Inspirational Article (What????)

I just clicked on MSN and the first thing that popped onto my screen was a very informative article. It was such a rich, inspiring read for me. I just love the fact that we live in such a good world. I have taken the liberty to post this article (along with my comments, of course) on this page for you to glean wisdom from it as I did. My comments are in italics.

"How to leave your husband"
Though the impulse to flee immediately may be strong, patience and quiet financial planning will pay in the long run.
Digg This By MP Dunleavey

Yes, this is seriously on the front page of MSN.

Your marriage is crumbling, and you know it. You dread staying another minute. How do you leave?
Slowly, carefully and counting every dime, says Violet Woodhouse, a divorce lawyer in Newport Beach, Calif.
"When the emotional drive to leave is so strong that you just want out, you need to step back," Woodhouse says. "You're not being rational at that point, and it can damage you financially." The financial damage is what you need to worry about... this is the most important thing.

Take the time -- two to six months -- to plan an exit strategy that will protect your financial security. Surviving divorce is misery enough; you don't want to suffer unnecessary financial hardship on top of it. I still can't believe I'm reading this.
Beat the odds Woodhouse remembers a client who came to her hoping to leave her husband immediately. "She wanted to file then and there," says Woodhouse, the author of "Divorce & Money: How to Make the Best Decisions During Divorce.""I told her that made no sense. She had two kids to think about. I said she had a lot more work to do." Best advice I ever heard - Ms. Client, you need to take a deep breath and step back a minute and stop thinking about yourself. Your kids are very vulnerable right now. They need love. They won't be able to understand what's happening between you and Daddy. You need at least 35% more money from Daddy to make this worthwile for your kids. After all, this is about their future, you know. They need Daddy's pocketbook.

Prepare quietly Here's what to do:
Keep it to yourself. In a pre-divorce situation, there is a fine line between deception and self-preservation. Though you may intend to leave, Woodhouse cautions against telling your spouse before you are prepared. "It would create a great deal of turmoil," she says.
That's sneaky.

Sneaky? Maybe, but the end of a marriage can easily turn into a financial and emotional train wreck if you're not careful. To leave on the best possible financial footing, with the lowest risk of sudden punitive action by your spouse, keep your plans to yourself until you are strong enough and secure enough to walk away.

If your decision is firm, your next step is to get the advice of a lawyer who specializes in divorce. A less expensive option: hiring a paralegal. (Also see divorce360.com's legal guide.)
When it's time, read "Asking for a divorce? What to say."

Open a separate bank account. You will need to start saving whatever you can, as soon as you can. Any funds you take from a joint account, Woodhouse says, you must disclose later during the divorce process. Tapping a joint account "should be a last resort," says Woodhouse -- one that you take just before you leave.
Copy documents. Before you leave, make copies of every document you can find, from account statements to tax returns to mortgage documents to certificates of ownership to warranties on your appliances. "Do not attempt to determine a document's relevance or importance," Woodhouse says. "You don't know what might come in handy later."

You may even want to hire a professional to make a copy of the hard drive of your home computer and photograph certain personal belongings or valuables. These steps can help protect you if money goes missing during the settlement process.
Figure out your future finances Karen Kerbaugh, an administrative assistant in Haltom City, Texas, got married in 1996, "and from almost the first month I realized I had made a grave mistake in marrying him," she says.
Although she wasn't deliberately planning to leave at first, in hindsight, she says, "I was subconsciously plotting my escape."
Here is Kerbaugh's hard-won advice, based on what she did and what she wishes she had done:
Create a detailed budget of your post-divorce life. What will your new expenses be? Where will you live, what will you drive, how much will child care cost? Where can you cut back? Although Kerbaugh made sure she could handle all the big expenses (rent, car payment, utilities), she says, "I didn't know the fine art of budgeting." If that's you, read "5 steps to total financial control" and see MSN Money's Learn to Budget Decision Center.
Know how you will earn the income you need (more on that below).
Establish a credit record apart from your spouse. If you don't have a credit card in your own name, now is the time to get one. Read "9 ways to build credit from scratch." Request a copy of your credit report; you are entitled to one free copy per year from each of the three credit bureaus at the government-run AnnualCreditReport.com. Review it carefully and fix any errors. If your score is below 620, read "Beef up your credit score in 5 steps."
Muster support on the side. "While I didn't talk openly about the troubles we were having, my close friends and family knew enough about what was going on to be there for me when I needed it," Kerbaugh says. She ended up staying with a friend for a month after she left her husband.

