What is the core message of Christianity?

Mark 16:15-16, “He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

What is the gospel? The word means "good news" in Greek. So Mark 16:15 commands us to go preach the good news. But what is the good news of Jesus Christ?

It must be important what ever it is. We must give up everything for the gospel to save our lives. Mark 8:35 says, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.” It must be important because anyone who changes the message of the gospel and preaches another gospel other than Jesus gospel will be condemned. Galatians 1:8-9 says, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” The gospel must be important.

And it's not just something we believe, it must be something we participate in and do because we are told to obey the gospel. 1 Peter 4:17 says, “For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not ob ey the gospel of God?” Evidently we become part of the "family of God" by obeying the gospel. The good news (gospel) must be very important indeed.

The bad news is already pretty widely known. Death is the result of sin. We know all kinds of sins kill us. Drug abuse, sexual promiscuity, alcoholism, violence, murder are all examples of deadly sins. Romans 5:12 says “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.” Death came into the world when Adam sinned. It's the curse on his wicked behavior. And now all die, not because of Adam's sin, but because like him we have all sinned and it bring death to us and those around us. We are all collectively guilty for the world wide surge of death.

Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death” When we sin, we earn death. We deserve to die and go to Hell. We all do. None of us should think we are better than others. We all deserve to die. Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” No one is worthy of heaven. No matter how pious the may seem to us, we have all sinned and deserve death. That truly is bad news. God will kill us and send us to Hell for our sins. Is there no hope? Is there no good news?

The Bible tells us what the gospel is many times in many scriptures but it is made very clear right here:

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 says, “Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures”

This passage teaches us so much about the good news. First of all, the gospel is the foundation of our salvation. It is what we take our stand on. It is the basis of our relationship with God. Secondly the good news saves you. The good news is what offers us the hope of escaping death and finding eternal life. Third, the good news is conditional. Not everyone receives its benefits. It says "if" we hold firmly to the Word. Otherwise, we have believed in faith. Forth, the good news is what is of first importance. This is the core message of Christianity and where we should begin in sharing the message of Christ with a lost and dying world.

Well, what is the gospel? What is this teaching of first importance that we must believe, obey, take our stand one, hold firmly to, and share?

First of all, Christ died for our sins. The world Christ means "anointed one." It means messiah. Jesus is the messiah or Christ of the Old Testament prophecies. He is the promised one of God who would be king over the everlasting kingdom who origins were from eternity. And he died for our sins. It should have been us on that cross paying for our own crimes. However, Christ took our place and paid our debt by dying for us. Praise God our sins have been paid for.

Second, he was buried. He died. He was dead. The professional executioner proclaimed him dead. He was wrapped in air-tight sheets of linen with myrrh and aloes for three days in a tomb. His spirit and his body were separated in death that someday at his return our dead bodies might be raised up to life and reunited with our souls for eternity.

Third, Christ was raised on the third day. Death could not hold him. He conquered death by dying for the sins of all mankind. He has power over death. He proved his messiahship, his power, his divinity, his ability to give us eternal life, and every other claim he ever made by rising up from the grave.

Now you know the gospel. The good news is that Jesus was the Christ who died for our sins, was buried and rose again in order to secure us the promise of eternal life when we believe and obey this gospel message. That which separated us from God (our sin) has been paid for by the death of Christ on the cross. This payment was proven in his burial and redeemed in his resurrection. Jesus has the power and will to give you eternal life.

Now we know what the gospel is but how do we obey it? 2 Thessalonians 1:8 says, "He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus." So not only do we need to know what the gospel is, we need to obey it to be saved.

How do you obey the Gospel?

1st you have to believe the Gospel

Mark 16:15-16 “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

Ephesians 1:13-14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession-- to the praise of his glory.”

Exodus 3:13-14 “Moses said to God, ‘Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
John 8:24 “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I AM, you will indeed die in your sins.”

