In Rejection of Mediocrity
D3's Blog: Standing on God's Word ABSOLUTELY!
8.10.2006
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7.04.2006
What is Noah's Ark Worth?
“And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there.” Genesis 11:2God’s Word gives us two clues concerning the location of the Ark that He commanded Noah to build to escape the Flood of Judgment. The first is that the ark “came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.” The second is that the location is almost due east of the “land of Shinar”. This is now northern Iraq. Noah’s Ark has been called a myth, a legend, and a fairytale. But Dr. Bob Cornuke, a Biblical archeologist who has led searches for many Biblical events and locations, believed God’s Word. Based on a few Biblical clues and the testimony of an army sergeant engineer during World War II named Ed Davis, he became convinced that the true location of the Ark was somewhere in Iran. Dr. Cornuke led an expedition to try and find Noah’s Ark in the mountains of Northern Iran along with such notables as Barry Rand (former CEO of Avis), the author and Christian apologist Josh McDowell, Frank Turek (co-author with Norm Geisler of I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist), Boone Powell (former CEO of Baylor Medical Systems), and Arch Bonnema. They found a huge pile of petrified wood on the top of Mt. Sabalon at 15,300 feet above sea level – one thousand feet higher than Pike’s Peak in Colorado. The wood was darker than the surrounding rock and appeared to have been dyed black with pitch or some other dark substance. The long, hand-hewn timbers sticking out of the mountain were squared off at the ends. Pictures show that the timbers were between one and two feet thick. The pile is about 400 feet long and is surrounded by marine fossils that originated under water. Copyright laws prevent me from posting photographs here, but you can see a video and seventeen high-resolution photographs at www.arkfever.com. However, I do have terrible news for you. This find, incredible as it is, will not trigger a huge rush of converts to Jesus Christ. Some may be convinced by the preponderance of evidence. Oh, but the turnout will be small – very small. A famous atheist once said, “Even if they find a big boat up on Mount Ararat and drag it down Main Street, I wouldn’t believe that there was a worldwide flood. I wouldn’t believe that there is a God.” A famous man – Jesus Christ – once said that even if a man were to rise from the dead, people would still not believe. There were thousands of people before the Flood that saw Noah’s Ark for almost a hundred years. Yet only eight escaped the Judgment of God. Why will it be any different today? There is a judgment coming. Jesus said that unless our righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees, the most perfect people on the earth, then we will by no means enter the kingdom of God. He said that all liars will have their place in the Lake of Fire that burns for ever and ever. "All liars" is pretty inclusive. It means Hitler. It means Stalin. But it also means Mother Theresa. It also means Oprah. It also means you and me and your next-door neighbor. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There is only one name given under heaven by which men might be saved, and that is the name of Jesus Christ. He took the sin of the entire world on His shoulders two thousand years ago. The wrath God had for us was poured out on Him, and only by trusting in Him alone for forgiveness of our sins can we escape the wrath of God. Noah’s Ark is an amazing discovery that will bolster the faith of many and may even push some over the edge. But it is not a license to send a non-Christian an email and let “the evidence” do the rest. It will never replace the holy conviction of the Holy Spirit that comes from the Holy Law of God – the Ten Commandments. In Him, David S. MacMillan III This article was first posted at Regenerate Our Culture. It is part of the July 4, 2006 Noah's Ark blogburst.
6.27.2006
Count to Thirteen
"When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands that have connected them to another, and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle...."If you are an average American reader, then it took you about twelve or thirteen seconds to read the foregoing quote from the Declaration of Independence. In that time period, twenty human beings who had never experienced the love of Christ died and went to Hell. A liberal estimate places the number of born-again Christians at somewhere around 7% of the world's population of 6 billion. One hundred and fifty thousand people will die every twenty-four hours. These statistics give rise to a few statistics that are even more interesting - and sobering:
- In the time it takes you to change the dial on your car radio, 3 unsaved people die.
- During an average TV commercial "hook", 22 unsaved humans meet their Maker.
- While you take a shower (assuming that to take ten minutes), almost a thousand non-Christians die.
