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Judgment Is Certain
For Everyone
We have seven facts in this life that assure us that the
judgment of God is coming:
 1.
We recognize there is right and wrong
2. We try to make things right
3. We feel strongly negative when our rights are violated
4. We make decisions based upon our own welfare
5. We fear man, what he can do to us or what he thinks of us
6. We take vengeance if convenient
7. We reject God's message of judgment
Salvation is available. The Bible says "Because it is appointed
unto men once to die, and after this the judgment, Christ was
offered once to bear the sins of many. And to those who look for
him he will appear the second time without sin unto
salvation." Hebrews 9:27-28.
In order to look for him, we must
believe he is coming to judge. We must not reject God's message
of judgment or we will certainly reject his message of
salvation. Hebrews 10:23-31.
- Chris Simonson 3/31/2007 |
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The Antithesis of Grace
The seeker-sensitive movement and most 'progressive' modern
congregations would unequivocally agree with such opinions as
 these,
regarding preaching the Gospel: ‘Don’t warn them about Hell, or
the wrath of God’, ‘Just let your light shine’, etc. However,
these sentiments smack in the face of Biblical hermeneutics,
reformers such as Martin Luther, great preachers like Spurgeon
and Jonathan Edwards, whom stress warning the lost of Hell as an
essential component of Grace through Faith.
This newer, overbearing doctrine is but a slice of modern church
corruption; no personal offense intended, but I feel these
seeker-sensitive teachings are schismatic and have been one of
the chief offenders of causing corruption in the Body of Christ,
thus making gain of the sheep. It turns the Grace of our Lord
Jesus into lasciviousness, telling the lost that they can come
to Christ via taking the term "saved" and disconnecting it from
the eternal wrath of God that will be poured on them if they
reject Christ, the only way of salvation; this in turn creates
‘churches’ full of false converts, whom are ready and willing to
pay tithes, like buying indulgences. This is the antithesis of
Grace.
Let's face it, the thing that the lost hate to hear the most is
the fact that God will judge them one day for their wickedness,
and will throw them away from Him into eternal darkness; what
the modern false church has done is try to convince the lost
that ‘God loves you just the way you are’, as if God would want
pigs in the Holy of Holies. These assertions imply that God,
instead of pouring His wrath out on the lost did it to his Son
so now God’s wrath is really no big deal, misapplying the
Scripture of “God’s kindness leads us towards repentance’,
overlooking the fact that God’s kindness is what stopped Him
from casting us all into hell as wicked and unprofitable
sinners. But, for the righteous, mercy triumphs over judgment,
and we rejoice in His grace, knowing the depths of the
punishments we were saved from.
When we warn people of Hell, we know that God’s wrath is
terrible, but by believing in Christ as Lord, the only way of
salvation, we can be spared God’s wrath and judgment, and be
made sons and co-heirs with Christ in the Kingdom of God for all
eternity. For us, through Christ, crushing brought healing, but
for the wicked crushing brings death. Why would anyone forbid
warning the lost of an eternal death so horrible and terrible,
leading them instead into modern religion, thus denying them the
Way of Salvation. What then have these supposed converts been
saved from?
As Jesus our Lord said: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte,
and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell
than yourselves.” Matt 23:15
Steven 3/28/2007 |
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Testimony
In my awkward adolescence, I was a
challenged youth (punk). I matured on the means streets of my
indigenous area (small, depressed town), and found the Gospel to be
intrusive and far too convicting to bear. I thought to myself,
"Who are these Christians? How can they turn the other cheek?"
By mid teens I had acquired a distinguished but challenging
occupation (summer job) as a Specialist in Ceramic Eating Discs
& Utensils Hygienic Engineer (dishwasher). Upon arriving to this
great opportunity of employment, I discovered another employee
was there to assist me in my youthful, emotional dysfunction of
disgruntlement (week-day shift washing trainee).
Several days into working at this job (self-proclaimed gulag) I
came to notice a strange and curious beatitude emanating from
the Week-Day Shift Trainer. So, one day, in my best Pompous and
Judging Manner (in light of his distinguished career and all), I
inquired of him what hope is there for such a man of small
status.
He responded to me thus: "Eternal Life, for those whom believe
in Jesus Christ..."
Still curious, and slightly pompous, I thought: "Whaddya mean?"
"And eternal Death for those whom reject Christ.", he continued,
interrupting my thoughts. "So the question is, will it be death
or will it be life?"
