April 22, 2004

We're all sinners. I know that. You know that. However, sometimes I don't get how someone can be so bold to tell the world that they are Christian and then act exactly opposite from the manner that Jesus calls us.

I say this because I just read about what Jack Kelley did as a reporter for USA Today. I am not saying that any Christian is better than anyone else - God loves everyone and wants us all to come to Him. But as Christians, we must remember that we are examples to those who do not know him.

This doesn't mean that we are expected to be walked over, allow others to treat us like lesser people or be nice to everyone even if they are doing or saying the wrong thing. We are called to do the right thing, regardless of situation. Sometimes that means being assertive and some people might call us rude, but we will stand one day before God and He will recognize our heart and our deeds and will reward us for standing in the gap for Him.

Do not be like the Pharisees, telling everyone that you are a Christian and looking for the reward of praise from those who know you. If you do, you already have your reward. Instead, humbly show the love of Christ to all and in this way you store up your rewards in heaven.

God Bless!

April 14, 2004

Barbara Walters is going to get 6 Million Dollars for a new book. That's a lot of book sales needed for the publisher to break even. I immediately wondered if they will sell enough books. Then I wondered what it would take to get these same people to purchase books that would actually make a difference in their lives.

Of course, the most important book they could read is The Bible. The sad thing is that most people who will buy Barbara Walter's book probably has a copy of the Bible somewhere but they will opt to read the wrong book. In this world where people are trying so hard to get along in this world, the answers to their questions are right in front of them but they don't even know it.

This is why we reach out to them. Continue to reach out to them. I've yet to meet a Christian who got upset at the person who showed them the truth.

God Bless!

April 9 , 2004

Looks like the regulators of what we see and hear on the public airwaves, the FCC, have learned that the decent people of the United States expect them to uphold the laws they have made to protect us and our children. They have decided to fine Clear Channel Communications nearly $500,000 for comments made by Howard Stern on a radio broadcast.

About time....

The Bible gives us the proper perspective on this.

I used to listen to Howard Stern when he was the afternoon host to Don Imus's morning show on 660-AM. He used to have Arnold Schwarzenegger on the show telling weight lifting jokes - it was actually a very funny show. Then he lost track of what was really funny and began looking for ways to shock people into laughter.

I'm glad to see the government finally take responsibility for something that they have let go too far - WAY TOO FAR! Too bad they don't seem to have the ability to do the same to CBS for the Super Bowl Fiasco. It takes decent people making their voices heard to make sure that decency wins out. Don't go quiet at this time! The nation is depending on you!

God Bless!

April 7 , 2004

So, having watched the TV movie "Judas", the ABC special, "Jesus and Paul, the Word and the Witness" and countless other shows on The Discovery Channel and The History Channel, I'm going to take this opportunity to discuss my thinking on these shows.

I find it interesting that these shows very rarely, if ever, tell their audiences the background and beliefs of the experts they put on. This slight leaves most people with a bias towards the speaker's point of view, regardless of how well researched that might be. (Once again, a special on Jesus has John Dominic Crossan posing as a Christian expert, without any mention that the man doesn't believe that Jesus was anything more than a mere man.)

All this said, I do try to watch these shows. Not because I enjoy them (I usually find myself getting upset at what is being said - yes that is me yelling at the television), but because I know that these are the lessons that are being taught to those outside the faith. For all the talk about "connecting" there isn't many places they can go to get The Truth outside of popular media such as TV, Radio, Newspapers, Magazines and the Internet. And so those of us who would try to reach these people must have a good handle on what they are learning so that we can de-program them and show them the REAL Truth.

God Bless!

Today we had our Opening Day at the Central Islip Junior High School. I'll blame the weather, the time change, and the school schedule for the lack of response, but we continue to faithfully do that which God has called us to do.