- The average church service: 5,800 people go to Hell.
- A youth group meeting in an average American church: over ten thousand people go to Hell.
- During a Christian rock concert: a group of people equivalent to more than a thirtieth of the population of Washington, DC perish forever.
6.24.2006
The Politically Correct Presbyterians USA - Update
Rainbow, Ark, and Dove
RC made a very good point. As Jesus hung on the cross, bearing the sins of the entire world, separated from His Father, he didn't cry out "My Rainbow, My Rainbow, why have you forsaken me?"
It is one thing to compare the attributes of Almighty God to a Rock, a King, or a Door. But it is another thing altogether to call the Holy Creator of the Universe "Rainbow", "Compassionate Mother", or "Lover". This is called sacrilege. That's a word that has been misused in the past again and again, but this is a time it can be pulled out of the closet, dusted off, and put to excellent use. "From the creation of the world, God's invisible attributes are clearly clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, so that mankind is without excuse." They changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever."When we reject God's Law and interspose our own ideas about Him, suppressing the truth in ungodliness, we are setting ourselves up for His judgment. Don't believe me? Read Romans 1 and consider what has happened in mainstream "churches" like Anglicanism that has now ordained and made normal practicing homosexual "bishops". This isn't about denominational issues - this is about exchanging the Truth of God for a Lie. On which side do you stand? God has appointed a day that He will judge the world in righteousness, and He will require an account of your every thought, word, and deed. He says that a place has been made for whoever "loves and practices a lie" - that place is Hell. Eternity is a long time. If you died tonight, where would you be? In Him, David S. MacMillan III
6.23.2006
What can we change now?
We are able to draw from the well of Scripture to enrich the ways we speak of God and to God. This liberating approach also demands discipline. We cannot "pick one from column a, one from column b and one from column c," as if any three terms can express Trinity. Are there "rules" to be followed, then? Yes. In the same manner that grammar rules help us to be clear about what we say, the rules of Trinitarian language help us to be faithful to what we believe. In that spirit, I propose three rules:As might be expected, they have come up with some very far-out "versions" of the Trinity (this includes those on thePC-USAA website and a few others I have heard on this basis):
- The three terms must have an inner relationship.
- The terms must either be personal or functionalÂthe two should not be mixed.
- Functional terms cannot replace personal terms, but can amplify and enrich our understanding of God.
Okay, the last one is not that bad, but it still should not be used to "Reclaim the Trinity". But "Our Sun, Ray, and Warmth"? And "Mother, Child, Womb"? Is it just me, or do I detect a little attempt to introduce feminism here? "Lover, Beloved, Love"? This is getting sticky here. God is not a big ball of fire in the sky that keeps us warm. He is not Mommy. And He is not the cosmic girlfriend/boyfriend either. He is an awesome, just, powerful Creator and Judge whose wrath is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness. Yes, God loves you. But it isn't a pampering love. I repeat, God is NOT your cosmic girlfriend with a human-shaped hole in His heart. The love that He has is a perfecting love - He sacrificed His life so that our debt to justice would be paid and we could grow to be like Him. Get it straight, Mr. Wiley. I am sure that you meant well. But this is too important to miss. If you want to find out more about how the Trinity "works", check out my article on the subject. So do you think that the PC-USA went overboard in voting to accept "Mother, Child, Womb" as a "Reclamation" of the Trinity? "PC" ... Politically Correct? How about Biblically Correct? In Him, David S. MacMillan III
- The One to Whom, the One by Whom, and the One in Whom we offer our praise
- Speaker, Word and Breath
- Overflowing Font, Living Water, Flowing River
- Compassionate Mother, Beloved Child and Life-giving Womb
- Our Sun, Ray and Warmth
- Lover, Beloved, Love
- Rock, Cornerstone and Temple
- The Fire that Consumes, the Hammer that Breaks, the Storm that Melts Mountains
6.05.2006
