Give Me That Old Time Gospel

[Def]

I will get with the other Moderators to see what we can come up with. We may contact Admin on this also. We will get back with you on this.

God Bless you Pastor Roger you I could send you a Jesus hug that you could see with your eye but It OK You will feel it with your soul how nice it is to have the same Spirit, the spirit of the Living God through Jesus Christ Our Lord .your Sister in Jesus Def

[Def]

God Bless you Pastor Roger you I could send you a Jesus hug that you could see with your eye but It OK You will feel it with your soul how nice it is to have the same Spirit, the spirit of the Living God through Jesus Christ Our Lord .your Sister in Jesus Def

I have to go fishing now.but I wont be to long got to do my job"fisher of men by exemple and sometimes" WORDS"

[Soldier4Christ]

Hi def,

Do you have an account at some website like photobucket? If so could you post the web address to it without using any of the buttons to do so, so that I can see the pictures?

[Soldier4Christ]

Is Christianity intolerant?

Is Christianity intolerant? Yes, it is intolerant.  In fact, it is very intolerant to say that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one can get to God except through Him, as Jesus Himself said in John 14:6.  It is also intolerant to state that there is no other name under heaven other than Jesus by which a person can be forgiven of his sins, as Peter said in Acts 4:12.  It is intolerant to say that there is only one true God, as Jesus said in John 17:3.  It is also intolerant to say that trying to enter into heaven by any other way than Jesus is to be a thief and a robber, as Jesus said in John 10:1.  Jesus was intolerant when He said that He is the one who reveals God to people (Luke 10:22).  Jesus was even more intolerant of religious hypocrisy when He condemned the religious know-it-alls and called them hypocrites and deceivers (Matt. 23:25-26).  Jesus was extremely intolerant of the buying and selling in the temple when He drove the people out of it by force and overturned their money tables (John 2:13-16).  Jesus was intolerant of hatred when He said "love your enemies" (Luke 6:27).  Jesus was intolerant of ignorance when He taught the people truth (Matt. 5).  Jesus was intolerant of prejudice when He gave the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37).

Yes, Christianity is intolerant because its founder, Jesus, was intolerant.  Christianity is intolerant of false gods and false gospels.  Why is it so intolerant?  Because it is shaped after Jesus.  It is intolerant because there is a hell and Jesus, who is God in flesh (John 1:1,14; Col. 2:9), who died for our sins (1 Pet. 2:24), has made the only way to forgiveness a reality:  through Him alone (John 14:6) and without Him comes damnation.

On the other hand, Christianity is very tolerant.  It teaches to be very forgiving (Matt. 18:21-22), to be patient and kind (Gal. 5:22-23), and to be honest and wholesome (Phil. 4:6-8).   Jesus taught us to love and to heal and to be examples of kindness and truth in the world.  Jesus was intolerant of religious hypocrisy and bigotry.  He was very intolerant of false teachers.  He was intolerant of pride, rebellion, sin, covetousness, adultery, lying, cheating, stealing, fornicating, and murder.  He was intolerant of husbands treating their wives poorly.  He was intolerant of pain and was saddened by suffering.  Yet, at the same time He demonstrated the greatest love and patience with those who were guilty of all these things.  Why?  Because He is God in flesh, incarnate love, incarnate righteousness, incarnate humility.

The whole issue of whether or not Christianity is intolerant lies in who Jesus is, what He claimed, and what He did.  If what Jesus said and did is true, then Christianity isn't intolerant.  It is simply true, and it is the world that is intolerant of that truth.

Likewise, it is true that Jesus lived.  It is true that Jesus walked on water (Matt. 8:26-27).  It is true that Jesus healed the sick (Matt. 8:5-13).  It is true that Jesus calmed a storm with a command (Mark 4:39).  It is true that Jesus raised the dead (Matt. 9:25; John 11:43-44).  It is true that Jesus claimed to be God (John 5:18; 8:24; 8:58 -- see Exodus 3:14).  It is true that Jesus was killed on a cross (Luke 24:20).  It is true that Jesus rose from the dead (Luke 24:39; John 20:27).  These are not feeble claims made by crazy people who wanted to gain power and fame.  These are the claims of Christ Himself and of those who followed Him and suffered for Him and died for Him.

Either it is all true, or it is not.  Either Jesus performed miracles, or He did not.  Either Jesus rose from the dead, or He did not.  Based solely and completely on who Jesus is and what He did, Christianity is the truth; and by necessity all other religions that disagree with Jesus are wrong.