That said, this blog is not about our Opening Day per se, but what happened to me while we were waiting for 9:30 and the doors to open. The school security came and saw us waiting and though the first guard was fine with what we were doing, the second guard had a real hard time believing that a church was allowed to use the school facilities, claiming Church/State separation. The fact that SO MANY PEOPLE believe this same falsehood worries me. Why have so many Long Islanders come to believe that Christianity is barred from schools at all times, in all forms? This same illogical conclusion was made by a clerk in the town's clerk's office when we asked for a permit to have a worship service in the park. We were told, "If we allowed you to do that, then every church would want to do this. Can you imagine what would happen if every church did that?" Serious.

We need to start educating people on the legal rights that churches and Christians have and not give in so easily. That is the only reason we are currently allowed to do our service in the school - regardless of how many people show up.

God Bless!

March 30, 2004

How many people read about the new "planet" found at the edge of the solar system? Though there is apparently disagreement whether this new object should be classified a planet or not, it seems that all are in agreement that this is an interesting find.

Which brings me to the conversation of scientists today and their reliability. It would seem to me that if they were truly in agreement, it would be a lot easier to believe the things they tell us. Unfortunately, they are rarely in agreement. It seems that sometimes it is more important for them to get the limelight than to present the truth.

There was a time when most scientists were Christian and had a biblical worldview. Then sometime in history, something happened and now it seems that to be a scientist, you cannot have a biblical worldview. I commend those scientists that are not influenced by their peers and continue holding a Christian worldview. I think time will prove them right (and their secular counterparts wrong) on their scientific views. I can only imagine how much further we would be today if our scientists today used the Bible to help them make great discoveries like the great scientists of yesterday had done.

God Bless!

March 29, 2004

Typically, when we think of war ships, we don't think of the good it will provide to the water life directly around it. However, in the case of the Scylla a former warship of the Royal Navy, that is exactly what it is. In London, the National Marine Aquarium purchased the ship and sank it to provide an attraction for the marine life in the area.

In addition to bringing up memories of The Police, it brought into my mind the comparision of the retired ship and our physical bodies. The ship was old and the time had come for it to be put down. In undergoing it's death, it has changed from the sinful, death-creating hull it had been to a completely different thing, different but the same, almost unrecognizable from its old life.

In the same way, we who are being saved recognize that the day will come where our old bodies are put down and in undergoing our death, we will be changed from the sinful, death-creating hull that we are today into a completely different thing, different but the same, almost unrecognizable from our old life.

God Bless!

March 25, 2004

The Supreme Court heard Michael Newdow today. As a Christian, it is extremely disheartening to see something like "One nation under God" cause such an uproar. I think it's even more so that nobody seems to care about the rights of Christians these days. Too often, the Christian's rights are infringed upon while every other belief system is upheld as valid.

Honestly, I fear a time in the future where men will do what is right in their own eyes, while Christians are limited to doing only what is right in the eyes of the court. In a conversation I was a part of Wednesday evening, someone said, "Even though 70-percent of the nation is Christian, we are more concerned with the rights of the few than the rights of the majority. We are no longer a Nation of the people, by the people."

Well put.

Pray that this nation remembers the Christian roots of our forefathers, the faith of Washington and Lincoln and the fact that our Declaration of Indepenence and Constitution were created based on the Christian thoughts and ideals of those forefathers.

God Bless!

March 24, 2004

Look who's riding on the tails of Mel Gibson's "Passion of Christ". Seems that the old Monty Python gang is back and as good as ever as they get ready to re-release "Life of Brian".

Now, I know there are some who might feel that the movie is sacrilege, but as for me, I think there's nothing wrong with some humor that might take advantage of Christian history. In fact, I think it's a great opportunity to speak with others who might see the movie and not understand who Jesus is. I can see youth groups discussing the movie or small groups doing a movie night around it.

Call me crazy, but I can see this movie being as much an evangelistic tool as "Passion" has been. I've had the opportunity to speak to a lot of Christians about "Passion" but only a few non-Christians have brought it up. On the other hand, I can see a lot of folks talking about "Brian", which will give me an opportunity to speak about the most important subject - Jesus.

