The Lord has laid this heavy on my heart to illustrate to you the problem of sin.
Here is an extreme example: imagine a robber points at your head with a gun and says he'll let you live if you recant your faith in Christ. What is more important to you, choosing Christ and everlasting life or choosing a faithless life on earth? I assume many of you would be horrified and outraged at the thought of someone suggesting you to recant your faith in Christ. I doubt any of you would think, "Well, if I recant Christ now, He'll always take me back when I ask for forgiveness before I go to bed." or even "If I deny Christ now and live, then I can save more people for God's glory -- I won't be of any use up in Heaven anyway."
How absolutely absurd! The thought of such betrayal sickens me, and hopefully you.
But isn't that what Satan does on a small scale every day? Doesn't he point the threat of sin at your head and say "I'll satisfy your temptations if you disobey Christ"? Aren't you making a choice between sin and God every time (assuming as I do that sin is a willful disobedience against God's known Law, or the refusal to do what you know to be right)? If you choose to sin against God, it is normally accompanied with a twinge of guilt and an excuse such as "I can always ask for forgiveness" or "there's no point in looking weird -- no one will listen to me if I follow God on this one. Wouldn't He rather I bring souls to Him?" or worse yet, "the temptation is too great to bear."
You know what I say to this? How absolutely absurd. The modern Christian mindset is sickening. Many of us have been brought up to believe that sin is normal, and we try as we like, we will never be rid of it. Some are even encouraged to find disobedience necessary because it proves how very reliant we are on Christ, and portrays His grace. It is not some secret within Christianity that we, as children of a Holy God, are supposed to despise sin and love righteousness. Yet why is the modern message, "Don't judge me; I'm a sinner too!" The modern message promotes that Christians are no holier than the typical sinner in an attempt to neutralize their self-imposed inadequacy. Ironically, most non-Christians are turned off by the fact that the church preaches overcoming sin and then turns around and commits fraud or adultery. All of the failures of the modern church further prove to non-Christians that God is not worth following, because He can't even control His own people.
God is not weak! God does not say "I don't mind if you sin because I will just overlook it", or "it's okay if you sin because I can't completely cleanse you anyway". On the contrary, God commands us to be holy, to commit ourselves to Him and trust that He will perfect us in obedience, so that we may live our lives as holy and blameless children, walking in the righteousness of Him who makes us pure. We do not hide behind Christ and hope God overlooks our sin; we allow Christ to take a sledgehammer to our sin! Christ will not take a sledgehammer to it until you fully commit it to Him. There is no "return policy" on sin. You can't just say, "okay God, I will get rid of this sin for now, but I can't promise anything for later." You either commit it to God or you don't. You either genuinely repent of your sin, or you are just saying words in vain. God is not fooled by hypocrisy, and He does not accept evil. Christians cannot be both darkness and light; we cannot serve both God and sin. It is a horrible injustice and blasphemy to God's name to suggest that we are allowed to sin against Him.
Jeremiah 7:8-11
8 “Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. 9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, 10 and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations’? 11 Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says the LORD.
1 John 3:4-10
4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. 6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
Hebrews 10:26-27
26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.
James 3:10-12
10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh
Romans 6:15-18
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin instruments of righteousness to God. leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
Just as surely as God hates sin, He keeps His promises. Jesus does not leave us to deal with Satan all by ourselves; on the contrary, the power to defeat sin is made in Christ alone. By recognizing our complete reliance on Jesus to make us pure, we are empowered to withstand temptation and choose God over sin every time. The only time it is ever hard to choose Jesus over Satan is if you love Satan more than God.
1 Corinthians 10:13
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
James 4:7-8
7Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
John 14:21
21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
1 John 2:3-6
3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
Romans 6:5-7
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.
Romans 6:11-14
11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
If you consider sin to be unacceptable, but unavoidable, I urge you to study the above passages. God's Word says we are freed from sin when we accept and obey Him. It says that we are either slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness. There is none of this "you're still holy if you sin" or even "Christians aren't holy" that the modern church is spewing. There is a way out for every temptation, there is a choice to be made every time between sin and God. Which will you choose when the gun is pointed at your head? Do you love God enough to allow Him to completely free you from sin, or do you love your sin so much you cannot imagine a life without it?
