Yeah, I'm a Believer!: Political Correctness: Fact or Fiction?This seems ...

Yeah, I'm a Believer!: Political Correctness: Fact or Fiction?This seems ...: Political Correctness: Fact or Fiction? This seems to be the goal of everyone in these times of this busted-up world we live in today, no...

Political Correctness: Fact or Fiction?

This seems to be the goal of everyone in these times of this busted-up world we live in today, not only to be politically correct yourself, but to also force everyone else to conform to your version of political correctness.  My first response to this is something along the lines of, "Good golly Miss Molly, I'm sure glad that my LORD JESUS CHRIST had no concerns at all about being politically correct!"  His concern was more with being obedient, and that is the only thing that keeps me, and every other New Testament Believer, from being headed straight to an eternity in hell.  Ooops!  There I go again, not being politically correct.  I sure hope that I didn't offend someone by even thinking that anyone who doesn't believe in GOD, and hasn't claimed the [shed] Blood of CHRIST for the redemption of sin, is going to hell.  And... make no mistake about it, there is just as much of this fixation on political correctness and avoiding, by all means necessary, offending anyone at all in our local churches today as there is anywhere else.  I mentioned obedience a minute ago, specifically the obedience of CHRIST being very much a part of making the eternity of Christians possible to be spent in Heaven with Himself, but His obedience alone doesn't make the Believer's hope of an eternity in Heaven a done deal.  His obedience just makes the Believer's hope a possibility, there has to be obedience on the part of every person who comes to the Throne [of Grace].  The thing that gets overlooked all to often is that the required obedience extends far beyond the altar.  Being not only 'hearers' but also 'doers' and 'giving no place to the devil' and '[being] aware of our adversary the devil', along with a host of other instructions, not the least of which is found in Acts 1:8 that is often referred to as the Great Commission.  And before anyone asks, no, none of these things are politically correct, at least not in this world. 

 

If CHRIST had been politically correct He would not have done a lot of things, not the least of was to stand up and tell the leaders of the Jewish culture of the day that they were wrong in how they worshipped GOD.  The thing that He did that isn't acceptable in most of the local churches in our present times was to declare, loudly and clearly, that without the obedient actions of believing and accepting and professing and confessing you are going to hell.  Sadly, we don't hear this message being preached nearly enough, and if a person hasn't done these things, and isn't living an obedient life [to GOD's perfect will], then they should be offended, and that to the point of coming to CHRIST! 

 

Thank You, LORD, for not being politically correct, but for being obedient instead.  Give me not only the desire, but the need, to be obedient, and that I would also have that same need to follow the examples You set for me with every step You took, every word You spoke, and every breath You drew.  Strengthen me so that my life will reflect You, so that everything about me would be a living and breathing testimony to You!  Amen! & Amen! 

Review - The Heroic Boldness of Martin Luther

Review – The Heroic Boldness Of Martin Luther

I’ve said it before, and so I’ll make the statement now that I, like a good many people, tend to stay away from Biographies and Autobiographies because while the informative value is usually unequaled, the presentation is generally dry and it seems like the monotony will never end.  But I’m more than pleasantly surprised by the superb use of space by the author in the one hundred and twenty-two pages of The Heroic Boldness of Martin Luther. 

In the first chapter of this book, Dr. Lawson introduces the reader to the humble beginnings of the son of copper miner Hans Luder and a devout Roman Catholic mother. The manner in which Lawson presents a brief yet complete synopsis of Martin Luther’s life is anything but dry and monotonous, which as I stated earlier is what I’ve come to expect to find in this type of work.  By maintaining the use of the same “rapid” writing style that was in evidence from the preface on, this writer doesn’t give the reader time to become bored or overwhelmed by what is actually a goodly amount of information.  In fact, I was a bit perturbed that the book ended as soon as it did, I wanted it to continue on. 

I came away from this read with the same mindset that I, as an author, work towards developing in my readers.  While without a doubt complete, this book left me with the need to do further research on the person of Martin Luther, to answer questions not raised in the book, but by the book.  In my humble opinion, this is what a well-written book or a well-delivered sermon should accomplish.

Well done, Dr. Steven J. Lawson!    

 

 

Review - Extreme Prayer by Greg Pruett

Okay, I'll admit it, when this book came up for review my first instinct was to pass on it.  My reason was legitimate.  Prayer, both as a topic and as a practice, has been written on so much that many people are jaded on the subject.  But, with a bit of Spiritual pushing and shoving [by His Holy Spirit of course!], I committed to review Extreme Prayer, and what a blessing it's been for me.

Pruett has managed to introduce the same Scripture(s) on prayer that we'll all had shoved down our throats many times in an entirely new way.  He doesn't approach either the concept of prayer as a whole or the practise of praying as individuals as a requirement or a duty.  By wrapping his life experiences in ministry around solid Biblical teaching on the subject of prayer, the author makes it possible for readers to come away from this one hundred and fourteen page book looking forward to the adventure of a life of prayer with the Lord.  By tying different episodes of his, his families, and his ministry partners' live to the absolutes of Biblical prayer, this author successfully introduces prayer to readers in what I believe to be God's intent.  Scripture doesn't support that prayer should be a dreaded, or a "to be avoided at all cost(s)" part of the Believer's lives.  Prayer is something intended to be a part of Christians' lives that is looked forward to, depended on, and sought after.