The Best Solution to the Immigration Problem
Look. I have no problem whatsoever with immigration. Granted, you should probably speak English or at least want to learn how before coming to the U.S. of A., and you'll have to leave your flag behind you, but if you think about it all of our ancestors were once immigrants so a bias against legal immigration is just plain irrational. But illegal immigration is a different thing altogether. Rather than coming in like respectable people, illegal immigrants want to take our Social Security and our police protection and our governmental system (which, by the way, is the best in the world) and refuse to pay taxes to support it. All this while stubbornly refusing to learn English and hanging on to their own cultural flair to the exclusion of an American way of life. I am all in favor of electrified Constantine Wire plus land mines along our borders. If some guy comes to my front door, then fine. If he tries to jimmy his way in the back window, he will probably find himself full of buckshot. Honesty is always the best policy. But electrified fencing and land mines aren't particularly humane, so Texas (yee-hah!) governor Rick Perry has announced a revolutionary plan to solve the border crises that floods Texas will illegal immigrants every day. His idea: use the Internet and high-speed digital cameras to automatically create thousands of unpaid border control agents across the United States. Perry estimates that the system would cost about $5,000,000, a small price to pay in exchange for the power would be created. Voyeuristic web surfers would be able to view live streams of the Texas-Mexico border 24/7 and have a toll-free number to report illegals trying to enter. This is all part of Perry's $20 million plan to secure the Texas border without any federal help. Sounds good to me! Texas forever! In Him, David S. MacMillan III
6.03.2006
Why Repeat After Me? Figure it out for yourself!
6.02.2006
Is Ultimate Frisbee a No-Contact Sport?
Ultimate Frisbee, for those of you who are so unfortunate as to have never played it, is a variation on a game of American football played with a Frisbee disc. The object is to pass the disc forward, backward, or sideways down the field and into the end zone for a touchdown. The catch is that when you have the disc you cannot move. If the disc touches the ground, the other team immediately takes possession. Because of this game's versatility, ease of play, and relative safety, it is extremely popular with many colleges and youth programs. It is the "official sport" of TeenPact. However, I found out the hard way on Memorial Day evening that Ultimate is not really a no-contact sport. At least it isn't when you are:
- Playing at night
- With a Disc Golf disc instead of an Ultimate Frisbee
- On wet grass
- On a small field
- With 11-year-old girls who don't know how to throw a Frisbee
Despite my aching head, I will be making a few more posts in the near future. They will tackle such tough subjects and questions as:
- Do angels "live" in time or eternity?
- Why this unscientific rebuttal is really quite absurd and depressing.
- The Final Solution to the illegal immigration problem - you?
- The discussion over my last post.
6.01.2006
I Don't Believe in Sermons
God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. If you are a Christian, come up front! We can help you to live God's wonderful plan even more. If you aren't a Christian, you need to ask Jesus into your heart so that you can start living God's wonderful plan! Either way, come down to the altar and pray with one of our qualified advisors!Sound familiar? Sadly, attempts to cater to a mixed crowd has turned the Gospel into a "contemporary" message of happiness and contentment through saying "the prayer". No wonder most Americans live like Pollyanna. Organized religious Christianity has done much for the Gospel - but it really has not done much good. Rather than equipping believers and saving the lost, it has presented an unbiblical "Jesus message" that is producing greater and greater numbers of false converts every day. No where in the Bible do we find one of the apostles saying, "Pray this prayer with me and Jesus will come into your heart." Nor do we find the "life enhancement" message so prevalent in our "Christian" culture today. Remember: Law to the proud, Grace to the humble. Jesus changed His message based on who He was speaking to. Why shouldn't we? In Him, David S. MacMillan III
5.29.2006
Letter to the Editor - Truncated!