The gun will always be pointing, so choose wisely.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
No Greater Love
I have no hesitation in saying that the plot of this poem was inspired directly by God a year and a half ago. I did not know how to "get it out", so to speak, so I settled on writing a poem. One day I would love to make a novel or play out of it, but I would rather this important and controversial topic stay in the limelight now. Human life is too precious to avoid or put off until more "convenient" times. I hope and pray that this poem will raise important issues and provide an opportunity for self-reflection for all of my readers. Soli Deo Gloria.
No Greater Love
A godlier couple none could find here
than the young Whittingers, wholesome and true.
Obeying the Lord through His holy grace,
they worshiped the Trinity through and through.
The wife was Lorelei, a priceless gem,
a woman of many faith-filling deeds,
She served her town in Christ's manner of love
and fulfilled all of her dear husband's needs.
Jakob, the husband, a God-fearing man,
served humbly with love to all in his life
His example revealed the heart of Christ;
submission to God and loving his wife.
Their love was selfless like medieval tales,
full of purity, honor, and strength too,
All who witnessed their gentle caresses
knew with no doubt true love sustained and grew.
Overjoyed were their hearts with the good news
that young Lorelei's womb carried a child,
a new life the Whittingers yearned to raise
with tender love and Truth undefiled.
Every morning and night Jakob knelt down
to tenderly kiss the still growing life.
He'd whisper "We love you and the Lord too"
and lovingly embrace his glowing wife.
The time came for the doctor's first visit
to check the baby and Lorelei's health
"Everything's fine and the baby is safe,
all’s according to plan -- you're well yourself."
The loving couple held hands and smiled
praising the Lord for the blessings bestowed
for knowing all good things come from above,
humbles the heart and helps faith down the road.
The second big visit for them came 'round
and this time the news was not quite so good
"I'm sorry – you’re fine but your child is not;
The life it will lead is not what it should."
The worried couple linked arms and replied,
"Our child was just fine, how bad can this be?
What changed for worse, was it something we did?"
"No, this disease is Trisomy 18."
With compassion the doctor continued,
"Your child’s life will be lacking much mirth,
the heart, mind, kidneys will fail in a year,
or else the child will die before birth."
"There is a difficult choice to be made,
keep or abort the child, but it will die."
With pity, he left the couple in peace,
to adjust to the horrid news and cry.
At once to their Savior they prayed in tears,
"Lord Jesus, take this soul if it’s Your will,
we will praise you even then – but please Lord,
heal our baby and give life to fulfill!"
The next time the doctor came they answered,
"We cannot in good faith abort this child,
there is always hope for a miracle,
giving up would be our faith defiled."
The doctor understood and prepared them,
and encouraged them to take it in stride
for many expectations could go wrong,
but his promise was to be by their side.
"Thank you, dear doctor, the Lord bless your life,
we love your honesty and compassion.
Whether or not this child is to die,
we will still live in a holy fashion."
So the Whittingers pressed on, still joyful,
tainted by the unknown of tomorrow,
they sang to their child and prayed for life,
though their hearts wept in expectant sorrow.
"Have faith," their friends told them, hugging them hard,
"Disease is cruel but the Lord has seen worse."
"Thank you for your support, but we have faith,
our reality just plagues like a curse."
Lorelei would not shop without Jakob
she could not bear to meet strangers alone,
she fought temptation to covet children
and held back tears with her mom on the phone.
"Blessed wife, take strength in the Lord's vast grace,
and please find comfort in my loving arms,
I love you no matter what happens here,
and I'll protect your heart from Satan's charms."
"Oh husband, I thank you for your support,
the love you shower on me and our babe,
I praise God daily, for you are a gift,
a fine father you'll make on that great day."
The embraced couple rained tears from their eyes,
mixed with joy, sorrow, and expectant prayers.
They prayed God would take away the child's pain
for they did not know how her comfort fared.
Days turned to weeks and the weeks into months
Lorelei felt pains and she was doctored
"It’s too premature for the baby's time,
a tear in the placenta has occurred."
He said, with a grave look, wringing his hands,
"Rethink abortion, she’s destined to die,
this is my firm medical opinion
for I fear this birth may claim your wife."
"Faithless men dictate this with their logic,
what says your heart, my dear doctor, my friend?"
He could not face such an angel in pain
he gave them some names of women in mend.
The first woman was once in a like state,
but aborted with sorrow and resolve.
"He was brain dead and bad was my health,
I have three children whose lives I revolve."
"Did you regret it?" asked Lorelei still,
"Yes, but if in vain I gave birth and died,
my husband would have a brain dead child
no wife to raise him, no heart for a bride."
