The Blessings of the Church

Trying to pray and I kept bursting into tears, and not just over Family Radio. Going back to my old church Sunday just reminded me of how much God used them to help and bless me during the 1-2 years I was there. I understand now why He dragged me into that church kicking and screaming and how they helped lay the foundation of Jesus Christ in my life that I still have today. "For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" -1 Corinthians 3:11 (NASB). That is firm bedrock.

They discipled me (a huge help to a baby Christian), helped me when I had no money for groceries, and gave me worship, fellowship, and good teaching week after week. I came to believe in the Bible as God's inerrant and infallible word while I was there. All this is a huge blessing I could never repay. They were so good to me, and God was so good to use them. I broke down in tears.

Then I thought of my current church and all the good they have done in the 12 years I have been there. They have seen me through some pretty dark times, and have stood by me through it all. They even seem to like me, even if I can't fathom that. Yesterday I spent a restful Sabbath in worship and fellowship, ending with a movie night. Over the years I have been there they have been so good to me, and God has used them to show me His goodness. I broke down in tears again - I have received so many undeserved gifts. I can't get through a single day without sinning, yet over and over God has blessed me. How can I do anything other than cry?

If you've read this far, great. Because here's the other thing that I kept thinking of all weekend - all the Campingites (former or current) who are missing out on this great blessing! Living in community is not always easy, but it is something God calls every Christian to, and He uses it to bless us in ways we will never experience as long ranger Christians.

Please, my Campingite friends, don't miss out on this great blessing that God wants to give you - His church! And thank You God for all the blessings You have used both these churches to bestow. You are good.

Am I Better?

I listened to the August 18 "Radio Free Geneva" program today, reviewing Micah Coate's new book, "A Cultish Side of Calvinism" (shouldn't that be "Cultic"?).

"White believes the act of receiving God's grace is a type of work that takes away from the sovereignty of God." (Micah Coate)

Dr. White replies: "No, what I've always said is - if that is not the result of the work of God's grace, if it is an autonomous free act outside of God's decree, then God can attempt to save all He wants. It's always up to man. And once you take that position, in eternity to come, those standing around the throne will always have something to boast about. Not a work, but there was something better about me. I was more sensitive, I was more spiritual. I'm the one that allowed the grace of God to succeed in my life. And those people who didn't - well, they just weren't as good as me."

And I have to be honest, it's this that bothered me from the very beginning. I realized this logical conclusion 15 years ago. I just blocked it out and tried not to think about it too much.

I believed that God drew all people (yes, this contradicts John 6:44, where all those who are drawn are raised up to eternal life). If you responded to that drawing, He would draw you more, and so on until you were saved. I took "all" to refer to every single person on earth, never allowing for the nuances of meaning in John's writing.

What I believed made no sense in the context of the whole of Scripture, and I never bothered to look at the contexts of the passages. I had to rush through passages that seemed to contradict what I believed - Romans 9 was a big one, but also parts of John 6, and many other verses scattered throughout Scripture. I didn't want to think about it because that was a God I could not worship. I was afraid of losing my faith if I explored it.

It was only last year that I came to the point of being able to accept it, and that only after a true work of God in my heart (and I am so grateful). I can now see what I believed for what it is - there is something better about me than someone who does not respond to the same drawing given to me. And I do not see that as a God-honoring position. I see that as taking some of the glory due to God unto myself. He says He will not give His glory to another (Isaiah 42:8, 48:11), and trust me, when I have tried to take some of that glory, it has not ended well for me.

The whole point of Calvinism is to give all the glory to God and take none for myself. There was nothing more spiritually sensitive about me that was not given to me. I have been more sensitive since I was little, but do I suppose that is something I did? Or was it a gift of God that I can now look back and see His hand on my life, guiding me, since I was a little child? That is why, in my flesh, I searched for Him in all the wrong places. I knew He was there, but rejected the one way to Him through Jesus. And so I got involved in all sorts of silliness, looking for that fulfillment everywhere but the one place it could be found.

He is the one who broke through. He is the one who revealed Himself to me, turning my world upside down and pursuing me relentlessly until I was too worn out to fight any more. He is the one who saved me, with no help from me. That is a God I can worship because that is a God in control of this world. That is a God who glorifies Himself through the outworking of all His attributes - His mercy as well as His justice, His grace as well as His wrath. This is the fullness of God that shines through both testaments. If I am a Calvinist it is simply because the Bible constrains me to be.

