Know when to speak #11

This month we’ll start taking a look at sharing what we have learned over the last year. The first point to keep in mind is; don’t try to shove the gospel down someone’s throat. You will start an argument and possibly lose a good friend. The gospel does everything we could possibly want and more. We just deliver the facts, logic and simplicity that many people seem to miss. To give you an example of the ‘miss’ part, all we need to do is ask a person if they are a Christian. If they answer yes, ask them to define the word Christian. Immediately it’s going to get a bit tough. Your response might be, “Can I help you to define the word?” Once they have agreed that they are indeed a ‘follower of Christ’, (definition of Christian), you can agree that the Bible is the word of God. You may want to keep the conversation light for a bit here. Ask them if they would like to hear how you came to know that you have eternal life, and how they may find out the same. Most of the time the person you are speaking with will say, ‘yes’. If they say no, discontinue the conversation until some other appropriate time.

We’ll assume the person said yes to your offer to share your experience. At this point you’ll ask them if it’s alright to ask them a couple more questions. Assume they say yes. The first question: ‘Have you come to a place in your spiritual life that if you died today, would you go to heaven?’ The answer here is not the absolute key. Your next comment would be that the Bible states that we can know that we have eternal life, and you might tell them a little about your own testimony. Following this you tell them you are asking the second question, which is; ‘Let’s just say you died and were standing before God, and He should ask you, ‘Why should I let you into my heaven?’ How do you think you would respond to this question? This is where the rubber meets the road. There is only one answer that will be acceptable to God……… If the person’s answer starts with the word ‘I’, there is a very good chance it will be wrong. Why is this the case? Most of the time when someone says ‘I’, it is going to refer to something they did. We all know that going to heaven is nothing we have done. This will not be the correct answer. Once they have answered, repeat their answer back to them. This will also serve to let them know you were listening and know exactly what they said. Next month we’ll take it from there.

SOCIAL SECURITY

2010 is an election year for 1/3 of the
senate and all of the house ofrepresentatives. It would be nice if Congress
got the message; the voting taxpayers are incharge now. LET US SHOW OUR LEADERS IN WASHINGTON "PEOPLE POWER" AND
THE POWER OF THE INTERNET.IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU AREREPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT ! Propose this in 2009:
START A MOVEMENT TO PLACE POLITICIANS ON SOCIAL SECURITY
SOCIAL SECURITY: (This is worth reading.. It is short and to the point.)
Perhaps we are asking the wrong questions during election years. Our Senators and Congresswomen do not pay into Social Security and, of course, they do not collect from it. You see, Social Security benefits were not suitable for persons of their rare elevation in society.. They felt they should have aspecial plan for themselves. So, manyyears ago they voted in their own benefitplan. In more recent years, no congress person has felt the need to change it. After all, it is
a great plan. For all practical purposes their plan works like this: When they retire, they continue to draw the same pay until they die. Except it may increase from time to time for cost of living adjustments. ...... For example, Senator Byrd and
Congressman White and their wives may expect to draw $7, 800,000.00 (that's Seven Million,Eight-Hundred Thousand Dollars), with their wives drawing $275, 000..00 during the last years of their lives. This is calculated on an average life span for each of those Dignitaries.Younger Dignitaries who retire at an early age, will receive much more during the rest of their lives. Their cost for this excellent plan to them is $0.00. .. NADA !!! ..ZILCH !!!.. This little perk they voted for themselves is free to them. You and I pick up the tab forthis plan. The funds for this fine retirement
plan come directly from the General Funds;
"OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK" !

From our own Social Security Plan, which you and I pay (or have paid) into, every payday until we retire (which amount is matched by our employer), We can expect to get an average of:$1,000 per month after retirement. Or, in other words, we would have to collect our average of $1,000 monthly benefits for 68 years and one (1) month to equal Senator Bill Bradley's benefits !
Social Security could be very good if only one small change were made. That change would be to Jerk the Golden Fleece Retirement Plan from under the Senators and Congressmen. Put them into the Social Security plan with the rest of us. Then sit back..... And see how fast they would fix it ! If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe good changes will evolve.

A Little Humor....

God was missing for six days. Eventually, Michael, the archangel, found him, resting on the seventh day. He inquired, "Where have you been?"