The writing of Extreme Prayer is obviously the result of both the inspiration of the Lord's Holy Spirit, and a life lived focused on prayer.

Well done, Greg Pruett!

The book Extreme Prayer was furnished to myself by Tyndale Momentum in consideration for my reviewing the book. In no way was my review influenced by Tyndale Momentum of any other person.

Review: The Rise of Evangelicalism by Mark A. Nolls

The Rise of Evangelicalism

by Mark A. Nolls

As a history buff of a variety of genres, I've accepted my lot in life is to spend a fairly significant portion of my life reading volumes of either dry and dusty or arrogant and pushy accounts of history. Having read this first work in a set of five, I'm already tracking down as many of the remaining four already in publication, and that is because Nolls has proven to me what I've always suspected. The presentation of easily corroborated historical facts, in regards to the growth and development of Evangelicalism, is done in a manner that is anything but arrogant or dry. Another thing that's easily recognized is the focus of the writer in not getting sidetracked, which is really easy to do, especially when writing from a historical perspective.  Finally, although there is much more that I could document in a positive note about this book, I'm going to finish-up by saying that when I was done with the book, I didn't feel that I was finished with the subject. Mark Nolls accomplished what I feel my purpose as a writer is, he left me with the desire to continue researching the subject of Evangelicalism.

Well done Mr. Nolls!

(This Review and others are also available @: www.fellowshipinthescriptures.com, then go to 'Review Central').

Blessings,
Terry a.k.a. k2montana

It Really Isn't That Hard!

What I'm fixing to say will get me throwed off of quite a few Christmas lists. That's okay though, my wife is always saying that I don't play well with others. This issue has been on my mind for a while, and as I've just finished 'Living Right In A World Gone Wrong' this is a good   a time as any to get this out.

When we pick up our Bibles, irregardless of the translation or version, whether or not it's paperback or leatherbound, and not important whether it's brand new or well-used, they all have in common that they're easy to read and simple to understand. One thing that the hundreds and thousands of 'doctrines' and 'theologies' have in common with the even greater number of denominations in the world is that by the very manner  by which they came to exist, they all have very little to do with God. God's Word, the Holy Bible, is at one end of a spectrum while all of the doctrines, theologies, and denominations are at the other end. Based strictly on Scripture, it's safe for me to say that when we're closest to the Bible end of the spectum, we're also the closest to God and His Will for us.  Necessarily contrary to this position is the [requirement] that the closer we get to the other end of this spectrum, and all that has accumulated there,  the farther from God we get.  I mentioned that it was [Scripturally] safe for me, or anyone, to take this position and it is, but I'm not going to tell you why  just yet. In a day or so I'll take this a little farther, so either check back then, or use the option on the left sidepanel to be updated via Email.

Right now we're in prayer over whether or not to do a book on this issue. As I said earlier, we just wrapped up a book and another is about finished. We do have several outlines ready to go forward on, but we're not sure where the Master Publisher would have us go to just yet.  So please do join us in prayer on this matter.

Many thanks,
Pastor Terry Keiner
Absarokee MT

Are You Ready?

Why do you suppose it is that so much of the time we either cannot or refuse to choose God as the focus of our lives until we're in a position that He is the only choice we have left?  In the Gospels, Jesus actually extended His invitations specifically to those who were at the bottom of the barrel, so to speak.

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.  Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

                                                                                                                       (Matthew 5:1-5    NKJV)               

In this particular Scripture, which is the beginning of what is commonly referred to as 'The Sermon on The Mount', Jesus goes on to include many others in what I've always thought of as an invitation of a sorts.  

At this point, we need to back up just a bit.  To fully appreciate how Jesus came to be delivering The Sermon on The Mount, which many wrongly believe to be when He began His public ministry, we need to do just a bit of background.  After being baptized by John [the Baptist] in the river Jordan, Christ spent forty days in the wilderness, at the end of which He was tempted by satan.  This is when His public ministry begins, and before He delivered The Sermon on The Mount near Capernaum, He'd already preached at Galilee and Nazareth before going to Capernaum, which fulfilled prophecy found in Isaiah nine and forty-two.  Then, going back to the region of Galilee, He recruited the first four of his disciples as well as doing all kinds sickness and possessions.  A huge crowd developed there and followed as He made His way from Galilee to Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and to the area beyond the Jordan River.  It was at this point that He returned to Capernaum, with His huge crowd of followers intact and growing, and delivered The Sermon on The Mount.

When reading through the second half of Matthew chapter four, it becomes obvious that the  focus of Christ was on those who were sick, diseased, poor, and possessed, and this same focus is present in the first five verses of The Sermon on The Mount.  What we need to understand here is what I think of as the 'cultural climate' within the Jewish world at that time.  First of all, Judaism is much more than a religious belief system, it is actually a culture within itself.  What was going on during the time of Christ was that the Jewish culture was so watered down, or distorted, by legalism that the leaders, mainly the Pharisees, pretty much decided who was worthy, or fit, to be a part of the Jewish 'in-crowd.'  A good example of this is found in Luke 18:9-14.

Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a  Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -  extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful  to me a sinner!'  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other;  for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.  (Luke 18:9-14    NJKV)

By and through the earlier Babylonian Talmud, and then later on the Jerusalem Talmud, the leaders of the Judaic world had added at least six hundred 'laws' that had nothing at all to do with God or His Will.  The end result of all of this was that it wasn't just the Gentiles who were pretty much reduced to vermin in the eyes of the mainstream Jews, it was also those Jews who didn't meet the criteria of the Pharisees.  Then the coming of Christ, which was first prophesied of by God Himself there in the garden of Eden, (See Genesis 3:14-15), wasn't exactly what the mainstream Jews had envisioned.  While it was never even hinted at through Old Testament prophecy, the Jewish hierarchy had decided over the four thousand or so years since the first mention of a Messiah that when He did come it would be with a lot of to-do and fanfare, parades and marching bands, festivals and singing.  As we all know, it didn't happen quite like that, and this is one of the major problems that the Jews had with Jesus, He didn't fit in with their ideas and notions of what He should be and do.  This bring us full circle back to where we started, that the focus of Christ during His early public ministry was those who weren't recognized by the 'uppity-up' as being fit for anything.  Perhaps this is why so many of us refuse Christ until we're in the position of having no one else to turn to.  

But, there is a big difference between us today and those Jesus was focused on two-thousand years ago.  Society and culture had decided that those people weren't fit for anything, and a great many of those people had lived in a subsistence lifestyle for generations, with no way to change it.  That's not true today.  We all know people who 'had it all' and then lost it by their own  actions.  In  our world today there are many, many people who were wealthy and accepted one day, and are living in a shelter the next.  Remember the story about the man who built his house on the sand?  There you go, it's the same [figurative] thing going on all around us.  

Okay then, here's the point I've been headed at since we started.  You don''t have to wait until your straw house, built on sand, had collapsed around you to be the wealthiest healthiest person there is.  Unlike some who've been unable to do better not by their own doings and who waste no time coming to the altar, let's not wait until we've lost everything before we turn to Christ.  It says nowhere in the Bible that we have to be poor and broken before He'll accept us, that's something we do on our own.  It's a cycle that only we can  break, and He's standing there, ever so patient, waiting.

How about it?  Has He waited long enough?  Are you ready?

Brunner on Prayer

I'm doing an Article on Prayer, and came across what to me says as much as all of the other, non-Biblical, sources I've researched put together.  I pray that this piece by Emil Brunner, who I admit was controversial in a lot of ways, may bless you as it did me.

Terry

"Indeed, the belief in the answering of prayer is victory over the abstract impersonal concept of God, even within Christian theology."

 Emil Brunner

 (The Christian Doctrine of the Church, Faith, and Consummation, Pp. 335)

Antinomianism, Say What?

     I know that I normally don't get into too much theology, but I'm going to make an exception here.  If everyone will just bear with me, the reason will become obvious pretty quickly.  So, here we go.

      Antinomianism, now that's a mouthful of word.  To get a very basic understanding of what it means, we're going to start with the etymology behind the word.  'Against' (anti) 'God's law' (nomos).  The root word anitnomos gives way to our word antinomianism, with the definition 'against God's law[s]' giving way to something along the lines of 'the act of' (ism) [being] against God's law[s].'  There, that wasn't too hard, now was it?  Everyone needs to keep in mind that what we've got here is a very basic and bare bones meaning of both a word and a [belief]  system that has been used in a constantly changing application over  the many years since it first surfaced.  Everyone let out their held breathes now,  because we're not going to explore the applications of this word very much farther than we're at right now.

      Okay then, let's get at it.  Antinomianism has basically two lines of thought.  First, we have Theoretical Antinomianism, which denies the [third] use of God's Law as a practical guide, or moral component, of the Christians everyday lives.  A good example of this is found in Ephesians 6:1-2, which is where Paul re-states a  section of the Law that talks about honoring our parents.

      "Children,, obey your parents in he Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother,     which is the first commandment with promise:"  (Ephesians 6:1-2    NKJV)

       Then we have Practical Antinomianism, which actually has two separately recognized forms. The first of these forms is evidenced when we have professed Christians who openly  show a complete disregard for God's Law(s) in their lives. Then we see the  other form of Practical Antinomianism hard at work when we find no reference to or mention of God's Law(s) in the Sermon Content of certain preachers.  Whether this occurs by choice, or as I have personally experienced, or results from censorship really doesn't matter, as the end result is the same.

        What we've just gone over is what we see in our Churches and lives of Believers today, this isn't something that used to happen.  I'll say  it again, Antinomianism is alive and well today,  in  our Churches and our lives.  You may not have recognized it by it's proper name, but that doesn't deter in any way the damage that is done by whatever name you  choose to give it.  