Soli Deo Gloria

I posted a quote: "God saves some because He is merciful. God damns others because He is just." ~Philip Stallings

K. said: "(J)ust hope you're one of the lucky ones who get mercy. If you are, you can rejoice."

I replied: "I rejoice in God's glory, whether that glory is shown through mercy or justice."

This is not an abstract concept to me. Last year, yes, it was. It was a fun intellectual exercise. I've been very upfront about that. But all that changed this year. When Dad died, everything changed. Abstract concepts became all too real. I was left to try to fit my new theology into a world of pain and sin and suffering and death and hell. I reeled as a drunk man trying to find my way through the maze I was confronted with. I am forever grateful to the people God used who helped me through by answering my questions

So when I say "I rejoice in God's glory, whether that glory is shown through mercy or justice," I mean it. If my Dad died unsaved (and he probably did), then God had His purpose in not saving him, a purpose that will work to His glory.

If God judges Family Radio for her sin instead of saving us through mercy, He will not only be totally right in doing so, but He will derive greater glory from judgment than from mercy. I may not see all the ways that will happen, but it will. Everything - EVERYTHING - will work for the greater glory of God.

I pray for mercy for FR. God uses means to accomplish His ends, and prayer is one of those means. It is a privilege to be involved in God's work through prayer.

I say all this as I see judgment fall against FR. I say that as my job of 14 years is in jeopardy. God will be glorified in anything and everything that happens at FR. I rejoice in His receiving glory, even if the outcome for myself is not so good. His glory matters much more than my momentary happiness. My joy is in Him, and seeing glory being brought to Him.

So yeah, this Calvinism stuff isn't theoretical to me anymore. My Dad is dead, my job of a decade and a half could be gone in a moment. I am living this stuff, and I can still say, "I rejoice in God's glory, whether that glory is shown through mercy or justice." My joy is founded in His glory, not on changeable things of the world. Soli Deo gloria - all glory really does go to Him.

God's Foreknowledge

You know how it feels when something you never quite got suddenly "clicks." Yeah, that feeling. :)

I get it! I finally REALLY "get" it! I have wondered about the foreknowledge of God being active or passive. Calvinist says it's active (it is an active verb); Arminians say it's passive. Then I read in my book, The Sovereign Grace of God, "God's 'knowing' of us is a personal thing." I thought back to Adam "knowing" Eve. That is the way that God "knows" me - intimately! I get it! I think I finally understand those "foreknowledge" verses! He fore-knows us! Thank You God! It finally "clicked."

I've read the arguments before - it's covered in The Potter's Freedom - but last night it finally "clicked" in my mind to where I can see it. "God's knowing us is a personal thing." That sentence did it. Having the argument brought down to a personal level helped me to see. He fore-knew me, intimately fore-knew me. That helps me see Romans 8:28 in a new light. :)

Predestination

The first two paragraphs are what really touched me, but the rest was too good not to share. :) I did not write any of this; I am simply sharing something I liked.

Mars Hill Church – Seattle, WA
Pastor Mark Driscoll
Religion Saves and Nine Other Misconceptions - Predestination

January 20, 2008
Romans 9
Excerpt from 1:02:30 through 1:06:00 in the sermon.

http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/religionsaves/predestination

God is God, and we are not. And we have no right to tell God that He's not doing a good job at being God. We have no right to be like Pharaoh and to say, "Well, that's His opinion, He didn't consult me, I think I could do better given the opportunity. He should inquire of me, seek my wisdom, heed my counsel. He has some errors, He has some folly, He has some mistakes. I disagree with Him, I judge Him, I denounce Him, and I demand of Him to give an answer to me!"

What Paul is arguing for is humility. He says, "Who are you to think that you would be a better God than God?" Ambrosiaster, an early church father, says it this way, "It is a great indignity and presumption for a man to answer back to God - the unjust to the just, the evil to the good, the imperfect to the perfect, the weak to the strong, the corruptible to the incorruptible, the mortal to the immortal, the servant to the lord, the creature to the creator."

