“By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:” (Heb 11:9)
“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.” (Heb 11:8)
Just the other day I was surprised by a comment relating to an article I wrote many moons ago called. “What Kind of Warrior?” I’m always excited when I get any kind of comments because my site has never been strong in that area. I go to people’s sites who seem to attract comments like bees to honey and I stare in amazement. But I must write what God gives me and so I press on like a good soldier and take what I get. (And I thank the Lord for each one.
Anyway, someone commented out of the blue on an old article that I had to reread to even remember what it said. His comment did not seem to be about the actual article as much as a certain “point” he wanted to make. If I understood him right, he was upset that because I believe faith in Christ to be the only way to God, then I was arrogant because I was telling half the world they are wrong and I am right.
I had been very careful to answer his comment in a way that only said this is what “I” am convinced of for myself, but every person must be very careful to search their own heart for that answer. I do not claim to be God and be all-knowing, but after many years of testing the Bible, there is no doubt in “my own mind”. Let each person determine for themselves, but be very diligent in your quest! But all this person could say was, You are arrogant, you are arrogant, you are arrogant. (Sheesh.)
I stopped commenting after the third comment because I have been in these circular conversations before, and this is what I have learned:
EITHER SOMEONE IS “ATTRACTED” TO CHRIST, OR THEY ARE NOT.
If I have presented the Gospel of Christ and someone is “OFFENDED”, rather than “EXCITED”, then I know they are not ready yet, and possibly may never be. Scripture says that Jesus came to his own, and his own received him not. Jesus is light, but not everyone desires his light. There is something very different between those of us who are “attracted”, and those who are “offended”.
SO WHAT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY HERE? CONTINUE TO BE LIGHT!
HERE’S A REALLY NEAT THING MAYBE YOU HAVE NOT THOUGHT ABOUT. > God sent Abraham to his “FUTURE” possession before it was his possession. So in essence, he was living in his FUTURE in his PRESENT! Now what does that mean?
HE WAS INVADING HIS PRESENT WITH GOD’S FUTURE!
HERE’S THE THING: > Among other lessons that could be taught from this truth, every time a Canaanite saw Abraham and his family, God was showing that Canaanite the FUTURE! Abraham could walk up to that Canaanite and say, “You should join me, not fight me, because God is giving me your land, and I am the future of this territory. You are seeing a glimpse of the future in me.
WHEN A CANAANITE SAW ABRAHAM HE WAS SEEING THE FUTURE! HE WAS SEEING A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE INVADING HIS PRESENT, AND IF HE WAS WISE HE WOULD JOIN ABRAHAM, NOT ATTACK HIM.
I’m keeping this message short, but I hope you see the possibilities of invading your present with God’s future NOW! Our father Abraham did it, and set the example for us. Jesus did it constantly!
The person who accused me of being someone judging the world, that is not my job to do. That has already been done. But if you’re smart, you will realize God is giving you a glimpse of the future. I am a testimony of the goodness of God. How God loves us so much that he sent a perfect Savior to redeem us from a very real spiritual cancer called SIN! Jesus is God’s cure, and without Christ, the cancer is always terminal. If you are not attracted to a book, “the Bible”, that reveals such a God to us, then I can only hope that you are some day.
MY SOUL IN ME REJOICES IN THAT GREAT LOVE AND TRUTH. THERE IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT BETWEEN YOU AND I IF YOU ARE OFFENDED IN IT. OUR REACTION TO THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST REVEALS WHOSE WE ARE.
I WILL ALWAYS TRY TO HELP SOMEONE SEE, IF THEY TRULY WANT TO SEE. BUT IT USUALLY BECOMES OBVIOUS RATHER QUICKLY IF SOMEONE JUST WANTS TO FIND FAULT.
THE CANAANITES NEVER REALIZED WHAT A BLESSING ABRAHAM COULD HAVE BEEN TO THEM. A DOORWAY TO KNOW HIS GOD.
PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS WANTING TO SEE THE FUTURE, BUT SO MANY TIMES GOD SHOWS IT TO THEM, AND THEY FAIL TO BELIEVE. THE FUTURE OFFENDS THEM, AND THEY STUMBLE OVER THE ROCK OF CHRIST. A STONE OF OFFENSE, A STONE OF STUMBLING.
THIS IS WHY THE APOSTLES STUCK TO THE GOSPEL SO MUCH. BECAUSE IT REVEALS SO QUICK. PEOPLE EITHER RECEIVE OR DENY. SHAKE THE DUST FROM YOUR FEET AND MOVE ON. (If they did not kill you. I love blogging. It is so much safer witnessing from a safe distance. LOL!)
It is the bird with broken wings that Soars... 
