The Faith of Abraham

This post has no particular significance other than to share Scripture with you. I pray it blesses your soul like it did mine when I read it today... enjoy.

In the passage from Romans 4 below we find Abraham maintaining hope in God's promise of a child in spite of the fact that by all accounts he should not. He views his own body as well as Sarah's and both are physically unable to conceive a child. Does he give up? No!

Although he realized they could not have children it says that he contemplated this without his faith becoming weak. To top it off they went so far as to put that faith to work! What an amazing example!

"In hope against hope he (Abraham) believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, " SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.

"Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb;

yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,

and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform."

Romans 4:18-21 (NASB)

Blessings!

Mike

God Responds to Senator

According to news God has responded to the good senator from Nebraska. God's response argues that he is immune from earthly laws and that the court lacks jurisdiction.

The response says, "I created man and woman with free will and next to the promise of immortal life, free will is my greatest gift to you." (gives an entirely different meaning to the 'Free Will' defense, huh?) Because of this, the response contends that blaming God for human oppression and suffering misses an important point. For those interested, St. Michael the Archangel is listed as a witness. [Read Story Here]

I really don't have much to say about this since it kind of speaks for itself. Anyone have thoughts or reactions you'd like to share?

Senator Sues God Over Disasters

Nebraska senator Ernie Chambers (D) has sued God asking for a "permanent injunction ordering Defendant to cease certain harmful activities and the making of terroristic threats." According to Chambers, he doesn't have a problem with God. It is just a political move in his fight against legislation limiting frivolous lawsuits [Read Story Here]

I believe he is out of line but I am interested to see if the court allows this lawsuit due to the ramifications it could have on church/state issues. That's not to mention giving legal precedence that supports the existence of God. I'm sure the ACLU and other groups will get involved soon.

Anyone ever watch Miracle on 34th Street? (if you have you will understand the reference)

Man Calls 911 on Himself

From the "Not the sharpest knife in the drawer" file comes the story out of Mississippi where a man was arrested for making meth. The only problem is that the police found the stuff after responding to an accidental 911 call made by Curtis Randall Coleman.

The call was originally made to complain about not getting a FEMA trailer (he meant to dial 411 for FEMA). I guess he needed somewhere to live away from all of those fumes.

HT: FOX News

Never Forget

I just wanted to take a minute to ask that you pray for the family of SSGT. Delmar 'Dale' White. He was a member of the KY National Guard killed by a roadside bomb last week in Iraq. He also served in the USMC during Desert Storm back in 1991.

I knew him from our days at James A. Cawood High School as well as being practically neighbors back in my hometown of Wallins Creek, KY. His dad passed away a few years ago but his step-mother still lives there. I was good friends with his parents.

There have been many brave men and women who have given their lives for our freedom, but this is the first one that I knew personally. I'm ashamed to admit that I have taken the others for granted most of the time. Let us not forget their sacrifice and the freedom we enjoy on their behalf!

A Little Help from My Friends

I'm writing a position paper for my Systematic Theology III class with Dr. Ware and have settled on the subject of eschatology, especially as it relates to the timing of the 'rapture' and millennial reign of Christ.

I picked this subject because I really have never developed an adequate understanding of why I believe what I believe, or if what I believe would even stand up to a critical application of the biblical data. So, I though it would be a great opportunity to improve in this area.

For all of my Christian life I have generally affirmed a dispensational premillennial position. Of course this is primarily due to my upbringing (my dad is a huge Jack Van Impe fan) instead of an honest study of the biblical data. My preliminary research seems to support a more historic premillennial understanding, but this is where I would like to ask for your assistance.

Does anyone know of any quality sources on this issue? or, would you like to share your personal understanding of Scripture in this area? Any feedback and/or input would be greatly appreciated!

The Numbers Don't Lie

Anyone involved in SBC life these days has probably heard of the issue concerning missing members. There is a huge discrepancy between membership numbers within the convention as opposed to actual attendance. Christianity Today offers an editorial on the subject entitled Statistical Shell Game [READ HERE].

The article mentions, although not by name, a resolution on regenerate church membership submitted by Tom Ascol during the recent SBC convention in San Antonio, TX. They write, "Opponents cited Baptist polity and said the convention had no authority to tell churches how they should regulate membership and report those numbers." [Read Resolution] I find that reason terribly troubling since they make non-binding resolutions all the time that would easily fall into the same category (calling for consistency here).

