Christian Men

A man died and went to heaven. Jesus offered to show him around. They entered a large warehouse and saw shelves full of gifts with peoples' names on them. The man saw several wrapped gifts for him, too. So he asked our Lord about it.

"I saw some gifts with my name on it. Why didn't you ever give me those gifts on earth?"

Jesus replied, "You never asked for those."

God has many wonderful gifts to give us, not the least of which is the gift of faith. But we need to do something to receive it, to fan it into flame.

It's right there inside us, all along, we just need to fan it into flame.

What are you waiting for?

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Standing on the Promises of God~~Part 3

2009-12-16T15:01:27Z

Well, in the past two days, I've taken you inside the front door of our new home, and into the living room, so today, we enter the dining room.

Here's the verse I wrote on the cement floor of that room before the vinyl flooring went down over it:

Dining Room Verse

We spend so much of our lives eating and drinking and preparing to do so and cleaning up afterward that this verse lifts up that we should be glorifying God at these times, at all times!

Whatever we do, let us glorify God in it.

Jesus often broke bread with his disciples, with sinners and tax collectors, people on the fringes of society and the high and mighty, too.

Set an extra plate at your table for Jesus, who is present at every meal, in his risen power.

Welcome him into your home, your living room, your dining room, and let His peace fill you up.

We walk around our new home and in every room, we are "standing on the promises of God."

Sola gloria dei!

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Know Islam, No Peace... No Islam, Know Peace

2009-01-18T16:03:25Z

In Christendom we have a saying. Know Jesus, know peace..... no Jesus, no peace. Radical Islam is, and always has proven just the opposite for its faith. This study is historically and empirically supported.

A Brief History of Religion

When politically correct and culturally diverse societies agree to "the reasonable" Muslim demands for their "religious rights," they also get the other components under the table. Here's how it works (percentages source CIA: The World Fact Book (2007)).

As long as the Muslim population remains around 1% of any given country they will be regarded as a peace-loving minority and not as a threat to anyone. In fact, they may be featured in articles and films, stereotyped for their colorful uniqueness:

United States -- Muslim 1.0%
Australia -- Muslim 1.5%
Canada -- Muslim 1.9%
China -- Muslim 1%-2%
Italy -- Muslim 1.5%
Norway -- Muslim 1.8%

At 2% and 3% they begin to proselytize from other ethnic minorities and disaffected groups with major recruiting from the jails and among street gangs:

Denmark -- Muslim 2%
Germany -- Muslim 3.7%
United Kingdom -- Muslim 2.7%
Spain -- Muslim 4%
Thailand -- Muslim 4.6%

From 5% on they exercise an inordinate influence in proportion to their percentage of the population.

They will push for the introduction of halal (clean by Islamic standards) food, thereby securing food preparation jobs for Muslims. They will increase pressure on supermarket chains to feature it on their shelves -- along with threats for failure to comply. (United States).

France -- Muslim 8%
Philippines -- Muslim 5%
Sweden -- Muslim 5%
Switzerland -- Muslim 4.3%
The Netherlands -- Muslim 5.5%
Trinidad & Tobago -- Muslim 5.8%

At this point, they will work to get the ruling government to allow them to rule themselves under Sharia, the Islamic Law. The ultimate goal of Islam is not to convert the world but to establish Sharia law over the entire world.

When Muslims reach 10% of the population, they will increase lawlessness as a means of complaint about their conditions (Paris -- car-burnings). Any non-Muslim action that offends Islam will result in uprisings and threats (Amsterdam -- Mohammed cartoons).

Guyana -- Muslim 10%
India -- Muslim 13.4%
Israel -- Muslim 16%
Kenya -- Muslim 10%
Russia -- Muslim 10-15%

After reaching 20% expect hair-trigger rioting, jihad militia formations, sporadic killings and church and synagogue burning:

Ethiopia -- Muslim 32.8%

At 40% you will find widespread massacres, chronic terror attacks and ongoing militia warfare:

Bosnia -- Muslim 40%
Chad -- Muslim 53.1%
Lebanon -- Muslim 59.7%

From 60% you may expect unfettered persecution of non-believers and other religions, sporadic ethnic cleansing (genocide), use of Sharia Law as a weapon and Jizya, the tax placed on infidels:

Albania -- Muslim 70%
Malaysia -- Muslim 60.4%
Qatar -- Muslim 77.5%
Sudan -- Muslim 70%

After 80% expect State run ethnic cleansing and genocide:

Bangladesh -- Muslim 83%
Egypt -- Muslim 90%
Gaza -- Muslim 98.7%
Indonesia -- Muslim 86.1%
Iran -- Muslim 98%
Iraq -- Muslim 97%
Jordan -- Muslim 92%
Morocco -- Muslim 98.7%
Pakistan -- Muslim 97%
Palestine -- Muslim 99%
Syria -- Muslim 90%
Tajikistan -- Muslim 90%
Turkey -- Muslim 99.8%
United Arab Emirates -- Muslim 96%

100% will usher in the peace of "Dar-es-Salaam" -- the Islamic House of Peace -- there's supposed to be peace because everybody is a Muslim:

Afghanistan -- Muslim 100%
Saudi Arabia -- Muslim 100%
Somalia -- Muslim 100%
Yemen -- Muslim 99.9%

Of course, that's not the case. To satisfy their blood lust, Muslims then start killing each other for a variety of reasons.

"Before I was nine I had learned the basic canon of Arab life. It was me against my brother; me and my brother against our father; my family against my cousins and the clan; the clan against the tribe; and the tribe against the world and all of us against the infidel. -- Leon Uris, "The Haj"

It is good to remember that in many, many countries, such as France, the Muslim populations are centered around ghettos based on their ethnicity. Muslims do not integrate into the community at large. Therefore, they exercise more power than their national average would indicate.

Adapted from Dr. Peter Hammond's book: Slavery, Terrorism and Islam: The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat.. www.frontline.org.za/books_videos/sti.htm

What the Western world finds when it invades Muslim controlled lands is a demonstration in anti-socialism on a grand scale. Afghanistan was divided clan by clan and in constant conflict. Iraq was undergoing ethnic cleansing of one brand of Islam against another brand. This is the Islam that was found by the British, French, and Spanish invaders in the last two centuries. This is why the West could invade at all, and even if Islam could manage to mobilize its entire 1.3 billion population around the globe to enforce conversion or death, it would merely return to its old ways of intra-Muslim killing. The evidence in history shows, unless Muslims stand up against their extremist faction, they will incur the wrath of the Western world or they will face a world of never ending conflict, faction against faction, clan against clan, village against village.

It is a shame on Islam that the house of war knows more peace than the house of peace where Muslim upon Muslim violence claims more Muslim lives and stifles economic success than all the Crusades and the military actions of the last century in Muslim lands, combined. You are following liars, your media and your scholars and your clerics are propagating a massive conspiracy of hatred and blame on the West for the evils perpetrated on your people by your people. Break the stranglehold of fundamentalism and Sharia and call into accountability your leaders and informers. Some of you have access to the same information I do, and it is your responsibility to make the truth known to your people just as it is mine to my people.

These facts are opening the eyes of the peace activists and moderate factions in the West and their hatred and prejudice currently set squarely on the religions of the West will be redirected toward Islam and will be far greater than the so called 'crusaders' at work in Muslim majority lands today. Lies from Western and Eastern political leaders, Islamic religious leaders, news agencies, and embedded Muslim scholars in our institutions of higher learning are being revealed with the advent of the internet where people can now have information within minutes of events. The more 'in the news' violent Islam makes itself in current events, the more the public educates itself in the history of Islam and begin to shout down the ignorance of our so called tolerant and their sources of false information.

These revelations source anger and hatred toward beneficiaries of the lies which cause great personal and financial cost to the formerly ignorant West. Brothers, fathers, and sons are dying needlessly, economic malaise for tax dollars and corporate profit results in funded Muslim aggression toward the rest of the world needlessly. The end result will be a world wide movement to eradicate Islam and in that day, the farce of the 'house of peace' will pop and the resonance will be heard till the end of time just as the farce of Hitler's super race resounds to this day.

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Standing on the Promises~~Part 2

2009-12-15T10:40:29Z

I began a series yesterday on "Standing on the Promises of God."