1 Corinthians 15:2 “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.”

2nd we must confess the gospel
Matthew 10:32-33 "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.”
2 Corinthians 9:13 “Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.”
Romans 10:9-10 “That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
1 Timothy 6:12 “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

3rd We must repent

Romans 6:6-11 “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
Mark 1:15 "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” (remember gospel means good news)
Luke 13:3 “I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
Luke 13:5 “I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
Acts 3:19 “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord”

4th we must be baptized

Romans 6:3-5 “Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.”
Mark 16:15-16, “He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
1 Peter 3:20-21 “…God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also-- not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ”

Many people today want to change the gospel. Even more want to change how you accept and obey the gospel. They will tell you to pray a simple prayer and ask Jesus into your heart. But there is not one command in the Bible to pray and asked Jesus into your heart. There is not one example in all scripture of someone praying and asking Jesus into their heart. But there are multiple examples of people believing the gospel, repenting of their sins, confessing Jesus as Lord and being baptized for the forgiveness of their sins and gift of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:37-39).

It would be dangerous to change the message of the Gospel or the message of how to obey the gospel. Your salvation and that of those you teach is on the line. Galatians 2:5 says, “We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.” We don't want to ever change the truth of the Gospel. We cannot be moved from the hope held out in the gospel and keep our salvation. Colossians 1:22-23 says, “But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-- if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.”

We must preach the gospel just as it is found in the Holy Scriptures. God loves sinners and is providing a way of escape if we will have the faith to take it. Jesus was a gift sent to bridge the gap created by our sins that lay between us and our Heavenly Father. Death has been beaten by the death of Jesus and we find the hope of eternal life if we but obey the gospel.

HAVE YOU OBEYED THE GOSPEL THE BIBLE WAY?

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 “…This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.”

The Night Before Jesus Came (copied)

'Twas the night Jesus came
and all through the house,
not a person was praying,
not one in the house..

The Bible was left
on the shelf without care,
for no one thought Jesus
would come there..

The children were dressing
to crawl into bed,
not once ever kneeling
or bowing their head..

And Mom in the rocking chair
with babe on her lap,
was watching the Late Show
as I took a nap.

When out of the east
there rose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet
to see what was the matter.

Away to the window
I flew like a flash,
tore open the shutters
and lifted the sash..

When what to my wondering
eyes should appear,
but Angels proclaiming
that Jesus was here.

The light of His face
made me cover my head...
Jesus was returning
just like He'd said..

And though I possessed
worldly wisdom and wealth,
I cried when I saw Him
in spite of myself..

In the Book of Life
which he held in his hand,
was written the name
of every saved woman & man.

He spoke not a word
as he searched for my name,
when He said "I don’t know you"
My head hung in shame.

The people whose names
had been written with love,
He gathered to take
to his Father above.

With those who were ready
He rose with joyous shouts,
while all others were gathered
by angels to be cast out

I fell to my knees
but it was too late,
the angels came for me
and thus sealed my fate.

From Hell I cried
as they rose out of sight,
Oh, if only I'd known
that this was the night!

The World's Most Dangerous Prayer

As I have confessed before in other posts, I have been struggling with a bad attitude and anger issues this year. I really get the sense that God is dealing with me on this issue in a very serious way. I see a chain of events forming in my life that may bring this issue to a head. Rather than focus on all my problems, which I can’t change and only make me angrier, I am trying to work on what I can change: ME!

I want to become more godly and Christ-like. I want to become a man of virtue and character. I want to walk in the safe path of wisdom that leads safely through the fire and shadow of death to deliverance, rather than the comfortable path of foolish leisure that leads only to permanent destruction.

Today I will share with you what I studied in my own personal Bible study this morning. I am seeking God’s wisdom about being a patient and gentle man, rather than a hot-tempered fool. Some confuse patience with weakness. I have assumed, incorrectly, that patience with situations or people who are wrong is somehow weakness. I have let my impatience and frustration at a problem or people drive me to acts of quick-tempered folly. However, patience is not weakness it is wisdom. Self-control against opposition is not a lack of conviction; it is waiting for the appropriate time to implement your conviction for success.