The next woman could not bear to abort.
Her child lived for nearly two long years
before the poor parents were left to grieve,
"But truth be told, my health was not a fear."
Conflicted, she thought “what would Jesus do?”
She wept and considered his sacrifice,
"Lord, give me faith to do as you command,
for with holy blood you paid for our lives."
With peace she spoke to her loving husband,
"My darling, I know now what I must do.
We cannot allow doubt to hinder us."
"I agree, love, no abortion for you."
Then suddenly, an unbearable pain
seized her and brought her shaking to her knees,
"Jakob, love, the baby is arriving!"
He pulled her upright quick and grabbed the keys.
He rushed to the hospital and ran in,
she was screaming, shuddering and too pale,
"Somebody, please help us! Get the doctor,
My wife's in pain!" he explained in a wail.
The staff rushed to her side with a wheelchair,
"Breathe, Lorelei, breathe, everything's all right,"
The doctor ran to them with a clean smock,
ready to help her deliver all night.
The painful labor and horrible cries
seemed difficult at too early a stage.
Jakob prayed to God for a miracle,
for his wife was lost in a pain-filled daze.
Whimpers and blood poured quick out of her now
with no sign of a child, dead or alive.
They planned a C-Section to help them through
for at this rate neither one would survive.
The doctor came outside, shielding his voice,
"Jakob, I have terrible news," he cried,
"I can save one but the other will die.
Tonight, right now, you will have to decide."
He fell to his knees, hands raised to Heaven,
"Father, hear my plea! This I cannot do!
Do not ask me to pick my wife or child,
They are my life! Choose for me Lord, please choose."
He lay weeping and prostrate on the floor
Lifting his prayers up above when he heard
A singular voice, strong and determined,
Passionately spoke only these three words:
"Save my child! Save my child!"
No Greater Love
A godlier couple none could find here
than the young Whittingers, wholesome and true.
Obeying the Lord through His holy grace,
they worshiped the Trinity through and through.
The wife was Lorelei, a priceless gem,
a woman of many faith-filling deeds,
She served her town in Christ's manner of love
and fulfilled all of her dear husband's needs.
Jakob, the husband, a God-fearing man,
served humbly with love to all in his life
His example revealed the heart of Christ;
submission to God and loving his wife.
Their love was selfless like medieval tales,
full of purity, honor, and strength too,
All who witnessed their gentle caresses
knew with no doubt true love sustained and grew.
Overjoyed were their hearts with the good news
that young Lorelei's womb carried a child,
a new life the Whittingers yearned to raise
with tender love and Truth undefiled.
Every morning and night Jakob knelt down
to tenderly kiss the still growing life.
He'd whisper "We love you and the Lord too"
and lovingly embrace his glowing wife.
The time came for the doctor's first visit
to check the baby and Lorelei's health
"Everything's fine and the baby is safe,
all’s according to plan -- you're well yourself."
The loving couple held hands and smiled
praising the Lord for the blessings bestowed
for knowing all good things come from above,
humbles the heart and helps faith down the road.
The second big visit for them came 'round
and this time the news was not quite so good
"I'm sorry – you’re fine but your child is not;
The life it will lead is not what it should."
The worried couple linked arms and replied,
"Our child was just fine, how bad can this be?
What changed for worse, was it something we did?"
"No, this disease is Trisomy 18."
With compassion the doctor continued,
"Your child’s life will be lacking much mirth,
the heart, mind, kidneys will fail in a year,
or else the child will die before birth."
"There is a difficult choice to be made,
keep or abort the child, but it will die."
With pity, he left the couple in peace,
to adjust to the horrid news and cry.
At once to their Savior they prayed in tears,
"Lord Jesus, take this soul if it’s Your will,
we will praise you even then – but please Lord,
heal our baby and give life to fulfill!"
The next time the doctor came they answered,
"We cannot in good faith abort this child,
there is always hope for a miracle,
giving up would be our faith defiled."
The doctor understood and prepared them,
and encouraged them to take it in stride
for many expectations could go wrong,
but his promise was to be by their side.
"Thank you, dear doctor, the Lord bless your life,
we love your honesty and compassion.
Whether or not this child is to die,
we will still live in a holy fashion."
So the Whittingers pressed on, still joyful,
tainted by the unknown of tomorrow,
they sang to their child and prayed for life,
though their hearts wept in expectant sorrow.