Truth is, by nature, intolerant of falsehood.  If Christianity is not true, then Jesus was not God, then Jesus did not do miracles, then Jesus did not heal the sick, then Jesus did not walk on water, then Jesus did not die and rise from the dead after three days.  But, if He did do these things, then Christianity alone is true, since in all the religions in the world only Christianity has the person of Jesus, and Jesus said that He alone was the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

Christianity is only as intolerant as Jesus is true.

[Soldier4Christ]

Marriage

Marriage is a sacred institution established by God for the primary purpose of bringing Him glory.  Its main purpose is not, as some think, to procreate, or to have companionship, or to fulfill sexual needs.  No.  Its primary purpose is to bring glory and honor to God.  It is only in marriage that we are able to carry out the commission of God to replenish the earth and to subdue it.  This commission by God can only be properly accomplished in marriage where the husband and wife, in faithful, covenantal relationship, purpose to glorify God by having children, training them in the ways of the Lord, and sending them out into the world.  This is what marriage is for.  It is outward focused (for God's glory), not inward centered (for our comfort).

Unfortunately, in this world of feminism, the biblical role of women has been compromised.  Too many Christian men don't know how to be men since, unfortunately, many of them learn "manhood" from one of two main role models on TV:  the wimpy, bumbling male buffoon who is the object of laughter or the macho stud who can kill thousands with his bare hands and then go fornicate his brains out.  Add to this sad state of affairs the unbiblical allowance of teenage rebellion and disrespect (due mostly to parental failure), and it is obvious that families are under attack.  What is a Christian family to do?

The answer is simple.  Men, it starts with you.  So listen up.  You are the ones responsible for your families.  You are the ones who are the heads of your families.  This is how God set the family structure up.  God made the first married couple in a certain order and gave them certain duties.  Adam was made first, and God put him in charge of the Garden (Gen. 2:7,15).  Adam looked for a helpmate from among all the animals and found none suitable (Gen. 2:19-20).  So, God made Eve to aid him in the commission God had given Adam (Gen. 2:22).  It was Eve's purpose to aid Adam in accomplishing the will of God.  Furthermore, remember that sin entered the world through Adam, not Eve, even though she sinned first (Rom. 5:12).  God addressed Adam for the failure, not Eve.  To use an analogy, it was Adam who was the captain of the ship and when it went aground, he was the one God came to.  Therefore, the responsibility of the family falls on the man.  If you don't like it, that is too bad.  That is how God set it up.

The healing of the Christian family begins with the head:  the husband.  The husband needs to take the helm and lead the family in spiritual matters -- whether he likes it or not.  He can't be perfect at it, and that's okay, but he is responsible for carrying out his duties as a husband and for loving his wife as Christ loved the church (Eph. 5:25).  This is a very tall order to love his wife as Jesus loves us.  But that is our calling.  It is love in the family, led and exemplified by the husband, that sets the tone of the marriage.  He is responsible for the well-being of the family.  It is to him that God will come and require an account.  This is serious business, and the man needs to take it seriously.

Aside from the unfortunate reality where women must lead due to divorce, widowhood, separation, etc., if the woman is the leader in the family it is because the man has not taken his proper place.  The man is the spiritual head, the discipler of the family (1 Cor. 14:34-35), the teacher, the one responsible for the the material, financial, and spiritual well being of his family (1 Tim. 5:.  It is a tall order, but it is simply the way it is.  And one more thing:  a family is a family by virtue of the covenant bond of marriage.  It does not become a family once children arrive. Children are welcomed into the family at birth and need to be taught how to be proper, godly members of God's covenant family.

But what of the wife?  What is her responsibility in marriage?  It is simple.  She is to respect, honor, and support her husband (Eph. 5:33).  She is to encourage him to be the leader.  She is to not undermine his position as head.  This means that wives should not show him disrespect by speaking ill of him behind his back to anyone else.  In addition, though many women will not like it, the woman's primary responsibility is to take care of the home (Tit. 2:3-5) and to make it a suitable place for the family to dwell as she aids her husband and nurtures the children (1 Thess. 2:7) with love (Tit. 2:4).

Of course, the husband and wife are both responsible for overlapping and helping each other as they love one another (1 Cor. 13), but the primary duty of a husband is to love and provide.  The primary duty of a wife is to nurture and respect.

Is this important?  Absolutely!  Is it popular?  No.  But, it is what God calls us to do as Christians.  So I ask you, how important is your family to you?  How seriously are you considering them before God, not just in provision, but in love, nurturing, honor, training, and godly upbringing?