Proverbs 16:32 says, “Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.” Patience can be mightier than physical force. A man who controls his temper can be more powerful than a man with the power to destroy an opponent. Rather than destroy a city, wouldn’t it be better to be patient and see if the king of that city can be won over by your virtue in the face of the difficulty.

Jesus could have destroyed us all because of our sin. Rather than be quick-tempered and destroy the world in one fiery blast, Jesus came and suffered among us and died on the cross for our sins. He did this to save us and persuade us to follow his ways. Proverbs 25:15 says, “Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.” Isn’t patient persuasion better than the cost of destruction?

Now granted, there will be some who still will not listen to reason and mock the patient love of God. Their destruction will be complete but it won’t be because God was hot-tempered and did not patiently wait to give people and opportunity to be saved. 2 Peter 3:15 says, “Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.”

Notice that Peter calls Paul’s discourse on God’s patience “wisdom.” Wisdom is patient. No wonder I am so often a fool. Proverbs 19:11 says, “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.” Patience is a sign of wisdom and virtue. If I have a lack of patience, then I must have a lack of wisdom. Ouch! Wisdom and patience are bound together and cannot be taken apart. Patience and forgiveness bring you glory.

Proverbs 14:29 says, “A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.” When I go off in anger or show a lack of patience it is like a large neon sign flashing over my head, “LOOK HERE IS A FOOL!” How many times have I put my folly on parade? And you always end up saying, doing, or being something you regret. When you don’t apply self-control to justified anger, your impatience will lead to foolish acts of sinfulness. As it says in Proverbs 14:17, “A quick-tempered man does foolish things.”

Next time you feel a lump in your throat, your face goes flush, and you burn in anger remember trust in God and wait on him to fix the injustice or show you a path of patient wisdom to take to address the problem. Don’t just react with base fleshly responses, but look to the Scriptures for the patient gentle path that brings God’s power to play.

Proverbs 29:22 says, “An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.” If we are hot-tempered and have a short fuse, we will commit many sins. We will bring guilt on our own soul if we act emotionally rather than deliberately after contemplation of wisdom. James 1:19 teaches, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” There is the path of wisdom.

We also see that hot-tempered anger and impatient foolishness is unfortunately contagious. Proverbs 15:18 says, “A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.” A harsh angry response only makes matters worse. With a slow methodical, logical, loving, gentle response of patience, a quarrel will die down and be extinguished with the cool waters of reason, compassion, and forgiveness. Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

If we respond in a kind and patient manner, people will be more likely to do the same. It will expose their foolishness, if they rage on in the face of grace and peace. Likewise, an impatient and angry response will breed more quarrels and dissention. A quick temper is a contagious disease. Proverbs 22:24-25 says, “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared.” Notice that having a short fuse is a trap. It’s a snare. Don’t fall into it by hanging out with those already in its evil grasp.

There have been many hardships I have had to endure because of my temper. As a child I ended up in the hospital with stitches because in anger I reacted foolishly to my sister’s acts of injustice by jumping through French doors which led to her bedroom. I never did that again. I am sure God allowed that pain and didn’t spare me, because he wanted to teach me a lesson about physical violence. Now I am not a physically violent person in my anger. I had a hard lesson to teach me that. I still have a scar. I still have trouble with patience and controling my tongue. I fear a hard lesson about my tongue is coming soon and I prefer to learn the easy way rather than the hard way. I know God loves me enough to let me endure hardship to try to teach me the wisdom of patience.

Proverbs 19:19 “A hot-tempered man must pay the penalty; if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.” If you have a child, friend or employee who is hot-tempered and you help them escape the trouble their quick-temper brings, you will have to help them again later. Sometimes the only way to learn is to follow foolishness to its bitter reward. I hope to avoid this by following wisdom in a path of peace and patience. Asking God for patience may be the worlds most dangerous prayer. He has a way of answering that prayer. Dear God, help me to take the steps to change and have the wisdom to be patient in the face of anger.