God smiled deeply and proudly pointed downwards through the clouds, "Look, Michael. Look what I've made."
Archangel Michael looked puzzled, and said. "What is it?" "It's a planet," replied God, "and I've put life on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a place to test Balance." "Balance?" inquired Michael, "I'm still confused."God explained, pointing to different parts of earth. "For example, Northern Europe will be a place of greatopportunity and wealth, while Southern Europe is going to be poor. Over here I've placed a continent of white people, and over there is a continent of blackpeople. Balance in all things." God continued pointing to different countries. "This one will be extremely hot, while this one will be very cold and covered in ice."

The Archangel , impressed by God's work, then pointed to a land area and said, "What's that one?"
"That's Washington State , the most glorious place on earth. There are beautiful mountains, rivers and
streams, lakes, forests, hills, and plains. The people from Washington State are going to be handsome, modest, intelligent, and humorous, and they are going to travel the world. They will be extremely sociable, hardworking, high achieving, carriers of peace, and producers of software."Michael gasped in wonder and admiration, but then asked, "But what about balance, God? You said there would be balance." God smiled,
"There's another Washington . Wait till you see the idiots I put there."

Know when to speak #10

It’s an exciting moment when someone has accepted Christ as their personal savior. When this happens with me, I have a mental spiritual score board. On the scoreboard it has two columns. One column says Jesus and the other says Satan. When someone accepts Jesus I erase one from Satan’s side and put it on the side of Jesus.

To back up a little. When someone says they want Jesus in their life we can easily tell them we can take this request to God …right now! This prayer doesn’t have to be a major production. God knows what happened. We can tell the person, who might be a bit shy at this point, that you will lead the prayer. All they have to do is repeat what you say. At the end you can close the prayer yourself. Here are some suggestions as to the content of the prayer. State: “Thank you for the gift of eternal life”, “I know that I am a sinner and can’t save myself”, “I know that Jesus went to the cross to pay for my sins”, “Please come into my heart”, “Thank you for saving me”. The idea is to go back over some of the points you have used in your presentation of the gospel, and keep in mind you have a ‘baby Christian’ in front of you.

What happens next? Now the real work gets started. Are you planning to leave your new Christian hanging out there? Of course not…. Do we just plug them into a home bible study group? …not yet… Many home bible study groups are involved in particular studies. These are way beyond our new Christian. This new believer needs personal attention, discipleship, is what I believe it’s called. Did you notice the word personal?


Classroom study is not the way to go with a new Christian. Keep in mind, this person may be a bit nervous at first, and won’t ask questions in a classroom setting. However, they will be more open in a one on one setting. They will have the opportunity to learn, build a strong foundation and be able to tell others of their experience. What a concept!!

In a personal discipleship the new Christian will learn about baptism….be baptized, learn about the church, and have the gospel planted firmly in their heart and mind. This usually takes about 6-8 weeks to complete. After this it will be time to introduce them to a home bible study group.

During the next couple months we’ll look at a few examples of approaching people with whom we may share the good news.

A Little Humor.....

IF MY BODY WERE A CAR... My headlights are out of focus, and it's especially hard to see things up close.My traction is not as graceful as it once was. I slip and slide and skid and bump into things even in the best of weather.
My whitewalls are stained with varicose veins...But here's the worst of it -- Almost every time I sneeze, cough or laugh, either my radiator leaks or my exhaust backfires.
CASH FOR CLUNKERS..........I QUALIFYHow about You?


2012

Here we go again….Another end of the world. This time it’s the Mayan Indian calendar and Nostradamus telling us the end will come in 20-12. The last time we packed our bags and toothbrush was at the turn of the millennium. Our computers were supposed to go haywire, our clocks were probably going to start running backwards, cash register were going to lock up…Hmmmm, we’re still here, and I lost my toothbrush.

If we take stock in these notions, then we are not accepting what Jesus has to say in the Bible, which states: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time is.” Mark 13:31-33.

A Sign of the Times.....

If that’s not enough to be concerned about, we have to deal with the word ‘God” being omitted from our school children’s studies. Below is a new prayer written by a 15 year old student from Ohio.