While surfing the blogosphere, I came across a link to a letter to the editor in the Daily Record titled "America not a Christian Nation". I would appreciate it if certain people would take the time to get their facts straight. The only accurate statement in the letter was the opening sentence: "A recent letter claimed that the United States was founded on Christian thought." Jeffrey H., the reader who penned (or typed) the letter, apparently believes that the thousands of quotes from the Founding Fathers expounding upon the attributes of Jesus Christ are somehow irrelevant to the question of whether any of the Founders were Christian. I suppose that these letters, treatises, and speeches are the result of a massive conspiracy by the incorrigible Republicans to fool all the innocent populace. Mr. H. states that "References to gods and religions are purposely left out of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, as well as all amendments." This absence of direct reference to God in the articles of governmental arrangement obviously proves something. I'm just not sure what. I suppose that Mr. H. has never read the Declaration of Independence, the founding document of the United States. It states expressly that the inalienable rights given to men by Creator God form the basis for all government - and especially the United States government! And it gets worse. "The founders wanted government to leave religions alone and equally wanted religions to leave government alone. [...] Neither Franklin, Washington nor Jefferson believed in a personal God." It is becoming increasingly obvious that fewer and fewer people know how to accurately examine source documents. In Benjamin Franklin's 1749 plan of education for the public schools of Pennsylvania, he insisted that schools teach "the necessity of a public religion . . . and the excellency of the Christian religion above all others, ancient or modern." Likewise, Washington claimed on May 12, 1779, that what children needed to learn "above all" was the "religion of Jesus Christ," and that to learn this would make them "greater and happier than they already are". During the winter of 1777 in Valley Forge he charged his soldiers at Valley Forge that "To the distinguished character of patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian". Jefferson was another Founder who supposedly lacked belief in God or Christianity. And yet he himself stated "I am a real Christian, that is to say a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus Christ." The very word "Christ" means Savior or Messiah. In the words of David Barton of Wallbuilders Ministries: "Perhaps critics should spend more time reading the writings of the Founders to discover their religious beliefs for themselves rather than making such sweeping accusations which are so easily disproven." Please get your facts straight. In Him, David S. MacMillan III
You can view the truncated version here, but they left out most of the best part. Phooey. In Him, David S. MacMillan III
5.26.2006
NewsFlash: TeenPact Primary Elections!
5.21.2006
A Calm Reflection on the Da Vinci Code
One of the most amazing claims of The Da Vinci Code is that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, and she then became the most important of the apostles. If this is true, then the New Testament cannot be trusted, and its entire inspiration is in question. Did you know that... [read more]Read it. Rather that attacking the book and the movie, the tract affirms the authenticity of the Bible and challenges the person on the basis of their conscience. It closes by showing The Da Vinci Code for what it really is:
If you choose to ignore the Bible's warning, and instead believe the fantasies of The Da Vinci Code, then be aware that you have joined the "Elvis is Alive!" crowd. You've included yourself in the ranks of the wide-eyed and faithful tabloid customers. The choice, however, is yours. It's your eternity.A great tract. Like I said, the entire parking lot was peppered with them - while the film was showing. So when everyone came out they had $10,000 with Mona Lisa on the front under their windshield wipers. Hee hee hee. When we were about eighty percent done, one of the employees (who happened to be an old friend of mine) came out and asked us if we had a permit to do what we were doing. I told him that since we weren't trying to sell anything, we didn't need a permit - and gave him a copy for the road. He read through the whole thing and went back into the theater and showed it to the other employees. What do you think a good response is to this phenomenon? In Him, David S. MacMillan III
5.16.2006
God is Not a Christian!