Rattled by his statement I could think of no witty reply; so, I
hastily blurted out: "What do you mean by Death?"
He quoted this verse to me: "He that believeth on him is not
condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already,
because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten
Son of God." John 3:18
As quickly as he answered me, I fell silent, as if realizing I
had missed the point of life. As the day progressed I felt a
sense of foreboding overtake me, as if the heat of Hell was
billowing up, ready to engulf me. As I laid my head on my pillow
that night, I felt separated from God and sinful. For the first
time, I began to envision the wrath of God upon me; straining to
dismiss this by my own logic, I only fell further into the pit
of Despair. The days seemed shorter and the nights longer, as if
Darkness itself was calling me home. Although time had elapsed
and the job had passed, I could not shake the words of the wise
man.
Turning 18, I headed towards the Marine Corps recruiters office
like my father had done before me. But, first I thought I would
stop at a local church, who's pastor I had heard of.
Surprisingly, he made time for me; I inquired of him: "What do
you make of my situation? I do not know Christ, and I fear I am
going to Hell."
He replied: "You are going to Hell if you continue rejecting
Christ. Maybe repentance is in order."
I said I would try it. I did repent, and God forgave me; that
night I committed my life to Christ. Feeling the burden of sin
lift, and the forgiveness of sins, I became a new creature in
Christ, a son and co-heir with Him.
"But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith
he loved us, 5. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened
us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved) 6. And hath
raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus: 7. That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us
through Christ Jesus. 8. For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9. Not
of works, lest any man should boast. 10. For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God
hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Eph. 2:4-10
- Steven 3/23/2007 |
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The Old Woman & The Crumbs
Many Americans act as though God owes them something just because they
were born Americans, or brought up Christian, or have a driver's
license. Actually, according to Jesus Christ, they are merely dogs when
it comes to the gospel of salvation.
When a Gentile woman tried to get Jesus´ attention by yelling and
screaming, he ignored her on purpose. Although he was healing Israelites
and casting demons out of them, he was not doing so for Canaanites. When
his disciples begged him to send her away, he continued to ignore her
and said, "I have not come but for the lost sheep of the house of
Israel." However, the woman persisted in crying out for him to have
mercy on her, because her daughter was horribly tortured by a demon.
She finally came to him and fell down before him saying, "Lord, help
me!"
He said to her, "It is not fit to give the children's food to the dogs."
Today's gospel would reject that sort of preaching. Today's theologians
tell us that Jesus was, just like them, a Dispensationalist and that the
gospel is different now than when he preached it. I don't think so. This
Canaanite dog, this Gentile, was humble enough to cry out to the Jewish
Messiah, although she was surrounded by hostile Jews. She was unashamed
to keep on pleading with him regardless of the crowd who felt he was not
her Savior. Jesus was not going to change the attitude of this people.
He was not going to change the attitude of this woman, either.
The woman, God bless her soul, was more concerned with her daughter's
deliverance from the demon than she was about her social acceptance. She
knew Jesus had this power. Whether or not it was available to her or her
daughter was in question. But her love for her daughter drove her to ask
him anyway; to ask persistently and without shame. Jesus Christ himself
was not going to stop her from asking. She finally worshiped him
(worship means to bow before, not sing hymns or listen to CCM).
So when he called her a dog, she understood and accepted this. In her
great faith, which has no concept of who is right or wrong when it comes
to being offended, she trusted in God's opinion of her and agreed
saying, "Yes, but don't the dogs get to eat the crumbs that fall off
their masters´ table?"
Jesus commended her faith and granted the mother's request. Her daughter
was made well from that very moment. Jesus Christ is Lord. We owe him
worship.Chris Simonson
3/23/2007 |
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The Suburbanite Woman and the Cross
There was once a woman who lived in suburbia. She was not unlike 25
million other
 women
of the 21st Century. She made sure her children were involved in sports,
crafts, field trips and as many other activities sponsored by the
godless state as she could. She also involved them in church activities,
just in case someone might accuse her of not being a good Christian. She
drove them back and forth in her SUV. Her husband was of little or no
use except to bring in money, unless he became co-equal in housekeeping
duties.
The woman worked twice as hard as most men, and ten times harder than
her husband. She took care of the kids, the laundry, the bills and the
dog. She also had a full-time job outside the home á la women's
liberation. Her therapist (recommended by her church) kept her from
going bonkers. In her mind, she was bearing the cross of Christ.