      What we'll call the 'English Antinomians,' as a part of this mindset,  place such priority to the doctrine of justification by faith alone that it overshadowed their doctrine of sanctification.  They also present that since God cannot see  sin in the Believer, that sin no longer poises any danger to Believers.   To further complicate the Believer's sense of spiritual self, this strain of Antinimianism redefined  the application of sanctification,  reducing it from an on-going  process only completed with the coming of Christ to something much less, specifically to the 'art' of adjusting  to the new status of being  justified.

      Well, there you have it, meaning, purpose, and application of Antinomianism.  It wasn't too bad,  now was it?  The  purpose today was not to give a lesson on this subject, although it may appear to be.  Our purpose here today is to remind everyone to be ever  vigilant.  What we covered today is not a repeat of some old theological arguments that  are not relevant to our  lives today. Take a look around, not just in your  secular world, but specifically at your Church environment.  Be honest  with   yourself and God when you look at what is and is not being  taught that should be, and what is being taught that shouldn't be.  Just as important as that is to look at what people, maybe yourself included, are 'living' in their Christian  lives.  What role, if any, does God's [Old Testament] Laws  play in your  life, and also in the Church you  attend?

    Okay then, I'm done.  My prayer is that I've left everyone with more questions than answers, and with more of a desire to learn more than  the thought that you've learned enough  about this matter.

      Be Blessed!  

What's The Fuss?

       Hey, so I know that I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but even I know that up  is up, black is black, and so on.  But what I see  more and more of is making less and less sense to me, as regards sin and homosexuality.  Used  to be it was only  those who'd chosen the homosexual lifestyle, and were ashamed of their choice, who tried to convince everyone else that being gay, or queer, or whatever was okay and normal.  If you'll  just think about it for a minute, the shame and guilt that comes from deciding to live a life in total disobedience to God has got to be a tremendous burden.  I suppose it's a normal  thing to try to either try to convince the rest of humanity that the sin they choose to have as a very active part of there life is either okay and normal,  or that it's not their fault that they have  decided to live the homosexual lifestyle.  It used to be only God that got the blame, that He had made them the way they are.  But now genetics gets to share the fault, and  even then those who claim to be Christians bring God into it since He did speak mankind into being.  

       

     What I'm trying to figure out is exactly  what the fuss  is all about.  Nobody seems to have any trouble at all in identifying murder as unacceptable, not  only because it's against the law but also because it's a sin.  We have criminal codes and statutes that says it's illegal and God's Word declares it a sin.  The same thing with rape, assault, robbery, breaking and entering, child  molesting, and a great many more things that some folks make the decision to do.  So why aren't there advocates lined up from here to there in support of murderers, and rapists, and thieves, and child molesters?  Why aren't the perpetrators of these other actions trying to convince those of us who've decided to not break the law and to  not sin against God that what they've done is okay and normal?  To make all of this even worse, to me at least, is that in most states, engaging in homosexual activity is in fact a criminal offense.  Why is it okay to break both man's and God's Law  in this one particular area, to the point of making people who refuse to accept homosexuality as okay and normal as being horrible people?  

     I follow a fellow-pastor on Twitter who made the statement via a post  last week that he would be arrested before he would consider performing a same-sex wedding ceremony, and I am in total agreement with him.  We  have courts issuing judgements against people who refuse to do business with declared homosexuals.  But, and this is a big 'but', I still don't see what all of the fuss is about.  Let's get it together people,  and quit bowing down to satan, because that's what is really at the bottom of all of this.  If you don't believe me just read your Bibles.  Whether it's homosexuality, child molesting, murder, rape, thievery,  or any other act that is identified as sin  by God, the person who makes the choice to participate in the act is actively working for satan.  Just to make myself clear on this, any person who makes the conscious decision  to participate in any act or behavior  that is identified by God as sin is working for satan.  If when I get up in the morning and I make plans for what I'm going to do tomorrow I include raping a women, molesting a child, or having sex with another man, then I'm living contrary to God.  No amount of advocating or blaming someone else can change that fact.  And I'll tell you something else, Scripture makes it very clear that no particular sin is worse than any other sin.  Whether you steal a dollar candy bar or have a homosexual  relationship with another person, both acts are still sin.  

    I've been asked what I feel people who've made the decision to have same-sex relationships should do, and my answer is the same that I give to anybody who's not a Christian and wants to start living the life God would have them live.  Come to the altar, accept the shed blood of Christ as atonement for sin,  and renounce satan in his many forms.  Though it may sound easy, take my word for it, it's far from easy.  It's hard to change your lifestyle, but it's not something you'll have to do by yourself. 

     So I'll ask it again, what's all the fuss about?

     

The Friend That Counts!

When I refer to the gift of life that Jesus gave all of mankind when He claimed the Father's Will as His only purpose for becoming Man, I'm aware that I'm not saying something that hasn't been said a thousand times over.  That in itself illustrates a point that also is older than the ages, that nothing about God,  that is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, has ever or will ever change.  God, in His entirety, is static, consistent, never changing.  Use whatever word or phrase you choose to describe something or someone that is constant, and you're describing God.  Now I want you to keep this  little intro in mind while I share how this morning went.