Make sure to budget for savings, retirement and possibly your child's college plan, says Galia Gichon, a financial planner in New York and the author of "My Money Matters."
"In a settlement, you're entitled to half the retirement accounts, but many women forget that they must continue saving -- or they don't realize that they aren't saving enough," Gichon says.
Aim for 10% or more of your gross pay. If that's too high, save whatever you can.

Where will your money come from? Try not to borrow. Divorce is expensive, not just because of lawyer fees and court costs but also because the price of starting a new life is often higher than you think.
"You have to think through where you're going to get the money," Woodhouse says.
Most women who leave a spouse or partner end up borrowing from friends or family, using credit cards or tapping into savings or some other asset.
Though borrowing from someone you know is probably cheaper than using a credit card, it's still debt. It's preferable to use savings, if you can -- again, your own, not joint assets. (Woodhouse says to avoid cashing in investments because of tax complications.)
Boost your income. Once you establish how much you need to live, decide whether you can earn enough to cover it. This is especially important if you've spent a year or more out of the work force, Woodhouse says, or if you have to find a new job.
Daphne, a reader on the Women in Red message boards, advises taking any classes you need, sprucing up your résumé and buying a new suit or briefcase before you leave so that you pay for these things from joint funds.

In other words, use as much of your husband's money as you can before you leave him.

Woodhouse recommends sending out feelers to see how much your skills fetch in the market today or at another company. "You have to be realistic," she says.
Don't count on alimony. Should you factor alimony or child support into your potential income stream? Going by the odds alone, that's a dicey proposition and may be more so given the economy.
"You have to assess your risk," Woodhouse says. "Look at who you're married to, how reliable they are, what their attitude is. Then decide whether you can count on them giving you any money."
If you're the primary breadwinner, you could be the one paying alimony.
Don't give up Last, as daunting, time-consuming, convoluted and unappealing this preparation may seem, it's worth it, Kerbaugh says.
"If you take the same determination that you were once willing to expend on your failed relationship and apply it to living by yourself," she says, "you will succeed."

God bless your kids, though.

Thy Will vs. My Will

Am I living with God's will in mind, or my will in mind? I have a lot of desires, some of them from God, the rest I should purge because they are from the flesh. Here are the stories of some contrasting wills.

"My Will"

In Isaiah 14:12-15, the Scripture records the desires of Satan (I won't try to prove this is about Satan... that's another story). Notice how many "I wills" and "my" words you see here:

"How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit."

Number of "I wills": 5
Number of "my" words: 2
Result: He will be brough down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.

Another example is of a rich guy who had some plans for himself in Luke 12:16-20:

"And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' "Then he said, 'This is what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' "

Number of "I wills": 4
Number of other "he" "himself" or "my" words: 8
Result: God killed him

"Thy Will"

On a lighter note, this is what I should be doing, considering God's will. Jesus told us in Matthew 6 how to pray: "Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done..." Not "my" will, but "thy" will.

Then, in Matthew 26:39, Jesus showed us how it's done: "Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." Jesus was about to be killed for my sins, and He still submitted to God's will. Not as "I" will, but as "you" will.

Result: Sins of the world atoned for and washed away. Now He is seated at the right hand of God... a better setting than the "depths of the pit".

James echoes to us this reminder in chapter 4 of his letter:

"Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'"

Not my will, but thy will.

Yoda Had It Right!!!!

God is so gracious and merciful. I say that because when He spoke in the 4 gospels, He didn't mince words. He was so clear and precise in most of what He said. When Jesus spoke about people, they were either good or bad fish, wise or foolish virgins, wheat or tares, sheep or goats. So, either I am good or bad. There is no in between with God. On Judgment Day, I am either going to be on the right side of Him, or the left side.