Written by a 15 yr. old School Kid in Ohio : Since the Pledge of Allegiance & The Lords Prayer are not allowed in Schools anymore because the word 'God' is mentioned... A Kid in Ohio wrote the attached... NEW School prayer : Now I sit me down in school where praying is against the rule for this great nation under God finds mention of Him very odd. If Scripture now the class recites, it violates the Bill of Rights. And anytime my head I bow
becomes a Federal matter now. Our hair can be purple, orange or green, That's no offense; it's a freedom thing.. The law is specific, the law is precise.. Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice. For praying in a public hall Might offend
someone with no faith at all. In silence alone we must meditate, God's
name is prohibited by the state. We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks, and pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.... We can carry smut, but not the Bible. To quote the Good Book makes me liable. We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen, and the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King. It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong. We're taught that such 'judgments' do notbelong. We can get our condoms and birth controls, study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles. but the Ten Commandments are not allowed.
No word of God must reach this crowd. It's scary here I must confess, when chaos reigns, the school's a mess. So, Lord, this silent plea I make: Should I be shot; My soul please take! Amen

Meet Me In The Stairwell

You say you will never forget where you were when
you heard the news On September 11, 2001.
Neither will I.

I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room
with a man who called his wife to say 'Good-Bye.' I
held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the
peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it
is OK..I am ready to go.'

I was with his wife when he called as she fed
breakfast to their children. I held her up as she
tried to understand his words and as she realized
he wasn't coming home that night.

I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a
woman cried out to Me for help. 'I have been
knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said.
'Of course I will show you the way home - only
believe in Me now.'

I was at the base of the building with the Priest
ministering to the injured and devastated souls.
I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He
heard my voice and answered.

I was on all four of those planes, in every seat,
with every prayer. I was with the crew as they
were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the
believers there, comforting and assuring them
that their faith has saved them.

I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan ,
Afghanistan ....
I was standing next to you when you heard the
terrible news. Did you sense Me?

I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew
every name - though not all know Me. Some met
Me for the first time on the 86th floor.

Some sought Me with their last breath.
Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the
smoke and flames; 'Come to Me... this way... take
my hand.' Some chose, for the final time, to ignore
Me. But, I was there.

I did not place you in the Tower that day. You
may not know why, but I do. However, if you were
there in that explosive moment in time, would you
have reached for Me?

Sept. 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey
for you. But someday your journey will end. And I
will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may
be found.
Then, at any moment, you know you are 'ready to go.'

I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.

During the next 60 seconds, stop whatever you are
doing, and take this opportunity. (Literally it
is only 1 minute.) All you have to do is the
following:

Stop and think and appreciate God's power
in your life, for doing what you know is pleasing to
Him. Christ is strength.'

Light vs Dark

This came to me on the internet. I thought it quite appropriate with our ongoing series, ‘Know When To Speak.’ Many times we think we will say something to a friend or family member at a better later date. How do we know when that time will come when the Lord will be waiting in the stairwell?


“For God so loved the world, that He gave His Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16…sound familiar? Let’s go a bit further with this scripture. (17) “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. (18) “He who believes in Him is not judged, he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (19) “And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, for their deeds were evil.” (20) “For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.” (20) “ But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

Pretty heavy……Let’s apply this to a few issues going on today. We can start with our government legislators taking God out of everything they can get their hands on. I can furnish you a copy of the preamble to every state constitution, which ties God and government together. What about abortion? Or, what about same sex marriages? Reading over the passages above from the book of John, we can see why there are a fairly large number of people who would like to take Christianity out of everything. They are operating in the dark where their evil deeds can not be seen or exposed. As sad as it sounds, we are getting what we have let happen. In 1963 we could have stopped everything. The vote came up to take prayer out of schools. The 3% (those wanting to take prayer out), outvoted the 97% who did not. We didn’t react then. Now, look where we are! Just imagine…..If we had stopped that vote from happening, things would have probably been a lot different today. Something like Roe vs Wade would never have happened. We would not have murdered 50 million children that God gave as gifts. Hmmmm….How does that last sentence hit you?

We’ve let it happen. Now, it’s going to be
A lot tougher to get things back in order. We can do it!! We need to make our voices heard by our elected representatives. These people work for us….we don’t work for them!

Be aware of tricky legislation coming at us. Presently, the government is discussing methods of trying to stop all internet activities under the pretense that there is a cyberspace security threat. It’s just another way to prevent you from getting current information. There is no cyberspace threat. There is even chatter about cutting cell phones off. We just need to watch carefully these issues that will affect us all.