I always enjoy this message. Keep up the fight brother! There are “toxic” people out there waiting to rain down on you. I have done the door to door work; and I can tell you it gets exciting very quickly! I recently had someone stop at my door. He asked me to think about the worlds problems and asked me if I knew of a solution. I said “Yes! Gods’ kingdom”. He soon left. I was dis-fellowshipped from that religion. Keep on keepin’ on!
You are always an inspiration to me, Bill. Thanks.
Christ divides and unites – both are equally true in profound ways.
Hello, ol’ friend.
Recently I’ve been following the Jodi Arias case. Mostly because the defense attorney — God’s answer to Job, Jennifer Wilmott. What a decent and wonderful human being she is.
I’ve always thought that churches should maintain their tax exempt status until this case. None of the churchgoers seem to believe a word of it. Are you familiar with the case?
Now here is a voice I have not heard in a while. I’ve been pretty busy with a lot of changes in my own life and don’t follow much news anymore. Can’t say I know much about it. Personally I don’t put any stock in the Mormon Bible or their prophet. But I have no idea what you’re referring to on how the case relates to church tax exemption, unless it is that you don’t feel it is a true church. Our government is not very good at determining things like that anymore, and with the number of people claiming to be Mormon, it would be quite a battle I’m sure. I’ve never been big on the tax exemption thing for any of us, simply because the church must speak freely without outside strings attached. I understand churches wanting their money to go as far as possible, as long as it does not influence the truth and power of God’s word.
Good to hear from you again. Hope you’re doing well.
That’s what I’ve always like about you, Don: you’re a straight shooter. I mean none of us have really good aim, but yours is better than most. 🙂
I know a lot of people say the Mormons aren’t really Christians, but they’re close enough for me. And you know I wouldn’t say that if I hadn’t thought it through.
I’ve only recently begun following this case. I started because I got a crush on the female defense attorney. What a decent human being she is.
The “believers” in this case disturb me, because they don’t act like they actually believe a word of it. That’s the reason I brought up the tax exemption thing.
You know I don’t believe I have a soul or any of that. But I do know the Bible and I find things in it that have great value. I suspect that there are many people who claim to believe but really don’t. If I were a crook, I could tell you that I’m a believer, and that would automatically make me friends with you and JT. But I’m not going to lie to you, my friend. That would be very wrong. I don’t have to fear hell and all of that sort of thing to know that.
Well, sadly, since I’m not in the group that leaves me on the outside. 😦
Still nice knowing you and chatting with you from time to time.
Hey, Donald. Glad to hear from you again. Mormons may claim to be Christians, but they do not acknowledge the Jesus of the Bible. Mormonism is not orthodox Christianity.
I am not understanding your connection to tax exempt status, though. Churches have had tax exempt status primarily because they were viewed as having a positive impact on communities. Whether every church does is certainly debatable (and lamentable). There should be no doubt that God’s people are helping their communities, but often they do not. U.S. churches certainly should be ready for this treatment to end. In fact, we should be ready to be outlawed and yet keep proclaiming the truth of the Bible, offering the amazing love of God in Jesus Christ, and demonstrating His impact in our lives. Most of us are too comfortable.
Well said, Sean, except for the comment about the Mormons and the idea that churches will be banned.
This part is well said, if you don’t mind my two cents worth–
“Churches have had tax exempt status primarily because they were viewed as having a positive impact on communities. Whether every church does is certainly debatable (and lamentable). There should be no doubt that God’s people are helping their communities, but often they do not. U.S. churches certainly should be ready for this treatment to end.”
Sean, I can tell you with a heavy heart that the last couple of weeks researching the Arias case and reading the comments of “the faithful” (I mean hate that would make the Westboro Baptist church blush) has been the most stressful two weeks of my adult life.
I’ve quoted scripture, tried to make a case for love and compassion, and the things the believers have said to me is absolutely soul destroying.
On the (possibly upside of all this) I made a mini-documentary about the case. Perhaps you might be interested in watching it when I get it on YouTube?
I’m going to have to leave the comment section off, though. I’m getting really depressed with having to contend with the mindless lynchmob.
Anyway, hello to you Sean, and I hope all is well and good with you.
I probably should not comment because I don’t know much about this, but if the defense attorney is simply doing her job according to the way our justice system is designed to work, then I agree with Donald on this. Why are these people giving her so much grief for doing her job? Is she trying to do an O.J. Simpson thing? If the glove don’t fit, you must aquit? I may be showing my ignorance of the case, but just wanted to say I may agree with Donald on this one. And Sean may also on this particular point. Anyway, you guys can enlighten me if i’m way off base. I need to get another Prayer School report out soon. I’ve been so busy! We had a men’s conference this last weekend and it was awesome! Anyway, more coming soon.
