Since I'm not playing Warcraft any more, I've been spending more time on Pogo. I joined a league and am playing in some tournaments in the league. It's a lot of fun.
Well tonight, I played against a lady called Bingomama (with some numbers after her name). A little later that evening, she started chatting with another person on our league. He reported to us that two of her children, ages 4 and 5, died in a fire tonight. Also either her husband or ex-husband (I couldn't figure out which) died in the same fire.
So hug your babies (if you have any) or your honey (if you have one) a little bit tighter tonight. You never know how much time you have with them. Even more important, if you are unsure of where you will spend eternity, make sure you get that figured out. Don't put it off. You don't know if you have another day.
If you have loved ones that are not saved, talk to them as well. Life is short.
And please pray for Bingomama and her much-smaller family at this time.
Showing posts with label salvation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label salvation. Show all posts
Monday, August 20, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
The Unjust Judge
Bill O'Reilly's program has been reporting for the last couple of days about a judge, Katherine Savage, who let a pedophile off on a technicality... because after three years they supposedly couldn't find an interpreter. Never mind that the guy that supposedly needed an interpreter went to both high school and junior college in the United States. You can find more information on what happened here.
People hear of this case and they think that it is horrible that this judge let the guy free without even trying him. The judge is unjust! people cry. There is even an attempt to impeach this lady. And perhaps that is necessary... if she is not doing her job as a judge, she shouldn't stay that way.
We all have an appointment with a Judge someday, in a Heavenly courtroom. How do you think that you should fare in this courtroom? Let's see. Here are the laws, to see if you've broken any of them:
1. You shall have no other Gods before me. Maybe you haven't bowed down to a wooden statue, but has God always been first in your life? Did you ever decide to sleep in on Sunday morning because you didn't feel like going to church? Do you watch television every day, but neglect reading the Bible? Do you have any favorite movie stars or musicians that you esteem more highly than God? If so, maybe you have broken this commandment after all.
2. You shall not make any carved image, to bow down or serve them. Do you ever make up your own God? Do you come up with your own ideas about God, whether they agree with the Bible or not? Do you believe that there are "new revelations" about Jesus that came out after the Bible is written? Do you ever say "well, God is like this..." without any Biblical proof? Maybe you are guilty of this one.
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. Ever use God's word as a swear word?
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Many people think that this was part of the ceremonial law that was done away when Jesus died on the cross, and does not apply any more. If so, maybe God will let you off on this one. But you better keep the others!
5. Honor your father and mother. Have you always listened to your parents, even as a little kid? Did they ever have to tell you to clean your room more than once? Have you always said nice things about them and to them?
6. You shall not murder. Here's an easy one, right? Wait a minute. Jesus says that if you are angry at someone and hate them, you are guilty of murdering them. Oops. I know I'm guilty of this one.
7. You shall not commit adultery. This one seems a little more difficult, but a lot of us haven't cheated on our spouses, so we're okay, right? Not quite. Have you ever looked at someone with lust? If so... you guessed it, you are guilty of this commandment in your heart. That's what Jesus says.
8. You shall not steal. Ever downloaded a song off the internet? Ever take a pen home from the grocery store? Did anybody ever give you too much change and you kept it? Ever take a cookie from mommy's cookie jar without asking or when you were told not to? Guilty!
9. You shall not lie. Do you tell your kids that Santa Claus is real? How do you answer the question "does this dress make me look fat?" Ever tell a lie to get out of trouble as a kid? Ever tell your parents that your sibling did something that you did? This one is easy to be guilty of. My baby is guilty of this one. He can sit in his crib and wail, and nothing is wrong with him.
10. You shall not covet. Ever want something that wasn't yours? Ever want the raise that your coworker got, or the new car someone else came home with? Ever look through magazines and want what the celebrities have, or you just have to have that new Wii all your friends have?
So if you're guilty of any of these crimes, should a just judge let you off? Give you a warning, tell you... it's okay if you broke the law? People don't think it's great that Katherine Savage let the child rapist off.