Actually, she was the one to whom Christ said, "Take my yoke upon you
for it is easy; take my burden for it is light." But because she would
not humble herself to be the help meet for her husband, she would not
know the meek and humble Jesus. So she never knew the cross of Christ,
only the burden of sin and the burden of self-justification. All of the
stuff she longed for because Betty Friedan and her ilk convinced her she
must have it brought to her nothing worth saving.
What does it profit a man (or a woman) to gain the whole world and lose
his (or her) own soul?Chris Simonson
3/22/2007 |
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The Curse of Comfort
The Scripture says: "Yea, and all
that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Notice it says "all that live godly", not some, or just the
poor, but all WILL suffer persecution. That is a tough pill to
swallow, especially when we see very little persecution here in
the United States. In fact, most people I know whom claim faith
in Christ do not suffer any persecution, whatsoever. What gives?
Is the Scripture wrong... or are we just not living godly in
Jesus Christ? I suppose that persecution can come in many forms,
but I do not see many 'christians' suffering even a little; they
actually are doing quite well, economically and politically:
they have their chunk of land with a house, a two car garage,
two incomes, their SUVs, they tithe regularly, go on vacations,
their kids grow up and go to college... they have all their
ducks in a row. They say that god has blessed them and if you
were more diligent, like them, god would bless you with the same
things. But, my thought is, what was good enough for my Lord is
probably good enough for me; as far as the Scriptures say He had
no place to lay His head and as far as monetary gain, He said to
give what we have to the poor, that we may reap treasures in
Heaven. Now, have I given everything I have to the poor?
No, and that is probably why I am not as effective as I could
be. Obedience comes with a price and it depends upon how much of
a price you are willing to pay. Just a thought.
Steven 3/21/2007 |
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Sin
Do you ever feel that in your Christian walk as if you cannot
overcome certain sins? It is
 as if you are on the high seas,
adrift, moving further and further from God, feeling the hot,
afternoon sun beating down on your flesh; thirsty for God's Word
but unable to drink. When you attend Sunday Service, like a
bitter spring on a desert island, they shake your hand and say
"how are you doing?", and you religiously deflect, "I am fine,
thank you; and yourself?" And yet, you attend the service in
order to fill this spiritual vacuum in your soul, though never
being fully edified nor satisfied. How can this be remedied? You
have to trust in the grace of our Lord Jesus and continue to
walk by faith, knowing that God forgave us once for all. I guess
the point is that when you fall down you brush your knees off
and continue to walk, not wallowing in your sin, but confessing
your sins to one another. It is a struggle and it will always be
one, as long as we are on this earth, but His grace is
sufficient. Do we continually sin that grace may abound? No. We
should live as if the Lord is returning today. Just a thought.
Steven 3/20/2007 |
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The Old Woman And The Tostada
I stood patiently in line waiting for the little white-haired lady to
finish paying for her
 order. The
young man taking the order didn't know what to do but to wait for the
money to come out of her wrinkled hand. She kept talking about her
exciting day, how she had almost had a heart attack when she found her
dog was not in the car. She related how she had the drug store next door
call her son's house and found out she had not even taken the dog with
her, but it was safely lying in the sun out in the back yard. She was
now dizzy from the emotional exertion but was going to get two tostadas
for her son. She finally paid up. I ordered next, and then became the
next target of the old woman's need for attention.
She was eighty, had lived in this town all her life. She now lived with
her son. We discovered we were almost neighbors (at least when I used
to live in my home) and that she knew a lot of people I knew from the
'hood. About every other person she recollected was now dead. One of the
gentlemen we both knew had lived across the street from her and died
last year. My son lived two doors down from there at his father-in-law's
with his wife and two small children. I told her my son also died last
year in a car wreck not far from where they both lived. As we discussed
death, it suddenly occurred to me to ask her if she was ready to meet
the Lord? She asked ready to meet whom? I repeated was she ready to meet
her Maker?
Oh yes, she was almost going to meet her Maker this afternoon when she
thought her dog had run off. I persisted by asking was she ready
then? Interestingly, she could not understand the question correctly but
persisted that she would have been a goner if she had really lost her
dog.