Friends, here's the bottom line. There are only three options. Number one, Satan chooses who has sin forgiven and eternal life granted. That means that no one receives grace!

Number two, sinners choose who is to be saved. The result is that we all have already chosen! We have chosen sin, we have chosen Satan, we have chosen rebellion, we have chosen death, we have chosen rejection of God, we have chosen to be objects of wrath, we have chosen hell! Every single human being has chosen! By virtue of sinning, you have chosen! You've chosen Satan, you've chosen death, you've chosen wrath, you've chosen hell!

And the third option is that God, too, would choose, and that God would choose to save some. That God would choose in undeserving, ill-deserving mercy and grace to save some. Not only that, He would come into human history as Jesus Christ. He would live on this earth in humility to be tempted as we are, yet without sin. That He would go to the cross and He would substitute Himself in our place for our sins and that our God would die and would Himself endure the penalty and punishment for sin, and that He would rise and He would give salvation as a gift, not dependent upon pursuing Him, desiring Him, choosing Him, or yearning for Him. Though He invites us, none of us take Him up on that offer. And so He pursues us - vigilantly, mercifully, compassionately, lovingly, and continually.

And some of you will say, "This doesn't sound like God is loving." Yet Ephesians 1 says, "in love He predestined us." The predestination is the love of God in action.

Heaven & Hell

After coming across some video clips from this sermon on YouTube, I decided to download the whole thing and listen to it on my iPod. I was stunned when once again my exact question was asked and answered. I knew God was speaking to me, giving me more grace than I deserve. And once again, the question of the goodness of God comes up, and Driscoll says that He is good. It was as if God was speaking to me and saying, "I am good."

And at the end, Driscoll reminds us - begs us - not to judge God because that is how this whole mess got started way back in Genesis. And isn't that what I am doing - the same thing as Adam and Eve - judging that God is not good?

Thank You, Father, for using this to teach me about Yourself. For all of you reading, enjoy. If you want to hear the entire sermon, you will find the links below.

Mars Hill Church – Seattle, WA
Pastor Mark Driscoll
Luke, Part 68 – Heaven and Hell

March 20, 2011
Luke 16:19-31

This is a (very) slightly edited transcript from his sermon from 39:20 – 44:55 and 45:35 -47:22. For the full sermon go to http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/luke/heaven-and-hell.

Question #3

"Why would God make people who will permanently remain His enemies? Why does God create certain people when He knows that their only future is to be tortured for all eternity?"

There is much to be said here. First of all, people go to hell because they reject Jesus. They reject the general revelation that God gives to all humanity. They reject the common grace that God bestows upon them. Furthermore, they have to reject their conscience that God has placed within them, as well as any special revelation that He has brought to them. We are in no way innocent. We are not.

Additionally, when God was finished with His work in Genesis 1:31, making the earth and our first parents, giving us life, breath, and creation as a gift, He declared it all to be very good. There was no sin. There was no suffering. There was no sickness. There was no death. We sinned. We rebelled. We declared war. We ruined everything. It is our fault, friends. It is my fault. It is your fault. It is our fault. This is not the world as God made it. This is the world as we have corrupted it.

Additionally, it makes perfect sense to me that a convicted criminal goes to prison...That makes perfect sense. Similarly, it makes perfect sense that a condemned sinner goes to hell. That makes sense. What is astonishing is that God would become a man to live in the world as we have destroyed it, that God would endure poverty, that God would endure humiliation, that God would endure opposition and betrayal, that God Himself would be arrested and falsely accused and beaten and crucified, which is the most shameful and wretched and painful of deaths, and that He would cry out "Forgive them!" and that He would die in our place, for our sins, as our substitute, and that He would taste the hell that we deserve. And Jesus states this when He cries out from the cross, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?" That the Father turned His back on the Son and that the wrath of God was poured out on Jesus so that it might be propitiated or diverted from us...That is the miracle, that is the great exchange, that is the love of God.

Additionally, I would beg you, not to judge God. Do not judge God. We have three pound, fallen brains. We have sinful dispositions and inclinations. We have only been around for a few short years. We are not all-seeing, we are not all-knowing, and for us to sit on a throne, even if it is an academic throne propped up by footnotes, asking the Creator of heaven and earth to pass before us that we might render a verdict regarding His holiness and justice is how all the trouble began in the first place.