SOME BAD NEWS AND SOME GOOD NEWS

Why Some People Believe Democrats are Anti-Christian
This is a picture of a metallic car sticker which was being offered by the Washington State Democratic Party on their official web site. The sticker is of the Christian fish symbol and cross emblazoned with the word "hypocrite" on a background of hellish flames. After a massive negative public reaction, they quietly removed it. However, at no time was there an apology offered. Click here to see the original page.

A Mom's Prayer Of Faith Answered As She Tosses Baby Out of Burning Apartment

NEW YORK — Tracinda Foxe, 30, was cornered by smoke and flames in the Bronx apartment on Wednesday when she went to the window with son Eric Guzman. She prayed "'God, please save my son,'"and then dropped her 1-month-old son out a window to the crowd below. The infant was caught safely by Felix Vazquez, 39 who just so happens to play catcher for his employer's baseball team.

Mr. Vazquez gave the baby mouth-to-mouth resuscitation — a skill he just so happened to have picked up two decades ago as a teenage lifeguard — and the mother was rescued by firefighters. "I prayed that someone would catch him and save his life," Tracinda said. And he did! Both were treated at a hospital and released.

Watch the vidoe here: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,178786,00.html

God says in Psalms 50:15, "Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me."

What are we teaching the children....

Who do kids know more about today, Santa or Jesus?

Have you lied to your kids? Click Here

Is the death penalty wrong?

Convicted murderer Stanley “Tookie” Williams is going to be put to death tonight. His impending execution has rallied the anti-death penalty crowd and also brought the reaction of several Hollywood actors. Click here to read the facts. Now everyone is debating the death penalty again. Should this man who founded a gang responsible for thousands of deaths, and who was personally convicted of four murders be executed?

Has he truly changed and deserve clemency when he…

1. Has yet to admit the murders he was clearly convicted of doing?
2. Has yet to show any remorse for killing four people?
3. Has claimed he wrote children’s books which were actually written by ghost authors who used his name?
4. Will not give up the names of current member of his gang who are bringing in drugs all over the U.S.?

To see why the L.A. Times says Stanley “Tookie” Williams should die click here.

But all this talk about the death penalty brings me to one reader’s question.

Question: “Is the death penalty wrong? Didn’t Jesus say to ‘love our enemies”?

Answer: The question whether or not the death penalty is right is an often-asked question because of what seem like contradictory statements in the Bible. However, with a careful look we will find that these statements are not contradictory but are teachings given to different people in different roles. We will find that the death penalty is not wrong and is the government’s responsibility given by God.

On a personal level Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:38-45, "You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. "You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.”

In this chapter Jesus is going through and quoting all the maxims of the religious teachers of his day and refuting them. Here he is refuting personally taking vengeance. It was a common misinterpretation of Scripture in Jesus day to take verses written as commandments to judges and government officials and apply them to the individual.

The term Jesus refutes about taking an “eye for an eye” is from God himself. It can be found in Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20 and Deuteronomy 19:21. In each of these passages, it is talking about what a judge and a court are to do. It gives requirements for witnesses, and other legalities. This command of taking an “eye for an eye” was a command for the civil court system not the individual.

The teachers in Jesus day were abusing the above passages by applying them to personal circumstances. The courts were to give justice not the individual. As individuals, we are to give mercy and not take vengeance ourselves.

The Apostle Paul instructs us in Romans 12:19-20, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."

So the instruction for the individual Christian is to never take vengeance because that is God’s department. For instance, if someone were to murder your loved one, it would be wrong for you to kill him or her. Vengeance belongs to God. Leave room for Him to do his job. Instead we should love our enemies just as Christ loved us when were his enemy by our many sins.

So how does God take vengeance? We know it belongs to Him. How does he execute his justice and vengeance up on the evildoer? God’s word goes on to explain right after Romans 12 where it says not to “take vengeance”, who his “agent of wrath” is in Romans 13.