So, why do people, myself included, often say when thinking of their own salvation, "I'm just doing the best I can" or "I'm trying to be a good person". Without getting too nit-picky, this language goes in the face of what Jesus said. Take this parable:

"I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete." Luke 6:47-49

The nugget we take from this is what Jesus said before that: "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?" Luke 6:46

If Jesus is my Lord, I do what He says. If not, I won't. It's wheat or tares, good or bad, black or white.

Master Yoda had it right all along. "Do or do not... there is no try."

Fear God Enough to Love Him

"... by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil." Proverbs 16:6

If I truly fear God I will depart from evil. It is interesting that repentance (departing from evil) is the by-product of the fear of the Lord. Fearing God is commanded all throughout the Scriptures - Old and New Testaments - including Ecclesiastes 12:13, a verse that every God-fearing person on earth should know because of its bottom line, meat and potatoes, "net income" version of truth: "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." The whole duty of man - everything that God expects me to do on this earth - is to fear Him, departing from evil being the by-product, and to obey Him.

What about love? Shouldn't I love God, too? That seems pretty important, what with Him loving me enough to send His only Son to die for me and all. I found that love is actually included in the Ecclesiastes passage, but only after some digging. This is the gem of Bible study: letting the Bible interpret itself. For example, the book of Revelation can be interpreted (for the most part) by reading other Scriptures and gaining knowledge about who the "Lamb" is, who the "Bride" is and others. Then, using those definitions found elsewhere in the Bible, you can go back to Revelation and define the "lamb" as being Jesus, the "bride" as the church, etc.

In the same way, I can define love for God as obeying Him. How? 1 John 5:3 says, "Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome." Right here the definition of loving God is found: obedience to Him. So, apply this definition to the Ecclesiastes passage, and you get: "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and [love Him], for this is the whole duty of man."

So, to recap... From the fear of God, I will depart from evil. Departing from evil is a command from God. If I obey this command, it means I love Him (1 John 5:3). So, do I fear God enough to love Him?

Bible on Money part 3

When Chuck Swindoll started his job at his church, he had a special sign made for his office that said, "What is your motive?". That sign helped him examine himself when things weren't so clear, even after searching the Scriptures.

Look at the two pictures of money. If I offered you a choice to pick whatever stack you wanted and you got to keep the money, no strings attached, which stack would you pick? The stack of $100 bills, or the small stack of coins? This is not a trick question. Obviously you would pick the stack of Benjamins. I think the question that God wants to ask is: Why? Deep down, what is your core reason for taking the bills? What is your heart saying? When visualizing yourself taking the bills, do you have eyes that are so wide they are bulging out of their sockets, flaring nostrils, arms so wide you could bear-hug Goliath, and a grip so strong not even Sylvester could conquer in "Over the Top"? Or are you gladly accepting it with humility, thanksgiving, and a loose grip? Strong grips on money tend to cause it to grow wings and fly away (Proverbs 23:5), but loose grips tend to cause it to grow (Luke 6:38). What do you plan on doing with it? Do you love money? Do you plan to spend every penny of it on yourself? Is it to invest in a get-rich-quick scheme? Is it to give away? Is it to set aside in a bank somewhere to grow moss and rust on it? Actions don't exactly tell us the whole picture - it's about the heart. That's what Jesus did when He came and preached the Sermon on the Mount; He talked about adultery and murder and peeled away the mere outward action of it to reveal that even lusting in the heart is adultery and hatred is murder, without any outward signs of the sin.

God asks us, "What is your motive? What is your heart like?"

So, if after searching the Scriptures and asking God to search your heart you are clean, go for it. Why not? Your heart is clean, your motives are pure. So, go for the stack. Go for the college degree that will enable you to make more money. Go for the master's degree, or the PhD, or the certification, or the continuing education that will make you more marketable. But, go for it secondarily. This should be secondary to your one main goal: "Seek first the kingdom". Be careful to stay pure in every step of the way, and the only way to do that is to have a close, intimate relationship with your Creator so He can guide you through it all.