But doesn't God forgive? Well, you have half of the story right. Jesus did come down to earth to pay our fine for all those crimes that we've committed. That's why he died on the cross. The penalty that we would have to pay for all these crimes that we've committed is eternity in an awful place called hell. I know that I don't want to go there.
But Jesus didn't just die on the cross and say "go live your life the way you want to now, I've got you covered." In fact, one day he was talking to a man. The man asked Jesus if he was going to go to Heaven. Jesus asked him if he kept the 10 commandments. "Oh yes... I've kept the commandments from my youth." Well, if you look at the commandments you know he probably didn't obey all the commandments all the time. So Jesus told him to go sell all his stuff and give to the poor... something that he didn't want to do. In a way, that kinda proves that he was breaking commandment #1 right there, because his money was more important than God. So we shouldn't be like that guy... we have to recognize that we have sinned first.
You also need to repent. Jesus forgave the adulterous woman, but he told her to "go and sin no more." Did she sin again? I'm sure that she did. But she was sorry for what she had done, she probably was grateful that Jesus forgave her and didn't want to continue sinning. That is what repentance is all about... feeling bad for your sins and not wanting to sin any more. It would probably be a good thing to say that we're sorry.
Then you have to ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins, because he already paid for your sins in full when he died on the cross. Trust in Him for what he has done.
Unlike Katherine Savage, God is a just judge. He won't let you off on a technicality (and he speaks every language, so you can't use that excuse). Someone has to pay the fine. Jesus will if you let him.
People hear of this case and they think that it is horrible that this judge let the guy free without even trying him. The judge is unjust! people cry. There is even an attempt to impeach this lady. And perhaps that is necessary... if she is not doing her job as a judge, she shouldn't stay that way.
We all have an appointment with a Judge someday, in a Heavenly courtroom. How do you think that you should fare in this courtroom? Let's see. Here are the laws, to see if you've broken any of them:
1. You shall have no other Gods before me. Maybe you haven't bowed down to a wooden statue, but has God always been first in your life? Did you ever decide to sleep in on Sunday morning because you didn't feel like going to church? Do you watch television every day, but neglect reading the Bible? Do you have any favorite movie stars or musicians that you esteem more highly than God? If so, maybe you have broken this commandment after all.
2. You shall not make any carved image, to bow down or serve them. Do you ever make up your own God? Do you come up with your own ideas about God, whether they agree with the Bible or not? Do you believe that there are "new revelations" about Jesus that came out after the Bible is written? Do you ever say "well, God is like this..." without any Biblical proof? Maybe you are guilty of this one.
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. Ever use God's word as a swear word?
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Many people think that this was part of the ceremonial law that was done away when Jesus died on the cross, and does not apply any more. If so, maybe God will let you off on this one. But you better keep the others!
5. Honor your father and mother. Have you always listened to your parents, even as a little kid? Did they ever have to tell you to clean your room more than once? Have you always said nice things about them and to them?
6. You shall not murder. Here's an easy one, right? Wait a minute. Jesus says that if you are angry at someone and hate them, you are guilty of murdering them. Oops. I know I'm guilty of this one.
7. You shall not commit adultery. This one seems a little more difficult, but a lot of us haven't cheated on our spouses, so we're okay, right? Not quite. Have you ever looked at someone with lust? If so... you guessed it, you are guilty of this commandment in your heart. That's what Jesus says.
8. You shall not steal. Ever downloaded a song off the internet? Ever take a pen home from the grocery store? Did anybody ever give you too much change and you kept it? Ever take a cookie from mommy's cookie jar without asking or when you were told not to? Guilty!
9. You shall not lie. Do you tell your kids that Santa Claus is real? How do you answer the question "does this dress make me look fat?" Ever tell a lie to get out of trouble as a kid? Ever tell your parents that your sibling did something that you did? This one is easy to be guilty of. My baby is guilty of this one. He can sit in his crib and wail, and nothing is wrong with him.
