ACLU

My problem with ACLU, they can be protecting the rights of ALL people including those who are dangerous to the innocents. If Christians want to protect an american's liberty, they should do so using different resources and organizations that are not so anti-Christian. To me Christians are not to work with ACLU but work with similar organizations such as Christian Legal Society of the Center for Law and Religious Freedom. It’s a conservative, evangelical group to counter the ACLU. Another Organization is Rutherford Institute. Both are civil liberties organizations that provides free legal services to people whose constitutional and human rights have been threatened or violated. I would not work with organzations who do NOT discern what is moral. ACLU do NOT care about moral issue. ACLU only care the "RIGHTS" of an individual no matter how sinful the person may be.

Demons believes in God/Jesus and they are in hell........

Knowledge of God alone is no proof of salvation. Demons are fallen angels and they know God. They have seen God. James 2:19 (The Message) Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? That's just great. Demons do that, but what good does it do them? James 2:19 (New International Version) You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. James 2:19 (New Living Translation) Do you still think it's enough just to believe that there is one God? Well, even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror! James 2:19 (King James Version) Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. There are many kinds of "FAITH". Many of them are "dead faith" and the other faith is true faith. True faith is that produces something and its living faith. "Oh," but he says "I believe, I believe," "Yeah," he says, "The devils believe and they tremble." Faith is not enough to believe unless that person's faith results in an act of commitment to Christ that results in a changed life that bears fruit. Jesus is the truth. True faith hears, believes, and actively responds from the heart. Faith comes as a result of the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit-He quickens our hearts to believe. Apart from the new birth, there can be no true faith.

Future

Since no one knows the future, so what do I know what is to come? For I am living today knowing that I will die someday. Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains. I am a good man, like the fool, I will not be remembered and someday, like the fool, I will be forgotten. There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. There is a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. Who knows what is good for me in my life? Who can tell me what is happening to the earth after I am gone? I know that death is the destiny of every living person and I should take this to my heart. When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, I cannot predict my future. There is not a righteous person on earth who does what is right and never sins. Righteous people who get what the wicked deserve, and wicked people who get what the righteous deserve. We all share a common destiny-the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad. No one knows when our hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so we are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon us. No one knows what is coming- who can tell us what will happen? Our bodies will turn back dust and returns to the ground they came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. Life is full of surprises. The possibilities for tomorrow are usually beyond my expectations. In reality, uncertain future is part of life. I must treat "today is my last day" because tomorrow may not come for me. Christ is more than a system, tradition, or belief. He is a Person who knows our needs, feels our pain, and sympathizes with our weakness. In exchange for our trust, He offers to forgive our sins, to intercede for us, and to bring us to His Father. He cried for us, died for us, and rose from the dead to show that He was all He claimed to be. Conquering death, He showed us that He can save us from our sins, live His life through us on earth, and then bring us safely to heaven. He offers Himself as a gift to anyone who will trust Him (John 20:24-31).

Christians with imaginary Fringe Benefits

Our hearts (core) are seated deep within our minds where they pollutes our emotions (desires), the intellect (imaginations) and the will (purposes). A Christian should not ask, "If I follow Christ, what will it cost me?". Rather, a Christian should say, "I will follow Christ and let any costs come to me because God will help me walk in it." God will not lead us unless He is able to use us for His own glory. God cannot lead stubborn and selfish Christians who are trying to use God for their own spiritual & personal agendas. Too many people are thinking that we can have God's glory at little or no cost. Prosperity and motivational preaching has become major theologies in the Christian world. The heart is where God meets us because that is where we make our decisions. Our hearts are where our desires and motives are located. It is important to understand that our hearts are the state of our "flesh". Our flesh search for pleasure, pride, passions and selfish motives. Our hearts are like a garden with beautiful flowers and plants. As with all gardens, the hearts must be kept free from weeds and insects. In Proverbs 4:23, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do." (NLT). Jesus said in Matthew 6:21, "Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be." (NLT). Throughout the Bible, God have warned people to be careful of idolatry because we could slip into it almost without noticing it. Idolatry is an excessive devotion or reverence to an object or objects (i.e. prosperity, self-motivation, healing and etc). Idolatry is being used as an instrument of worship which is a false notion that causes spiritual errors in thinking or reasoning. I want to be like David, "David son of Jesse is a man after my own heart, for he will do everything I want him to do." Acts 13:22 & 1 Samuel 13:14 (NLT). David was a sinner like me. I can relate to David. I understood what God is trying to say though David that God judges the heart, not the actions. Even though David's actions were very sinful however God knows David's heart that his heart has repented and desired God first. In Proverbs 21:2, "People may think they are doing (action) what is right, but the Lord examines the heart." (NLT)

