Posts tagged ‘Gospel’

Video: ‘A Closer, Faster Walk With’ Jesus

By LaVrai, 26 January, 2009, No Comment

This video is so awful, but oh so true. This is what some folks seem to prefer…

And here’s an excerpt from a LA Times story called “A closer, faster walk with thee”:

So you’re racing through another jam-packed day, late picking up the kids from basketball practice because you got stuck at the office. You still have to pay the bills, walk the dog and perhaps grab cold pizza before collapsing into bed.

When do you ever find time for God?

One publisher has the answer: “The One Minute Bible, Day by Day,” whose brief readings promise to inspire your “daily walk with the Lord.”

Or check out “5 Minute Theologian: Maximum Truth in Minimum Time.”

Because man does not live by bread alone — and might be tempted to eat on the run — there’s “Aunt Susie’s 10-Minute Bible Dinners: Bringing God Into Your Life One Dish at a Time.”

The American style of worship, like everything else in people’s overloaded lives, is speeding up.

This hurried search for the Almighty partly explains the rise of a niche industry of books, DVDs, podcasts, text messages and e-mail blasts that distill the essentials of faith, from creation to the crucifixion.

The materials offer bite-sized spiritual morsels that can be digested in minutes, or even seconds, on the daily commute, aboard airplanes or at the dinner table. As “7 Minutes With God” advises: “Take 7 minutes each day to: build your faith in God, grow closer to the Father, make progress in your spiritual life.”

And what about your over-programmed 10-year-old? Again, religious publishers have an answer: “The Kid Who Would Be King: One Minute Bible Stories About Kids.”

“The audience is definitely anyone who’s interested in a ready-made, quick little devotion they can do every day,” said Tim Jordan, an editor at B&H Publishing Group in Nashville, which produces the “The One Minute Bible.”

“It’s not meant to replace the Bible,” Jordan added. “It’s meant to whet your appetite.”

It’s not a bad idea, these things, but if people start preferring them to actually reading the Holy Bible, then we’re in trouble. Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to our Walk with Jesus the Christ.

Read the full article here..

[HT: The GOD Blog]

‘Do You Look Like Jesus?’

By LaVrai, 23 January, 2009, 4 Comments

holylandjesus

The title of the blog post “Do You Look Like Jesus” is in reference to a commercial I see once in a while on the religious channel for TBN’s The Holy Land Experience. The commercial’s announcer blurts out, “Do you look like Jesus?” and then starts a pitch for folks interested in playing parts at the Holy Land. Above, is a photo from their official Web site of one such actor who they apparently think looks like Jesus.

I could prattle off about how ridiculous it all is — since no one living today, nor anyone living then, took a photo of our LORD and SAVIOR Jesus Christ for us to even begin GUESSING what HE looks like. I could go on about why these folks portraying Jesus always have long hair (and the disciples usually have shorter hair)… where did all of this nonsense come from? And how about some of these false christs we have today… you notice that they, too, take on this man-made image of our LORD?

As I was considering the serious errors of these man-made idols of Christ Jesus, I realized that it is actually quite possible for all of HIS people to actually look like HIM. No matter our skin tone, eye color, hair texture, height, weight, etc. — we can look like Jesus. The Holy Bible does indeed provide a superbly detailed description our LORD and KING.

If you haven’t caught on yet, I am not speaking of HIS physical appearance when HE walked in flesh and blood among the people some 2,000e 2,000
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
Štetje svetopisemskih vrstic se za?ne z ¹! Vrstica ⁰ ne obstaja!

WP-Bible plugin years ago. I am speaking of the image HE left for HIS people to follow, so that we too, can resemble HIM… in character. For the LORD does not look at the outward appearance. It is the heart, the seat of our desires and intentions, that HE examines (Matthew 12:33-35Matthew 12:33-35
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. ³⁴ O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. ³⁵ A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

WP-Bible plugin; 15:18-20). So what kind of image did HE leave for us to take on?