That Satan came to our first parents asking a few questions about the character of God, inviting them to judge Him. Dear friend, we are in no position to judge God. We are to trust God, not judge God because we are not God. You are not God. God is good and God is loving and God is merciful and God is kind and God is just and God is holy and God is righteous, and whatever God does is good and it is glorious.

...I feel the Holy Sprit bringing to mind one point He would like me to make as well on the previous question of why would God make people knowing they’re going to hell, why would He create hell for them. In fact, the Holy Spirit wants me to tell you that in Matthew 25:41 Jesus says that hell was made for the devil and his angels. The devil and his angels, Satan and his angels, spirit beings, they rebelled against God and there is no possibility of salvation for Satan and demons. Jesus did not go to the cross to die in their place, atoning for their sins, securing their salvation. Satan and demons have no opportunity of salvation, only damnation. And Jesus says in Matthew 25:41 that hell was made for the devil and his angels. We choose to go there when we reject Him. In the same way, a prison was made for criminals. We don’t need to go there unless we choose to become a criminal…I’m telling you today, you need not go (to hell). Trust in Jesus...Hell was made for the devil and his angels.

Banned to the bone

I ended up binging yesterday so I don't have any stats. It was a rough day. I was crying and shaking and had to take 9mg of Xanax (a hefty dose) to calm myself down. As of January 1 I have been banned from the Internet forever at work. It's purely punitive - my boss wants me to either quit out of boredom, or have a reason to fire me if he catches me. My boss has made it no secret that he does not like me. The feeling became mutual.

This was precipitated by an incident last week - which I got chewed out (twice!) for, and then a document was written up yesterday which he made me sign. Funny, but the other party at fault didn't get any punishment, but that's because they have a different boss.

This document goes too far and he has backed himself into a corner with it - even if he realizes he's wrong he can't back out. I took the extraordinary step of calling one of the people on the Board of Directors at their home last night. He said we'd take it up after Christmas since the board member is not at work today and he is leaving before I come in tomorrow.

This is very serious. My boss has my personnel file and will use it against me. I need to pull together a document with all the bad things and overreactions Jon has done. I also still have the video where he jokes about having "power" when he became the boss of this department. He is going to pull out all the stops to get me fired, and I have to do likewise.

I am not going to go "quietly into that good night" this time. Last time I had to talk to the board member he counseled me to let it blow over and do nothing. That is not an option this time. There is too much at stake.

I know I need to pray - God is is ultimate control and I will need Him to act in this situation. I am reminded a long time ago of a troll on a forum about depression where I was a co-mod. I was not allowed to ban her unless she stepped over the line, and she was walking the line, but not quite over it so I couldn't ban her. I prayed hard for two days asking God to do one of two things - 1) calm her down so she could become a contributing member of our community, or 2) have her go so berserk that I would have a reason to ban her. Within two days she went completely crazy and I had cause to ban her.

I can still post to my blog via my work e-mail address since I have not been banned from e-mail. The following security text will appear on any blog post done this way:

__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 4713 (20091223) __________The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.http://www.eset.com

There is no way to get rid of this. It's automatically appended to all e-mails sent from my work addy. I can't post from my home address because I have to get online to do that.

I binged out of pure stress yesterday - I don't even remember what I ate! I called Brad and he picked me up at work at the end of my shift and took me home. I was too depressed to make it to the gym today and I got a late start so I didn't do any walking.

Prayer are appreciated if you are the praying type. I know God has to be involved in this.

James White vs. Harold Camping links, take 2

Calories eaten yesterday: 1144
Fat: 24g (20%)
Carbs: 70g (27%)
Protein: 143g (53%)
Weight this morning: 127.8
Calories burned in exercise today: 169

This photo is of my new haircut that I got on Friday. My hair is very dry and splits and breaks because it's been thrashed so much. Cutting it helps keep frizzy hairs under control. Click the photo to enlarge.

I set my alarm, but forgot to turn it on so I overslept. I woke up too late to go to the gym, so I'll do the gym tomorrow. Today I took the train into the City to check my P.O. box.

I finally managed to download the KJV Bible (with book and chapter navigation) onto my iPod using the iPod Kindle app. Yay! I had to do it at Starbucks where I have WiFi access and it took about three sittings to download what I needed, register, and find the book I wanted.