Bible on Money cont'd

Okay, I won't be posting the article because it's like a trillion pages long and I don't want it taking up my precious blog real estate. But, I will post a quote from the author which pretty much sums up what he's trying to say. Needless to say, there are many verses that say to save our money and prepare for rainy days and to support family: Proverbs 6:6-8, 21:20, Mark 7:9-13, 1 Timothy 5:8. But, Scripture has verses that seem to run counter to that idea: Matthew 6:19-26, Luke 12:33, 14:33.

The author makes his sharpest point here: "Most clearly, when sending out his disciples on their first missionary campaign, Jesus ordered his disciples to 'Take nothing for the journey - no staff, no bag, no bread, no extra tunic' (Luke 9:3); and yet, with the crucifixion looming, he gave precisely the opposite instruction (Luke 22:36). With the onset of persecution and hostility, a different attitude towards possessions was needed."

Jesus Himself gave conflicting orders to the same disciples in different circumstances. This is the biggest support, in my opinion, to examine our own circumstance and see where God has called us specifically. Has He called you to missions? Then, chances are you will not be managing your own personal portfolio of millions of dollars. You will be financed by someone else, who, in particular, has been called to make some money in order to finance your missions. A big cycle. The big question is: Does it matter to us which person we are - the poor missionary 'financee' or the wealthy CEO 'financer'? Both have it's ups and downs: the missionary will struggle with doubts on getting financing, he will battle demonic influence on his hearers, barring the gospel from being received, he will battle personal conflicts with other missionaries who want to do things their way, he will battle with language and cultural barriers. On the other hand, the CEO will battle long hours at the office away from his family, he will struggle with the immense responsibility of providing jobs for people and keeping people happy, and the responsibility he has to the missionary to fund his mission efforts, he will battle with workplace tensions, temptations, and taxes. Both have pros, both have cons. Each duty is to the Lord.

All the more reason to have a personal, daily relationship with Jesus Christ, so that He can direct you where you will be most utilized for His Kingdom, even when His own words in Scripture seem to be confusing sometimes.

Bible on Money

I’ve been really struggling with this subject for several months now. I’ve prayed, searched the Scriptures, and Googled so many times on this subject, but nothing seemed to satisfy my curiosity.

Lately I’ve been trying to resolve what I thought was a contradiction in the bible on saving money, investing, insurance, etc.

Here’s the contradiction:

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth ... Look at the birds of the air: they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. " Matthew 6:19, 26

"Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! ... it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest." Proverbs 6:6-8

So, here it seems like God is telling us to save money, but don’t save money! There are other verses that seem to say the exact opposite of each other: Luke 14:33 – “He who doesn’t give up all his possessions cannot be My disciple” versus the passage in Acts 5 where Ananias and Sapphira sell a piece of land to give to the church when Peter tells them they could’ve kept it. There is also the widow who gives her last two pennies to the treasury, and Jesus commends her for it – BUT, compare that verse to when Joseph saved 7 years worth of grain to feed people during the famine back in Genesis. Saving money vs. trusting in Providence – which one is it????? AHHHHHHHHH!!

Naturally, I struggled with it. I found an article that really helped me (after reading tons of other stuff) merge the two verses together. I hope it helps you find the balance, also. It will be the next post.

How to Win Souls Through Prayer

I read an interesting article called "Praying Effectively for the Lost" by Lee Thomas (I think that's his name). It gave some very good precepts on how to pray for the lost. Like most things, it got me thinking, and like most things I write, I jotted down my thoughts in very simple fashion. The following is what I came up with in regards to praying for lost people in our lives.

First of all, we need to be clear on how a person finds salvation. Professing Christians sometimes are so divided on this one simple, infinitely important matter, it’s a wonder that anybody ever gets saved at all – which is exactly my point. Salvation has nothing to do with a person’s efforts, whether it be the evangelist, preacher, or the witnessing Christian; it is “of the Lord”. Water baptism can’t save you, good works can’t save you, circumcision can’t save you, the “sinner’s prayer” can’t save you. Only God can save us, and He chooses to do so through “repentance and faith”:

“You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.
Acts 20:20-21, 25-27

"... Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
Mark 1:14-15

Paul clearly explains here that the whole will of God – everything that “would be helpful” - is for us to repent and have faith in His Son. Jesus Himself said the proper and necessary response to the gospel is repentance and faith. So, repentance and faith (belief) are necessary for salvation. How do we get these two necessary components? Both are actually free gifts from God, as proved in the following two Bible verses:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast”
Ephesians 2:8-9

“Those who oppose him [a servant of God] he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth”
2 Timothy 2:25

Thus, the two conditions of salvation, repentance and faith, are both “gifts of God” that are “granted” to us. Therefore, salvation is really not conditional at all, since the conditions of salvation are given freely from the One who saves. Imagine yourself drowning in a lake and someone rescues you. You had nothing to do with your own rescue, right? It’s exactly the same when God saves you. This way, it is “not by works, so that no one can boast.” Nobody can ever brag about being a Christian, it is an oxymoron to say so. It’s like me bragging about my own good looks – I didn’t do anything to obtain them, they were merely given to me.

Now that we know that no one can save himself, and that even the faith and repentance that all Christians acquire are actually gifts, and that it is God who chooses who will be saved, then how can we see our friends and loved ones saved if it is not their choice to be? How can we get God to show mercy and save them? Well, why don’t we just ask Him to? 2 Samuel 21:14 says that God is “moved by prayer”. Here are some powerful verses on receiving answered prayer from God (I must admit I have not tapped into these promises nearly enough, but by God’s grace I will start):


“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.” Matt 18:19

“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matt 21:22

"Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.” Mark 11:24

"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:13

And there are many, many, many more verses on asking and receiving from God. Read carefully the things in prayer that God will give us: “anything you ask for”, “whatever you ask for”, “all things for which you pray and ask”, and “whatever you ask in My name”. Does that clear it up? EVERYTHING WE ASK FOR WE CAN GET FROM GOD IF IT IS ASKED IN HIS NAME. Is salvation for others included in “everything”? YES!!

Today's Praycation

I took a praycation today, and it was very fulfilling. Jesus took praycations a lot. He used to go into secluded places to pray to the Father. At least one time, He prayed right through the whole night! I hope my prayer life will look like that soon. A couple of blogs ago I wrote about my frustration with my prayer life. I want to improve on that by the grace of God, so I took a praycation today.

I've been especially influenced lately by George Mueller - the man who, by prayer and simple, but systematic faith in God's promises, literally changed his country and later on countless individuals like myself who have read his stories. He also prayed for hours at a time, and sometimes for years before his prayers were answered. So I have at least 2 aforementioned role models to emulate. :)

By the way, I officially hold the patent on the term "praycation".

Showdown at B-A-M

Okay, during my lunch break I headed to Books A Million to grab a book I was wanting. Before I even opened the front door to the store, I could see through the door to the main display. You know what they had on the front main 4-foot tall display? The 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue with the title in bold font: "Barely Bikinis". If you have not seen it yet (as I had not at the time), I WILL NOT post a link that shows it. It has a model with a bikini bottom on, but NECKLACES for her top. Necklaces. But, that is not the point.

As soon as I walked passed it, the Spirit prompted me and reminded me of what Ray Comfort had done in a similar situation. So, I walked down the aisle, collected my composure and thought about what I would say after I picked out my book. Believe me, I'm not the kind to stir things up.

So, I walked passed a person that had an ID tag that said "Manager". My Christian obligation was more than obvious to me at this point. So, I said with a shaking voice and a cherry red face, "Excuse me, are you the manager?" Without even looking up from her work, she said, "Yeah, one of them." I said, "Can I talk to you", moving down the aisle away from all the people (the last thing I wanted was a scene, and it seemed like she agreed with me as she followed me). I said:

"Look, I'm not a whistle-blower by any means, and in fact, if something's ever wrong with my food at a restaurant, I usually eat it anyway, not to cause a big stink. But, as I was walking in, I saw the new display of the swimsuit issue with the half-naked woman displayed for all the world to see, and frankly, I just think it's totally inappropriate to be displayed there. I don't have kids or anything, but if I did, I wouldn't want them seeing this, and I know you are a family bookstore, and you've got kids coming in and out at all times. Now, I know that you've got a section for that kind of stuff, and you could put it over there, but not as you walk in the store!!" She was a good sport and said, "Okay, I'll have to call corporate about it, because they made us do this, but I'll call and see what they say." I said, "Okay, I appreciate it. I know it's like a best seller and all that, but putting it in front of the store for little kids to see is a little too much for me."