The Earth Will Be Full Of The Knowledge Of The LORD

By LaVrai, 3 December, 2008, No Comment

‘Remind Them Of The HOPE’ – One Day Soon The Earth Will Be Full Of The Knowledge Of The LORD

Even though we are Christians and we know in WHOM we hope, we all have our moments of weakness, the times when we let all the seemingly inexplicable craziness of the world cast down our spirit. It’s easy to get depressed or downtrodden when we look around and hear bad news after bad news — things that, quite frankly, most of us can’t get our heads around.

Sometimes, to me, it seems as if the wicked and rebellious wish GOD wasn’t real and that HE had no place in America. For them, that would be a time of rejoicing, not knowing that without HIS abundant grace, mercy and love we would all be in hell. Every single one of us. Some are ignorant, and some are very knowledgeable of their choices and desires, i.e., some truly know not what they do, but there are others who are well aware that they work for the devil.

And, despite the times when it may seem that evil is prevailing, I know the victory has already been won. When Christ Jesus was on that cross and HE said, “It is finished.” Satan was defeated once and for all. So no matter how the heathen rage and try to bring the evil imaginations of their hearts to life — it’s all in vain.

Nasty Names Christians Call The Unrepentant And Each Other

By LaVrai, 2 September, 2008, 2 Comments

Ephesians 4:29Ephesians 4:29
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. to...: or, to edify profitably

WP-Bible plugin Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

I have found that Christian bloggers and their readers are usually quite zealous when it comes to the wolves who are abusing, misleading and otherwise trying to destroy the sheep — as we should be. On the Web sites I visit, the authors usually use the Holy Scriptures to support their writing — to show that it is the Holy Word of GOD that we believe, and not some ‘theology or philosophy of man.’ The thing that troubles my spirit is when I come across crass comments and name calling, in this case from both bloggers and readers.

It is disappointing and frustrating when those calling themselves Christians don’t bear fruit or use discernment when interpreting the Holy Scriptures — or even test the spirits and every word that comes forth from others’ mouths. But how are we to correct them — with condemning words and name calling? How are we to encourage them to seek the LORD in Spirit and Truth? Definitely not by making them feel less worthy… for which of us is truly worthy?

I have read a post in which a blogger uses the term ‘it’ to refer to a transsexual. We may say we don’t know what to call ‘them,’ but would our LORD Jesus Christ call a human being ‘it?’ As cheesy as it may sound, I’m going to ask — what would Jesus say? And because a Christian is immature or undiscerning, does that make him/her our enemy? Do any of us know which names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? Can any of us say who will and will not worship the LORD Jesus Christ before HIS throne?

Share Your Faith Using ‘Batman’

By LaVrai, 22 July, 2008, No Comment

A writer at the Christian Post has a very good article about using all the crazy buzz around this new ‘Batman’ movie as an opportunity to discuss Salvation through Jesus Christ with others. I was a bit skeptical when I saw the headline, but read the whole thing through — and it’s quite good. I haven’t seen the movie, and don’t really have an interest in seeing it. If you can or cannot say the same, the article is worth reading either way.

Excerpt:

In The Dark Knight, District Attorney Harvey Dent says, “The night is darkest just before dawn. I promise you. The dawn is coming…”

How true is that in this world full of sin and hopelessness? For those who do not have the hope of eternal life and purpose, the dawn is coming. We all eventually die. We all eventually will go one of two places, Heaven or Hell.

Hell. Talk about no hope what-so-ever. The pit of hopelessness. Once a person dies without having trusted and believed in Christ as their Savior, there is absolutely no more hope for them. How terribly tragic. How terribly sad. How terribly…well…terrible. The Bible says it like this:

He, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name. (Revelation 14:10-11Revelation 14:10-11
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: ¹¹ And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

WP-Bible plugin). We all are at risk of becoming hopeless in this world of darkness and sin. Without the Holy Spirit, anyone can become prey to the darkness of this world. Satan is out there alive and kicking, ready to take any of us down in a moment’s notice.

Read the rest here..