Ok, I now present the rest of the James White and Harold Camping programs on Iron Sharpens Iron. I could not find the links on Dr. White's Website, so here they are directly from the Iron Sharpen Iron Website, where the quality is not quite as good. These links go directly to the mp3s of the broadcasts.

James White Reviews His Debate with Harold Camping
Harold Camping Reviews His Debate with James White

If you missed the two days of debate between White and Camping, the links to the mp3s can be found in this post.

Technorati tagged: diet, low fat, weight loss, health, exercise, obesity, overweight, fitness

James White vs. Harold Camping debate links

Calories eaten yesterday: 1337
Fat: 30g (21%)
Carbs: 67g (21%)
Protein: 188g (58%)
Weight this morning: 127.8
Calories burned in exercise today: 393

I was sooo hungry yesterday and ate an extra chicken breast; that's why my calories are so high on a day I didn't go to the gym. :-p I ate more calories yesterday than I burned. :( I'm still very hungry, but stuffing myself with salads.

Feel blah today. Just tired. Dragged myself to the gym and did an hour of weight training and 40 minutes on one of the new elliptical machines. Walked to work from the train. I bought salads on the way in.

Tomorrow is major laundry - wash everything and bleach the whites. Oh fun.

Okay, here's the links to the two parts James White vs. Harold Camping debate. These links go directly to the mp3s:

White vs. Camping, Part 1
White vs. Camping, Part 2

I hear they will have both guests on alone in the next two days - James White the first day and Harold Camping the next, each taking calls. I will post both days of that if it happens.

Technorati tagged: diet, low fat, weight loss, health, Family Stations, Family Radio, Harold Camping, James White

Hunger...

Calories eaten yesterday: 1310
Fat: 30g (22%)
Carbs: 70g (24%)
Protein: 165g (54%)
Weight this morning: 128
Calories burned in exercise today: 79

I slept in and decided to take it easy today. I did just under a half hour of walking down the train station and that was it. Hopefully tomorrow I can hit the gym again.

I am so damn hungry today! I ate over 1300 calories yesterday so I don't know why, but I am. I even had a cup of eggs for breakfast, but I might as well have eaten oatmeal for how hungry I am. Grrr... I am doing so well on my weight - 128 this morning! Who wouldn't guessed that?

I know there is bread and peanut butter down the hall and I want to binge on it so badly, but I know my body. One binge equals several weeks of trying to get back where I was before. I can't give in now! I did eat an extra chicken breast - that shouldn't ruin my diet too badly.

Tomorrow I'll post the links to the White vs. Camping debate. The Iron Sharpens Iron website didn't have the whole debate (30 minutes of technical problems so only half of the debate actually aired) and the sound quality wasn't as good so I'll use the links from Dr. White's website.

In case anyone wonders about my interest in this debate, it's simple. I work for Family Radio and Mr. Camping signs my paychecks. As for James White, I have listened to his Dividing Line podcast for several months and really enjoy them. He makes me think about issues and that's a good thing.

Technorati tagged: diet, low fat, weight loss, health, exercise, obesity, overweight, fitness

Upcoming: James White vs. Harold Camping Debate!

Calories eaten yesterday: 867
Fat: 21g (24%)
Carbs: 37g (19%)
Protein: 117g (57%)
Weight this morning: 130.8
Calories burned in exercise today: 388

Went to the gym today. Did one hour of weight training, 30 minutes on the stairmaster (I was dripping sweat), and 10 minutes on one of the new elipticals. I had my post-workout protein shake and then walked to work from my train stop (30 minutes).

Tomorrow hopefully I can sleep in and just do a lot of walking for my exercise.

I wanted to talk a little about my job, a video response, and an upcoming debate. As you may know, I work for Family Radio. The president of Family Radio is Harold Camping, and a few years ago he theologically went totally off the deep end and started proclaiming that the church age is over and people should leave their churches. Here is an in-depth video response from Dr. James White about this. Since then, Camping has set a date for the rapture - May 21, 2011, and another date for the end of the world - October 21, 2011.