[islandboy]

I am safe when danger threatens,
For I'm trusting Christ the Lord;
Since He promised He'll be with me,
Though I fear, my faith's restored.       Hess

[Soldier4Christ]

Men

There is a crisis of manhood in the Christian church.  It has become so obvious to me lately.  Five couples I know are having marital problems.  In each case, it is the husband that is at fault.  It is no wonder, though, with the assault on manhood in American Society.  All you have to do is watch TV for a little while and you will notice domineering women and wimpy men who are insecure and inept.  The characterization of manhood by the media is definitely unbiblical and anti-Christian.  In fact, it is creeping into the church and the existence of women pastors is one of the signs of the failure of men in the Christian church to do their job.

There simply aren't enough Pastors who teach the biblical model of Christian manhood.  And Christian men too often are resting in the comfort of their churches, their homes, and their jobs to grow spiritually, not to mention be leaders.  Too many are becoming lax, apathetic, and spiritually atrophied.  For some men, their lives are so comfortable, so routine that spiritual testing and growth are things they read about in books and taking risks for the Lord is an uncommon idea.  Mission work is something that others do.  Evangelism is for those who are "gifted in that area."  Comfort can be a killer for the church and for us men.  It can make us lazy and it can bleed over into other areas of our lives.  Let me ask you men something:  Are you willing to take risks for God?  Is it in your heart to do that?

At the "Church at the top of the Hill," the parking lot is filled with new cars and mini vans.  The people happily walk into church.  Some are talking on their cell phones as they move towards the large building.  Others approach are chuckling and laughing.  They are well dressed, well fed, and quite comfortable.  They drop their kids off in the Sunday School classes and head to the air conditioned church and sit in the cushioned chairs.  The worship music is very well done and the message is polished.  Very nice.  Very comfortable.  Very routine.  Very blessed.  But, this time the pastor has an announcement before the people are dismissed and he introduces an old friend he went to Bible college with.

A man dressed in out-of-style clothes walks up to the pulpit.  He looks at the congregation.  "Ladies and gentlemen," he says.  "I come from a small town in Southern Africa where I do mission work.  The population is about 5,000.  The people there are under educated and often don't have enough food to eat.  AIDS is also prevalent.  The weather is hot and we don't have electricity all the time.  But, the people are good and they want to know about Jesus.  There are cults trying to move into the town and are offering food and literature.  Many are taking it and being misled.  But, I am only one man and I can't stop it.

"I am here to ask for help.  Is there anyone who would join me in this small town to labor to bring the gospel to these people?  You can come for a week or two.  Or if not, is there anyone here who would care to donate money to fund the work of another missionary to this small town?  I need your help desperately.  I cannot do it alone.  I will be standing at the back of the church if anyone wants to talk to me.  God bless."

If you were sitting in the church listening, what would your reaction be?  Are you threatened by the idea of such a commitment to go or to help.  Would donating funds mean you couldn't get something you've been wanting and that would make you uncomfortable?  If so, perhaps you are becoming spiritual dry, spiritually atrophied, and your priorities are out of place.  But, then again, would you want to do something if you could?  Would you feel the pull of godly opportunity tug at your heart?  I hope so.  Either way, this small story can help you discover yourself and it can get you to see that change might be necessary.  Change down deep is where it begins.  Sometimes we men need it straight.  Sometimes we need to be told to get our eyes back on Jesus.

The illustration above is a round-about way to offer a challenge to see where you are and what your priorities are as men.  So, I have a question for you Christian men who are married.  Let's bring it home to reality.  Are you leading your family in regular devotions?  Now, I'm not talking about having a devotion every single night with a regimented routine of systematic theology.  I'm talking about regular prayer with your family, maybe at dinner time, or reading the Bible with them, and guiding them.  They are your primary mission field.  Are you doing that with them?  If you are, great!  But, if you aren't, then repent right now, confess your sin to the Lord, and start leading your family.  I don't care if it isn't comfortable.  Do it.  You can't be leaders in the church and workers for God if your family is left to spiritually fend for themselves.

The dinner table is a great place to have devotions.  Also, I recommend that when you and your wife retire for the evening, read a Psalm to her in bed.  You must lead.  You certainly don't have to be perfect.  But, you must realize that the man in the family is the head of the family and he is responsible for the spiritual welfare of the family.  Your wife is not responsible for this.  You are!  It is your responsibility.  You are the captain of the ship and God will hold you accountable for that ship.  Guide it with love, truth, and service.

Now if your wife is not a Christian and regular devotions are not possible, then pray for her, love her, be patient with her, and lift her up to the Lord.  Let her see Jesus in you in your humility, love, and patience.  Wash dishes for her.  Take her out to dinner.  Don't point our her faults.  Buy her flowers.  Love her with actions and words!  Read 1 Cor. 13 and apply it.

