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| 11-12-09 LISTENING TO HIS MASTER'S VOICE
If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD . . . (Exodus 15:26, NIV)
The label on all RCA records at one time included the picture of a dog listening to an old Victrola with the caption, "His Master's Voice."
Dr. Eugene Nida of the translation department of the American Bible Society has pointed out that the dog listening to the Victrola will hear an imperfect transmission of his master's voice because the needle scratches the surface of the record. However, no matter how scratchy the record sounds, the needle cannot obliterate the sound of the master's voice -- the message still comes through loud and clear.
Expanding on this concept a little more, we can see that the Bible is represented by the record and that the imperfections of human nature and the limitations of human knowledge are represented by the needle. . . But despite [our] limitations (which are the direct product of human freedom and its resultant sin), we can still hear our Master's voice with absolute clarity, just as the dog does on the record label.
Walter Martin
("Thy Word Is Truth," Christian Research Newsletter)
www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/crninfo.html JESUS LOVES VETERANS
When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for
help. "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in
terrible suffering." Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him."
The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under
my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I
myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this
one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to
my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he was
astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I
have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith." (Matthew
8:5-10, NIV)
Today is Veterans Day. It is fitting for us as a free people to
publicly and intentionally acknowledge, thank and bless those men and
women who have paid a heavy price to insure our liberty. Freedom, as
they say, is never free. To all the veterans, we thank you.
My wife's father, Al, is 88 years old. He served in WWII in the South
Pacific and endured unspeakable horrors, including, months of near
hand-to-hand combat and a life-and-death battle with malaria. Few of
us can comprehend the pain that combat soldiers like Al have borne.
We may not know; but we can express our gratitude.
The cost is not so distant as WWII. Every day, vets of more immediate
wars in the Middle East are returning to attempt to embrace a new
destiny after their military service. To them and their families, we
also express our gratitude. The horrible events at Fort Hood this
week remind us just how dangerous their lives are, and how fragile our
peace remains.
For all our efforts to say "thanks" and all our commitment to help our
vets recover their lives once they return (and God knows we must do
all we can!) in the end we cannot do enough. No governmental service
can repay all they have lost. No holiday in their honor can make up
for the hours lost, the innocence lost, the loves, limbs and lives
lost. We cannot do enough. "Thank you" is too easy and too slight a
return.
But we can pray for our vets. We can ask God to make up the balance,
to cover the debts we as a society (often ungrateful) can never make
up. We can pray and ask for blessings beyond our human treasure.
Join me, and together let's bless our vets.
"God we thank you for commissioning men and women in the defense of
freedom. We honor those who honor and protect us, in many cases
laying down their lives that we might live free to pursue our own
destiny. Our soldiers take an oath, knowing that they may be called
upon to pay the ultimate sacrifice. Lord, we cannot repay this gift
they give us. For those who have suffered as a result of their
sacrifice, we ask for supernatural healing, favor, peace and, in some
cases, forgetfulness. Lift from them the cares and burdens of
violence. When they return home, give them opportunities to fulfill
their own potentials and dreams. Open doors for them, even when some
doors are closed. God, bless our veterans. We pray this in Jesus.
Amen."
Mark Herringshaw JESUS LOVES ROCK STARS
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. (1 Corinthians 13:11, NIV)
Rock star Alice Cooper shocked the world in the 1970s with an alcohol-fueled stage show that explored taboos ranging from murder to necrophilia. Years later he shocked the rock world by quietly embracing Christianity.
While his on-stage antics and radio show do not settle well with some Christians, Cooper has a vibrant faith. Though he rarely spoke openly about his faith, he did open up some time ago with Lonn Friend, editor of the on-line rock magazine KNAC.COM. Cooper spoke at length about his drinking days, faith in God, and views on the shock-rockers who are following in his footsteps.
Cooper was introduced to alcohol when he began his music career, and drank heavily for the next 15 years. "I was a totally functional alcoholic, probably the most functional alcoholic ever. I never missed a show. I never stumbled. I never slurred a word. I mean I was the Dean Martin of rock n' roll," he told KNAC.COM. Cooper said divine intervention is what broke his drinking habit in the mid-1980s. "I honestly think I was simply and completely healed," he said. "I guess you can call it a miracle. It's the only way I can explain it. It was absolutely eliminated from my life."
Cooper's embrace of Christianity was more a return to faith than a coming to faith. "I was pretty much convinced all my life that there was just one God and there was Jesus Christ and there was the Devil," he told KNAC.com.