"God intended us to live in harmony with God, with one another, with the rest of God's creation. God's dream was shattered by sin. The alienation just got worse, reaching a kind of climax in the scattering of the peoples in the story of the Tower of Babel when human community became impossible because humans could no longer communicate in a common language. "Jesus, it appears, was quite serious when he said that God was our father and that we belonged all to one family, because in this family all, not some, are insiders. None is an outsider Ă‚ black and white, yellow and red, rich and poor, educated and not educated, beautiful and not so beautiful, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, atheist, all belong, all are held in a divine embrace that will not let us go Ă‚ all, for God has no enemies. "I have said that God is not a Christian. Some people chewed me up for saying that, but I believe it. Some like to think that we Christians have the duty of protecting God. But I wish these people could meet the Dalai Lama. He is a holy person, incredible. We are the ones who keep trying to put limits on God, but God gives the incredible gift of grace.""Bishop" Desmond Tutu has made a very - obvious - point. Of course God is not a Christian. God is Christ. Apparently, when man sinned, God was tearing His hair out trying to figure out what to do. It crushed His dream! No, the Bible says that Jesus was slain from the foundation of the world. The plan of redemption was God's plan from the beginning because it would result in the maximum glory to Him. And apparently God has no enemies. I suppose, then, that these verses don't mean anything:
I am not the one who is saying this. God's Word is the defining factor here. Where does the Bible say that "Buddhists, Hindus, [and] atheists" are held in God's "embrace"? The Bible says that if you have not called on the name of Christ, you are condemned already! God's Word tells us that "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is one name given under heaven by which men can be saved." (Acts 4:12) This is not about my opinion. The fact is, by trying to "not condemn" people (a philosophy that I am sure Mr. Tutu would adhere to), we are in faccondemningng them to Hell. If we are too chicken to tell people what God's Word says, then we are sending them to Hell in a handbasket. So do you think I am being too harsh and this guy is pretty close to the truth? You tell me. In Him, David S. MacMillan III"May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may His foes flee before him." (Psalm 68:1) " 'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet." ' " (Matthew 22:44)
5.12.2006
Two Sides to Every Story?
But it is really not this way. Everyone has their own concept of truth. Witnessing to people just a few times a week will show you how variegated and often strange the beliefs of the "average American" really are. But the fact is that we know the truth. When we approach people, we have to remember that there is only one truth and only one Way! It isn't a case of Our side versus their side; we simply have to explain the Truth to them so that they will leave their particular falsehood behind.
There are an infinite number of sides until you know the Truth. Then, there is just One.
Jesus said, "I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father but through me." John 14:6You know the truth. Get out there and share it! In Him, David S. MacMillan III
5.06.2006
The Momma of All Tests
5.02.2006
Design vs. Science?
"Critics perceive that the idea of design is a "science-stopper" that puts an end to scientific investigation. The appeal to design, in other words, is an indicator that people are throwing in the towel and invoking God to account for whatever they don’t understand. This automatic explanation It is reminiscent of tribal cultures in which God is the end-all explanation for all natural phenomena including rain patterns, flooding, and any natural disasters. But ... that is hardly a fair characterization of design theory. In fact, the process of detecting design is an empirical process that is already a part of many sciences."I encourage all my readers to go over and check it out! In Him, David S. MacMillan III
4.30.2006
Just a Quick Thought. . . .
4.29.2006
Witnessing Tips from the Pros!
4.28.2006
The Big Apple Clings to Traditional Values
Society changes and so should the laws. Perhaps. If our laws are based on the “societal norm”, then moral standards are majority opinion. The only difference between anarchy and democracy is the heart of the people. God created the institution of marriage with a purpose. No-fault divorce has led to more broken homes, court battles, and division in our nation’s churches by forsaking God’s law. Unless moral standards and laws are based on the unchanging standards of the Ten Commandments, no society can survive. So, is fault-oriented divorce the answer? Is no-fault divorce the answer? Are either of these approaches to the dissolution of marriage biblical? You tell me. In Him, David S. MacMillan III
4.27.2006
Improbable versus Impossible: Is ID an argument from incredulity?
4.25.2006
Observing the Unobservable: Can Science Prove the Supernatural?
4.24.2006
Reader Feedback: What Makes Christianity True?
All you've said is backed up [by] passages from the Christian Bible, right? That seems reasonable enough, it's important to have a basis for one's beliefs. I guess this fits into the first question, then - why should I trust in the Christian Bible, and not any other holy writing? All that you've said about death and judgement seems true from a Christian perspective, but there are other religions that say they're the path to eternal happiness....how do I know that Christianity is right and all the others are wrong? You make an excellent point about assuming things. That brings up another question in my mind: how do I know I should trust in something or someone for salvation? Different religions want to save me from different things, right? How do I know that the Christian salvation is the one I want? I'm sure you get questions like these all the time from stupid trolls and the like, but I am genuine in my curiosity. I really appreciate your previous reply, and I look forward to future discourse with you. Cordially, N. NescioIn one of my earlier posts, I received a comment asking why Jesus is the only Way to God. I replied with a rather lengthy comment detailing the plan of salvation, and the original commenter replied back as quoted above. For ease of communication, I am continuing this "discourse" here.