We wrote verses on the concrete floor of the rooms of our new house, before they were covered with carpet or vinyl flooring. Now when we walk around the house, we are standing on the promises of God, literally!

That's what we are doing at "Hallowed House," the first house we have ever owned. It's in the borough of Hanover, York County, Pennsylvania.

I call our house "Hallowed House" because we moved there on October 30th, a day before All Hallow's Eve. Hallowe'en is also known as Reformation Day and I know it well as my own birthday, too!

Yesterday I showed you the verse inside the front door of Hallowed House. Here's another verse, found on the concrete floor (later covered with padding and carpet, after all, it's a living room!):

Living Room Verse

Both my wife and I agree that we like this verse because it gives life a focus, praising God. It's also a prayer, recognizing that we are works in progress, not perfect people by any means.

Our aim is to live in such a way that we may praise God.

Let the redeemed of the Lord praise God!

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Standing on the Promises--Part 1

2009-12-14T13:21:11Z

Before the floors in our new house were covered with carpet or vinyl flooring, I wrote a Bible verse on each room's floor.

Now, when we walk about our new house, we are literally "Standing on the Promises of God."

Here is the first verse I would like to share with you.

Front Door Verse

This is the verse we chose for just inside the front door of our new house. Jesus spoke these words to his disciples when he appeared to them in the Upper Room, after his Resurrection.

Peace be with you is a common greeting in the Bible. It should be more in use among Christians than "Have a nice day" or "Have a good one."

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!

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Tim Keller isn't my pastor, but man can he preach

2009-12-10T19:41:47Z

Tim Keller

The Evangelical Alliance has been pushing the whole 'the internet is great and stuff' recently and in that vein came out with this classic internet header 'Tim Keller is not your pastor'. Nice. Pulls in the Keller haters, who hope to take chunks out of him, while tugging at the heart strings of his fans, who'll come rushing to his support. Maybe 'Geek, get thee to a church' would have been a more accurate and still explosive enough choice, but even Christian celebrities (not that he'd call himself one, mind) can pull in the page impressions.

Tangent alert - I do not qualify as a 'successful' blogger really, but I do wish that Christians would stop using the cheap shockjock tactics in their headers to pull in the punters. Make it openly negative or controversial that'll draw them in. Really? If you have something to say that has value then don't be cheap and, yes, don't conform to the rest of the internet. If your aim is to pull in the numbers quickly then that is the way to do it. But is that really why you're blogging? Shouldn't you be praying that God would use your words to reach someone, not whether your Google Rank will help you get a book deal? Actually, I think my problem will trying to avoid writing controversial entries than headlines...

The issue wasn't really Tim Keller, but the disclaimer on the Redeemer Presbyterian Church's sermons page, where they felt the need to mention that the free preaches are not a "broadcast ministry" to encourage "'virtual' members". So yes, get to your local church!

There was a surprising response to this article. Quite a number of the comments seemed to suggest that the Christian community as a whole don't 'get' the internet and how Christianity needs to encourage virtual Christians to be relevant in our fast moving-blah-ever-blah-complex-blah world.

Setting aside the mind-bogglingly generalisation that the 'Christian community' would agree on much else than 'Jesus, he's great you know', a person emoting *raises his hands* or typing 'ROTFITS' (Thats Rolls On The Floor In The Spirit) in the chat room of CyberChurchInternational-Overflow5 is not the same as standing face to face with someone, seeing the anguish in their eyes, the tears on their face and knowing that you're standing with them to pray for God to breakthrough on an issue that weighs heavily in their life.

Okay, sometimes it's not like that. Sometimes it's just a pat on the shoulder or a smile or a sharing moments with people. But essentially 'going virtual' is about control; deciding when and how you're available or open others. You can't suddenly click 'Offline' or 'Block' when you're part of a local church. You're open and vulnerable to God changing you through other people. Surprisingly, our western individualistic, 'I'm a wild, free spirit' culture doesn't like that.

Note: oops, there is a website called CyberChurchInternational, but I really can't be bothered to change it now.