I have a question for you Christian men who are not married.  Are you seeking to be shaped by God to become men who honor God in your lives?  The Lord desires that you become godly men who honor and glorify God in your lives.  You see, the primary reason for marriage is not for your pleasure, not for companionship, and not to have children.  The primary reason for marriage is to bring glory to God and you cannot do this if you are harboring sin and selfishness.

Men, if you have sins of lust, sexual impurity, pornography, lying, laziness, etc., then confess them to the Lord.  Turn from them.  Do NOT become lazy about sin and your battle against it.  Do NOT become complacent.  Do NOT give in to the lust and pride.  Humble yourselves before God and man.  Commit in your heart to do what is right, to be honest, men of integrity, humble, truthful, faithful, kind, and gentle.  Yet, at the same time, be men who are strong in the Lord, bold in the faith, and ready to serve your families and friends.  It isn't always easy, but it is always right.

[islandboy]

We can't ignore God's only Son,
He is the Lord, the Holy One;
He is the source of life and grace,
The One who died and took our place.      Fitzhugh

[Def]

We can't ignore God's only Son,
He is the Lord, the Holy One;
He is the source of life and grace,
The One who died and took our place.      Fitzhugh

thank you Jesus....He has taken my place..Good night Islandboy..(+¸+)

[Soldier4Christ]

Not knowing

My daughter approached me with questions about the invisibility of God. She wanted to know why God does not reveal Himself more plainly in our lives. She wanted to know why our prayers seem to go unanswered. She wanted to know why God often works slowly. I realized that her questions were the result of deep contemplation. She had come to her father, the spiritual leader of the house, and was asking to know the answers.

I told her that she had asked the same questions theologians, Christian philosophers, and pastors have been trying to answer ever since the Christian Church began. I told her that the questions were very good.  I told her that God does make Himself known to us very often, but not always in the ways that we want.  If God responded to what we wanted, then how would He be God?  We talked about the mystery of God's ways, of how it is good that He does not answer all of our prayers -- since what we sometimes want turns out to be a bad idea.  We talked of how He is in control, of how He knows so much more than we do, and how we need to trust in Him by faith. I told her that I sometimes wondered the very things she was asking and though I have some answers I could give her, I told her that we can't really know for sure why God is so mysterious sometimes.  I told her that God's ways are not our ways, that we need to humble ourselves before Him and trust that not knowing the answers to the questions is OK.

She looked at me and I could tell from her expression that she did not fully appreciate my answer. She was hoping that her father would be able to give her a definitive response that would make complete sense.  So, I gave her some standard answers centering around God's foreknowledge, sovereign plan, and mercy.  I told her that in the many years of studying the cults, one of the things that I have learned about them is the comprehensibility of their gods.  In other words, you can comprehend them because they are man-made. The gods of the cults, the gods invented by the minds of people are not paradoxical.  They teach simple things about the gods they promote and have gods designed to satisfy their curiosities and questions.

I then told her that if we were to encounter the true God of the universe, it would make sense that we would discover things about Him we cannot comprehend. This is because God is so much greater than us that there would necessarily be things about Him that we cannot understand.  Again she looked at me. This time her expression seemed a bit more satisfied.

"It is okay not to know the whole answers to those questions," I told her, "because the God that we serve is so far beyond us that we will have questions that we cannot answer as well as we'd like."

She smiled and said that that made sense.

At that point I could not help but remember one of the greater pieces of wisdom I learned in seminary. A professor went to the chalkboard and pronounced to the class that he was going to write on the board a truly wise and profound theological truth. Intrigued, I paid close attention. He then wrote these words: "There is a God. You are not Him."

Over the years, that simple truth is echoed in my mind. God is so much greater than we are and there is so much about Him that we do not understand. He truly is incomprehensible, infinitely wise, incredibly wonderful, and even paradoxical. When we enter heaven I am sure that without the blinders of sin, we will have many answers revealed to us. Until that day, it is okay to not have all the answers.  Therefore, the words of Habakkuk 1:13 ring true:  "The just shall live by faith."

[Shammu]

My daughter approached me with questions about the invisibility of God. She wanted to know why God does not reveal Himself more plainly in our lives. She wanted to know why our prayers seem to go unanswered.

Praying is also listening to what God wants of you. Look where I am, do I want to be Pastor?? Nope but,  I'm following what God wants so I am.  Praying  isn't just a one-sided.

[Soldier4Christ]

Amen, that it is.