I believe we must drop the facade, get our collective heads out of the sand, and show integrity as a convention concerning our membership, even though 16 million sounds good in the press. The eternal destiny of our "church members" are at stake if we do not take them seriously and take our responsibility to them seriously. God help us!

Barry Bonds Rookie Card

This was too good to pass up! I won't make a comment one way or another concerning his alleged steroid use but this is funny... I don't care who ya are!


HT: Amazing Grace & Old Chevys

To Change it Would Make it Worse

In times of suffering it is sometimes difficult to remember God's goodness, even though we would maintain that "God is in control."

I commend a recent Baptist Press article to you entitled To Change it Would Make it Worse. It's a personal account by Barry Joslin of his mother's death. He reminds us that God's sovereignty and goodness cannot be separated. I pray you find it as encouraging as I did.

Barry Joslin serves as Assistant Professor of Christian Theology at Boyce College.


HT: Denny Burk

"The Silver is Mine and the Gold is Mine...."

Michelle and I were given a sweet reminder today of Haggai 2:8 that says, "the silver is mine and the gold is mine, declares the LORD almighty."

We are coming to the end of the month and things were getting a little tight financially, almost to the point of being in the hole. I was crunching some numbers and double checking our check book and bank account online when I noticed something unexpected.

Someone had given us $250.00 through our NAMB missionary account that posted this past Friday! I was stunned and had to get Michelle to verify what I was seeing. Not only did this help get our heads above water until I get paid next week, we will have enough left over for me to buy my books for class this semester (we totaled up the cost of those yesterday).

We're ashamed by the lack of our faith at times but praise God that he is faithful even when we may be faith-less. Soli Deo Gloria!!!

Talking Jesus Action Figure?

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc announced this past week that they will begin selling 12" talking Jesus dolls in 425 select stores around the county. This doll will be in additon to 3" figures of Daniel and 13" Solomon dolls.

According to their press release the toys will be on Wal-Mart shelves starting in August, mainly in the Midwest and South but also in California and as far northeast as Pennsylvania.

What are your thoughts?

The Blessing of Being Disconnected

We finally have internet service at our house. After a month of being disconnected it is good to have back, especially since I manage the church website and we both rely on email for work and personal communication. Michelle and I both enjoyed spending the time reading, although I'm ashamed to admit that she redeemed the time better than me.

In a single month she has read Girl Talk and Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney et al, Passion & Purity by Elizabeth Elliott, and has just started Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Quest for Love by Elizabeth Elliott. She is also memorizing the entire book of James... talk about being an overachiever!!! I've started reading Holiness by J.C. Ryle, Brothers, We Are Not Professionals by John Piper, and re-reading The Cross of Christ by John Stott (among several others that I have been reading off and on).

We have all become so reliant on the internet but our experience shows it may not be a bad idea to take a sabbatical from it every once and a while. Although ours wasn't planned, we did find the time to be very rewarding.

In Our New House

We finally got moved and are getting settled slowly but surely. We've been without internet service so have been relying on access at outside locations. I intend to begin posting again regularly once internet service is established.

Keller and The Centrality of the Gospel

I believe I must be behind the times. I have just recently become familiar with Tim Keller (other than just his name) and so far I really like what I'm reading. While searching the web I've realized that he has quite a following.

If you haven't read it I would commend his article entitled The Centrality of the Gospel to you. It provides very practical advice on how to apply the gospel to every area of our lives. He also provides some thought provoking discussion questions. I was especially challenged by his comparison of irreligious and religious people (yes, I said comparison and not contrast).

He writes, "Irreligious people seek to be their own saviors and lords through irreligion, "worldly" pride (no one tells me what to do or how to live...)." He continues, "But moral and religious people seek to be their own saviors and lords through religion, "religious" pride (I am more moral and spiritual than other people)." He concludes, "... these are two different ways to do the same thing - control our lives."

Read the entire article HERE to get the full unpacking of these ideas plus many more on this important subject.

Jerry Falwell - Dead at 73

The AP has just reported that the Rev. Jerry Falwell has died after being found unresponsive in his Liberty University office. He was 73. Read story HERE