Sharing life isn't easy, but it's rewarding and it grows you. For example, I live with a couple right now and they've just had a baby this year. I've learnt so much from them about how married Christian couples communicate, how they are both one and a team at the same time. I've learnt how selfish I can be and how much patience God can teach you if you're prepared to learn. I've also learnt that baby poo can just go on and on forever, regardless of how tiny the nipper is. Seriously, King Kong would be proud of some of the deposits... but anyway, hopefully you get the point.

The internet is great, but it isn't a substitute for being involved in your local church. What it should be is an extension of church and not a replacement of it. That isn't an opinion that comes out of ignorance of the power of the web, or just my opinion, but rather a desire to listen to what God was encouraging us to do through Paul in passages like Hebrews 10:24 - 25:

"24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

If you're a new Christian, take a deep breath and step into a local church. Ask God to teach you about grace and what it means to be under his grace and be able to express that grace to your fellow Christians. The fruit of the Spirit are love, joy, peace and patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control. You are highly unlikely to grow in those locked away in your room staring at your computer screen.

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The god of "WRONG!"

2009-12-10T14:29:14Z

Please forgive any sloppiness in this post, I've only got an hour to punch this one out but I felt it too important to let pass unaddressed.

Huggable and unholy god

Judging gods.

Ruth sent me an e-mail that warned of a book being promoted in our state run schools through the Scholastic Readership Program and pushed by Oprah and a slew of other celebs who 'feel' their spirituality rather than "Know" their God. So this one is dangerous because it promotes Oprah's feel good, real good form of spirituality. Conversations with God, Book 1

by Neale Donald Walsch
(Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Inc., 1997)

Book 2 has been on the best seller lists for 120 weeks and the secular and 'spiritual' people are loving it because it promotes all the anti-wisdom crap the unlearned in spiritual matters, love. Examples follow:

1.
"On a blank sheet of paper, I would merely write a question. . . and no sooner was the question written than the answer would form in my head, as if Someone were whispering in my ear. I was taking dictation!"

Walsch has employed a couple of really bad spiritual practices to write this book. The first is known as auto writing. The second is known as channeling. Look them up, these are practices which allow any dirty ol' spirit to 'inform' you.

2. ORIGINAL SIN

This alleged state of imperfection in which you are said to come into this world is what your religionists have the gall to call original sin. . . Some of your religions have built up whole theologies around this misconception. . . Yet, in order to justify the idea of a punitive God, your religions needed to create something for me to be angry about.. . . Sop you’d better do something about all of this… or you’ll go straight to hell. This, in the end, may do nothing to mollify a weird, vindictive, angry God, but it does give life to weird, vindictive, angry religions. (119-120. See also 136)

Only humans are judgmental, and because you are, you assume that I must be. Yet I am not…. (183)

The ability to discern truth is not our natural state. We are a fallen people, ie. programmed to love self destruction. a.k.a. sin. It is only through the study of truth, especially in spiritual matters, that we can overcome this love of self destruction. "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." (Colossians 2:6-8)

Walsch's sole authority is a blank piece of paper and his imagination. Oh yeah, and your willingness to accept what you want to believe about God.

3REINCARNATION

NDW: Is there such a thing as reincarnation?

God: You have had 647 past lives, since you insist on being exact. This is your 648th. You were everything in them. A king, a queen, a serf…. No, there is not such thing as karmic debt – not in the sense that you mean… You are not obligated to do anything. (204)

PSYCHIC POWER
Using psychic ability is nothing more than using your sixth sense. Obviously, this is not "trafficking with the devil," or I would not have given this sense to you. And, of course, there is no devil with whom to traffic. (205)

SEX
NDW: Is sex okay?

God: Of course sex is "okay." … Play with sex. Play with it! It’s wonderful fun. (205)

Sex is sacred, too… But joy and sacredness do mix (they are in fact the same thing)… You have repressed sex, even as you have repressed life, rather than fully Self expressing with abandon and joy. You have shamed sex, even as you have shamed life, calling it evil and wicked, rather than the highest gift and the greatest pleasure. 207

The energy that which underscores sex is the energy which underscores life… 207

Walsch bought and sells the idea that there is no limitation on your behavior or desires. There is no devil, there is no harm, there is no cost or consequence. If the physical realm teaches us anything, it teaches us that there is danger in ignorance and undisciplined living. The same is true in the spiritual realm. There are dangers that God is constantly telling us about, has given us oracles and the Bible to inform us about.