Hey, Don
Jennifer Wilmott, the defense attorney, is the mirror opposite of Johnny Cochran. She is such a wonderful human being. “By their works you shall know them.” I can’t tell you how much scripture I’ve quoted in the last week or so.
I made a minidocumentary about this case. It hinges upon one point, faith. Or rather to be the absolute lack of it among all-too-many so-called believers. Indeed, based on some of your previous articles, you seem to share in that concern. I can admire someone who has faith, as long as they believe the parts that are inconvenient. Some people actually do abide by that. I don’t know if Wilmott claims to be a Christian or not, but in my opinion, she sure acts like one. Astonishingly, I suspect the death threats she’s receiving are coming from self-proclaimed Christians. But as I mentioned, “By their deeds you shall know them.” The hate and extremely filthy language supports your idea that this nation is doomed.
Well, anyway, I’m glad I had someone I could unburden my weary mind on, and you have a strong shoulder. 🙂
Must be more than meets the eye. I’ve never met you and we’re a thousand miles apart, but I like you. As the hippies used to say, “Good vibes” or something. Ha-ha.
Yeah – I tend to ignore the media-hyped cases that achieve celebrity status. So, I know nothing useful about the Jodi Arias case or the attorneys involved. I agree with you, Donald, about Cowboy – a great man to have met through blogging.
Donald, maybe you can add this Scripture to your repertoire: “For we must all appear before the tribunal of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or worthless.” 2 Corinthians 5:10. That is sobering, personally, but hopeful knowing that justice will ultimately be done. Of course, we all want grace for ourselves and law/judgment for others…
Very well said, Sean–about both topics.
I made a mini-documentary about this case, and interestingly a Scripture very similar to the one you quoted is what I used for the title, “For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it be good or evil.” The title is “Every Secret Thing: The Betrayal of Jodi Arias.
I quoted Scriptures to “Believers” many times, and the filthy language and hateful comments just became too much for me. I ended up taking them down in disgust. No doubt that kindred spirits –meaning real believers — probably were not in the “discussion” because like you, Don, or me, they found the comments nauseating and didn’t want any part of it.
Off the top of my head, but a loose paraphrase: For not everyone on that day who says Lord, Lord, did we not do such and such … will be welcomed by me.
Like you, I find some of the Scriptures a bit unsettling: and by that I don’t mean the ones that I think are . . . ?how to put it? . . . “incorrect.” I mean the ones that ring true to me. The one that I think the most radical believers don’t like, Judge not, and you shall not be judged, for with the same judgments that you make, you will be judged.” Is unsettling.
The new Pope, a good and decent man that the scoundrels chose to represent the Catholic church, too late in my opinion said about homosexuals, “Who am I to judge them?” I really like that man. He’s a product of Liberation Theology.”
We won’t agree on religious things, but maybe we can agree upon some of the people we admire.
Anywho, that minidoc is still uploading. I can let you know when it’s available for viewing, if you’d like. It’s 32 minutes long.
Hey Donald, you prompted me to put a poem out that I’ve had tucked away. You always seem to inspire things in me. I wrote a book that is being passed around right now, here in my area. It’s called, “God’s Bounty Hunter”. Now it is very different from your character, as you can imagine, but you did get my mind thinking in that direction and it gave birth to something. Its been very well received so far. I did notice you had another piece of a story on your site, about the bounty hunter. Do you plan to do more with it? I very much enjoyed your original version of the story.
I don’t know. Probably not. Sean didn’t like the original, so I tried to go about it differently, and then you didn’t like the “improved” version. So, I’m reluctant to spend anymore time on it. For me, it’s a lot of really hard work writing something. I mean it’s mentally exhausting. Doesn’t seem like it makes much sense to put all that effort into something people aren’t going to read.
I made audiobooks of many of Joseph Conrad’s books. They’ve been on YouTube for months, and not one person has so much as clicked on a couple of the books. So it ain’t my reading of it. But Conrad was a great genius, and if people aren’t interested in his books, I’m outta luck, for sure.
Well now see, I didn’t even know who J. Conrad was. I had to look him up. I got his name down to check out some time because I do like to read good books, but he might not be my taste. I’m deep when it comes to spiritual things, but not so deep on everything else. Perhaps that is why I liked your Bounty Hunter, but may not enjoy J. Conrad. I read the book “Divergent”. Yes, the one they made the movie of. Probably to shallow for your taste, but I enjoyed it. I feel like I get all the time I need in the deep, with the spiritual stuff, and when I come up for air I’m ready to play! LOL. But anyway, you did spark something in me. I found it easy to write. It flowed and was done before I knew it. I put a couple copies out and it is getting passed around like crazy. (It’s around 90 pages on regular paper.) Now if only I could get the attention of a publisher who really wanted to do something with it. I’m just no good at the business side of things. I can’t seem to make it happen. Maybe I’m outta luck too.