If you read over the scripture illustrated here. (John 3:16-20), you’ll start to understand how many of the problem areas have started and continue to grow at a fantastic rate. It’s up to us to fix it……

Know When To Speak #9

Does this all make sense to you? During the last eight months we’ve gone over the points to discuss when speaking to someone about their eternal future. If you will notice, all points are God’s points. And, as far as any statements I have made, they are all backed up with scripture. The gospel is God’s words delivered by His children to those who have not heard the ‘good news’.

If you reach this point with someone, you might want to go through a few high points when you ask them if this makes sense. You might say: “Let me clarify what this means.”

1. Transfer trust to Jesus alone.
2. Receive Christ as savior
3. Receive Christ as Lord
4. Repent (Turn direction of life)
Pray with them to receive Christ.

Next month we’ll discuss this further.

(Sorry…No humor section this month)

Special Prayer Request!

A friend of mine, Angela, who lives in Colorado, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She is scheduled for surgery on Tuesday. Please include her healing and speedy recovery in your prayers.

What Is Hell Like?

Many people have told me they are looking forward to going to hell. They feel they will be with their friends and have an eternal party. These same people usually state that we are in hell right now, and going somewhere else will be an improvement. I would be willing to bet that most of you have heard the same thing, or remarks very close to these. What does that suggest to you? The first thing that comes to mind is this person does not know Jesus. It also points out that they have probably not read the Bible, and don’t understand the message.
If we look deeper we might find an underlying cause for this person’s rejection of the Lord. Many times it has to do with something they have experienced, or seen some horrible occurrence happen to someone else, perhaps a loved one, or even simple street talk downgrading God or Jesus. We need to keep in mind some of the loose laws we live by, such as; abortion and same sex marriages. I have run into those people who have had an abortion that feel they will never be accepted by God. The same is true for same sex marriages. Some of these people think they have done such an awful wrong that there will never be hope for them. So, they turn the other way…..start looking forward to going to hell. And, sad as it may be, the government is trying to provide for free abortions in the new health bill if it gets passed.
Let’s look at what hell is like. In very basic simple terms it’s the absence of God, hope and peace. Something I heard on the radio which is very good at explaining hell. Hell was designed by God for Satan and the fallen angels. It’s also available, by choice, for the only specie dumb enough to select it as an option….humans. People who have decided that they want nothing to do with God elect to go to hell. I think they are in for a bad news surprise.
Where am I going with all this? It’s coming down to those of us who know the Lord to get the message out. It doesn’t matter if we are 5 years old or 105 years old. The message is the same, and it’s our responsibility to share it with as many people as we can.

Know When To Speak #8

Last month we took a look at what faith is not. Sometimes we get a bit confused when a friend or family member says they believe in God or Jesus. For the most part, this is a quick escape for those who are not really sure about their faith.
So….what is real faith? I’m going to try and explain this as simply as possible. Real Faith or saving faith is when you have come to a point in your spiritual life where you have put all your trust in getting to heaven in Jesus. That is, you believe He is the only way you will get to heaven, and you have transferred all trust to Him to get you there. A simple illustration; You are sitting in a chair. A few feet away from you is another chair. The chair looks like it might hold you. This is an example of, I believe. How do you know it will hold you? The only way to know for sure is to get up and go sit in the other chair. The same is true with saving faith. You can talk about it, have discussions about it, but until you actually transfer all your trust to Jesus for your eternal life,it won’t happen.

A Little Humor...

On the outskirts of a small town, there was a big, old pecan tree just inside the cemetery fence. One day, two boys filled up a bucketful of nuts and sat down by the tree, out of sight, and began dividing the nuts.
'One for you, one for me One for you, one for me,' said one boy. Several dropped and rolled down toward the fence. Another boy came riding along the road on his bicycle. As he passed, he thought he heard voices from inside the cemetery. He slowed down to investigate. Sure enough, he heard, 'One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me..' He just knew what it was. He jumped back on his bike and rode off.
Just around the bend he met an old man with a cane, hobbling along. 'Come here quick,' said the boy, 'you won't believe what I heard! Satan and the Lord are down at the cemetery dividing up the souls.' The man said, 'Beat it kid, can't you see it's hard for me to walk.' When the boy insisted though, the man hobbled slowly to the cemetery.. Standing by the fence they heard , 'One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me.'
The old man whispered, 'Boy, you've been tellin' me the truth. Let's see if we can see the Lord.' Shaking with fear, they peered through the fence, yet were still unable to see anything. The old man and the boy gripped the wrought iron bars of the fence tighter and tighter as they tried to get a glimpse of the Lord. At last they heard, 'One for you, one for me. That's all. Now let's go get those nuts by the fence and we'll be done.' They say the old man made it back to town a full 5 minutes ahead of the kid on the bike.. SMILE, God Loves you.