And so we have a nation full of young and old, all who think that
ordering tostadas (this is California; maybe it's sausage in Germany)
and taking care of pets is all there is to it. God is trying to get
through to us by letting the tostadas fall on the floor occasionally, or
let us think our pets have been run over, or that our children have been
run over (or maybe they have been), but we stubbornly refuse to consider
our own end, thus bringing ourselves into condemnation even though many
have tried to warn us throughout our short stay here.
Whatever we order at Taco Bell, let us order our way of life correctly
so that we need not be ashamed when we stand before our Maker, the Lord
Jesus Christ.
Chris Simonson 3/19/2007 |
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Saint
Patrick's Day
Patrick was born in 387 A.D. and is believed to have died on
March 17th, 493 A.D.
 He
was born near Kilpatrick, Scotland; at around 16 years old he was
kid-napped and enslaved by Irish slavers and taken to Ireland.
His new master instructed him to tend sheep in the Valley of the
Braid and on the isolated slopes of Slemish.
While so employed, Patrick discovered the fear of the Lord and
the solace of prayer: “and His fear increased in me more and
more, and the faith grew in me, and the spirit was roused, so
that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers,
and in the night nearly the same, so that whilst in the woods
and on the mountain, even before the dawn, I was roused to
prayer and felt no hurt from it, whether there was snow or ice
or rain; nor was there any slothfulness in me, such as I see
now, because the Spirit was then fervent within me” (quoted from
Patrick’s “Confessio”)
During his captivity, Patrick acquired an extensive knowledge of
the Celtic tongue, in which he would one day announce the glad
tidings of Salvation; in addition to
language he became familiar with the local pagan beliefs through
Milchu, his master,
whom was a druidical high priest. After 6 years of being a
slave, Patrick escaped and fled back to Britain; he attended
Martin’s Monastery for many years to learn more of God and His
Word; he felt a tremendous burden to preach the Gospel of Jesus
Christ to the pagan people of Ireland who’d once enslaved him.
Upon landing on the Emerald Isle,
his first act of ministry was to travel to Dalriada,
where he had once been a slave; he paid the full price of his
ransom to his pagan,
former master and bestowed to him the blessing of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ.
Thus is the story of Patrick, a man whom had a hunger and thirst
for God and His
word, which led him back to his painful past of slavery to
conquer false gods with the awesome Gospel of Jesus Christ. A
classic illustration of an individual whom did not fear man but
God, and answered the call to repentance.
There is a myth that says Patrick
banished the snakes from Ireland; in reality, the
devilish and pagan doctrines that once enslaved the Irish people
were silenced by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, brought to
Ireland’s shores with boldness, by a man of faith.
- Steven 3/16/2007 |
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21 Reasons To Keep Trying:
True, most people will not repent even with continued appeals to
such. We who
 preach
the gospel are faced with hoards of unbelievers (many who call
themselves Christians) who reject the notion that a message preached is
of any value to anyone. However, messages for repentance can have a
positive effect once in a while. The main thing is to keep at it. Here
is a recent story from China:
Ms. Pan Alying, a schoolteacher in China's Shandong province, had her
purse snatched in January (containing her mobile phone, bank cards and
cash) and decided to try pleading with the thief by sending text
messages to her stolen phone. According to Xinhua news agency, she
patiently sent 21 sympathetic notes to the man, with no answer, but the
day after the last one, she found a package at her door containing her
purse and all its contents intact, with a note, "I'm sorry... I'll
correct my ways and be an upright person." [Reuters, 1-22-07] -from News
of the Weird
We also have need of patience, so that when we have done the will of
God, we can receive the promise (Hebrews 10:36). What is our promise but
that we see our Savior and those whom he has saved? We have to keep on
believing and keep on testifying of Jesus. Jesus said that if our
brother sin against us seventy times seven, we should forgive him
(Matthew 18:22, see also Luke 17:4). The message is this: Keep
preaching, keep pleading to God, keep forgiving, keep in the peace of
God. The path to heaven is paved with a lot of tribulation, but the
rewards are great.
Chris Simonson 3/15/2007 |
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God's Chastising Hand
"It is for discipline that you endure; God
deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does
not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have
become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons."
(Hebrews 12:7-8)
God chastises those he calls children, if
indeed you are the child of God. His spirit testifies with our spirit
that we are the children of God. How does it testify of this? What if we
could know that we were God's child just by the fact that He didn't
allow us to go astray, and chastised us every time we lent ourselves
towards that direction? It is true.