"You couldn't believe in God without believing in the Devil. I always tell bands that the most dangerous thing you can do is to believe in the concept of the Devil or the concept of God, because you're not giving them full credit. When you believe in God, you've got to believe in the all-powerful God. He's not just God, He's the all-powerful God and He has total control over everyone's life. The Devil, on the other hand, is a real character that's trying his hardest to tear your life apart. If you believe that this is just mythology, you're a prime target because you know that's exactly what Satan wants: To be a myth. But he's not a myth, of this I'm totally convinced. More than anything in the world, I'm convinced of that."
Cooper said, "We have to make a choice. And everybody, at some point in their lives, has to make that choice. When people say, 'How do you believe this? Why do you believe this?' I just say nothing else speaks to my heart. . . This speaks right to my heart and right to my soul, deeper than anything I've ever thought of. And I totally believe it."
Though some have questioned combining his faith in God with his rock-and-roll background, Cooper doesn't see a conflict. "I'm the first one to rock as loud as I can, but when it comes to what I believe, I'm the first one to defend it too," he said. "It has also gotten me in trouble with the staunch Christians who believe that in order to be a Christian you have to be on your knees 24 hours a day in a closet somewhere. Hey, maybe some people can live like that, but I don't think that's the way God expected us to live. When Christ came back, He hung out with the whores, the drunks and miscreants because they were people that needed Him. Christ never spent His time with the Pharisees."
But while Cooper may still speak to some of his old themes, he has a new message today.
"I used to celebrate moral decay, the decadence of it," he admitted in the KNAC.com interview. "I can look back on what I did then and what I'm doing now and they are two different things. But at the time, I was the poster boy for moral decay, you know. So yeah, I've got a lot to be forgiven for . . . out of ignorance, I thought I was doing the right thing. I was totally in agreement that every guy should sleep with every girl and drink as much as they can. I don't believe that now. I don't believe in it, because I see how destructive it is."
Spiritual awakening is happening around the world, Cooper believes. "It's obvious humanity is craving answers directly borne of awareness," he said. "That's the healthiest thing I've seen in a long time . . . People aren't feeling fulfilled by how many cars they own or the size of their stock portfolio. Even the addicts are saying, 'It doesn't matter how many drugs I take, I'm not fulfilled. This isn't satisfying.'"
There's a spiritual hunger going on. Everybody feels it. If you don't feel it now, you will. Trust me. You will."
(www.jesusjournal.com) Humbled by a Sermon Yesterday I had the chance to listen to a Great Sermon! Now, I must admit, every sermon that I have heard preached at the church I attend has been great, but yesterdays message struck a tone with me... For a quick overview... Three main Points put forth: 1) Confession of all known sin and asking God to reveal to you all that are not known. (A sobering thought as we often dont reflect on what we may or may not be doing) 2) A desire to seek the "Filling of the Holy Spirit for the Glory of God" (The main point of understanding here is "Filling of the Holy Spirit" is not receiving more of the Holy Spirit. You get all of Him when you are Saved. "Filling" is the Control or Taking Control of my Life!) 3) Unreservedly yielding self to Christ (speaks for itself) That was the Main points of the Message. Here are a few things that Pastor Ron spoke about that really humbled me and made me look at where I am at with God... All of this was brought on by one sentence, "It's not how much of the Spirit we have, its about how much the Spirit has of Us." Do we live like there is no Tomorrow? Do we act as if we were to die if we didnt have God? Do we thirst for Him as if He was the only thing that will satisfy that thirst? Do we Unreservedly yield self to his Control (filling)? Are we allowing our Sin to Hinder the Holy Spirits work in us? Hence the Three Points Confess, Desire and Seek, and Unreservedly Yield. This is the Extreme Lifestyle of a Christian: Confessing our sins to God who is Faithful and Just to forgive us our sins. ( 1 John 1:9) Desire and Seek the God who Shows his love for us in that even though we were still Sinners Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) Unreservedly Yielding our life to Christ by denying ourselves and picking up our Cross daily to follow Him. (Luke 9:23) Do I Confess my sins every min, hour, moment, day? Am I living a Life that Seeks the Filling (Control) of the Holy Spirit? Am I yielding myself to Christ? How much of me Does the Holy Spirit have? Questions I am asking myself now. Questions everyone should be asking themselves everyday! Thank you Pastor Ron for being true to God's Word and Preaching the Truths that are in it... I am humbled before God because you were available and used by Him to speak to me. | |
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