Something to think about………..

A Holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, 'Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.'
The Lord led the holy man to two doors.
He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table..
In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew, which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water. The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful.
But because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths. The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.
The Lord said, 'You have seen Hell. They went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.
The holy man said, 'I don't understand. 'It is simple,' said the Lord.. 'It requires but one skill. You see, they have learned to feed each other. The greedy think only of themselves.'
When Jesus died on the cross, He was thinking of you.
This illustration is not so funny. It gives us good reason to be sure about our eternal final destination.

Is Our Number Up?

This last couple of weeks has been pretty shocking. People we have known about are going by the wayside. Ed McMahan, Farah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and just today, Billy Mays (the TV Oxy-Clean spokesperson. He was only 50 years old also.)

Our Lord has His plan, and all we know is that it is perfect. This doesn’t mean that we won’t suffer when a loved one passes on. BUT, it does tell us something. God tells us to be ready at any time. He also tells us to spread His word. Matthew 28:19-20 tells it all: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” I know I have mentioned this before, but it stands. These passages do not specify pastors, ministers, or professional people, it speaks to us. It doesn’t specify age, sex or race. It says get the Word out. Well…….Do we need anymore convincing? The next number could be someone very close to us.

Know when to speak #7

What Faith is NOT!

Faith is faith, right? To have faith simply means believing in something. We have all kinds of faith in different items and issues in our lives. We have faith in our spouses, our children, our jobs, our homes, our vehicles, our government (most of the time), our friends, and, oh yes, our God. For the most part, we take all of these for granted.
Jesus offered us the gift of eternal life, and we can receive it through faith. Are there any conditions here that we should be aware of? Is this faith principle that Jesus offers us the same as the faith we have in other issues in our lives? Or, is there something different in the scheme of things? Let’s look at a couple of faiths that are not considered ‘saving faith’.

The first one we’ll examine is what is referred to as head knowledge. We all believe certain things have happened, such as historical events. We believe they occurred. Many say they believe that Jesus existed, and that He was a good man, did good things, is well known. They believe these facts. They say they have faith by this explanation. Is this saving faith? I don’t think Jesus had this type of faith in mind. Many say that all these issues in our lives fall under faith. Absolutely! However, we are missing a key ingredient that ignites everything. We’ll get in that later. Now let’s take a look at another type of faith that is not ‘saving faith’.

We’ll call this one temporal faith. Another word for this is temporary faith. You can probably guess what this one means. It’s like taking God off a shelf when you need Him. Things like, illness, air travel, financial stress, and anything else that comes on suddenly. When through asking God for whatever it is your asking for, we put Him back on the shelf. Now, let’s not confuse this with actual faithful prayer, which covers all of the above mentioned items, plus much more.

If we look at scripture carefully we will see how God illustrates some of these faiths that are not really faiths. For an example, let’s
look at James 2:19: ¨You believe that God is one, You do well; the demons also believe,
and shudder.” If just believing is the key, it would appear that we are going to have some strange company in heaven, as the demons also believe. Do we think for a moment they are going to heaven?

Possibly this will give you something to chew on. Next month we’ll take a look at ‘Saving Faith’, and what it is…really.


A Little Humor

The 8th OF JULY??
What is so different about the 8th of July this year?At five minutes and six seconds after 4 AM on the 8th of
July this year, the time and date will be 04:05:06 07/08/09.
This will never happen again.

-------------------------------------------------

Here we go…..The Man Rules-------------
At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down

Finally, the guys' side of the story.