Dr. White will be debating Mr. Camping tomorrow, July 28, and Wednesday July 29th. The latest update I found is here. Here is the Dividing Line link Dr. White mentions to listen to the debate. I will post links to the mp3s after the programs have aired.

Technorati tagged: diet, low fat, weight loss, health, Family Stations, Family Radio, Harold Camping, James White

Book review - The Signs and Wonders Movement--Exposed

The Signs and Wonders Movement - Exposed with Peter Glover (editor) (out of print but available at Amazon)

This was a good book. Even thought is primarily focuses on the so-called Toronto Blessing, and newer "moves of God" have since come along, I think the information is solid for all movements that engage in signs and wonders teachings.

Each of the four writers bring their own unique experiences to the book. Two are eyewitnesses and two are researchers. Mark Haville is a former Word-Faith minister who now speaks out against that movement. Chris Hand has seen the Vineyard revival first hand when it came to his church. He eventually had to leave that church. Philip Foster and Peter Glover have researched all sorts of "moves of God" and speak out to protect Christians from falling prey.

I recommend getting a used copy of this book and reading it. It may be about the Toronto Blessing but the information in it is applicable to all signs and wonders ministries operating today.

Technorati tagged: Benny Hinn, Toronto Blessing, signs and wonders, book review, religion, book, books, John Wimber

Feeling better

Calories eaten yesterday: 1248
Fat: 22g (16%)
Carbs: 100g (33%)
Protein: 155g (51%)
Weight this morning: 133.6 (One week ago: n/a)
Calories burned in exercise today: 374

When my alarm went off this morning I realized I felt much better than yesterday, so I got up and went in to the gym and had a pretty good workout. Such a difference from yesterday! It wasn't raining when I got to my BART stop so I walked in to work. Now I am worn out!

Today I did lower body weight training (1 hour) and 31 minutes on the treadmill. I walked at 4.0mph for the first 16 minutes; then a rocking song came on my iPod and I kicked it up to slow run at 5.0mph and decided to do that for 15 minutes. Total distance - 2.33 miles. :)

Tomorrow I am sleeping in. No workout Wednesday because it is Ash Wednesday. Wow that snuck up on me fast! I'll go to the liberal church by the lake because they are easy to get to and have a noon service that works perfect for me.

I need to find a better Episcopal church to go to, though - one that believes in the Bible as the word of God. This one proudly condones homosexual practice as perfectly okay. The Bible says it is not okay (Romans 1:26-32). I have a list of conservative churches in this area. My biggest worry is that they will use the 1928 prayer book. I much prefer the current edition.

Regarding my thyroid meds, if I don't start feeling better soon on 112mcg I am going to go back to 100mcg and just have the labs run on that dose. I was feeling better there and think I may have overshot my "sweet spot."

Technorati tagged: diet, low fat, weight loss, health, exercise, obesity, overweight, fitness

Book review - Breath of Rapture

Breath of Rapture by Polly McBee Hutchison was a disappointing book. I read the old 1977 version; the newer one boasts on the back cover that if you liked the Left Behind series then you will like this book. I found it frankly dated (the gas rationing of the 70s) and hopelessly unbelievable. Why they re-released it I can't imagine. About the only good thing I can say is that it's a fast read.

I wanted more detail, the way the Left Behind books went into detail and drew you into the characters' lives. I just couldn't care about these characters. It was too short to go into much detail and is only from the main character's point of view, which is of course limited. It's written in a journal style - a personal diary the character keeps.

Since when is the Antichrist going to have the last name of "Frank"? I thought the Antichrist was going to come from the Middle East. And why does Mr. Frank first appear on an American college campus? That makes no sense. He would be more concerned with international politics, not some nameless American campus.

The gas crisis is mentioned repeatedly as a sign of the end times. The book was written in the 1970s, but the gas crisis dates the book and we all know how that ended - we got through it and the world hasn't ended yet.

Without going into too much detail the author makes her personal beliefs known, and one of them is that God desires all Christians to be healed. And she never tries to deal with how Paul had a thorn in the flesh that God refused to remove (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

I can't mention more unbelievable things without giving away the plot, but there are a few and the last few chapters were the worst. Save your money and your time on a more believable fiction book.