Earlier this Christmas morning I had my wife, Faith, give me some instruction on how to navigate through Facebook.  When we got to the place where all of my friends were listed, I was a bit surprised to find out I had so many.  I've never heard of a vast majority of the people on my friend list.  Faith assured me that I had to have excepted each and every one of their 'Friend Requests' or they wouldn't be my Facebook friends.  Be that as it may, and I really think that somehow all of those people put themselves on my friend list, as I was looking down the list of friends, I was amazed at how many friends some of my friends had.  I mean some people on Facebook have hundreds and thousands of friends, and that got me to thinking about how few friends I actually have.  I don't mean on Facebook or any of the other Social Media WebSites.  I'm talking about actual, know them face-to-face,  call them on the phone friends.  Then I had it explained to me that people on Facebook didn't actually know all of their friends, but that their friends actually included all of their friends friends, and so on.  Anyway, ....

All of my rambling about the way the whole 'friend' thing works on Facebook sort of describes the process by which the best Friend any of us could ever have is actually our friend before  we ever know Him. Everything He has ever done has been for the benefit of untold millions of people who started out not knowing that He even existed.  Then as people excepted His friendship and told others about Him, His circle of friends grew, even though some people haven't accepted His 'Friend Request.'  But in spite of denied 'Friend Requests'  He was still friends with the one who denied His request simple because other friends had accepted His request.  Does any  this make any sense to anyone except me?  I sure hope so, because it's as clear as a bell to me.  

While there are some similarities in how friends are made and what defines friends on the Social Media thing and our Lord Jesus Christ, the purpose that He has for requesting our friendship doesn't resemble anything we'll find in this busted-up world we live in.  His desire to befriend us has nothing to do with who we know, how much money we have, how well 'connected' we are, what we can do for Him or someone else, or anything else on this list that can go on and on.  He comes  to us, wanting to be our best friend, with no strings attached, unless you call the gift of eternal life, endless love, and all-encompassing grace and mercy a string.  What I've just described is the most perfect and best friend any of us could ever hope to have.

How about it, is He your 'bestus' Friend?

Blessing everyone on this day of celebrating Life!
From my family to you'll, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Terry, Faith, & the kids

He Said, "No!"

A bunch of years ago I delivered a sermon on answered prayer.  This was at a medium-sized local church down in Metarie Louisiana, and I guess that they hadn't had a guest speaker for quite some time.  After the service was over, the pastor and I were standing in the foyer talking with some of the church members when this fellow came up  and told me that he just wasn't so sure about God answering prayer. Everyone standing there got real quite, and were listening when I asked the guy  what he meant.  He said that he'd prayed for a new truck to pull his boat with, and God never answered his prayer.  I asked what made his say  that God hadn't answered, and he said that  he'd never got  the new truck.  That's when I told  him that God had answered his prayer. He asked what  I meant, and I told him that God obviously said, "No!"  

This is a true story, and to me it illustrates mans mindset when it comes to prayer.  A lot of us are real  quick to claim Scripture when it comes to asking God for something.

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and  you  will find;  knock, and it will be opened to you."  (Matthew 7:7    NKJV)

What we do, particularly when we're on  the subject of petitioning God for  'wants'  is that we have what I think of as 'selective  recall.'  We  don't recall other Scripture that is very relevant to the issue of God answering prayers.

"Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;   whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.  Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”  (James 4:13-15    NKJV)

The point I'm working towards here is that while, yes, we do have the authority to ask of the Father whatever we would, along with that authority comes the responsibility to ensure that before we do the asking, we've already done the praying necessary to make sure that what we're asking for or to be done is in accordance with His Will.  Does this mean that He will only respond positively to our absolute basic needs?  No, not by any means, in fact Scripture is very clear about that.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication, let your requests be made known to God;"  (Philippians 4:6    NKJV)

In wrapping up, I want to revisit the main points again.  First, New Testament Believer's have Scriptural authority to go to  our Lord God for  both our   wants and our needs.  Second, with that authority  comes a responsibility to do our very best to make sure that what we're asking of God is in line with His Will.  Third, and last, God does say, "No" sometimes.

Be Blessed my brothers and sisters, as  we're celebrating the birth of the Son.  Keep  in mind that when we celebrate Christmas, it's not just the birth of Jesus that we're heralding. December 25th, as the day set aside for this celebration, should be held dear as a celebration of life for every  person who has ever  and will ever accept the Christ as their personal Savior.

God be with you all,
Terry

Apologetics & Biblical Criticism

Today I'm going to throw a couple of excerpts at everyone that does a whole lot better job of explaining a couple of areas that are a part of every New Testament Believer's life.  Please feel free to follow the link at the bottom for even more information.

Be  Blessed, 
Terry

The Word Apologetics: Christian apologetics doesn’t mean saying sorry for being a Christian. The confusion arises because, in modern English, the word “apology” has a different meaning from the classical Greek word (apología)from which it was derived. Apología meant a defense or justification of one's beliefs, attitudes, or actions. For example, The Apology is Plato's version of the speech given by Socrates as he defended himself in 399 BC against the charges of corrupting the young by not believing in the gods recognized by the state, but inventing new deities. In other words, apologetics is the discipline of defending a position through the systematic use of information. Christian apologists also set forth positive grounds for Christianity. 