Romans 13:1-4 plainly teaches, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.”

So Romans 12 gives us the rule for the individual. We are not to take vengeance or an “eye for an eye” but we are to forgive and love our enemies. Romans 13 teaches that God takes vengeance on the “evildoer.” And to do this God has established “governing authorities.”

Notice Romans 13:4 says that the government “does not bear the sword for nothing.” Swords were not used in Paul’s day to tickle people with. They were used to kill people. The government is established by God and has the right and the responsibility to kill evildoers.

This God given role of government is why the Christian should support both the military and the civil justices system in executing justice against the wicked. Government is God’s “servant” and His “agent of wrath.” To not support them or thwart their work is to thwart God’s justice.

In Jesus day the teachers took instructions to judges and courts in the Law and abused them by misapplying them to the individual. The ironic thing is, that today, many teachers take Jesus teachings to the individual and abuse them by misapplying them to the government, military or court system.

We should support our courts as long as their actions are justly applied against those who do evil. They are God’s servants to give us justice and punish the evildoer. Our police, judges, and prison guards are God’s servants to give us justice and they deserve our honor.

Genesis 9:6 "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man."

When life gives you Snow.....

Snow! Snow! Everywhere Snow! There have been record cold temperatures and record snow fall for this early in the year in the Midwest (so much for global warming). It has been miserable. I hate the cold. I didn't always. Remember when we were kids and snow was a welcomed harbinger of days off school. We would be sledding down hills, building snowmen, building snow-forts, having snow ball fights and warming back up around the fire with hot chocolate and Charlie Brown Christmas specials on TV?

I have been pondering why was snow so much better back then? Then it hit me. Snow hasn't changed, I have! Now I am a snow scrooge. Snow means getting to work is difficult, shoveling the drive way, risking my life to go pick up a gallon of milk to make my kids hot chocolate, buying expensive snow boots for the kids because they already out grew last years, freezing while I scrape off the car windows, falling on the ice with gallon of milk, letting the stinky dog sleep in the back room so he wont freeze, and worst of all my old bones ache.

It's when I am feeling cold and grumpy I have a hard time obeying verses like these....

1 Thessalonians 5:16 "Be joyful always"

Romans 12:12 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"

1 Thessalonians 5:18 "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Ephesians 5:20 "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"

We should always be joyful, rejoicing, and giving thanks. That is the attitude we are to have at all times. To often lately I find myself sorrowful, complaining and ungratefull. Dear God forgive me. I was always a joyful spirit growing up. What has happened to me as of late?

I was driving to work through this stupid snow this week and feeling sorry for myself, when I had an idea. As I pulled into the parking lot at work, it was empty and covered with a new thin layer of snow not yet cleared off. No one was there to see me so I started doing donuts. It was a blast. Around and around I went in the snow. If you have never done donuts in your car on an empty snow filled parking lot, you are missing a great time. That is the kind of thing I would have done as a kid.

I am not old but I have gotten to old in my mind. I have all this responsibility and take life to seriously. I hate the sin, injustice, and death of this world. When I focus on all I have to do in the spiritual battle, I get depressed. I need to trust in God and let go of my worry, fear, and anger. I need to stop letting petty little things bother me. And so I find this little truth that has helped me find joy in the midst of a cold winter, rejoicing in the face of trials, and thankfulness in the face of a fallen world. I made the best of a bad situation. Be more positive. Take time to have some fun. And...

When life gives you snow, do donuts!

Have You read the News Today?

Scripturist News Update:

The Bible says in Genesis 6:4 "There were giants in the earth in those days" Several times the Bible talks about giants. Many have scoffed as such accounts. But the geological record indicates there was a time when giants roamed the earth. There were also many giant forms of animals.

Perhaps during the pre-flood era when the earth was covered by a thicker atmosphere which would prevent UV rays and aging, animals (especially reptiles) grew to be much bigger. That is just a guess. We are not sure why. But we do know there were larger humans and animals at one point. To read more go here.