To those of you who graciously disagree, let me leave you with some pearls of wisdom from Motny Python: "Always look at the bright side of life..."

God Bless!

March 22, 2004

Imagine my surprise when I found three articles in a row on the MSNBC website with some ties to Christianity! The first was about the Pledge of Allegiance case. The second was about a new alternative for the Girl Scouts called American Heritage Girls. The third was about a gay pastor who was acquitted of violating church doctrine by living in a lesbian relationship.

In each one of these, there is so much going on from a Christian perspective. To touch upon just a point on each article...

The American Heritage Girls exist because someone saw that the Girls Scouts had become a bit too worldly and political to be called wholesome for their daughters. I applaud these parents and enthusiastically pray that American Heritage Girls will become a great organization that keeps its Christian roots for as long as they exist.

I feel for those United Methodists who see their denomination losing grip of their Truth and forgetting Jesus' words that we are to be in the world but not of the world. Assuming every gay marriage that has occurred over the past few months are illegal, doesn't this mean that practicing homosexuals are breaking at least two commandments? This is OK with the denomination? Aren't I glad we're nondenominational?

And where the first was an example of victory for the body of Christ and the second is an example of loss, the third is a standstill as the battle for "One Nation, under God" continues. Within the article, I found the most revealing thing I have heard about Michael Newdow: although he had been a doctor, he became a lawyer so he can sue doctors. I'm guessing he became a doctor to make money, not because he cared about people and wanted to make a difference in their lives.

Some food for thought...

God Bless!

March 19, 2004

As a casual fan of college basketball, my interest has been grasped lately by the outstanding season the St. Joseph’s Hawks’ basketball team is having. They are ranked #1 in the nation due to their perfect record throughout the whole regular season. Their record of 22 wins and no losses drove fans, commentators, and reporters to believe that this men’s basketball team is as good as their record shows. However, upon losing their first game a few days ago, virtually everyone is debating St. Joe’s seed in the NCAA’s.

This reminds me of Jesus Christ and his wondrous efforts to save us. He went through all the pain, suffering and scrutiny as St. Joseph’s did - and for what? Many praise Jesus one moment in our lives because of the good things He brings us. Yet, when obstacles arise in our lives, we turn away from our Savior and blame Him for not making things perfect.

Humans seem to have such short memories as we tend to think along the lines of, “what have you done for me lately.” However, Jesus Christ wants us to always remember what He has done for us, even when troubles arise.

God Bless!

March 18, 2004

Three weeks going strong and "The Passion of the Christ" is still proving critics wrong when they said it wouldn't last. Now, the latest discussion revolves around whether another Bible-based movie would do as well. Interesting in the discussion is Leonard Maltin's comments that another Christian movie would not do well, using as an example "The Gospel of John". What Mr. Maltin doesn't mention is that "The Gospel of John" opened at only 14 theaters and pulled in over $98,000 for an average take of $7,000 per theater. Compare this to "Spartan" which opened in 832 theaters this weekend and brought in 2 million dollars for an average take of $2,400. It seems to me that Mr.Maltin has an odd idea of success or what people actually want to watch.

As for me, I'm hoping that we see more well-done Christian movies coming out. I wouldn't expect them to do as well as "Passion" did, but then again, only 22 movies in history has ever done that well (and I'm sure that number will be less by the time it's done). And if "The Gospel of John" did it's average take at 3000 theaters instead of 14, it would have made 21 million on opening weekend, better than any movie that opened this week. That sounds like smart business to me.

God Bless!

March 11, 2004

Did anyone hear about the shooting at the Masonic Temple in Patchogue? I am dismayed to think that grown men can become excited to be part of a "secret" organization and to undergo initiations that would include having a gun put to your head - regardless of whether the gun was supposed to be loaded or not.

What is it about us that makes us act in such irresponsible ways? What is it within us that yearns so much to be part of something that we would subject ourselves to life-risking situations? The only thing I can think of that would make a person act in such a way is the desire to be accepted, even to be loved.