I went to talk to the other manager about it in order to make sure they both knew, and she was understanding, too, saying that it probably wouldn't last long up there anyway. As I walked out, I was glad to see the first manager taking the display down. Score one for the Kingdom.

Why Can't I Pray Like I'm Supposed To?

In Matthew 26 it says that Jesus took His disciples and went to the garden of Gethsemane. As we all know, many things happened, but lately I've been focusing on the length of Jesus' prayer. It says that He came back after praying and found them sleeping. Then He said, "Could you not keep watch with Me for one hour?" So, Jesus prayed for an hour. I don't know about you, but that is a long time for me. The text says that He went back and prayed two more times. Maybe those were an hour each, also. It is very plausible that He prayed for three hours or more here, seeing how He was under tremendous stress, knowing His immediate future (the cross). In other passages, Jesus is recorded as staying up all night in prayer, specifically before the selecting of the 12.

Why can't I pray like that? "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." I want to, but I can't make myself do it. In fact, I could be praying right now, but I'm writing a blog instead. Why????????????

I can't find the quote, but a godly man once said, "The extent of the power of prayer has never been fully realized." I agree. I've experienced some of it, but I can't stay with it.

I remember one Saturday I had made my mind up that I would go to my next door neighbor's house and witness to the family. I was terrified, seriously scared to death. So, I prayed. And I prayed, and I prayed, and I prayed some more. I quoted Scripture, especially Isaiah 41:10, and prayed some more. After praying for what seemed like the longest I had ever prayed, an amazing peace came over me. It was a powerful peace that definitely transcended my own understanding. I was truly strengthened by the Spirit, and I marched out the door towards my neighbor's driveway, with not one ounce of fear or hesitation, and knocked fearlessly on the door. She answered and I witnessed to her without turning red or stuttering at all, which is unusual for me :)

So, why can't I take that experience and trust in God to do the same now and in the future? I don't know, "the flesh is weak". I lack discipline. I'm going to go try now.

Lay people are the evangelists

I just read something that was very profound. Guess what, it was in the Bible. I was reading a statement by Henry Blackaby that guided me to Acts chapter 8. Verse 1 says that after Stephen was killed, persecution arose and forced all Christians to scatter... "all except the apostles". In verse 4, it says that "Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word." Now, who went about preaching the word? "Those who had been scattered", which was everyone "except the apostles". What does this mean? It means that we "lay people" are the ones that should be going everywhere preaching the word, just like the early church did. It wasn't the church leaders that were doing that - no, they were devoting themselves to praying and teaching of the word (6:4). It was the normal, everyday people who were scattered about, preaching the word.

In chapter 11 verse 19 it says, "So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone." Again, these same people are referred to again as being evangelists, not the leaders of the church. It says "those who were scattered". Let's review - who were they that were scattered? Not Peter, not Paul, not James, not any of the apostles. It was lay people.

Think about Stephen himself, the one who got all this started in the first place. Who was he? At first glance, you might assume he was a preacher, or a leader in the church, because of his prominence and the fact that the religious leaders wanted to kill him. Who was he? He was a waiter (6:1-5). A waiter!! He served food! Why was this waiter stoned to death? What sort of fuss was he making? "And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people" (6:8). Verse 10 says he was "speaking" with "wisdom and the Spirit", so much so that the religious folk could not stump him (a la Jesus with the Pharisees).

Point: We, as lay people, have as much a sacred job as our spiritual shepherds do. We have just as much a privilege to share the gospel as any one does. We can't sit back and heave the job of preaching the gospel to our preachers. We must go out and do it ourselves, and then come back and be taught by our pastors. Let this be a Biblical precedent that we follow:

According to Acts chapter 6 (Stephen), chapter 8 and 11 (Christians who were scattered), lay people are the evangelists.

