Even a Google search for harm the unborn Bible, reveals the truth. It also reveals the lie is being told by many but for the discerning, the truth is there. If a man or a woman has committed their life to God and turns around and supports abortion, at the very best, they are one very Carnal Christian and since we will know our brethren by their fruits it should cause considerable pause to the Committed Christian when confronted by these folks.
... As a Bond Servant to God I cannot and I will never support murder, in any form, any more than I will support an unrepentant homosexual or rapist.
... Christian, in it's first usage meant Christ-like or Little Christ. Christ is the Greek word for Messiah and to this day when one takes that name for themselves they are openly proclaiming themselves to be the Slave of Jesus, the Christ who was, is and will remain, God. In John 1, right from the beginning of the book we learn that Jesus, God in the flesh of man, is the creator of everything. It, then follows that He is the author, not the writer but the one that dictated the Old Testament. Folks like Samuel and Ezekiel were the secretaries that penned the words dictated to them. (A bit simplified but accurate.)
... Exodus 21:22-25 says:“If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so
that her fruit depart from her [the New King James says “gives birth prematurely”], and yet no
mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon
him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give
life for life, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, Burning for burning, wound
for wound, stripe for stripe.”
... Searching the scriptures reveals many other verses in an assortment of the Books of the Bible. The first one that always stands out is the statement by Our Creator in Jeremiah that He knew him before he was in his mother's womb. There are others in Isaiah and so on. Even a Google search for harm the unborn Bible, reveals the truth. It also reveals the lie is being told by many but for the discerning, the truth is there. If a man or a woman has committed their life to God and turns around and supports abortion, at the very best, they are one very Carnal Christian and since we will know our brethren by their fruits it should cause considerable pause to the Committed Christian when confronted by these folks.
... As a Bond Servant to God I cannot and I will never support murder, in any form, any more than I will support an unrepentant homosexual or rapist.
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