God won't allow those he chooses to go
astray, I rejoice in this, because "all discipline for the moment seems
not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by
it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." (Hebrews
12:11)
By this fact alone, we know and can feel
the love God has for us, that he cares for the direction of our souls,
so much, he would discipline us. God's discipline also brings us into
peace with him. It is time to be concerned if we don't see God's
chastising hand in our lives, and it ought to be there.
This is the true meaning of the words: "the
kindness of God leads you to repentance." (Romans 2:4)
Matt Simonson 3/14/2007 |
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Disconnect
As sin-cursed human beings, we have the amazing ability to believe
completely in a
 huge
and complex set of religious dogmas, and yet it has nothing whatsoever
to do with our everyday behavior in this world.
We can judge others in matters of fornication, adultery, greed,
drunkenness, theft, unkindness, intolerance, and just general unloving
attitudes, while all the time excusing ourselves for the same
behavior. We lust for things of this world. We want a better house, a
better car, a better wife, and nothing stands between us and what we
want. We take out loans, we cheat, steal and lie in order to get that
job, our way with our spouse, the neighbor's spouse; this certainly
doesn't connect with the little religious things we do in order to
compensate for our wickedness. We go to church, or Bible study, or
conferences, or church camp, or door-to-door soliciting for our pastor
or priest or religious organization, but we do not cleanse ourselves of
our defilements.
There is a complete disconnect between those religious things and our
everyday living. Proof is that we divorce and remarry with the modern
church all behind it, thinking this somehow blesses an otherwise
adulterous relationship. Then we start over, go into debt buying all
that new stuff and we compromise all points of our so-called faith. To
compensate, we smile a lot and say, I love you. God is not sitting up in
heaven buying into any of this. He calls us through his word and warns,
"Be not deceived: whatever a man sows, that will he also reap".
Modern gospels tell us that there is a complete disconnect between our
works and our salvation. They twist scripture to make it sound like
faith and works are disconnected. They are not! It is true that human
works cannot accomplish faith, but it is true that faith can and will
accomplish godly works through our human bodies. The mind that is set on
the human body and human works, that is, the normal human mind, cannot
be made subject to the will of God. It is an enemy of God. It is death.
The mind that is set on the Spirit is full of life and liberty, free to
do the will of God. The mind of the flesh cannot accomplish faith. This
is why Jesus says, "He that seeks to save his life will lose it".
As sin-cursed human beings, we must forsake our ways of thinking and
seek those things that are above. Otherwise, we will have a religion
full of hypocrisy, where we judge others and yet cannot accomplish the
will of God ourselves. We will fake everything right down to the tiniest
detail, but our works will condemn us. We will be found out on judgment
day.
Let us connect with God. Let us disconnect with our fake lives. God is
not fooled. If we sow to the flesh, we will reap corruption, but if we
sow to the spirit, we will reap eternal life. As Jesus said, "the one
who loses his life for my sake and for the Gospel's will gain it for
life eternal." Our job for the rest of our lives should be to pay
attention to the gospel and live it. Otherwise, we are disconnected from
the truth that leads to eternal life.
Chris Simonson 3/13/2007 |
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What The Bleep Do They Know?
An unsaved friend recommended that I watch a movie about quantum
mechanics and its relationship to the meaning of life. Sadly, it was
presented as entertaining. In reality, it wasn't. Predictably, it was
nothing more than doctrinaire drivel by Tao/ Hindu /Buddha /Krishna
followers. Many of them would never admit it, but it was just
warmed-over Eastern religion presented as scientific fact. Statements
were made about atomic physics, brain function, biology, philosophy,
etc., that are non-provable and non-documented. If the speaker said
something had been documented, he or she was merely lying. Any of their
expert testimonies can be challenged as non-supportable by the
facts. This is why they kept leaping back and forth from objective
"facts" they were using to support their mental aberrations and to their
main argument that reality is at best subjective experience of something
we don't know about but they are going to tell us anyway.
I will pick just one little tiny subject they dispensed with in two or
three anti-scientific hallucinogenic observations: brain function
relating to memory and experience. They are convinced that the memory of
something happening to us is just as real as something happening to us.
Most of us know this is irrational. They, however, can prove it. Someone
somewhere mapped the brain function of someone somewhere observing
something (no names or places or dates given), and then asked them to
remember the event. Astoundingly, the brain function mapped in each case
was identical, so this proves that reality and memory is the same thing.