Technorati tagged: rapture, Revelation, end times, book review, religion, book, books

Book review - Pulpit Crimes

Pulpit Crimes is by James White and is an excellent book. I found it a little hard to get started - the reading level seems fairly high and took me a while to adjust. After that the book flowed easily, as Dr. White uncovered one pulpit crime after another.

He doesn't name names in the book so that the book will be relevant to later generations, but I was able to pick out any number of "blab it and grab it" preachers, plus Rick Warren, Benny Hinn, and Harold Camping.

Dr. White tells it like it is and his book will warm the heart of anyone seeing the violence done to the Word of God each week in so many churches. I was gratified to not see these crimes being committed in my church.

After some introductory chapters, he get into the meat of the matter. The chapter titles are provocative:
Prostitution
Pandering to Pluralism
Cowardice under Fire
Entertainment with a License
Felonious Eisegesis
Cross Dressing
Body Count
Identity Theft
Warranty Fraud

As Dr. White rightly points out, if people just stuck to the Bible and what it says, most of these crimes would never happen.

And what can we do as laity? Two things - attend church regularly to come together with other believers, and not put so much on the pastor. If a job can be done by someone else, let that other person do it. Pastors and elders get stretched too thin when they are asked to be all things to the congregation. Congregates need to do their part too.

I only disagreed on a couple of points, such as having to dress up to be properly prepared to come into the presence of God. We don't dress up before coming into God's presence at bedtime prayers, do we? If someone wants to dress up, fine. But I don't feel it is necessary. But on the whole my issues were minor and more a matter of preference than Biblical disagreement.

I would recommend this book to both pastors/elders and laity. Pastors and elders to make sure they are not falling into these traps (and encourage them if they are not), and laity to get a clearer picture of what they should be looking for in a church and what the role of pastor/elder is really about.

I liked this book a lot and may read other books by Dr. White.

Technorati tagged: heresy, church, heretics, pulpit, James White, Pulpit Crimes, book review, religion, book, books

Breaking the Sabbath, Breaking My Camera

I'll catch up on diet stuff tomorrow, but today I want to post one of my occasional posts on religion and faith.

My really nice camera that's less than a year old is broken. I put it in my bag before church along with a Kombucha drink. The drink was unopened, with the seal still on the cap. Somehow, somewhere it got open. The bag is watertight so I didn't discover it until I reached into my bag to get something after the service. The top of the bottle had become loose and flooded my bag and everything in it.

I dried everything as best as I could and later that day Brad used some alcohol to clean the camera as best as he could. But it still won't work right. It sometimes turns on when you hit the button and sometimes doesn't. Same with turning it off - sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it turns itself on when no one is around it.

I believe the broken camera is a chastisement from God, so let me explain.

I have become very lax in keeping the Sabbath - not spending money that day, etc. I regularly spend money and this past Sabbath was no exception and, if anything, worse than usual.

Every time I don't do something that I know God expects me to do, something bad happens. On the couple of occasions where I have withheld my tithe because money was so tight something happens that ends up costing my more money than the tithe would have been. Last time my purse was snatched the very next day. It's to the point that I partly out of fear of what will happen if I don't and not totally out of love. (I know that's not good so no need to tell me. I'm just stating the facts, right or wrong.)

So I believe that God allowed the cap of the bottle to come loose and destroy my camera. If I can spend money on the Sabbath, then I can spend money on a new camera.

I talked to Gary downstairs today to see how much money I have saved. I have $40 taken out of every paycheck and set aside, and the amount currently saved is $210 including the entire month of December. I found a camera similar to my old one (slightly upgraded) for $174 on Amazon.

I would also like to buy a small digital camera that I can just slip in my pocket, so a lot of expenses and I will have to see how much money my Mom sends me (she said she's sending a check instead of an Amazon gift certificate) and how much money I have set aside here.

Technorati tagged: Jesus, religion, faith, Bible, God, Sabbath

Calvinism, God, & I

Calories eaten yesterday: 1275
Fat: 22g (16%)
Carbs: 117g (37%)
Protein: 148g (47%)
Weight this morning: 133.2 (One week ago: 135)
Calories burned in exercise today: 332

Did lower body and core at the gym today - 1 hour. Then I got on the elliptical for 30 minutes. I wore my heart monitor and worked to keep my heart rate up.

Tomorrow is my bi-monthly mail run into the City.