[Soldier4Christ]

Peace

Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." (John 14:27). 　Peace is lost in the world without Christ. People worry, wait, doubt, and long for things they covet. They want. They need. They demand. They must have just one more thing, or one more fulfilled desire. Without direction from God, they ingrain in themselves false needs and hopes which are out of the will of God and then complain to God and doubt Him when their self-centered prayers go unanswered. The result is a lack of peace. So, to solve this problem people often try to create a false peace with alcohol, drugs, sex, or other addictions. Sometimes they deny their sin and push away the conviction of the Holy Spirit. They no longer feel the touch of God's correcting movement in their hearts. They are left to their own ways.

Those lost in the cults also want peace. They want to believe that what they are following is going to help them and get them to heaven. So, they study their false doctrines looking for half-truths that will lull their souls into a false rest. They want to be made to feel safe and at rest in their hearts.

Unbelievers want peace. But, they don't turn to God for it. They look within. They try to muster up a self-assurance, reachable expectations, and, they hope, when they achieve them, they might have confidence and peace as a result. The sad truth is that sometimes these things give them peace. But, it is a false peace. It is false because it is not based on God. It is based upon themselves, their desires, and their possessions.

True peace can only be found in being in the will of God. True peace is a gift from God found only through Christ. Think about it. If you knew you were in the will of God, and even though things were tough, would you have peace in your heart? I hope so. If you did, then your confidence and hope in life would not be based upon the situations around you, but upon God who lives in you. That way, true peace will always be yours.

I can remember a time in my life when the simple answer "yes" or "no" would have a profound affect on the direction of my future. If I answered "yes" then I could stay in the profession for which I had been trained for years - the pastorate. If I answered "no" then I would have to leave it and find something else to do. Three godly men waited for my answer. I knew that I could tell them what they were hoping (which was not my position concerning charismatic gifts) and then I would be able to remain a pastor. But, I knew I could do nothing but answer as completely truthful as possible, according to the conviction of my heart, and that doing so would mean years of study and internship would be for naught. At that point, realizing the seriousness of the decision, I reflected on my relationship with God. I wanted to please Him, even if it cost me. So, I answered according to the convictions of my heart. As a result, I lost the pastorate to which I had been called. But, I had peace in my heart knowing I had been as truthful as I could be before the Lord. If I had shaded my answer just a bit, I could have remained in the pastorate. But, I knew I would have had no peace in my heart and would have no right to preach if I gave an answer that others wanted to hear. It was not worth it. I answered the call of integrity knowing that God was looking at my heart. I answered truthfully. It cost me greatly. But, that is okay.

Peace is rest in the heart. Though life may be hard, though our bodies be frail, though pain is our companion, to be in the will of God is to abide in the peace of God. Let me find the will of God and walk in it and let all other things be as they may.

"Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence," (1 Pet. 1:2-3).

[islandboy]

Give as 'twas given to you in your need,
Love as the Master loved you;
Be to the helpless a helper indeed,
Unto your mission be true.                Wilson





Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only.    James 1:22

[Soldier4Christ]

Prayer

Prayer is the practice of the presence of God.  It is the place where pride is abandoned, hope is lifted, and supplication is made.  Prayer is the place of admitting our need, of adopting humility, and claiming dependence upon God.  Prayer is the needful practice of the Christian.  Prayer is the exercise of faith and hope.  Prayer is the privilege of place where we touch the heart of the Father through the Son of God, Jesus our Lord.

The Bible speaks much of prayer.  But, sometimes, too often, we ignore prayer and seek to accomplish in the strength of our own wills those things that we desire to have or happen.  For those of us who are too often guilty of this, we need to bow our knees, confess our sin, receive God's forgiveness, and beg that the will of the Lord be done above our own.  God is sovereign and loving and He knows what is best for us and others, even if it doesn't always seem to make the most sense.

We so often come to the Lord with legitimate requests for healing, conversions, and needs and yet the answers we hope for often do not come.  We wonder and sometimes doubt.  Yet, we persevere and praise God.  We pray because we know that God hears us and because we desire to see results.  We should pray by faith, trusting God.  We should pray consistently, trusting God.  We should pray for healing, trusting God.  We should pray for others, trusting God.  We should pray, and when our prayers are answered or are not answered remember this:  If we knew what the Lord knew, we wouldn't change a thing.

Prayer changes the one praying, because in prayer you are in the presence of God laying before Him your complete self in confession and dependence.  There is nothing to hide when in quiet supplication we are reaching into the deepest part of our selves and admitting our needs and failures.  In so doing, our hearts are quieted and pride is stripped and we enjoy the presence of God.  James 4:8 says, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."

I am reminded of another benefit of prayer:  peace.  "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6-7).

I suppose that we can test our prayer life and dependence upon God by the peace or lack of peace in our hearts.  In all things we are to seek the Lord, and in His continued presence peace will surely be our gain.