Without going into the absurd logic used, I will only point out that
they know nothing about brain function or mapping of it. `Discovery
Channel´ may claim they can map brain function with little electrodes
hooked up to people's skulls, but they don't know anything
either. Modern science has claimed these mapping studies are
consequential, but that's only because they tend to look for things that
support their pet theories. Actually, brain function has not been
mapped, nor has the mechanism of neural transmission been understood. As
of recent history, brain scientists are starting to admit their lack of
real facts in this area. Even the theory that synapses between neurons
constitute basic brain function is now being challenged by objective
observation.
Tomorrow, neuroscientists will come up with something else. Atomic
physicists, astrophysicists, naturalists, biologists, mythologists, and
any other ist's-on-the-list will always resist the gist of it, the
reason why we exist; that is: to give glory to God the Father and the
Lord Jesus Christ. The creation is mind-boggling and proof there is a
Creator, but these miss the truth and are turned into fables with
quantum trappings, ever learning but never able to come to the
Truth. Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one come to
the Father except through Me."Chris
Simonson 3/12/2007 |
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The Fraudulent Fish
Here, in the great State of California, the law
mandates that in the Construction Trade
 if
any one job exceeds $500, including labor and materials, you must
possess a valid Contractor’s License. In fact, you cannot even advertise
as a contractor without a State license.
Recently, I heard about a single mother with
three children whom had thumbed through a local advertising paper to
find a contractor; two of her children were disabled so she wished
remodel the home in order to make some accommodations for them. As this
mom perused the myriad of contractor ads, she looked for a workman with
integrity, honesty and experience, and that’s when she saw it: the
universal symbol of said morals, a fish. It was located in the ad of
certain local contractor whom was advertising himself to be Christian &
licensed.
According to the news report, she set up an
initial meeting with this 'christian' contractor and right away; she
felt at ease with his charm, his friendly demeanor and his outward
devotion to Christianity; he even quoted a few Scriptures to seal the
deal.
The work began quickly and the charm did not
cease; the homeowner was quite excited and took many pictures in order
to give the contractor a before-and-after scrapbook to memorialize the
occasion.
What she did not know was that this particular
contractor was un-experienced, un-licensed with the State and had sold
her an out-of-code bill of goods. From forgetting to install power to an
electrical water heater, to installing a plug right next to a spa (not
hard-wired in and in violation of safety codes, endangering anyone
nearby of electrocution...), they built the room addition too close to
the property line and on and on. The mistakes and violations ended up so
numerous that the local news media got wind of it and began to run
negative stories on fraudulent "christian" this and "christian" that.
The homeowner had to re-finance her house three times to pay for all the
work, and the additional work needed to fix the mistakes. Like most
stories, this one had no happy ending, as the situation remains
unresolved.
So, the big question is: is this how we "let
our light shine"? In claiming to be a Christian, do we live lives that
are fraudulent and contrary to that claim?
Of course, it would be very easy for us to
condemn this contractor, thinking all the while to ourselves how proud
we are of our own light that shines, for our love to those whom are
*ahem* lower down on the ‘church’ scale than us, for our ministries and
talents, our communication skills and intellectual integrity, our good,
Christian outward works, et cetera...
But, what if everything is actually reversed?
If, perhaps, God feels about our works the same way that we view
this in-experienced shyster of a contractor, weighing us and finding the
result wanting?
Is it not worse to stand before the Holy and
Righteous God on That Day, finding that the works you’ve done have
been in violation of His Holy law, His Holy Commandments and His Holy
call? To find that your "works" were works of iniquity, done unto
yourselves and not unto God... and that in pursuing your own ‘righteous’
works, you have rejected Christ.
Such an oversight of the Gospel will cost you
your soul and end in eternal damnation.
Steven 3/09/2007
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How Can They Save You?
Our county fire department puts out a Fire Safe handout. We give a lot
of attention to
 making
homes safe from what they call `wildland fires.´ In the handout, many
pointers are given on how to prevent a home or property fire. But,
mostly, it deals with the eventuality of a fire. At the end of summer,
the foothills are very dry and there is lots of natural fuel
available. In recent history, many homes have been lost in California
due to wildland fires.
Provisions for fighting fires and protecting structures should be made
to the full extent possible. However, people fight this idea. They want
to live back where no one can find them it seems. They do not maintain
their roads which are too narrow anyway for emergency response vehicles.