Read some of the following from the News...

Giant Scorpian Found in Briton.

Giant Tree Fossil

Giant Alligator fossils found

Giant Human foot prints found

Giant Dragon fossil found (sounds like Job 40 & 41 to me)

Giant Crocodile Fossil in Amazon

Giant Lions & Kangaroos found in Australia

Giant men roamed Australia.

The most famous giant in the Bible was Goliath. And now there is not only the Biblical account, there is also other evidence that he lived. A shard of pottery unearthed in a decade-old dig in southern Israel has an early Semitic inscription of a Philistine rendering of the name of the biblical giant, Goliath.

See the pottery with Goliaths name on it

Today many teach that there is global warming and that the polar ice caps will melt and flood the whole earth like the movie Water World. It's funny because these same skeptics of the Bible will ask where all the water from the flood went. That is easy. After the flood God created the four seasons by tilting the earth and the extra water froze in the polar ice caps. But I know as a Christian the polar ice caps wont melt and flood the whole earth because God said there will never by another world wide flood. Global warming is an unproven theory based on bad science.

See More here...

Global Cooling hits America

There is a lot of Junk Science out there!

Hopefully cooler heads will prevail.

Record cold settles across Rockies, Midwest as far south as Texas.

Tis the season....

Go here to see why the unbelievers are laughing at christmas trees.

Christmas in America becomes battleground - see here

How To Nullify The Word Of God This Christmas

Question:
Dear Scripturist, What do you think about all these churches canceling Sunday Church because it falls on Christmas this year? Read about it by clicking HERE.

Answer:
If you don't have Church on Sunday just because it's Christmas, how will they obey this verse?

1 Corinthians 16:2 "On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made."

If you don't have Church on Sunday just because it's Christmas, how will they obey this verse?

Hebrews 10:25 "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another— and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Or how will they obey these verses...

Acts 20:7 "On the first day of the week we came together to break bread."

1 Corinthians 11:1-2 "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you."

2 Thessalonians 2:15 "Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle."

The command of God is to "imitate" Paul and "hold firmly to the traditions" he delivered. His tradition and example was to come together with the church and take the Lord's Supper on the first day of the week each week. We are to "hold to the traditions." We are to not "give up meeting together." We are to give to ministry each first day of the week in keeping with our income. How can we obey God's commands if we cancel to celebrate our MANufactured holiday?

Now observing Christmas is no where in the Bible. It is a man made tradition not an apostle given (thus God given) tradition. It's the teaching of men not God. Now that does not mean it's wrong to celebrate Jesus birthday. I am just saying, you could skip celebrating Christmas and still not sin. But if you disobey God's commands, that is a sin.

Therefore, when these churches cancel church on Sunday, they are disobeying God's command in order to keep mans made up tradition of Christmas. They say it's to honor Christ and celebrate His birthday. Is the way you celebrate Jesus Birthday to neglect ministry, outreach, corporate worship, evangelism, the Lord's Supper, giving, and fellowship with the family of God? Happy Birthday Jesus! For your present this year I plan on disobeying you by skipping church so I celebrate your birthday with "family time" (Code word for giving each other a bunch of expensive presents).

This is the same kind of Hypocrisy Jesus condemned the Pharisees and Sadducees for.

Jesus said in Mark 7:9 "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!"

And again in Mark 7:13 "Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that."

People who cancel church to celebrate Jesus birthday nullify the word of God by their tradition and are setting aside the commands of God to do what they want.

Jesus said in Matthew 15:6-9 "...Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: "‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’"

When you set aside the commands of God to worship God with man made traditions, your worship is in vain. All the people who stay home with families to celebrate his birth and cancel church are celebrating in vain. They honor him with their lips but their hearts are far from him. Jesus said in John 14:15, "If you love me, you will obey what I command."

Click here to ask the Scripturist a Bible question.

Children banned from public places

There is an increasing tendency for businesses to ban children. Go here to read more.