"Have faith," their friends told them, hugging them hard,
"Disease is cruel but the Lord has seen worse."
"Thank you for your support, but we have faith,
our reality just plagues like a curse."
Lorelei would not shop without Jakob
she could not bear to meet strangers alone,
she fought temptation to covet children
and held back tears with her mom on the phone.
"Blessed wife, take strength in the Lord's vast grace,
and please find comfort in my loving arms,
I love you no matter what happens here,
and I'll protect your heart from Satan's charms."
"Oh husband, I thank you for your support,
the love you shower on me and our babe,
I praise God daily, for you are a gift,
a fine father you'll make on that great day."
The embraced couple rained tears from their eyes,
mixed with joy, sorrow, and expectant prayers.
They prayed God would take away the child's pain
for they did not know how her comfort fared.
Days turned to weeks and the weeks into months
Lorelei felt pains and she was doctored
"It’s too premature for the baby's time,
a tear in the placenta has occurred."
He said, with a grave look, wringing his hands,
"Rethink abortion, she’s destined to die,
this is my firm medical opinion
for I fear this birth may claim your wife."
"Faithless men dictate this with their logic,
what says your heart, my dear doctor, my friend?"
He could not face such an angel in pain
he gave them some names of women in mend.
The first woman was once in a like state,
but aborted with sorrow and resolve.
"He was brain dead and bad was my health,
I have three children whose lives I revolve."
"Did you regret it?" asked Lorelei still,
"Yes, but if in vain I gave birth and died,
my husband would have a brain dead child
no wife to raise him, no heart for a bride."
The next woman could not bear to abort.
Her child lived for nearly two long years
before the poor parents were left to grieve,
"But truth be told, my health was not a fear."
Conflicted, she thought “what would Jesus do?”
She wept and considered his sacrifice,
"Lord, give me faith to do as you command,
for with holy blood you paid for our lives."
With peace she spoke to her loving husband,
"My darling, I know now what I must do.
We cannot allow doubt to hinder us."
"I agree, love, no abortion for you."
Then suddenly, an unbearable pain
seized her and brought her shaking to her knees,
"Jakob, love, the baby is arriving!"
He pulled her upright quick and grabbed the keys.
He rushed to the hospital and ran in,
she was screaming, shuddering and too pale,
"Somebody, please help us! Get the doctor,
My wife's in pain!" he explained in a wail.
The staff rushed to her side with a wheelchair,
"Breathe, Lorelei, breathe, everything's all right,"
The doctor ran to them with a clean smock,
ready to help her deliver all night.
The painful labor and horrible cries
seemed difficult at too early a stage.
Jakob prayed to God for a miracle,
for his wife was lost in a pain-filled daze.
Whimpers and blood poured quick out of her now
with no sign of a child, dead or alive.
They planned a C-Section to help them through
for at this rate neither one would survive.
The doctor came outside, shielding his voice,
"Jakob, I have terrible news," he cried,
"I can save one but the other will die.
Tonight, right now, you will have to decide."
He fell to his knees, hands raised to Heaven,
"Father, hear my plea! This I cannot do!
Do not ask me to pick my wife or child,
They are my life! Choose for me Lord, please choose."
He lay weeping and prostrate on the floor
Lifting his prayers up above when he heard
A singular voice, strong and determined,
Passionately spoke only these three words:
"Save my child! Save my child!"
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
War of the Philosophers
War of the Philosophers
My dear sire, I must confess
I find your case ridiculous
You claim there's truth that's absolute
but all these things I can refute.
For instance, take that maple tree
Its size is relative to me.
Decisions based on what I see
help make me act accordingly.
If I see no tree, very well
It does not live within my realm
with no evidence, why believe?
unless shown to the contrary
It's truth to me, can I be blamed
for ignorance's wily claims?
My truth may yet be wrong for you,
You stubbed the tree with your left shoe.
You believe from experience
A real run-in with providence.
Denied I was this lofty claim
So shall I rot in sinful shame?
Nay, that would be illogical.
How can God choose to lose my soul?
He would present Himself to me
if He wanted me to believe.
Well, what have you to say to me?
Is there an argument to see?
Sir, I have listened to your speech
I find relative thought quite bleak.
You would suggest that faith is sight
So by your claims, darkness is light
As long as you believe it so
consequences are what you know.
I cannot fathom death at all
Might I jump off Niagara Falls?
I will not taste pain, fear or death
for I don't see its existence.