Hmmm, okay, the God stuff I promised. I have been finding myself moving more and more toward Calvinism, primarily because of Dr. James Whites' You Tube videos, and also from talks with Brad. This scares me because I don't want a God like that. I want a God who lets us have a say in whether we are saved or not, a God who draws everyone, not just the elect. In my humanness, I want to have a say in my salvation.

The issue for me - the root of it all, if you will - is can I love a Calvinist God who elects some to salvation and damns others to hell? I know He doesn't have to save any of us - none of us deserve it and it is grace that He chooses to save anyone. But I am still struggling. I also know I need to take it up with God and talk to Him about it, but I haven't found the time thus far, mostly because I don't make finding the time a priority, though it clearly should be.

Technorati tagged: diet, faith, weight loss, church, religion, Bible, James White, Jesus, God

Obama - God's wrath upon our nation

Calories eaten yesterday: 1222
Fat: 24g (17%)
Carbs: 116g (38%)
Protein: 138g (45%)
Calories burned in exercise today: 278

Ok, how I voted. I voted for McCain of course, even though I knew he's probably lose (and he did). I fear for this county's future with Obama in the White House. I pray that in God's wrath against this nation, He remembers mercy, and those of us faithful to Him and His laws.

Obama supports abortion and partial birth abortion. Obama supports gay marriage. Ungodly leaders are one way God pours out wrath on an ungodly nation that shuns Him and His laws.

California Propositions I'll do like this: my vote (yes or no) and then P for passed or F for failed.

Proposition 1A - Safe, Reliable High-Speed Train Bond Act
NO - P

Proposition 2 - Standards for Confining Farm Animals
YES - P

Proposition 3 - Children's Hospital Bond Act. Grant Program.
NO - P

Proposition 4 - Parental Notification Before Terminating Minor's Pregnancy
YES - F

Proposition 5 - Nonviolent Drug Offense. Sentencing, Parole, Rehab
NO - F

Proposition 6 - Police, Law Enforcement Funding. Criminal Laws.
NO - F

Proposition 7 - Renewable Energy Generation
NO - F

Proposition 8 - Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry
YES - P

Proposition 9 - Criminal Justice System. Victims' Rights. Parole.
NO - P

Proposition 10 - Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy Bonds
NO - F

Proposition 11 - Redistricting
NO - P

Proposition 12 - Veterans' Bond
YES - P

I don't know how we as a nation ever got to the point where gay marriage is so accepted that we have to alter the California constitution to outlaw it here. This nation is on a downward slide and God's wrath is already being poured out. At least this time California voters did the right thing.

I'm upset that the parental notification proposition didn't pass, though I'm not really surprised. Farm animals (Prop. 2) are worth more than a baby in the womb. While I'm glad that Prop. 2 passed, I think that when farm animals are more important than human life there is a serious problem in our priorities.

I can't believe that I used to support abortion. What was I thinking? I would have been one of those people voting for the rights of farm animals while telling teens it's okay to have an abortion.

Technorati tagged: president, Obama, election, vote, Barack, California, Prop. 8, Proposition 8, gay, gay marriage

Book review - Unification Church

I recently read Unification Church by J. Isamu Yamaoto. It is a short book (85 pages), but is well organized and uses an outline form to pack as much information as possible into a small space. This book is just one in a series put out by Zondervan on cults and religious movements.

It starts off with an introduction - historical background on the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, how he started the church, and statistics on the church.

Part 2 is the main part of the book - theology. The book talks about various aspects of Unification theology and how it differs from historical Christianity, using the Bible to refute Moon's teachings. It covers divine revelation, sin, salvation, Christ & the Trinity, resurrection, and heaven & hell.

Part 3 is witnessing tips - how to approach a Unificationist, and what approaches to avoid. Very good suggestions here if you plan on witnessing to a church member.

Part 4 is a bibliography - books for further study, both from the Unification perspective and the Christian perspective.

Part 5 is a sort of summary of part 2 - an at-a-glance chart with Unification theology on one side and Bible verses refuting it on the other.

I recommend this book for anyone wanting to know more about the Rev. Moon and his church.

Technorati tagged: cult, church, faith, Unification Church, Sun Myung Moon, Divine Principle, book review, Moonies, book, books

Bible quiz

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