All you've said is backed up [by] passages from the Christian Bible, right? That seems reasonable enough, it's important to have a basis for one's beleifs. I guess this fits into the first question, then - why should I trust in the Christian Bible, and not any other holy writing? All that you've said about death and judgement seems true from a Christian perspective, but there are other religions that say they're the path to eternal happiness....how do I know that Christianity is right and all the others are wrong?You ask an excellent question, N. There are two ways that I can answer this. The first is an intellectual answer. I could reference the thousands of manuscripts supporting Scripture and proving that it is accurate to the original autographs. I could show you prophecies that foretold specific events in a specific culture hundreds of years before that culture even existed. I could quote numbers showing that the odds of just a fraction of such prophecies being fulfilled is millions of times greater than the mathematical "impossibility" ceiling by random chance standards. Christianity is not blind faith. However, just because I convince you with the intellect does not mean that you will really understand in your heart. I can intellectually believe that the speed limit is 70 mph on the interstate highway. But this doesn't always translate over to my driving habits. "All that you've said about death and judgement seems true from a Christian perspective. . . ." That is a fact. However, here is another fact: All that I've said also seems true from your perspective! Think about it. I would assume you have some kind of belief in God, so no doubt you realize that "God", whoever or whatever He/She/It might be, must be perfect. A deep-rooted preconception that all of us have of God is one of absolute perfection. As such, it makes perfect sense that He/She/It cannot tolerate sin. But what is sin? You don't even have to look at the Ten Commandments to have an understanding of sin. We all know that it is wrong to lie, to steal, to covet, and to lust. No one would contend that it is "OK" to hate other people or to blatantly dishonor our parents. Ask yourself this question: How could any perfect, holy God tolerate our sin? All the other "religions" out there evade the problem of sin in one way or another. But not one of them will hold up in a court of law! A Buddhist can't tell the judge: "I have been meditating for a long time since I shot that guy and robbed that bank, so I guess I'm OK. After all, I'm practically perfect NOW." A Hindu might be able to say that his evil acts don't really matter because life is an illusion anyway. The judge would probably look at him funny, then agree while condeming him to the electric chair. After all, the 2,000 volts of electricity are just a cosmic illusion anyway. The Bible says truthfully that God's Laws are written on every person's heart. Try as you may, you cannot ignore the problem of sin. You intrisically know that when you die, you will have to face judgement for your sin because you know that God is holy. And there is no way you can atone for your own sins without going to Hell. Christ's atonement is the only way you can be reconciled to God.
Different religions want to save me from different things, right? How do I know that the Christian salvation is the one I want?Different religions may claim to save you from many different things. Some say that they will free you from guilt. Others simply want to make you a "better person" - which begs the question of why being a "better person" is a good thing. But all religions either ignore the problem of sin or try to combat it in some way. In the former case it is obvious that they are false. As I showed earlier, we all know that we are lying, theiving, blasphemous, murderous adulterers at heart. To ignore this vital problem is obvious folly. And no religious system has every devised a way of adequately dealing with sin. We know that God is a perfect Judge. The analogy of the courtroom holds true. No amount of good works, righteous deeds, or penance can erase the fact of our sin. Sin and judgement is a problem that we face regardless of what religion we believe in. Jesus affords the only way of escape.