They blame children for being unruly, disruptive and out of control. Children are not allowed, they say. But a child’s actions are not the result of their own mature choices but rather a demonstration of their parent’s skills at discipline. It is the parent’s responsibility to teach children to behave. Now my child can’t go some places because other people couldn’t keep their kids under control.

You have seen them in the Wal-Mart or a restaurant. We have seen the parent with the out of control child. We noticed the parent berating and yelling at a child with empty threats or the sad gloomy face of a parent who had resigned themselves to just endure incessant cries of the child’s temper tantrum. Neither has a firm and loving response to the out of control behavior. We have seen the parent who neglected to discipline and so the child continually acts up in public to the point the parent’s anger finally motivates them to vengeance rather than an appropriate from of discipline. This only angers the child and enflames the situation. We have seen the kids that the above article is talking about.

Today parents don’t take responsibility for their child’s behavior. If a child acts up it’s never the child’s fault. It’s never the parents fault. It must be society. It must be other people’s fault. It’s not the child’s fault. It’s the teacher. It’s the school. It’s the other kids influencing them. It’s Attention Deficit Disorder. It’s that the child is spirited. It is because of anyone and anything but the real problem, the primary care givers. No one will admit the truth that it is the parents fault.
Parenting and discipline is not a mystery. It’s not an unattainable goal. It’s not magic. It’s not out of reach. It doesn’t take strong mood altering drugs. Good parenting and discipline are a lost art because the parent has to take the responsibility. It’s an elusive virtue in society because it’s hard work. It’s out of the reach of some because they have bought into the empty philosophies of this age, like never spank a child. It’s rare because it’s a team effort that takes both parents and half the kids are coming from split homes with one parent who has to work all the time. Children are hurt by being raised without married parents.

Now children are despised and banned from public places because they have become such a nuisance. They have no respect for parents or anyone in authority. They are rude, whinny, selfish, unstable, unteachable, ungrateful, immature, under disciplined, and over indulged. They have had all the “facts of life” shoved in their face on television and in movies without ever learning self-control or decency. We are raising a self-centered, obnoxious and lewd generation.

2 Timothy 3:1-4 says, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”

The solution is not to ban children from public. We should return to wisdom and start reading what the Scriptures have to say about good parenting.

Go here to buy a great book on how to train children based on Biblical principles.

He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine!

What will it be like when we get to Heaven? I can only Imagine!

The Bible gives more description about Hell than Heaven. Sure there are all the metaphorical descriptions in Revelation but considering everything around those descriptions is the allegory of apocalyptic literature, how can we take those descriptions as anything but symbolism. But those mere symbols to represent something even more grand. What will it be like?

I know it will be beautiful to behold God in His temple (Psalms 27:4). David said it was his one desire to see behold God there. Maybe the reason God doesn't explain it more is that our mere human minds cannot fathom the majesty of it all. It's beautiful beyond description.

1 Corinthians 2:9 says, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" Did you catch that? We have not seen what he has prepared. We have not heard. We have not even conceived of what God has planned. Could it be that heaven is more wonderful that we could even imagine?

I believe if we could see the eternal home of Heaven that is being prepared for us that we wouldn't be able to describe it because we would have nothing to compare it to (if in fact we would be permitted to tell such things). 2 Corinthians 12:4 tells of Paul when he "was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell." Some things are to wonderful to put into mere words.

Image that you met someone who was born blind. They had never seen a thing their whole life. They ask you to describe the color green. What do you say? How would you describe it? You can't! There is nothing to compare it to. That is why I believe we have so little information about Heaven. It is more wonderful than anything we could conceive or imagine. There is nothing wonderful enough for God to compare it to.

We know it will be a place of joy, peace, perfection, provision, and home for those who have been adopted through faith in Christ as the children of God. I long for a home I have never seen that is better than I can imagine. If you would like to know more about how to have the hope of eternal life in Heaven with God as your savior, click here.