We always hear "the rules" from the female side.
Now here are the rules from the male side. Please note these are all numbered "1"
ON PURPOSE!
Men are NOT mind readers.. 1. Learn to work the toilet seat.You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down.We need it up, you need it down.You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.
1. Sunday sports: It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides.Let it be. 1. Shopping is NOT a sport.And no, we are never going to think of it that way.
1. Crying is blackmail.
1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints do not work!Strong hints do not work!Obvious hints do not work!Just say it!
1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question. 1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.
1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become Null and void after 7 Days.
1. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask us.
If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one. You can either ask us to do something or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.
1. When ever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials.
1.. Christopher Columbus did NOT
need directions and neither do we.
1. ALL men see in only 16 colors...like Windows default settings.Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no Idea what mauve is.
1. If it itches, it will be scratched We do that.
1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing, " we will act like nothing's wrong.We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.
1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, expect an answer you don't want to hear.
1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine...Really.
1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball or golf.
1. You have enough clothes.
1. You have too many shoes.
1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!
1. Thank you for reading this..Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight; But, did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.
-------------------------------------
I know this was quite a bit of ‘Humor’, but sometimes we need to laugh a bit more. I sure would like to see some ‘humor’ stories coming in. We can use a bit of fun.
….Editor

My book has finally been released. If you would like to see the Press Release, please go to:
http://eloquentbooks.com/BeneathTheSurface-MX02.html
It will tell you a bit about the book and author.

Another Note:

If you are new to the Signpost Newsletter and would like to read previous months, you can go to our blog and catch up.
http://TheSignpostnewsletter.blogspot.com.
See you next month,
Hope you have a—

Happy 4th of July !

What If The Bible Is Right?

In our world today we have come to the point where we accept certain things to be true or untrue. This is most apparent in our relationship with God and His word. If the Bible says something we like, we’ll go along with it. If it says something we don’t like or are not interested in, we seem to omit it from our behavior and belief system. In this article we’ll take a look at some of the more popular notions or should we say beliefs of people today.

Let’s start right at the top. In this session we will look at abortion, and same sex marriage. The facts according to the Bible, will be laid out here. Of course, you make your own decision on which god you wish to serve, but just remember the title of this article; What If The Bible Is Right?

Abortion: The dictionary defines abortion as: An abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus / embryo, resulting in or caused by its death. We have this one down solid. Some 50 million+ deaths have resulted from abortions in this country since Roe vs Wade. Probably the most looked at verse in the Bible concerning children can be found in Psalm 127:3: “Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; The fruit of the womb is a reward.” If children are a gift from God, what gives us a right to destroy that life just because we want to? Many young girls and older women make a mistake about this because they have been taught that its ok, nothing wrong or bad here. There are many of these women who have realized the offense to God, and have repented for their sin. There’s another word we should take a quick look at. What is a simple definition of sin? How about; anything displeasing to God? We all know that God will forgive us of our sins. But, will God forgive a blatant sin? Many will dismiss this, but the Bible says in Proverbs 14:9, “Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is good will…” What if the Bible is right?

Same sex marriage: The legal union of a man and woman as husband and wife. More and more states are legalizing marriage between single sexes. I guess it must be alright if everyone is doing it, and it feels right, so it can’t be wrong, can it? Politicians keep endorsing this act, as well as backing up the abortion issue. Does that make it right? Who will answer if we are doing the wrong thing? Many people say they are Christians, but are they really? Suppose we define the word Christian before we go on. It’s quite simple. Christ – ian. Christ follower, or just follower of Christ. It would seem that if we are followers of Christ, or Christians as some say, that we would follow the Bible, because this is God’s word, His instructions, His guide, and in all, His game. He set the rules. We can either play accordingly, or get out of the game. This is another of those issues where blatant sin is going to draw consequences. Turn to Exodus 34:7b, “….He will by no means let the guilty go unpunished.” Let’s see what the Bible says about same sex activities or marriage. We’ll look in the New Testament at the book of Romans.
Turn to chapter 1:24-32. “Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural. And in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful, and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”
I’ve read the Bible over several times during the last 25+ years, and this is the only spot where it actually appears to me that God is turning His back on a particular activity. It all boils down to where you stand. You may say you are a Christian, (follower of Christ), but if you are backing government leaders that say this activity is alright…..remember how we defined sin….anything displeasing to God. These two topics look like they may be very displeasing to God. To continue to back those who endorse the activity, would be considered a blatant sin, and subject to God’s consequences. A little note for politicians…If you call yourself a Christian
how long you are here on this planet…. try to
think how long eternity will be and where you will spend it. Again it needs to be noted here…..What if the Bible is right? It’s your call.