Of course, as a Christian, the only life-risking situations that I can imagine finding myself in all deal with protection of my friends and family or defense of my faith in God, the Lord Jesus Christ. I suspect God would give me the strength the deal with such a situation if it ever arose. I pray always for those who are persecuted for their faith in Jesus.

Today, I'll also pray for those who would enter life-risking situations because they don't know who Jesus is. Join with me in praying for their salvation.

God Bless...

March 9, 2004

I was listening to someone say that there was no need to try to really understand God because when we do, we are looking to base our faith on something and we should have enough faith not to need that kind of reinforcement.

I don't know about you, but I have never had a blind faith. My faith has always been based upon evidence. I believe because God has convicted me in my spirit, but then also because He has convicted me by the evidence of archeology and fulfilled prophecy as well as the miracles I have seen in the lives of others.

My hope is that if there are any who have solely a blind faith, they take the time to recognize that a blind faith is a useless faith. Anyone can have blind faith in anything - in fact this is one of the problems we have in society today. Too many people blindly believing something or another without checking to see if it is true.

The Ephesians and the Bereans were both praised for judging people and scripture. God expects us to judge. Do not have a blind faith - it doesn't prove anything to anyone. Instead, be ready always to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope that is within you.

God Bless!

March 8, 2004

Ran across this article about "our human ancestors". Of course, being a Christian and a believer in the Word of God, I believe God made us from dust, in His image. (Read more about "Lucy"). I fully believe that the wonderful fantasy that we were originally developed from an ancestor of the ape millions of years ago will be ridiculed by our ancestors just as we today ridicule lobotomies and bloodletting.

What I find so difficult to believe is that people always seem to believe something when there are "a few experts" on just about anything - The Jesus Seminar is a great example of this (beware John Dominic Crossan - one of these Jesus Seminar Fellows who is the "expert" in so many secular TV shows regarding Jesus). In this vein, how is it that because a few "experts" believe that a couple of bones they found, or some fossils unearthed, can be "put together" in their imaginations, dated with "certainty" and determined to be our ancestors, the rest of us, especially the press media, can repeat with certainty their conclusions? Have we lost all ability to discern truth verses fiction? Are our memories so poor as to forget that almost everyday a new scientific finding refutes what had been considered gospel just a year ago, which was, by the way, the great scientific finding of that day?

If scientists and doctors (medical and other Ph.D.'s) were so good at what they do with such obvious certainty, why can't we find a diet that works, let alone a concept to base it on (low-fat? low carb? low calorie? etc.)? Why can't we determine the cause of so many diseases? Why can't we create a tire that never needs to be replaced?

Seems to me, we can make determinations about things that happened millenia ago, but can't figure out what happened a few years ago (who did shoot JFK?).

Let's not let our imaginations take the place of the truth...even if it's from the imaginations of "experts".

God Bless!

March 7, 2004

After having seen Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" for a second time, I must say that it still had an effect on me. Speaking with others, it has occurred to me that the emotional times during the movie depend on when the individual recognizes him/herself in the suffering that Jesus was enduring at that point in time.

Anyone wondering about the ugly baby? Click here to see where Mel Gibson was coming from...

As I thought about whether I think this is a good evangelistic tool, it occurred to me that many from The Ark had brought a friend (or two or four...) to see the movie - free tickets given out by us - only to find that not one visitor came back to the Saturday night service afterwards (the showing we went to was at 4:00 - service is at 7:00). I'm wondering if non-Christians (pre-Christians, if you like) really understand what they're seeing? To me, this means that we as individuals are responsible to ensure that any of our non-Christian friends that see the movie are spoken to on an individual basis - we're not going to be able to lay this responsibility on the church! Go make disciples...

Final word on the movie (at least for tonight): Most of the movie is taken right out of the gospels. However, much of it isn't (artistic freedom). I know many people understand this - but EVERYBODY needs to understand this. I hope that anyone who doesn't recognize what is true and what is extra-biblical will get themselves into a bible-preaching/bible-teaching church immediately...

God Bless!