Criticism:  Most critics of the Bible assume that because something is unexplained it is unexplainable.  When a scientist comes across an anomaly in nature he doesn't give up on science.  How many scientists resigned when they found rings around Jupiter, which was contrary to all scientific explanations?
When the Bible has been proven to be accurate over and over again in hundreds of details, the burden of proof is on the critics, not on the Bible.
Most skeptics do not bring to the Bible the powers of comprehension and interpretation that they  would bring to a reading  of the average newspaper.  Perhaps this uneven treatment should not be surprising.  After all, the skeptic has much too lose if the Bible is right.
Unfortunately, most Christians have not been able to give adequate answers to the questions skeptics as as most churches are woefully lacking in the teaching of apologetics.    This is particularyly sad as there are virtually no so-called Biblical discrepancies that do not have an explanation.  As a result, the world thinks Christians cannot defend the authority of Scripture and, thus, the Christian faith.

http://www.inplainsite.org/html/Page3b_questions_skeptics_ask.html

Death = Life

Matthew Henry, who is known as one of the most insightful commentators [of the Bible] , began his commentary on the fifty-fourth chapter of the book of Isaiah with these words,

                                     'The death of Christ is the Life of the Church.'

In addition to our Lord Jesus Himself, the apostle Paul along with several others who either wrote, while under the inspiration of God, or were quoted in regards to the Bible have all made reference to the fact that it's only by the death of Christ that man can live. What I'm getting at here is that while most of us know this already, is it only an intellectual knowledge or is this a very relevant part of our Christian walk?  This happens far more than most of us realize or want to admit too, that the knowledge of certain things about God and His Will for us never gets beyond the intellect. The end result of this is that while we know these things we never live them.

In this particular instance, knowing but possibly not living the reality that without the death of our Savior we would have no eternal life, what would the alternative be?  I think that oftentimes there's some confusion or misunderstanding when we start talking about things that come after our trip to the altar. Well, here's a hint: It's not an option to live as if you're a new man or woman before the Lord.  There's not a list somewhere that we can pick and choose from, to decide what we're going to do as a part of our new life with Christ.  This mindset has gone a long way in getting the Church in the sad state it's in right now.

Okay, right about now is anyone shaking there head and wondering, maybe aloud, "How can the truth that 'the death of Christ is the life of the Church'  be seen in my life?  That is a really good question, and I would love it if it was asked more often. This is one of those times where I like to reverse engineer things, so lets don't try to identify what should be going on in your life as you grow before the Lord and isn't, let's list some things that are in your life that shouldn't be in any New Testament Believers life.

"I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;"         (1 Timothy  2:8    NKJV)

"But reject profane and old wives fables,  and exercise yourself toward godliness."    (1 Timothy4:7.   NKJV)

" But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more  ungodliness."  (2 Timothy  2:16    NKJV)

"...men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud blasphemers,  disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather  than lovers of God,"  (2 Timothy 3:2-4.   NKJV)

Now I don't want anyone thinking that this is a complete list  of what shouldn't be a part of any Christians life, but it is a really good start.  Like I said earlier, we don't have the option of whether or not to have any of these things in our lives, when each of us accepted the shed blood of Christ for the remittance of sins, we also accepted the responsibility to to not have any of this type of mess in our lives.  Here's the thing, the way we live our life reflects who and what we are and seeking after.  Jesus set examples for us to follow, and when we each follow His examples with our lives, then we're setting examples for those  we testify to about Christ to follow.

So, do you just know that the death of Christ is the Life of the Church, or do you live it?

www.youravon.com/fkeiner

Well, she did it! Faith, who some of you know is my wife, is now officially am Avon Representative.  She has her own Page on Avon's WebSite ( www.youravon.com/fkeiner ) for long distance customers, and also for those who may live close by but would still rather do their shopping online.  I know that she's kind of nervous about kicking this new venture off, but we both know that by Gods Grace and lots of prayers everything will work out just fine.  So, if everyone would, please throw up a prayer for Faith for some peace of mind.  And by the way, if you need some Avon, just follow this  Buy Avon link  and visit her WebPage.

Everybody be blessed!

Terry

Subject: International Prayer Response

I know that I kind of left every hanging with my last post, but I really feel led [by Guess Who?] to introduce everyone to one of the few Ministries that I feel comfortable giving an 'A+' to.  But, in order to get a clear idea of the ministry, I first need to tell you s bit about the man God handpicked to start International Prayer Response.

I've known Jim (James R.) Fox since right before Thanksgiving of 1979.  I was a snot-nosed kid of 17 years who knew it all. (Does that sound familiar to anyone?)  If Jim had of ever started preaching at me in the days of our friendship, that would have ended it right there.  Something else that sticks in my mind, and this is still true to this day, is that I've never heard the man tell a single person that he was a Christian.  I was aware that Jim was a minister, the shipboard friend who introduced us made told me that before I met him.  I don't know, maybe my shipmate told me about Jim as a means of hoping I would dial it back a notch or three since I was a bit more of a trouble-maker than most 17-year old know-it-alls.