Hey, you might be interested in this. Haha. I just now got banned from an atheist group on Google for being too religious. 🙂
I figured I’d have a bit more free reign to discuss my ideas in a group like that. Not so. I was also on Richard Dawkins’ site before I got booed off of it. So, anytime they tell you the religious are intolerant, you’ll know they are full of boloney. These guys are like The Inquisition.
you’re just a rebel, Donald. A man with no land. Sounds like your having a tough day. I did dedicate my poem to you though. (Sort-of.) That should count for something.
It does. 🙂
Now, that is ironic! The “free thinkers” don’t want you thinking (and posting) any religiously tinged thoughts, eh? Not that it surprises me, I think it takes more “faith” to believe in some of their theories than it does to believe the Scriptures.
I look forward to seeing your video, but we are in the process of moving. All those details are taking all my time…
yes, I want to see that video, too. Hopefully sometime today.
Okay, Sean. Best of luck with your moving. Hope it goes well.
Here’s my film. If you decide to watch it, it’s important to watch it all the way through, the ending drives my point home–hopefully in an effective way.
I placed a comment somewhere in reply to something Don wrote as a reply to something I said. I’ve been battling Believers and Infidels single-handedly for the last three weeks, and it’s worn me out. The comment no doubt sounds angry because I AM angry, not at my friend, Don, but at the world. I have had three weeks to read the worst comments people can make on Google without getting banned. It’s enough to make anyone throw his hands up. or not even bother with the hands.
I’m tired. I spent all that time making a film to try and save someone’s life, and the people who support her don’t like it because the film makes it look like she’s guilty of murder, which of course she is. On the other hand, those who have a family or church heritage of believing in the death penalty don’t like it.
To be perfectly blunt about the topic of this thread, someone would have to be a dang fool not to become a believer. I can easily become one. The way to make it work out is like everyone I’ve talked who is a believer seems to go about it, more or less, as long as Christ’s interests don’t interfere with my interests, I’m in. AND when they do, I can find ways of getting around that. There are many thousands of bible verses and many churches. I can always find one that will match up with what I want to believe and do. These “family values” guys do it all the time. Respected pillars of the community. And when they get caught — I shan’t give any of the disgusting details — they can repent, go to “rehab” and all is well and good.
As far as the concern about babies goes. Just last night I saw a segment on The Newshour about how the Republicans, the folks who care so much about babies, do their very best to have little kids who made it to the United States, often on their own, deported back to the hell holes they came from. (Only concerned about the baby, and not about the child it inconveniently grows up to become.) Same thing with school lunch programs that the evil democrats are doing to steal good people’s money and feed other people’s now older “babies.”
I can go along with the idea of living forever. Dying is kind of scary. So, I might as well join and have all these nice things here and in my afterlife. There must be something wrong with me, because it just doesn’t seem right to do that.
We swim in an ocean of imperfection, Donald. I know it is frustrating. Just like I’m working on building this thing called, “Prayer School”, and you would think God would just open the doors and make it easy to accomplish his will, but you would not believe the battles I have fought because nothing is perfect on planet earth. For example, I had back surgery a couple months ago, and I have to be careful. So today I slipped on an empty dog food bag and like to broke my neck! Those things are like stepping on ice! Or worse! Because you know what to expect from ice! LOL. Anyway, we are sick with flaws, but God has promised us a perfect future. Perfection is the reward of heaven. Until then, we prove we love people enough to help each other through this. This is my perspective on planet earth. Maybe that vision don’t help you, but if it does you’re welcome to use it too. I don’t own it. Find some “peace”, Donald. You can’t give what you don’t got. This is just me trying to help you see the big picture again, before this focus drives you crazy. Just one friend to another. It’s not a perfect answer, but it helps me a lot.
It’s a good answer, and the kind that a real friend would give.
“Until then, we prove we love people enough to help each other through this.”
Couldn’t agree with you more, my good friend.
Hope you’re feeling better from the back injury soon.
Donald, I know you and I haven’t connected like you and Cowboy. However, I want you to know that I hear your anguish and concern. When you look hard enough (or not hard at all), you can find contradictions in everyone. It certainly could lead to despair. What you are seeing, though, is the ugly truth that sin (our choice) has marred all of God’s creation. All is not as He intended. And all is not as it shall be when Jesus returns to judge and set everything right. In the meantime, we are here to serve and be His agents in peacemaking, love, service, proclamation — whatever He asks of each of us.
When you need to see perfection, love, and peace – look at Jesus. He is the only One who is all of that. And He loves you no matter what your contradictions, sin, and grief. He is trustworthy.
Thanks, Sean, for the sincere encouragement. It is appreciated.