Does God So Love the World?

I love Johnny Mac. Read his writing below.

Does God So Love the World?
John MacArthur

Love is the best known but least understood of all God's attributes. Almost everyone who believes in God these days sees Him as a God of love. I have even met agnostics who are quite certain that if God exists, He must be benevolent, compassionate, and loving.
All those things are infinitely true about God, of course, but not in the way most people think. Because of the influence of modern liberal theology, many suppose that God's love and goodness ultimately nullify His righteousness, justice, and holy wrath. They envision God as a benign heavenly grandfather-tolerant, affable, lenient, permissive, devoid of any real displeasure over sin, who without consideration of His holiness will benignly pass over sin and accept people as they are.
Liberal thinking about God's love also permeates much of evangelicalism today. We have lost the reality of God's wrath. We have disregarded His hatred for sin. The God most evangelicals now describe is all-loving and not at all angry. We have forgotten that "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31). We do not believe in that kind of God anymore.
We must recapture some of the holy terror that comes with a right understanding of God's righteous anger. We need to remember that God's wrath does burn against impenitent sinners (Psalm 38:1-3). That reality is the very thing that makes His love so amazing. Only those who see themselves as sinners in the hands of an angry God can fully appreciate the magnitude and wonder of His love.
In that regard, our generation is surely at a greater disadvantage than any previous age. We have been force-fed the doctrines of self-esteem for so long that most people don't really view themselves as sinners worthy of divine wrath. On top of that, religious liberalism, humanism, evangelical compromise, and ignorance of the Scriptures have all worked against a right understanding of who God is. Ironically, in an age that conceives of God as wholly loving, altogether devoid of wrath, few people really understand what God's love is all about.
God's love cannot be isolated from His wrath and vice versa. Nor are His love and wrath in opposition to each other like some mystical yin-yang principle. Both attributes are constant, perfect, without ebb or flow. His wrath coexists with His love; therefore, the two never contradict. Such are the perfections of God that we can never begin to comprehend these things. Above all, we must not set them against one another, as if there were somehow a discrepancy in God.
Both God's wrath and His love work to the same ultimate end-His glory. God is glorified in the condemnation of the wicked; He is glorified in every expression of love for all people without exception; and He is glorified in the particular love He manifests in saving His people.
Expressions of wrath and expressions of love-all are necessary to display God's full glory. We must never ignore any aspect of His character, nor magnify one to the exclusion of another. When we commit those errors, we throw off the biblical balance, distort the true nature of God, and diminish His real glory.
Does God so love the world? Emphatically-yes! Proclaim that truth far and wide, and do so against the backdrop of God's perfect wrath that awaits everyone who does not repent and turn to Christ.
Does the love of God differ in the breadth and depth and manner of its expression? Yes it does. Praise Him for the many manifestations of His love, especially toward the non-elect, and rejoice in the particular manifestation of His saving love for you who believe. God has chosen to display in you the glory of His redeeming grace.

The JW's don't like me anymore

So, I backed out of my driveway today to see some Jehovah's Witnesses down the street making their way down our block. My heart raced and I accelerated the car in order to make my errand and get back in time to talk to them when they knocked on my door.

When I got back, I made a pass to see which door they were at, and... YES! They had not made it to mine yet! So, I ran inside and opened the window and waited. I watched the married couple and their son make their way toward our neighbors' houses, one at a time. Finally they left my next-door neighbor's house and started walking toward our house. I even grabbed Emmie and was prepared to put her up (because she barks and freaks out when someone rings the door bell), but to my consternation, there was no ring. No knock. 10 seconds went past, then 30, then 2 minutes. No Jehovah's Witnesses. I opened the door and walked to the mailbox to check the mail. They had straight passed my house!

The JW's don't like me anymore. We have a history. I have invited them into my home, and we have sat down at the table before and duked it out with our "swords" (my Bible and their "Watchtower improved" bible look-a-likes). Anyway, that incident ended well in my opinion, with me agreeing to study with them further. They never called back.