Please watch what your kids are being given to read and encouraged to follow. Don't allow the state run schools to be your kids' spiritual guides. Don't allow Walsch and Oprah and Tom Cruz to be your spiritual guides. Test every spirit and know whether they are your enemy or your friend. Be wise in the knowledge of what makes an enemy an enemy and a friend a friend. Teaching you to follow habits and practices that will lead to your own destruction or reinforcing the beliefs you want to hold is the work of an enemy. A friend will tell you when you are heading into a fun self destruction and will tell you off loudly and persistently until you straighten up and walk the way of real life and benefit.

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Alvaro Torres Debuts At #3 On Billboard's Latin Christian Sales Chart

2009-12-08T18:58:04Z

Url: http://www.bigdreamchristianmusic.com/

NASHVILLE, TN (Dec 2009) - Big Dream Christian Music/Indie Extreme recording artist, Alvaro Torres debuted his newest album, Muy Personal, at #3 on the Billboard Latin Christian Sales Chart. Alvaro is thrilled with the initial success of his first spiritually inspired album because it is different from his previous works. CEO of Big Dream Christian Music, Jorge Tarajano, says, "We are blessed and fortunate for the overwhelming welcome and reception of Alvaro's music in the Christian Ministry."

The city of Miami, Florida, and Puerto Rico have shown their ongoing support for Alvaro. People from these areas have listened to Alvaro's music for years and share a strong personal bond with him. Alvaro's Muy Personal is reaching a new audience through the Christian industry, and unsurprisingly still adored by his huge fan base. The veteran musical artist has won awards and earned numerous Gold and Platinum records in the past, and hopes to achieve the same with this album.

After being involved in a tragic single car auto accident where one person died and all were badly injured, Alvaro realized the power of God. The incident became the inspiration for this album's title and songs because God had approached him in a "very personal" manner. Alvaro is known for his array of love songs, and is now creating songs dedicated to the love of God.

Indie Extreme, which is based in Nashville, Tenn., represents musical acts ranging from folk legend Judy Collins to hit CCM artist Matt Brouwer. The firm partners with Universal Music Christian Group/Fontana for distribution and retail marketing, along with providing various label services to independent labels.

For more information about Alvaro Torres, visit http://www.bigdreamchristianmusic.com, or call Vanesa Hernaiz at (626) 324-2608. To learn more about Indie Extreme or our labels, visit http://www.indieextreme.com, call (615) 309-1718 or (281) 890-5034, send an e-mail to Lisa@indieextreme.com or kathyd@indieextreme.com, or write the company at 1507 16th Ave S., Nashville, TN. 37212.

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Thanks

2009-11-26T17:25:27Z

I'm thankful President Obama's ideals are being exposed for the damaging policies they entail.

I'm thankful ACORN is relegated to the trash heap of insignificance which it so richly deserves.

I'm thankful the 'Global Warming Hoax' has been exposed for the money soaking big business scam it is.

I'm thankful most of all that God almighty is still willing to talk to me.

I'm thankful God concerns Himself with me.

I'm thankful that even the youth are waking to the facts of political ramifications to 'feel good' voting habits.

I'm thankful I still have a job in these hard economic times.

I'm thankful for our company's new managing consultant.

I'm thankful for a sound mind and a still mobile, agile body.

I'm thankful for the relative peace I experience everyday.

I'm thankful for the friends, neighbors, family and the team of co-workers I relate with every day.

I'm thankful for the sources of information at my hands now.

I'm thankful for the discovery of, and ability to recognize vessels of rich wisdom through those sources.

I'm thankful I'll be with my family this holiday.

I'm thankful opportunities are open to me.

I'm thankful God is always calling to each one of us to come into relationship with Him.

I'm thankful God is God and I'm not and you're not.

I'm thankful God's plan and behavior is perfectly consistent and constant.

I'm thankful happiness is attainable.

I'm thankful for the knowledge that "Thanksgiving" is the most important key to happiness. That's what makes this holiday one of the most important in our culture.

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