They do not mark their driveways and they do not post easily readable
road signs. They do not address their houses so they can be seen from
the street. The section in the handout dealing with street signs,
roadways, driveways and house addresses is titled:
"If they can't find you, they can't save you."
It seems that one's salvation may be in question if he does not bother
to mark his location so someone can find him. This may have more to do
with an ambulance or paramedic unit showing up in time to render
emergency aid than putting out a fire, but either way, salvation means
deliverance from destruction.
Destruction by fire is coming upon the world. This is the judgment of a
just God upon his creation. He is going to destroy those who refused to
hear his warnings. Those who heard and took precautions for the coming
judgment will be protected from this judgment. Much like a person
putting up a street sign or posting an address, these have posted the
banner of truth by putting on a new life in Jesus Christ.
In the Old Testament, Ezekiel sees a vision where the Lord sends angels
to destroy the wicked. The only way the angels can tell the wicked apart
from the righteous is by a mark that has been placed on the heads of the
true believers. In the New Testament, we read that the righteous are
distinguished by a seal: "The Lord knows those who are His, and let
everyone who names the name of Jesus Christ depart from iniquity." Thus
they are marked, and so He knows them.
What about us? Have we been marked? Have we been sealed? Do we know God,
or more importantly, does he know us? If the angels can't tell you apart
from the wicked, how can God save you?
Chris Simonson 3/08/2007 |
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Psychic Detectives
There really is an Allison... really.
 Psychic
detectives really do exist but they are phonies. About the only real
thing about the T.V. series `Medium´ is that it is based on a real phony
psychic detective. Her ability to predict or find things is the same as
the rest the frauds out there. The batting average for so-called psychic
detectives is so low we may as well consult a magic 8 ball. When they
actually locate the whereabouts of bodies and birth certificates, it is
when they use the same forensic methods a regular detective uses (and
then claim spirit buddies helped them).
The question is: Then why the popular belief in psychics or psychic
phenomena?
I think we like shows like `Medium´ because there remains in all of us a
belief in the supernatural at a gut level. Even staid atheists love
weird manifestations of the occult for that reason. That's why some of
us like science fiction and fantasy, stories of sorceries and
witchcraft, devils and angels, etc., etc.
NBC claims that `Medium´ is based on the experiences of a "real-life
medium" named Allison Dubois. They say, "Dubois has consulted on a
variety of murders or missing persons cases while working with various
law enforcement agencies including the Glendale Arizona Police
Department, the Texas Rangers, and a County Attorney's Office in the
Homicide Bureau."
This sounds factual, but it is a lie. Both the police department and the
Texas Rangers tell a different story. "The Texas Rangers have never used
psychics and have no plans to do so," spokesman Tom Vinger stated
flatly. Glendale police spokesman Michael Pena stated that the detective
who handles missing persons cases does not recall using Dubois at all.
My advice to anyone who wants to believe in psychic detectives, ghosts,
séances, etc.: Prove them against reality. If you go on with our belief
system anyway, against all proof, then God will be completely just in
allowing you to experience all sorts of improvable encounters with the
supernatural, which in turn will lead you to perdition. Prove Jesus
Christ and his message, and you won't have to listen to NBC or Allison
for advice.
Chris Simonson 3/07/2007 |
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Various Earthquakes
A powerful earthquake shook Sumatra, Indonesia
last night; killing 70 and injuring hundreds more. Apparently, last may,
there was an earthquake in another region of Indonesia, Yogyakarta. The
death toll was 6,000 people. Previously to that, the well-known tsunami
killed 160,000 people in Indonesia alone.
It would seem the earth is having labor pains. For what is the earth
laboring; what is to be birthed?
When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things
must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against
nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in
various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.
(Matthew 13:7-8)
Matt Simonson 3/06/2007 |
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Lost
In our town is a small museum with a very small plot called "The
Cemetery of the Lost
 Souls."
It is a collection of headstones that do not have a home. For some
reason or another, the grave markers have been separated from their
proper owners and have been collected by the museum until perhaps
someone will find them and reunite them. I stop by there occasionally to
reflect on the possible stories of those who have lost their
identities. As I read the names, I am saddened to think that many of the
souls represented here are indeed lost. Lost for time and eternity.