Now I don't want anyone starting a petition aimed at getting Jim Fox nominated for sainthood, because the fact is that Jim is like everyone else in that he has his faults.  Jim and I have had our differences, I've done and said things that he didn't approve of, and he's done and and said things that I didn't approve of. In spite of our occasional disagreements  we have remained friends, and in a lot of ways Jim was as much if not more father to me than my own father ever was.  One thing that I could always count on from Jim, and that was he has always shot straight with me, even when he knew that I wouldn't like what he had to say.  Another thing that helped define our relationship was that not once have I ever heard him say,"I told you so."  In fact, I cannot remember a time that he said anything about something I'd done until after I brought it up.  Right about now some may feel as if I'm sending mixed signals about the man, but that's not my intent at all.  I need everyone to realize that Jim Fox is just like all of us who profess Christ, he strives every day to be a stronger Christian, a more nurturing father, and a more understanding husband that he was the day before.

So, about six years ago Jim was pretty much retired from pastoring, he thought.  Without knowing the full details, I can only say that I'm sure that Jim was just a little surprised when God made His choice about who was to head up this prayer ministry.  There's been more than a handful of bumps and bruises along the way, but the Lord never said that anything He calls us to do would be easy, now did He?

I resigned my position of Evangelist from the ministry about a year ago, and being that  I didn't leave due to any doctrinal issues I have no problems endorsing International Prayer Response. After I left this ministry, I found out in short order that God had new plans for me and my wife, Faith,  which was to start an educational ministry. ('www.fellowshipinthescripture.com' & 'www.yeahimabeliever.blogspot.com')

If you feel that God is calling you to get involved more in His Will, and believe strongly in the authority of Prayer, then this ministry may be the place for you.  For some more information about International Prayer Response,  take a quick tour of the Ministries WebSite.  Then, as the Holy Spirit leads you, send Jim an email from the WebSite or get his number online and give him a call.

This ministry is not a church, but is a part of 'the' Church (capital C), and is not meant to replace your local Church.

'Lord Father, I come before You now with a grateful heart, and ask that You would bless the lives of those of Your children that may be being called to International Prayer Response.   Father, I also ask that You would continue to bless this ministry You called into being, and that people worldwide will continue to be comforted by the many prayers offered up through this and other Ministries.   Thank You Father Lord, Amen

Rev. Terry Keiner
Absarokee MT

Was Aristotle Nuts Or What?

Now don't get me wrong here, I'm on board with the whole idea of Aristotle being a really 'with it' kind of guy.  But I'll be honest here, I had to read a reference made by Sproul (What Is  The Lords Supper; Chapter 4) to him several times before I could even scratch the surface. Basically what he said was that Aristotle had some concerns in regards to the nature of reality. He seemed to be okay that reality was real, and that's a good thing, because it seems to me that if reality was not real then it wouldn't be reality, it would be [something like] unreality.  Anyway, where Aristotle was getting hung up was when the substance (what made the object, person, place, or thing what it was) and the 'accidents' (as in the external, perceivable qualities) were such that the distinction of reality became clouded by the objective and subjective natures of the same reality.

Everyone probably thinks I've gone round the bend for sure, but I really do have a good reason for spending some time on Aristotle and his concerns over the natures of reality, and we'll get right to that reason. In a lot of ways Aristotle created a lot pain for himself by 'over-expanding' the whole issue of substance and accidents as regards this particular subject.  But as usually happens when someone over thinks something, somebody else will benefit from it.

Okay, now it's my turn to make a statement, and while the issue my statement will introduce also has subjective and objective positions, there the similarities end.

 God is case-sensitive.

Guess what?  That's it for tonight, so everybody get a good nights rest.

God Bless!

You're Out!!

One of the first things I realized about life was that we're all born with three strikes already against us.  What took me quite a while to do, and it wasn't for lack of trying, was to give each of those three strikes a name.  When I finally did come face to face with the name of the first strike, it was quite an eye-opener, and then the other two strikes names almost immediately into place.

Oh, did I mention that none of these series of events began until I made a decision to learn more about God than I was getting from attending the occasional church service?

So anyways, things got real freaky for awhile since I had it in my mind that the next major thing that was going to happen in my life, considering that I already had three strikes, would  be that I was going to be 'out'.  Well, to make a long story short, me, myself, and I did the best they could to destroy me. And, when the day came that I was declared to be 'out', well that was the best day of my life.

Everybody be Blessed!!!

Is Believing A Part Of Being?

'Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.'  (Hebrews 11:6  NKJV)

We've devoted the two previous posts establishing the premise that man has spent a considerable amount of time (about six thousand years, but who's counting, right?) attempting to make God more 'manageable' and 'convenient.'  Early on in this exercise in futility some folks realized that what God, through His spoken and written Word, has always declared as truth, that His was the only game in town worth being in.