10. You shall not covet. Ever want something that wasn't yours? Ever want the raise that your coworker got, or the new car someone else came home with? Ever look through magazines and want what the celebrities have, or you just have to have that new Wii all your friends have?
So if you're guilty of any of these crimes, should a just judge let you off? Give you a warning, tell you... it's okay if you broke the law? People don't think it's great that Katherine Savage let the child rapist off.
But doesn't God forgive? Well, you have half of the story right. Jesus did come down to earth to pay our fine for all those crimes that we've committed. That's why he died on the cross. The penalty that we would have to pay for all these crimes that we've committed is eternity in an awful place called hell. I know that I don't want to go there.
But Jesus didn't just die on the cross and say "go live your life the way you want to now, I've got you covered." In fact, one day he was talking to a man. The man asked Jesus if he was going to go to Heaven. Jesus asked him if he kept the 10 commandments. "Oh yes... I've kept the commandments from my youth." Well, if you look at the commandments you know he probably didn't obey all the commandments all the time. So Jesus told him to go sell all his stuff and give to the poor... something that he didn't want to do. In a way, that kinda proves that he was breaking commandment #1 right there, because his money was more important than God. So we shouldn't be like that guy... we have to recognize that we have sinned first.
You also need to repent. Jesus forgave the adulterous woman, but he told her to "go and sin no more." Did she sin again? I'm sure that she did. But she was sorry for what she had done, she probably was grateful that Jesus forgave her and didn't want to continue sinning. That is what repentance is all about... feeling bad for your sins and not wanting to sin any more. It would probably be a good thing to say that we're sorry.
Then you have to ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins, because he already paid for your sins in full when he died on the cross. Trust in Him for what he has done.
Unlike Katherine Savage, God is a just judge. He won't let you off on a technicality (and he speaks every language, so you can't use that excuse). Someone has to pay the fine. Jesus will if you let him.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
George Tiller, The Baby Killer, Charged Then Vandalized
I originally was going to write a post on this guy, but I guess I couldn't find the words for it. I couldn't find words nice to use for him, and what I did say wasn't really constructive either.
George Tiller, the baby killer, notable for his late-term abortions in Kansas, was charged with 19 misdemeanors late last month. He was charged with signing off on abortions with a doctor that he had an improper financial relationship with. Not exactly the stuff people are hoping to get him with... such as not reporting abortions done on minors (which is against Kansas state law) or providing abortions where the life or permanent health of the mother is not at stake, but I suppose that it's a start.
Meanwhile, Tiller's abortion clinic was vandalized a few days ago. Vandals cut a hole in the roof, inserted a garden hose, and flooded the clinic.
I'm as pro-life as anybody could be, and I'd like to see George Tiller's baby-killing machine stopped, but vandalization is not the way to go. I'm guessing that Christians were the people that probably did the vandalizing. By vandalizing his property, they just make all Christians look bad. Do these pro-life vandalizers ever sit down and truly think about what repercussions their actions may cause? Someone may see that and mutter "those darned Christians, I hate them all!" Someone that might otherwise later in life decide that they want to learn about Jesus might decide they don't want to have anything to do with us, and could end up doomed to a life in hell... all because someone decided to flood an abortion clinic.
I think that killing babies is wrong... but at least the babies that Tiller kills will go to Heaven.
I do hope that George Tiller is stopped, but it needs to be done through the courts, and through prayer. Not through vandalism
George Tiller, the baby killer, notable for his late-term abortions in Kansas, was charged with 19 misdemeanors late last month. He was charged with signing off on abortions with a doctor that he had an improper financial relationship with. Not exactly the stuff people are hoping to get him with... such as not reporting abortions done on minors (which is against Kansas state law) or providing abortions where the life or permanent health of the mother is not at stake, but I suppose that it's a start.