The TV series "Lost" could be renamed "The Island of the Lost Souls"
without damaging the plot (or lack thereof). The story probably attracts
people because of the recurring vignettes of the characters' past
lives. Trapped together on a mysterious island, they are working out
their present lives, but their past must be reckoned with. Some of the
characters seem to be on the road to redemption; others to perdition.
If these sorts of stories attract us, it is because God created us in
His image, and we know there is lots of truth in reaping what you
sow. However, the truth has been corrupted and we end up sowing to the
wind, and we reap the tornado. In the back of our minds lurk images of
tremendous destruction by huge forces, such as terrifying machines with
electromagnetic propensities. Our job is to keep the machine satisfied
by punching the right button once in a while.
If we treat God like this, we will surely be lost. Unlike a machine or
some natural force, God made us and we are responsible to Him. As many
blasphemers want to rid themselves of God and say we created Him in our
image, as many who follow them will follow them to perdition. We cannot
satisfy God by punching certain buttons. Instead, we must repent.
The characters in the show "Lost" do not model Christian behavior. Even
a man who turned from being a brutal killer to being a priest is a
perfect example. His priesthood is based upon what? He is imitating an
imitation. He is seeking redemption through his own good works. The rest
of the characters have their human problems and they are trying to fix
them in their human ways. This is not what the Bible calls
repentance. If we will admit our guilt to God and sincerely ask for
forgiveness, we will no longer be wandering on a mysterious island. God
hears us and He will find us.
One of the tombstones in The Cemetery of Lost Souls is for a George R.
Coleman, 1928-1974. His family put this tribute on his lost headstone:
"My husband - Our father: A man among men". There is an additional
inscription: "Safe with Jesus." His testimony is there for anyone to
read. He is not lost, but he is found.
Chris Simonson 3/05/2007 |
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Controversy Over(weight) Boy
There is news in England of a boy Connor
McCreaddie, eight years old, weighing 218
 lbs.
The question was asked, "Should this young boy be taken into protective
custody?" While many may be concerned for this child and believe they
can provide adequate protection and help for him, they are mislead in
their ideas of what will help. In Proverbs 13:24 it states "He who
spares his rod hates is son, but he who loves him disciplines him
promptly." Also Proverbs 22:15 states "Foolishness is bound up in the
heart of a child, but the rod of correction will drive it far from him."
There may be concerns about his physical
death before the age of 30, but has a thought been considered about the
death of his soul? Proverbs 23:13 says "Do not withhold correction from
a child, for if you beat him with a rod, he will not die." In John 11:25
Jesus said "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me,
though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in me
shall never die. Do you believe this?"
Nicola Mckeown, Connor's mother, sat with
her son in a child protection meeting hoping she would not loose her
son, stating "I am not good, and I am very nervous about the meeting, I
am hoping for the best." There is better hope than Nicola knows, for her
and her son, because God has already said, "There is none who does good,
no not one. Now we know that whatever the law say, it says to those who
are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world
may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh
will be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being
witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God
which is through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe.
For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption
this is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a propitiation by his
blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his
forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,
to demonstrate at the present time his righteousness, that he might be
just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."
Matt Simonson 3/02/2007 |
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Bankruptcy For The Spirit
On February 19th, 2007 the Roman Catholic
Diocese of San Diego, California announced it was considering filing for
bankruptcy if 'fair' settlements
 could
not be reached with the alleged victims of sexual abuse by some of it's
priests. Said alleged victims have filed 143 lawsuits against the San
Diego Diocese, so far. In a letter to the nearly 1 million parishioners,
handed out with bulletins in services, Bishop Robert Brom told the
attendees that the diocese might have to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy,
citing concerns "that settlements not cripple the ability of the Church
to accomplish its mission and ministries". The first trial date was set
for February 28th, 2007.
On Tuesday, February 27th, 2007 at 11:55pm,
the San Diego Diocese filed for bankruptcy, becoming the fifth diocese
to do so in the USA in order to escape lawsuits of sexual abuse.
According to an attorney representing some of the plaintiffs, this
particular Diocese is exceedingly wealthy, with over 500 pieces of
property and a large amount of insurance. A Chapter 11 filing
automatically halts court proceedings.
Like most modernized religions, they
specialize in being spiritually bankrupt. Instead of dealing with the
sin in the church, the only thing they are concerned with is the bottom
line.
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have
omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith:
these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. [Ye]
blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel." Mathew 23:23
&24
Steven 3/01/2007 |
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