If you would like further accounts of ‘What If The Bible Is Right’, just drop me an email and let me know. (ee1gary@aol.com)
…Editor
A Little Humor
My Times UP?
A 62 year old woman had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital.. While on the operating table she had a near death experience. Seeing God she asked 'Is my time up?'
God said, 'No, you have another 43 years, 2 months and 8 days to live.'
Upon recovery, the woman decided to stay in the hospital and have a face-lift, liposuction, breast implants and a tummy tuck. She even had someone come in and change her hair color and brighten her teeth! Since she had so much more time to live, she figured she might as well make the most of it.
After her last operation, she was released from the hospital. While crossing the street on her way home, she was killed by an ambulance.
Arriving in front of God, she demanded, 'I thought you said I had another 43 years? Why didn't you pull me from out of the path of the ambulance?'
- God replied: 'I didn't recognize you.'
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If we exalt ourselves, He will humble us. If we humble ourselves, He will exalt us.

Know when to speak #6

Last month we determined that Jesus was in fact, God in the flesh. Through the years I have heard a great deal of people comment about God not knowing what they were going through, or how much pain they were feeling. All we have to do is think of the pain and suffering Jesus endured as He was being whipped. You know, those whips had barbs on the end of them. They dug in when they hit, tore flesh and muscle. How many of us have had to go through pain like that? We’ll take that another step further. Can you imagine how it felt to have a stake driven through your hands? I can’t even begin to imagine the pain and suffering He went through for me….for you.

Jesus didn’t have to go through this, but He did it to pay the price for us. He went to the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. I can’t see myself going to the cross to pay for someone’s sins, but Jesus did it. A little sidebar here….That’s what I call love!

It’s interesting to note how people see who Jesus was. Many say He was a good man. Others say He was a great teacher. Some say He was a prophet. We know He did all these things, but the main point here is that people either don’t know, or are trying to hide from the truth. If they admit Jesus is God, they will have more feelings of guilt from their own behavior.

When Jesus was on the cross He said a word that pretty much tells all. He said, ‘tetelestai’. This is an accounting term for that period of time. It means, ‘paid in full’. He paid the price for our transgressions….in full, and He offers eternal life with the Father as a gift. This gift is received by faith. Next month we’ll take a look at what faith is NOT.

Comment:
During the last few months we’ve looked at a few helpful hints at sharing the gospel of our Lord. The idea is to share, not to engage in an argument, which leaves hard feelings and sometimes a very negative outlook on the part of the person we are trying to reach. As you can see, it doesn’t take a bible scholar to relate your testimony and the good news of Jesus. So far, you will have also noticed that there is no slamming other faiths. If we are going to share good news, let’s share good news, and that would be how the person you are speaking with can come to know the Lord and have eternal life.
We sometimes think the timing is not right. Occasionally this is true. But, keep in mind we are not the determining power for life. If we ever wonder whether the time is right, just think of that person leaving this earth without knowing the Lord. Forever is a long time, and time is precious. If we let the opportunity go by, and the person dies, we are left with the thought, what if…/….I tried to reach my father before he died, but was rejected. The thought is still with me, what if I tried a little harder to reach him……
We can’t dwell on the past, just learn. God wants us to be His messengers of His word, and it doesn’t take a title to accomplish this. Matthew 28:19-20 does not specify pastors, ministers or priests. These passages are talking to all of us. We are to go out, teach, baptize and instruct in God’s way. Can you imagine what would happen in Washington if everyone who calls themselves Christian, reached one person in a year? WOW!!
We’ll start looking at faith next month.

‘I Don’t Talk About Religion Or Politics’

How many times have we heard this comment? Years ago I used to wonder why people didn’t talk about religion or politics. It’s taken some deep study and thought to answer this very popular idea of not speaking about religion or politics. Could a main reason be, we don’t know enough to carry on an intelligent conversation? If you ask a person who states this as a reason, he will never agree that he doesn’t know enough to speak about these topics. But, if we push further, we will find that this is probably the real reason for no conversation in two very controversial subjects.