Meanwhile, Tiller's abortion clinic was vandalized a few days ago. Vandals cut a hole in the roof, inserted a garden hose, and flooded the clinic.
I'm as pro-life as anybody could be, and I'd like to see George Tiller's baby-killing machine stopped, but vandalization is not the way to go. I'm guessing that Christians were the people that probably did the vandalizing. By vandalizing his property, they just make all Christians look bad. Do these pro-life vandalizers ever sit down and truly think about what repercussions their actions may cause? Someone may see that and mutter "those darned Christians, I hate them all!" Someone that might otherwise later in life decide that they want to learn about Jesus might decide they don't want to have anything to do with us, and could end up doomed to a life in hell... all because someone decided to flood an abortion clinic.
I think that killing babies is wrong... but at least the babies that Tiller kills will go to Heaven.
I do hope that George Tiller is stopped, but it needs to be done through the courts, and through prayer. Not through vandalism
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Mitt Romney = Satan?
Bill Keller, host of a Live Prayer TV program and Liveprayer.com, made a controversial statement the other day when he sent out a devotional including "If you vote for Mitt Romney, you are voting for Satan!" That's a little harsh... at first glance. Some people are looking into taking away his organization's tax-exampt status as a result.
Was he really saying that Mitt Romney is like Satan? I personally don't think so. I suppose you could ask him, but I'm guessing that he meant that by voting Mitt Romney into the office of president, it makes Mormonism more acceptable.
If you're a Mormon, that would be a good thing. For most people, I'm guessing that it doesn't really matter much whether he's a Mormon or a Baptist... Mormons are Christians too, right?
I guess that all depends on how you define Christian. How you define salvation. I believe that in order to be saved, you have to put your faith in Jesus Christ, for him to forgive you of all your sins... bad things that you do. I believe that you need to repent (turn away) from your sins and not want to sin any more... although we'll all continue to sin until we get into Heaven. This is a grace-only viewpoint... grace being getting something (salvation) that you don't deserve and did nothing to earn.
From what I understand, Mormons believe in grace... but you have to try your best too. Well, if I have to try my best, wouldn't that be works? Which is not what I'm guessing Bill Keller believes. If you believe that you have to have something to do with earning your way to Heaven... the trying your best part... then that does not give God all the glory. If you believe that, then Jesus dying on the cross was not enough to save people.
I don't know if I would go so far and say that a vote for Mitt Romney was a vote for Satan... it's not like Hillary Clinton is going to lead a nationwide revival or anything... but in a way I think that he does have a point. Mitt Romney can make Mormonism appealing. Which could be destructive for some people's souls.
Was he really saying that Mitt Romney is like Satan? I personally don't think so. I suppose you could ask him, but I'm guessing that he meant that by voting Mitt Romney into the office of president, it makes Mormonism more acceptable.
If you're a Mormon, that would be a good thing. For most people, I'm guessing that it doesn't really matter much whether he's a Mormon or a Baptist... Mormons are Christians too, right?
I guess that all depends on how you define Christian. How you define salvation. I believe that in order to be saved, you have to put your faith in Jesus Christ, for him to forgive you of all your sins... bad things that you do. I believe that you need to repent (turn away) from your sins and not want to sin any more... although we'll all continue to sin until we get into Heaven. This is a grace-only viewpoint... grace being getting something (salvation) that you don't deserve and did nothing to earn.
From what I understand, Mormons believe in grace... but you have to try your best too. Well, if I have to try my best, wouldn't that be works? Which is not what I'm guessing Bill Keller believes. If you believe that you have to have something to do with earning your way to Heaven... the trying your best part... then that does not give God all the glory. If you believe that, then Jesus dying on the cross was not enough to save people.
I don't know if I would go so far and say that a vote for Mitt Romney was a vote for Satan... it's not like Hillary Clinton is going to lead a nationwide revival or anything... but in a way I think that he does have a point. Mitt Romney can make Mormonism appealing. Which could be destructive for some people's souls.
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