Archive for December, 2015
Childhood’s End from SyFy Network
I know that people are making a huge deal out of this miniseries, but the book has been around since 1953. In reality, this is a sci-fi miniseries based on Clarke’s book and from what I have seen and read, there is nothing connected to the Bible except the imagery that makes Karellen appear to be like the devil in the way he looks. In the end, take away the aliens that look like Satan and what is left is a sci-fi tale that’s been told in many different times and in many different ways. Aliens come to earth because they want to take over earth for their own malevolent purposes. This has nothing to do with Satan’s purposes as revealed in Scripture. He has been slowly and consistently gaining more control of earth and its people because of his own purposes which culminate in attempting to keep Jesus from touching down physically on this planet when His time comes for His Second Coming.
Continue Reading December 21, 2015 at 8:47 AM Leave a comment
Satan Will Use Whatever He Can to Fill Spiritual Holes in People
Satan doesn’t want people to become Christians. That his secondary agenda, with his first being to thwart God at every turn, including doing his best to keep Jesus from returning to this earth physically during the Second Coming, which occurs at the end of the Tribulation period. One of the best ways Satan can keep people from becoming a Christian is to keep them as far away from Jesus as possible. Obviously, if Satan can create ways for people to kill themselves (even accidentally, through illicit drug use), then he’ll go for it. One less individual who will make it into heaven.
Continue Reading December 21, 2015 at 7:57 AM Leave a comment
Christ, Our Fellowship, Part 6
The Prodigal Son, who had experienced a complete change in viewpoint where his father was concerned, could now actually begin to enjoy fellowship with his father! He understood that his father had loved him the whole time, wanted the best for him, and was willing to do whatever necessary to try to make that happen for his son. Of course, no matter what the father did, if the son had not come to see his father for who he truly was, then the son would forever see him in a wrong way.
Continue Reading December 19, 2015 at 8:49 AM Leave a comment
Christ, Our Fellowship, Part 5
Our ideas surrounding our deeds and simply the way we view life as a Christian can actually deceive us. This is one of the best reasons in the world why our eyes cannot focus on what we are doing. As I mentioned previously, God has plans and purposes that He is bringing to fruition. There are certain things that He has designed me to fulfill and certain things He has designed you to fulfill. You have specific gifts, talents, and character traits that make you perfectly designed for specific things God has in mind for you and the same applies to me. I believe Jesus fleshed this out nicely in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) and yes, I recognize that there is disagreement over what that parable means.
Christ, Our Fellowship, Part 4
Can you imagine how God must have inspired Noah and his sons and given them the ability to build such a ship? Wow, it had never been done before! Around 450 in length and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! Oh wait, sorry. The reality is that this was an undertaking of humongous proportions and Noah had never trained to be a builder of boats. But because Noah had faith in God (believed Him), God rewarded Noah with a new label: righteous. But it didn’t stop there either. Because Noah believed God, he naturally wanted to obey God as well. If your “faith” does not prompt you to obedience in God, brothers and sisters, it is not faith. It is probably just some feeling that accomplishes nothing. True faith has substance that is seen in obedience to God’s plans and purposes (not yours!).
Continue Reading December 17, 2015 at 9:03 AM Leave a comment
Christ, Our Fellowship, Part 3
I would like to remind that entering into fellowship with God is something that is only available to authentic Christians, those who have, by faith, received salvation. This salvation changes our legal standing before God from unrighteous to righteous and provides a way for us to enter into that fellowship. Scripture provides many references to the fact that God does not hear the prayers of those considered (labeled) unrighteous (unless of course, it is the prayer for salvation). Whether or not we fellowship with God is up to us, though God will do what He can to draw us to Him. I’m hoping that you will see why fellowship is only available to authentic Christians (and how we enter into it), as you continue to read this series.
Christ, Our Fellowship, Part 2
We should not have fellowship with God in order to get what we want from Him. We do not fellowship with God in order to see Him as the Genie in the Sky who wishes to lavish material gifts on us. We fellowship with Him because we want to partner with Him. He will then work in and through us to bring others to Him for salvation. In the process, He will refashion our character so that it becomes more like His. It is to the degree by which we partner with Him in this life that we are rewarded with greater responsibilities in the next. You don’t care about fellowship with God (on His terms) now? Don’t expect much beyond salvation in the next life.
Christ, Our Fellowship, Part 1
While our legal standing has nothing at all to do with our feelings (though the more we realize the truth of our legal standing before God in Christ, the greater the chance that our feelings will react to that truth in a very positive way that makes us feel wonderful!), relationships do involve our feelings, but they should be kept in check when it appears as though they are trying to guide or direct that relationship. Feelings should always be a reaction to truth and in that way, feelings can react to our legal standing and our fellowship with God. They should be allowed to do that, but they should never direct the way we think. Feelings/emotions should always react to truth. They should never create the way we think or believe.
Christ, Our Righteousness, Part 20
I don’t believe we understand exactly how terrifying it will be to stand before God in judgment. I’m sure I don’t truly get it. Because we live in the age of grace, God actually protects us from His fury at the abject lawlessness, demonically-inspired hatred toward God and others, and general spiritual poverty that is so prevalent not only in society in general, but within too many of those who call themselves Christian. Yes, we have salvation. Wonderful! But we need more of Jesus that only comes through fellowship with Him.
Continue Reading December 15, 2015 at 8:38 PM Leave a comment
Christ, Our Righteousness, Part 19
Remember, this time of judgment is not regarding our salvation, which is safe and secure. That cannot be removed from us. We’re talking about our actions, words, and intentions, for which we are accountable. How would God be able to provide us with any rewards if He doesn’t judge those things? I guess what I can hope for when the time comes for me to stand before Him is that there will be a marked difference in my life as I grow toward Him. I’m hoping that as time progresses toward the end of my life, I will be a good student, a good soldier for Jesus, one who boasts in the Lord and willingly submits to Him in all things. I’m hoping my times of sin will be fewer and further between and my actual intentions for the actions and words that flow from me will stem from a heart that is more molded in His image and character. We can only hope this will be the case for all of us, but certainly, much of that is up to us and our desires for God in the first place.
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