Now, how do we tie religion and politics into the same realm? The easiest way to demonstrate the why is to show an example. This is not meant to be a political discussion. It is only a comparison. Let’s look at Talk Radio. How many successful liberal talk radio shows are there in this country? The answer is not very many, if any at all. Why? Liberal politics has never made it a practice to be very deep or far thinking in its programs, or for that matter, its discussion. The discussion must be very shallow. People, on the other hand, have become more demanding in their understanding of programs and how they work. They want more than shallow end results. For this reason liberal talk radio does not do well in this country

Using the same premise, conservative talk radio, which is thriving in this country, does just the opposite. Conservatives go to great pain to explain details of how programs or benefits will work, and how they will be paid. They also explain how liberal programs will not work and why. This is a very brief explanation of liberal vs conservative talk radio. It’s used only to show a comparison.

Now, let’s apply this idea to religion. We know that only 5% of Christians in the United States have ever led anyone to the Lord. If only 5% have spoken up, that leaves 95% who haven’t said anything. Again, why? Using some of the same ideas from the talk radio explanation above, we find that most Christians can only give a shallow accounting of the gospel. They say things like, ‘just believe and you’ll receive the Holy Spirit’, or other such phrases, which only a Christian understands. I know in my B.C. (before Christ) days, if anyone said that to me, I would be looking for a door or some other quick exit.

As I said before, people are more demanding today. They want facts, logic, simplicity, and want to understand what’s being said. The gospel is simple if explained correctly. The very best part is, it’s not your words, it’s the Lord’s words, and the Bible backs you up all the way. If you explain the gospel in this manner, you will be glorifying God to the max!

This editor’s book is about to be released! It’s a fiction novel about one person’s method of dealing with banks that write bad mortgages. I think you would find it entertaining. Unless you indicate otherwise, an announcement from the publisher, by way of email will come to you telling you about the book and it’s author (me). If you do not want to receive this announcement, please let me know. (ee1gary@aol.com)

A Little Humor

An eye witness account from New York City, on a cold day in December, some years ago: A little boy, about 10-years-old, was standing before a shoe store on the roadway, barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering with cold.
A lady approached the young boy and said, 'My, but you're in such deep thought staring in that window!'
'I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes,' was the boy's reply.
The lady took him by the hand, went into the store, and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel. He quickly brought them to her.
She took the little fellow to the back part of the store and, removing her gloves, knelt down, washed his little feet, and dried them with the towel.
By this time, the clerk had returned with the socks. Placing a pair upon the boy's feet, she purchased him a pair of shoes.
She tied up the remaining pairs of socks and gave them to him.. She patted him on the head and said, 'No doubt, you will be more comfortable now.'
As she turned to go, the astonished kid caught her by the hand and looking up into her face, with tears in his eyes, asked her,
'Are you God's wife?'

Know when to speak #5

Who is Jesus? There are probably a number of books written on this subject. There are about as many statements as to who Jesus is as there are books. Some of the more popular descriptions are; great teacher, prophet, nice person, heretic, fool, or wacko. I think I covered both ends of the spectrum here. Of course we are going to defend anything that we know is not true. In our defense can we back up our claims as to who Jesus is? This is another example of fact vs emotion. We all know how we feel about Jesus, but can we prove our feelings? Suppose we take a look at what the Bible says.

John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Sounds pretty good so far, but it doesn’t prove a thing. Let’s go a bit farther. Drop on down to verse 14: “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory; glory from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Ok, now we have a firm grip on it. Who was the Word? ..God. The Word became flesh. Who was that? ..Jesus.
Who is Jesus? You only get one guess here. God became flesh….Jesus. Therefore, Jesus is God! Jesus is wholly God and wholly man.

I don’t know how everyone else feels, but I usually like to back up strong statements, and this one is no exception, in fact, it can use everything we can assemble. Many churches in this country have minimized the importance of Jesus……bad mistake. In any event, turn with me to John 20:28: In this passage ‘doubting Thomas’ is checking the piercings on Jesus’ hands as the verse says; “Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God’.

I think we have the picture here. Next month we’ll discuss what Jesus did that was so important to the people of this world.
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Take a look at Matthew 28:19-20. Does it say only pastors, priests, or ministers are to go out and reach the world?
I don’t think so…We’ll be getting into this.