I'm sure you get questions like these all the time from stupid trolls and the like, but I am genuine in my curiosity. I really appreciate your previous reply, and I look forward to future discourse with you. Cordially, N. NescioYou aren't stupid. The Bible says that foolish people declare that God does not exist. But you are like a Berean, searching out the truth from a myriad of falsehoods. I commend you for your efforts and exhort you to examine yourself in the light of God's holiness. Just because the Bible says you have sinned doesn't mean that it's "just in the Bible". You know that you have fallen short of God's glory and are hopeless in your own efforts. Be brave! Acknowledge your intrinsic helplessness. You know that it is true regardless of what any holy book tells you. And if you can find some other way to evade the problem of sin, tell me about it! But I warn you that there is only one way to Heaven. You have to be rid of your inherent sin through Christ's blood. Think about the parachute example I gave in the last post. Face the facts! You're going to have to jump out of the plane regardless of what any holy book says. Get a parachute, man! In Him, David S. MacMillan III
4.23.2006
Urgent Prayer Request for Tomorrow
I’m real excited to be up here testifying today. I know that [our pastor] wants people to come up and not just tell how we came to Christ, but what God is doing right now in our lives. Recently, something happened to me that has really rekindled my walk with God in the area of soul-winning. I once heard a kid get up to give his “testimony” at a youth thing and he said something like this. “I don’t really have a testimony. I mean, I didn’t get saved from drugs or alcohol or anything like that. I guess I just grew up in a Christian home and always knew the Bible and the plan of salvation from as far back as I can remember, and I probably made a conscious decision for Christ when I was pretty young. So I don’t really have a testimony.” Well, that kid didn’t realize it, but he just gave his testimony. I am in about the same position that kid was in. I’ve been a “Christian” as long as I can remember; my earliest recollection of a conscious decision was probably when I was about 3. But as I have grown older, I have realized more and more the importance of sharing my faith. But we have a problem with current evangelistic thinking. People haven’t been raised knowing the Scriptures, so like Corinthians says “. . . the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Currently the church “fall away rate” is 80 percent. What I mean by that is that for every 100 decisions we get in churches – every 100 people who come to the altar and pray “the prayer” – 80 of them never come back. Our churches are producing backsliders at an alarming rate. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that this isn’t working! Who here has heard of Kirk Cameron? He is an actor who played in the TV show Growing Pains and in the Left Behind movies. He has a ministry on the Internet and the Radio based on witnessing the way Jesus did. Appropriately, his ministry is called “The Way Of The Master”. In Mark 10, we get a great look at how Jesus witnessed to people. A rich young ruler ran up to Jesus, got on his knees, and asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life? First, take a look at what Jesus didn’t say: “You’ve got a God-shaped hole in your heart that only God can fill. Pretty soon here, I am going to go die on a cross. If you just say this prayer and REALLY mean it, you’ll go to heaven when you die.” Instead, Jesus asked the man, “Why do you call me good?” When Kirk Cameron is speaking, he says that this part made him do a double-take. You know, maybe Jesus could have used a friendship evangelism course. What Jesus did was correct this man’s understanding of what “good” is. He pointed him to God’s standard for goodness: the Ten Commandments. You see, these days we have a major problem. People think that they are basically good! But the Bible says that everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. So what can we do to show them that they need to be converted? Psalm 19 tells us that “the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.” What is perfect and converts the soul? The LAW. Galatians says that the law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. The law doesn’t help us, it just leaves us helpless. We are saved by grace, but the law shows us that we are filthy, dirty, and in need of God’s cleansing. Now compare this to the current way that a lot of churches evangelize. Many huge mega-churches like to tell people things like this:Pray for me, guys. In Him, David S. MacMillan IIIThere is much more to life than the same old daily routine; but you have to think big. God wants to increase you! Believe God for promotion and He will take you to new heights.I think maybe Paul should have listened to this kind of preaching. Think about it! Paul didn’t need to go through all those shipwrecks, imprisonments, scourgings, or stonings. He just should have “believed God” for an enjoyable life, right? That’s very nice. But it isn’t the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s the Gospel of Second Hesitations. Think about it like this. Let’s say that you are the flight attendant on a plane flying at 25,000 feet. You want to convince one of