Sunday, August 25, 2013

Why Christian Writers Are Important

Have you read A to Z Devotions for Writers?
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Write down for the coming generation what the Lord has done, so that people not yet born will praise him.

Psalm 102:18-22

Good News Translation (GNT)

         Thank goodness for the writers in the past who have recorded their thoughts about the Bible and Christianity.  The scriptures can be difficult for us to understand.   Commentaries can provide much enlightenment from the scholars who have spent years in study of God's word.  Reference and study books guide us in learning more about the Bible and spiritual issues.   Christian fiction entertains us while stimulating thought and inspiration.

         There is a wide array of the types of books that Christian writers produce.  Some offer solid truth while others may be of dubious value.  There is a place for all of these and discerning readers must decide what works best for them and which are not grounded in absolute truth.  The value comes in the discussion, research, and thought that these books generate.

        Support Christian authors with your prayers.   If you determine there is value in their work then purchase their books and promote them to others for whom you think there would be an interest.  Christian authors are like most other authors in that they want to be encouraged by their fans and they want customers to buy their books.  After all, this is a work they do and like most of us they would like to be paid for doing this work.

          More importantly, Christian authors are doing an important work--God's work.   There is a greater reward for work well done.  Still, let's not forget these authors while we are on this Earth.


“If only my words were written! If only they were written down in a book!  If only they were cut forever into the rock with an iron cutter and lead!  But as for me, I know that the One Who bought me and made me free from sin lives, and that He will stand upon the earth in the end."

Job 19:23-25

New Life Version (NLV)


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Sunday, August 18, 2013

What's Wrong With Sin? Everybody's Doing It.

The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise
The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

God, who is enthroned from of old,
    who does not change—
he will hear them and humble them,
    because they have no fear of God.

Psalm 55:19

New International Version (NIV)

        Blasphemers abound in our age.  They always have, but there seems to be a greater blatancy about it these days.  Sinners find all sorts of excuses and justifications for what they do.   Evil is relative.  Everything is good in its own way.   

        None of this is especially new.   Sin and the acceptance of sin has been around since Adam and Eve were expelled from Paradise.  But in our age sin is like a badge to proudly wear to show all of the world that we are liberated from the oppression of God.   Satan must be gloating over this state of affairs in the world. 


        The devil is having his day now, but God waits patiently for the day when judgement will come to all and the devil will get his due.  There is a way out for all sinners.   Are you listening?

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John 3:17

New International Version (NIV)


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Sunday, July 14, 2013

On Break Until After August 10th

           Due to unexpected circumstances, this blog and all of my other blogs will be on hiatus until after August 10th.

           I am fine.   There is just something that came up suddenly that will be taking most of my time for the next few weeks.

            See you after I get back!

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Watch That Thought!

The Thinking Man sculpture at Musée Rodin in Paris
The Thinking Man sculpture at Musée Rodin in Paris (Photo credit: Wikipedia)


See how the sinful man thinks up sins and plans trouble and lies start growing inside him.

Psalm 7:14

New Life Version (NLV)

       There's a lot of logic to the old saying "An idle mind is the devil's workshop."    When we aren't committing ourselves to productive enterprises we can easily fall prey to sinful thinking.  Thinking on sinful thoughts leads to no good in our lives and when we give in to the temptations of sin, then we have big problems.

        Often sinful thoughts seem quite harmless, but the sin conceived in the mind can easily lead to sinful action.  Best not to become the devil's servant, but to serve God and do things that contribute to the betterment of this world and the preparation for the world to come.

          Temptation can be tough to resist.  Don't put yourself in a position that will make you susceptible to sin.   Watch what you think and resist the temptation to act upon sinful thoughts.  Choose life.  


Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

James 1:15

New International Version (NIV)

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Sunday, June 30, 2013

The World Is Waiting--or Not!

William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) - The F...
William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) - The Flagellation of Our Lord Jesus Christ (1880) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How can we sing the songs of the Lord
    while in a foreign land?

Psalm 137:4


New International Version (NIV)


         Americans are everywhere.  And there are all sorts of people from around the world coming to the United States.   Immigration has been in the news in a big way of late, even as we see Americans traveling as tourists in best case scenarios and acting as invading armies in others.  The world sometimes feels like it's spinning faster and faster.   It has seemed smaller for many decades now.

          When I was a child I used to dream of being a missionary.  In actuality I don't think I'm cut out for that type of work.  In any case my calling is gone.   There is so much evil in the world that missionary might be one of the most dangerous jobs a person can do.  There are some places where the missionary's job can bring a death penalty or even worse.  I say worse because for many Christians death might be deemed a blessing and a reward.

         Jesus is feared, hated, discredited, and ridiculed in many places including the Western countries that we typically think of as Christian countries.   How can we feel inspired to sing the praises of Jesus Christ when we live in fear or uneasiness?

          Get over it!   We all have a job to do and sometimes it ain't pretty.  Our love for the Lord must go beyond the love we have for ourselves and this life on this Earth.
                    

If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be cursed! Come, Lord!

1 Corinthians 16:22

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Sunday, June 23, 2013

Give Thanks for the Goodness


Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Psalm 23:6


New International Version (NIV)


         This is my blessed assurance.  If I walk on the Lord's pathway I will always be taken care of.  I have nothing of which to be afraid.  I can look forward to my eternity with God, to be rejoicing in His presence.  God promised this and that's all I need.  

           When we learn to realize that there is good to be found in everything and every situation, we are closer to understanding another molecule in the bigness of God.   We need to keep our eyes and minds open to the amazingness that is the Lord.   Miracles are all around us and we don't even have to look that hard for them.
   

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,  because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

1 Timothy 4:4-5

New International Version (NIV)

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Sunday, June 16, 2013

What Are You Thinking? What Are You Doing?

Satan before the Lord
Satan before the Lord (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You are a righteous God
    and judge our thoughts and desires.
Stop the wickedness of evildoers
    and reward those who are good.

Psalm 7:9
Good News Translation (GNT)

       I've never served in the military, yet I've been at war all of my life.  My enemy rarely comes across as anyone who wants to hurt me or kill me.  The temptations offered by Satan are often enticing and seemingly to my benefit.  But are my gains in this world necessarily good for me?

       When we get what we want, what we receive does not always come from God.  My true blessings have  been from God.  Those blessings have lasted and remain with me.  Other temporal blessings that seemed nice at the time were not from God.  Those false blessings caused problems for me in the end and I regretted  having been duped by the evil one.

       It's the assailing of my mind that weakens me and ultimately deceives me.  As I've grown older, I've grown wiser.  Still I'm susceptible to that which can cause me to sin.  Sometimes I feel like if I could just stop thinking then I might be safe from the wretched influence of Satanic forces.   But then if I stopped thinking I would miss the beauty of the Word that will save me from this influence.

       A spiritual battle rages on and tries to claim all of us as victims.  Christ frees us if we accept Him and run from wickedness.  Just as Lot's family was warned when fleeing Sodom, we should not look back toward old sinful ways.  

        God will provide us what we need as is our due.  Our faithfulness to Him will lead us to the answers we need in life.   We must offer ourselves as living sacrifices.   And if we think that we are our own and don't have to answer to anyone but ourselves, then think again.   Ultimately we belong to one power or another.  Who do you want to claim you?


Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

2 Timothy 2:19

New International Version (NIV)

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