The next group came by and the lady gave me a pamphlet and I graciously took it. I said with a smile, "Oh great, here is something I would like to give you", and I offered her a gospel tract. Her expression changed and she said, "We don't accept anything people give us", to which I replied, "Okay then, I won't accept what you give me either", giving her pamphlet back. I thought it was only fair that we exchanged literature. She didn't agree. As I closed the door wishing them a good day, I said, "Make sure you've got the right Jesus!" I don't think she appreciated that.

Then there was the letter that I sent out to all my neighbors about the recent visits by the JW's. I quoted a lot of scripture that clearly portrays Jesus as God, a minor detail that the JW's don't happen to believe. Maybe that letter got around to them. I don't know. But I do know that I am "on their list" now. They don't visit anymore.

27 by 6

I drove down Atlanta Highway the other day and was amazed and disgusted at the same time at the number of PayDay loan places, so I decided to count on the way back how many there were. On Atlanta Highway from Ann St. intersection to Taylor Rd. intersection there are 27 - yes 27 - payday advance places. That's only a 6 mile stretch of road.

I'm so proud to know that these places are servicing our hometown and helping people get the money they need for a fair, low rate of 300% interest on their own money.

So flippin proud.

Are you a Christian, or are you a good person?

Because you can't be both! This is something we could say to reach those around us, especially in the bible belt. Everyone claims to be Christian, but I wonder how many would also claim to be a good person. The Bible says we can't be both. Jesus said He "came not to call the righteous, but sinners." I am a Christian because I realize that I am not a good person, that's why I need Jesus. I need Him to forgive me. I needed Someone to pay my fine so that I could go free and be justified. If the only way to heaven is through Jesus (John 14:6), and He only calls sinners and not good people, then that is a very narrow way to Heaven. Therefore, we must come up with a way to convince people that everyone is a sinner. God has already prepared a way, a "schoolmaster" or "tutor" to drive men to Christ (Galatians 3:24). It is God's Law (Romans 7:7, Romans 3:20).

So, next time I find myself in the conversation of spiritual things with a person that claims to be Christian, but doesn't back it up with their lifestyle, maybe I'll say, "Are you a Christian, or a good person, because, you know, you can't be both."

Your Own Backyard

I'll never forget it. In fact, I had been asking God to give me something like this so I could write about it and tell others about it. We were in Florence visiting Ashley's family, and we were on our way to a restaurant after church on Sunday to eat lunch. As we rounded a corner, there it was, the perfect example of symbolism I had been asking for.

I saw what was left of a carpet store off to my right. It had been burned to ashes. The whole building looked like it had been bombed. Blackened siding and charred carpet remains were all that could be seen. Do you know what was next door? A fire station. Yep. I never researched the incident in the local papers or anything, but I've always wondered where the firemen were while the carpet store next door burned down into oblivion. I don't know the whole story, so I can't sit here and blame them for something they might not have done, but I can relate this to our life as Christians in America.

Any Biblical, Christ-driven church is going to have a heart for missions. In America, our churches are all about training up missionaries and sending them on their way into the deepest, darkest jungles of Africa, the desolate deserts of the Middle East, or any other foreign land. You know what I say? BRAVO. Seriously, bravo for taking the gospel to the uttermost parts of the world. In fact, Jesus both commanded it (Matthew 28) and prophesied it's commencement (Matthew 24:14). I am for foreign missions. But, did Jesus assume that we would forget about our own backyard, just like what happened with that carpet store right next store to the fire station?

We should be concerned for the lost in foreign countries, but not at the expense of the lost person next door. Folks, no matter how you twist it, America is post-Christianity. There is no denying it. Just turn on the TV. Read the newspaper. Talk to a co-worker. Yes, there is a "form of godliness" in America, but the majority is "denying its power" (2 Timothy 3:5). America needs full-time missionaries that will step up and preach God's righteousness and holiness just as much as Africa needs it. And I'm talking full-time. Yes, we should commission people and send them off, but why not send them off to Las Vegas or anywhere else? Commission them to go and preach repentance and Judgment Day on the steps of some of the mega-churches, whose preachers preach "peace, peace" when there is no peace.

We can not sit here and put out fires in foreign lands and watch our next door neighbor's place burn into ashes.