Many small blessings

In the past 2 months, God have given my family many small blessings since we started attending a local church more faithfully. We found a new "home" church that we felt like we are part of the family. Over the weekend, we became members of this local church. God even gave us more small blessings when we submitted to Him and faithfully put Him first in our lives. Our finances have improved and we are able to pay the bills on time while having enough cash flow to "save" for future expenses. My wife found a simple "part-time" job that she only will work while the kids are in school. She will be working for the school district, which therefore, she will not work when the kids do not have school. There are many other smaller blessings we have received from God that I could list but they are too long. One thing we have learned is that, joining a local church does not mean we are consciously loyal to a denomination and following the denomination's traditions. Because if we do, we lose the complete understanding of a true meaning of "Church" and "Worship". We have to worship in spirit (John 4:23-24). We are motivated to serve God by being part of this local Church ministries. We have started attending Sunday School classes, my wife started attending Women's Bible Study on Tuesdays and we are joining a "bible study group" within our age group this Sunday. I have been more motivated to read the scriptures more often and even pray more often (in many ways). I am having a personal relationship with God. Just because of my relationship with God every day, I am not willing to sin (my "problem sins" I was experiencing in the past when I was away from God during my "prodigal" period). In fact, I am repenting more frequent. I have a strong desire to be like David because he was a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). For two reasons why David was a man after God's own heart: 1. David loved God with all of his heart and always tried to put God first. David honored God above all, including himself. 2. When confronted with sin, David habitually confessed his fault, turned from offense, and sought forgiveness (1 Sam. 25:32-35; 2 Sam. 11:27-12:23; 2 Sam. 24:10-14). David humbled himself and could say to God, "Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight." (Psalm 51:4) What made David a special man of God was a humble heart that freely admitted faults and continually sought after God. Read: Matthew 5:3-5 and 2 Corinthians 1:3-11

Do I seek God with all my heart or is it merely an occasional glance?

Following Christ is costly in many ways. The greatest cost of all is to the old nature, ego, self. Nowhere in the Gospels do I find anything optimistic for earthly promises. Jesus told His hearers the whole truth and let them make up their minds. After Jesus spoke to "followers" (disciples) about the conditions, they turned back and no longer followed him. (John 6:66). Jesus might have grieved over His Cost of Discipleship requirements, but He never ran after them to try to win them with rosy promises. Christians all around us are trying every shortcut they can think of, to get "something for nothing" in the kingdom of God. Although God's grace has been given freely to humans who do not deserve it, the grace of God and point out that Jesus commanded us to take up our cross and follow Him. Our minds are so much set on things earthly and so little on things above. To grow in Christ as God desires demands on our submission to Him.

Denomination

I am just a Christian. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. Discipleship means to know and follow Christ. To be a disciple of Christ means I am not a Christian based on "denomination", but rather, I am a Christian simply because I have accept Christ as my Lord and Savior. As a disciple, my Christian faith should be inward, not outward because the Bible teaches that faith is of the spirit and not of the flesh. Christ dwells in my heart, and "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27) is the burning core of the Christian faith. I am to be humbled and have a strong relationship with Jesus within my heart. The better I know Him the more I will trust Him because I will understand who He is. Through the knowledge of God, Holy Spirit will communicate to my spirit at the deepest levels of my heart. My heart is the key to submission and obedience of discipleship. There is head knowledge and a heart knowledge, in knowing God (not just about Him) the heart must be involved with the head. God has sent us the Holy Spirit (John 16:12-15). If I humble myself to God, the Holy Spirit will reveal Jesus in me and teach me with revelations of spiritual truth (Matthew 11:25-27). My faith of actions should be my relationship with My Lord, my daily life, my worship reflect my concept of God. I have learned that denomination is not the issue. The issue is Christ.

Taking Bible seriously

The sadness and the tragedy of this fact is that some within Christianity do not believe that God created us in His own image. To say the Bible is not all literal factual and should not be taken seriously. What a strange paradox! The Christian free-thinkers saying that the Bible should not be taken seriously. The Bible is THE BOOK which the Word of God is speaking life to my soul. Strange indeed that some Christians have the idea that the Word of God can only be serious when they consider the areas they THINK should be serious. Those who hold the Word of God as a wonderful revelation, indeed, and a trustworthy guide. We need to be aware always that if we do not keep the Word of God on our side because more Christians will one day do not believe every word in the Bible. It is up to us. What do we sincerely will to do with God and His revealed Word? What is the Church in biblical perspective? Sadly, many denominations are not looking at from the biblical perspective. Whatever keeps Christians from the Bible is a serious threat to Christianity. There are Christians with sharp minds but limited outlook who saw one truth and, unable to relate it to other truths, became narrow unbelievers, devoutly cultivating their tiny plot, naively believing that their own theories are better than God.