'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.'     (Revelation 1:8.   NKJV)

I've said on several occasions, and I'm sure I will do so again in the future,  that until each of us can get just a tiny glimpse of ourselves the way He sees us, through His eyes, that we'll not begin to be able to understand how how He can love us the way He does.  The writer of Hebrews, when he was following the inspiration of God in putting what we commonly refer to as 'the faith chapter' to paper made the very relevant point that one of the things made possible [for man] to do  was to believe that God 'is', that He existed.  Okay, now let's keep going and take the Biblical truth that a very important thing for man to believe is the fact that 'He is...'' with us on a short trip down history lane.

'So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.'    (Genesis 1:27    NKJV)

Okay then, we've got it straight from Scripture that we're all walking and breathing and believing in Gods own image.  Here's the thing that all too often slips by and causes man to slip up, and that is that man has an inborn need to believe in something or someone.  We all received this need as a part of what should be thought of as our spiritual DNA.  Does  anyone have any idea where this is heading?  If we accept as truth that we're all created in God's own [Spiritual] image, and within our Spiritual DNA is the coding that leaves each of us with the need to believe in something or someone, is it a logical step to make the statement that God needs to believe in us just as much as He needs us to believe in Him?  Did anyone see that coming, or did everyone else, except me, already understand this?  Because I didn't until He had the Holy Spirit take me by the hand and lead me down the road that brought us to this point.

Here's the thing to keep in mind, man is a mutant.  By this I mean that man, made in the [Spiritual] image of God the Father,  is as foreign to this world as moose scat is to a bowling alley.  A large part of what man has done in the last six thousand or so years while trying to make God Himself more convenient or 'user-friendly'  has also been aimed at man trying to fit [comfortably] into the world.  Let's take a quick look at what two of the better-known apostles have to say about this.

'I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present  your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove  what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.'    (Romans 12:1-2  NKJV)

And,

'Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war  against the soul,'    (1 Peter 2:11  NKJV)

Jesus made the point more than once that He was not [Spiritually] of this world, and in one of the last prayers He put before God He included the recognition that neither He nor His disciples and followers,  whom He acknowledged as having been 'given' Him by the Father, were 'of' this world.

' I have given them Your Word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.'    (John 17:14-16  NKJV)

Now we're in a real predicament, and that is how to wrap this up, for today at least.  Normally I would give you'll a couple mind-boggling words of wisdom that would leave everyone with their mouths hanging open in awe at my amazing intellectual prowess.  But I feel that this is an issue that should never be put away or set aside for another time.  So, what do you say about keeping this issue always in the forefront of our prayers, our thoughts, and our daily lives before the Throne?

BE BLESSED BROTHERS AND SISTERS!

Here We God Again - Part 2

Okay then, so now we're going to take this thing just a bit farther.

Have you been doing any pondering over what I left you with a couple of days ago?  Whats say we get right to the heart of this matter, and not spend a lot of time wallering around in it?  Works for me!

I don't care what your 'position' is or what your 'mindset' may be telling you.  Everything from politicians and their agendas come and go.  The same is true with everyone else from so-called atheists to zen Buddhists, it all comes and then is gone.  We've had the Mormons in Utah, Jim Jones in Guyana, and the Koresh followers in Waco along with literally hundreds of other not-so-well-known groups scattered about the globe.  Have you ever thought about what is the obvious motivation for these kind of people? Check this out:  They were all started by some guy who couldn't keep his drawers pulled up!  Think about it for a bit, do some research, and then get back to me.  Then we have the politicians.  Wow!!!  What a mess we've got going on there.  The worst thing about this for me is that at least in most of the foreign countries the wanna-be dictators, who in reality are only puppets on strings, don't try to hide the truth about what they are or what they want.  Here in the U.S., which I happen to believe is the greatest nation on earth, we've seen our first half-baked, want to be something I'm not, socialist doing his best, or rather doing what he's told, to destroy this country.  I'll tell everyone something, if you or I even thought about doing half of what old whats his name has done to destroy this country, we'd already be bedded down in GITMO.  Okay, enough of my ranting.

Here is the point I'm trying to make.  Long after all of these idiots are gone, two things will still be here, and that's only true until a Certain Someone decides otherwise.  This earth will still turn on it's slightly akilter axis, and it's still be occupied by a bunch of folks looking for someone to lead them.  Read your history, but don't get serious about it if you are ready for a very rude awakening.  What you'll find is that history is a story of insanity.  Remember what that frizzy headed guy said about insanity?  Something along the lines of keeping on doing the same thing exactly the same way yet expecting different results?  Sounds like he nailed it.  Why don't we all take a huge step, and this will not be encouraged by any business mogul, sorry Trump, aspiring world leader, you're out Obama, and use just a tiny bit of rationale?  Let's quit doing what has never worked out well in the last six-thousand or so years.Why don't we give some serious consideration to the one process that has remained consistent during all of man's recorded history?  What do you suppose would come about if we quit looking for something or someone new to believe in, and grabbed ahold of what has been right in our faces for far longer than any of us can remember? 


How about God?