the passengers to put a parachute on. You can do this two ways. First, you can tell him to “Put this parachute on; it’s going to improve your flight. Your coffee will taste better, and your chair will be more ergonomic.” The guy will be pretty confused at first. How will a 50-pound parachute on his back improve his flight? But if you’re a really good salesperson, you might be able to sell it. He puts it on. He is pretty uncomfortable at first, but he remembers that you told him the parachute would “improve his flight”, so he consoles himself. Before long, the other passengers start laughing at him. He is getting more and more upset. He can’t even taste his coffee ‘cause he’s hunched over in his chair, and his back is starting to ache. Angrily, he rips the parachute off and slams it on the floor. As far as he’s concerned, it will be a long time before someone gets one of those things on his back again. But there is another approach that will be more effective. Try telling the man that in a few minutes he will be jumping 25,000 feet out of the plane, and that “this parachute” is his only hope of survival. He won’t notice the weight on his shoulders or the other passengers laughing at him. Rather, he will be grateful to you and to the parachute because he is imagining what would happen if he jumped without the parachute. Instead of telling people that Jesus will improve their flight, we should be telling them about the jump to come! If we do this, people will run to Jesus! The Bible tells us to FLEE from the wrath to come! God commands “all men to repent because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in wrath”. If a person comes to Jesus with the focus on peace joy and happiness without having understood that they are being saved from CERTAIN death ... they won’t find any peace! Peace and joy are legitimate fruits of salvation. But that should not be the drawing card for Jesus. Remember Psalm 19: The LAW of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. People have to understand that everyone has lied, stolen, and blasphemed, and this makes them guilty in God’s eyes regardless of how they see themselves. So the next time you want to witness to someone, ask them whether they think they are a good person. Then, show them to the Ten Commandments. Have you ever lied, stolen, or lusted? Ever had hatred in your heart? I must confess that I have. In God’s eyes we are ALL lying, thieving, murderous, adulterers in our heart. Now remember that we aren’t condemning anyone. Timothy says that everyone is condemned already; the Law just shows people that they really are helpless without Christ! So now, with every eye open, and no quiet music playing in the background, I would like to ask each and every one of you to examine yourselves. Philippians tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling – not work for our salvation, but examine ourselves to see whether we are really in the faith. God has appointed a day that He will judge the world in wrath. But rapists and murderers aren’t the only ones who will be judged. If you have ever lied, stolen, dishonored your parents, or failed to put God first at any time you are also guilty of breaking God’s laws. We all deserve Hell. But isn’t it amazing that God had a different plan! He sent His Son Jesus to die a horrific death on a bloodstained cross, to take our punishment on Himself. It is ONLY by trusting Christ for salvation from Hell that we can escape God’s wrath and have peace and joy through Him. Thank you so much.
4.22.2006
More Data in the Israel Debate
4.21.2006
The New Axis of Terror
Breaking News
In an open forum discussion in the United Nations Security Council on April 17, Dan Gillerman, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, made several bold statements concerning Iran, Syria, and the Hamas-led Palestinian authority.
How did the newly elected officials of the Palestinian Authority respond to this morning’s abominable act? Sami Abu Zuhri, the official spokesperson for Hamas, did not bother to condemn the attack. Instead, he claimed the Palestinians “have every right to use all means to defend themselves and said that the attack was justified.” This reaction should not come as a surprise – only two weeks ago the same individual stated that the Hamas movement is committed to all forms of “resistance,” including suicide bombings. Today’s horrific act of terrorism, as well the ones that preceded it, are the direct result of the new axis of terror, which I have previously described to you. An axis comprised of Member States in this organization, namely Iran and Syria, and the terrorist organizations they have been harboring, nurturing, financing and supporting, namely Hamas and Hizbullah. ... In view of all these, Mr. President and distinguished Members of the Council, I ask each and every one of you, what would you do? Would you just sit still and wait to bury your children? Would you ignore this harsh reality and just act as if its business as usual? Or would you try and stop this horror and eliminate this danger? A danger I must add, not just to Israel but also to the whole free world and to civilization as we know it, as this axis of evil and terror sows the seeds of the first world war of the 21 st century.Way to go, Mr. Gillerman! Finally someone has told it the way it is! In Him, David S. MacMillan III