The Bible is an organic unity, one with itself throughout, and must be received in toto or in toto rejected. I dare not select the parts I want to believe and exclude what disturbs or offends me. That would be to set up my fallible reason as a criterion against which to judge infallible revelation, obviously in itself an unreasonable thing to do. While it is true that I stand before the Bible to be judged and not the Bible before me; while it is true that I am morally obliged to accept the Holy Scriptures and by the light they afford prepare myself so the Holy Scriptures may accept me, as a serious-minded and responsible thinker I must admit that it is sometimes difficult to know precisely what the Scriptures teach on a given subject. When once we know, we must accept and believe; until we know we can maintain our moral integrity only by admitting our ignorance; and that very ignorance itself obliges us to search the Word in prayerful reverence until the light breaks and our doubts are cleared away. A.W Tozer

Prodigal Christians

The prodigal son had "accepted" his father's forgiveness. Christ's death for us removes our sin and scrubs clean our consciences. It is time to bury my regrets and start serving Lord Jesus Christ! My heart that has been delivered from sin should not feel regreted but accept Christ's wondrous gifts of relief. My attitude of "returned prodigal" honors and submitting to my father more by rejoicing . In Luke 15, I was like this prodigal son which God have placed me where I was that I need to get out. God put me at the bottom which made me humbled that brought me to my senses. Like the prodigal son went back to his father with this attitude: "Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand." The prodigal son's father responded with this attitude: "My son is here--given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!". I truly believed that God have responded the same way when I decided to go back to Him. The parable of the prodigal son shows the nature of repentance, and God's readiness to welcome and bless all who return to Him. Matthew 5:4-6 (NIV) Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:4-6 (The Message) You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. You're blessed when you're content with just who you are--no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought. You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat. I was poor in spirit but now I am happy because my actions brought me to to the bottom. With that, I have learned that being humble and lowly in my own eyes have brought me to understand. I understood my spiritual desire and confessed my guilt, and thirst after Jesus Christ. I mourned but now I am happy because my godly sorrow have brought me true repentance with humble mind, and continual dependence for acceptance on the mercy of Jesus Christ. I constant seeking the Holy Spirit daily , to clean away my sins. Such attitude of mournering have brought me comfort of my past sins because God forgave and forgot them. I am happy because I was a willing meek who quietly submit to God. God blesses those who hunger and thirst after righteousness because the blessings are purchased for us by the righteousness of Christ. Prayer Lord, I turn from that regret that refuses to accept Your Word and Your promise. May praise to You fill my heart as I serve You.

Addicted to Thrills?

Proverbs 21:17 You're addicted to thrills? What an empty life! The pursuit of pleasure is never satisfied.

Model Christians

Like it or not, we are all models. Others are watching us closely. This is scary. Who or What am I modeling? Am I modeling--negatively or positively--whether I intend to or not. Careless Christians do not discipline or examine themselves often enough because the Bible clearly teaches that we are to repent our sins to God daily. We still are sinners while living in this "tent" which means our bodies that are carrying the disease. We were spiritually dead but now spiritually holy and forgiven. The whole drive behind the Christian life is this longing to be conformed to the image of Christ. The more we run toward Christ and the closer we draw to Him, the more we light up this world and become salt in it. This is the way for us to be like Jesus Christ. One day we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). We, who are truly disciples of Jesus Christ today are in the process of transformation into the likeness of our model. That process is quickened as we daily walk by the Holy Spirit.

Life is Short

Two of my co-workers have died in the last few weeks. Both were young men (to me), one was in the 40's and the other was in the 50's. One died of diabetes and the other died of cancer. Life is short. Our temporal mind-set thinks primarily about the things of now and we focus on this world as if it is all there is. As a Christian, I know that this life is only temporary so biblically, I am commanded to better make good use of my life for God's glory. It is foolish to waste time and I need to make the best use of my time to impact this world for Jesus while I have the opportunity. Since no one knows the future, so what do I know what is to come? For I am living today knowing that I will die someday. Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains. There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. There is a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. Life is full of surprises. The possibilities for tomorrow are usually beyond my expectations. In reality, uncertain future is part of life. I must treat "today is my last day" because tomorrow may not come for me.

Christian Babe

The letter of Jude was a blunt letter to Christians. Jude, a brother of James who wrote the letter of James. The key objects of the letter are: False teachings and Holy Faith. Ephesians 4:14-15: No prolonged infancies among us, please. We'll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love--like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. Acts 17:11: They were treated a lot better there than in Thessalonica. The Jews received Paul's message with enthusiasm and met with him daily, examining the Scriptures to see if they supported what he said. Hebrew 5:14: solid food is for the mature, who have some practice in telling right from wrong.