But methinks we can all agree;
Death is set for every being.
Furthermore, what of the statement
"No absolutes; all truth is bent"
With your own reasoning you prove
your logic lives in absolutes.
You claim disbelief in my Lord
because He shows no neon board.
But tell me, if you have not seen
How do you know you don't believe?
After all, how can man doubt trees
if desert plain is all he sees?
Perhaps I instilled thought of God
But morality is the Law
All humans first know right from wrong
before singing subjective song
Surely the thought does not exist
Unless a force presented it.
So forgive me as I say with glee
Your relative truth is absolutely unrelative to me.
My dear sire, I must confess
I find your case ridiculous
You claim there's truth that's absolute
but all these things I can refute.
For instance, take that maple tree
Its size is relative to me.
Decisions based on what I see
help make me act accordingly.
If I see no tree, very well
It does not live within my realm
with no evidence, why believe?
unless shown to the contrary
It's truth to me, can I be blamed
for ignorance's wily claims?
My truth may yet be wrong for you,
You stubbed the tree with your left shoe.
You believe from experience
A real run-in with providence.
Denied I was this lofty claim
So shall I rot in sinful shame?
Nay, that would be illogical.
How can God choose to lose my soul?
He would present Himself to me
if He wanted me to believe.
Well, what have you to say to me?
Is there an argument to see?
Sir, I have listened to your speech
I find relative thought quite bleak.
You would suggest that faith is sight
So by your claims, darkness is light
As long as you believe it so
consequences are what you know.
I cannot fathom death at all
Might I jump off Niagara Falls?
I will not taste pain, fear or death
for I don't see its existence.
But methinks we can all agree;
Death is set for every being.
Furthermore, what of the statement
"No absolutes; all truth is bent"
With your own reasoning you prove
your logic lives in absolutes.
You claim disbelief in my Lord
because He shows no neon board.
But tell me, if you have not seen
How do you know you don't believe?
After all, how can man doubt trees
if desert plain is all he sees?
Perhaps I instilled thought of God
But morality is the Law
All humans first know right from wrong
before singing subjective song
Surely the thought does not exist
Unless a force presented it.
So forgive me as I say with glee
Your relative truth is absolutely unrelative to me.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Seduction of the church
Seduction of the church
People of the church give cheer
For Christ's redeeming grace is near
Lift your hands and say the words
Your soul will soar among the birds
No matter how bad the deed
Christ's blood will cover all your needs
If you ever sin again
No fear -- just read Romans Seven
Just make sure to ignore Six
No need to think Paul contradicts.
By the way, don't read First John
He didn't mean "your sin is gone"
He knows you are far too weak;
There's no such thing as "gone" in Greek.
God just says we can be free
He really can't change you and me
I mean, it's absurd to think
Our God can cleanse us in a wink
Sinful beings cannot be fixed
The blood of Jesus does the trick
What do you mean "holy stuff"?
How dare you say God's not enough!
Our sinfulness proves our cause
Christians, holy?! We break no law
well, I mean -- we're sinners too,
but Christ says we're as good as new!
God can't expect holiness
we're ill-equipped for sin's mischief
The whole point of Calvary
was to forgive eternally.
Hmph, you think Christians obey
and carry through with all they say?
How naive! Are you judging me?
Just read God's Word and you will see:
Surely God would let us know
If sinlessness were possible.
People of the church give cheer
For Christ's redeeming grace is near
Lift your hands and say the words
Your soul will soar among the birds
No matter how bad the deed
Christ's blood will cover all your needs
If you ever sin again
No fear -- just read Romans Seven
Just make sure to ignore Six
No need to think Paul contradicts.
By the way, don't read First John
He didn't mean "your sin is gone"
He knows you are far too weak;
There's no such thing as "gone" in Greek.
God just says we can be free
He really can't change you and me
I mean, it's absurd to think
Our God can cleanse us in a wink
Sinful beings cannot be fixed
The blood of Jesus does the trick
What do you mean "holy stuff"?
How dare you say God's not enough!
Our sinfulness proves our cause
Christians, holy?! We break no law
well, I mean -- we're sinners too,
but Christ says we're as good as new!
God can't expect holiness
we're ill-equipped for sin's mischief
The whole point of Calvary
was to forgive eternally.
Hmph, you think Christians obey
and carry through with all they say?
How naive! Are you judging me?
Just read God's Word and you will see:
Surely God would let us know
If sinlessness were possible.
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