True Happiness

Christ's definition of Beatitudes (Matthew 5) contradicts the world's standard of happiness. True happiness can only come from one source which is Jesus Christ. True happiness begins in my heart, mourning over sin which leads to meekness. From the attitude of meekness, I hunger and thirst for righteousness. Through Jesus Christ, I can receive God's mercy and righteousness that my heart will be pure. When I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit came into my heart and cleansed my sins and purified my heart. Only God can provide happiness when I have Jesus Christ in my heart and only Jesus Christ can give me true happiness. Happy are those who joyfully endure problems and trials because knowing God is teaching and leading me to where He want me to go. Enduring trials are part of a Christian's life. (Read: Romans 3 and James 1).

Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

".... I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind He will accept. When you think of what He has done for you, is this too much to ask?" Romans 12:1 (NLT) James 4:13-17 (New Living Translation) Look here, you people who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit." How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like the morning fog--it's here a little while, then it's gone. What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that." Otherwise you will be boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. The heart is the source of our emotions, thoughts and motives. The heart is the part of our being where we desire, deliberate, and decide. Jesus said in Matthew 6:21, "Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be." (NLT) In Proverbs 4:23, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do." (NLT) In Proverbs 21:2, "People may think they are doing what is right, but the Lord examines the heart." (NLT) Living and holy sacrifice means we are to lay our lives before God with our hearts, minds and bodies. "David son of Jesse is a man after my own heart, for he will do everything I want him to do." Acts 13:22 & 1 Samuel 13:14 (NLT). The heart is the source of our emotions, thoughts and motives. I am learning that if I am seeking God for my own selfishness (self-interest) is a form of idolatry. I need to guard myself and be on the watch against any object of my loyality belongs only to God. KNOW God and HIS Will. I need to "take delight in the Lord, and He will give me my heart's desires" (Psalm 37:4).

Bible Study

A Christian who studies the bible does not rely human mind to learn the scripture. Studying the scriptures requires the Holy Spirit which is inward, not outward. The Holy Spirit is within us believers, Christ dwells in our hearts, and "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27) is the burning core of the Christian faith. Church is spiritual and the body of believers (Christians) are the same.

Ephesians 4:14-15: No prolonged infancies among us, please. We'll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love--like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do.

Acts 17:11: They were treated a lot better there than in Thessalonica. The Jews received Paul's message with enthusiasm and met with him daily, examining the Scriptures to see if they supported what he said.

The Bible teaches that faith is of the spirit and not of the flesh. Christ dwells in my heart, and "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27) is the burning core of the Christian faith. I am to be humbled and have a strong relationship with Jesus within my heart. Through the knowledge of God, Holy Spirit will communicate to my spirit at the deepest levels of my heart. If I humble myself to God, the Holy Spirit will reveal Jesus in me and teach me with revelations of spiritual truth (Matthew 11:25-27). Spiritual growth requires us to understand the Scriptures and get to know our God the Father, our Savior the Son, and our comforter the Holy Spirit.

John 14:26, Jesus said: But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

Ephesians 1:13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,

Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Hebrews 10:14-16 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds."

Denominations

Denominations causes divisions which have been around for thousands years. Beliefs that impact people's lives and the Church, but with which there can be sincere disagreements. They are important; Christians might argue for them. These are theological ideas with which there can be great latitude of belief. These would include beliefs about predestination, eternal security, original sin, infant baptism and others. Another of the major reason we have denominations is legalism. Another major reason: Church Management Most denominations have man-made rules that the denomination follows. These rules are often written down as official statements of church doctrine (manuals, catechisms, creeds, disciplines, etc.). But men have no right to make religious laws (Matt. 15:9; Eph. 1:22,23; James 4:12). No human writing or teaching should be viewed as an official, authoritative statement of church doctrine. Another Major reason is: Personal Preferences Christians sometimes follow their conscience, feelings, beliefs and personal worship preferences. Some denominations are created by: Human Ideas, Pride, Lack of Love for Truth Bottom Line: Christian disagreement and confusion are not caused by God (Holy Spirit) or His word. They are caused by people who do not diligently obey God's Word. So.... the bottom line..... there is NO perfect church. No human being is perfect. There are different preferences of beliefs and different style of worship. Some prefer one worship style while other prefer another worship style. The key is that we must worship God in Spirit with other believers regardless our "personal" opinion or loyalty to our denominations (or non-denomination). John 4:23-24 (New International Version) Jesus said:

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.