How do you answer this?

So often I'm confronted for my "fundamentalist" beliefs, and my strict belief in the inerrancy of the Word with a simple, annoying but stupefyingly effective statement. Effective in shutting down a rewarding conversation that is.

"I don't limit God to what I can understand."

Often I interpret this to mean, "I don't believe the Word and my imagination is much more interesting and it fits with my personal values so....."

Just now reading at AiG's website I saw written the "right" (at least I hope so!) answer to this ridiculous statement.

Paul Taylor of AiG-UK answers this with "I don’t limit God at all. The limit that I apply is this: I limit myself to what God has written."

I don't limit God, I limit myself to what He has written. Brilliant!

Hey this answer can't be worse than the one I usually give which goes something like this "Grrr.... do you realize what you just said? You think you can dream more than God can reveal?... Grrr....." Actually, most times it's much worse even than that. Doh!

The Evidence Bible

I've just ordered The Evidence Bible from Amazon.ca

You'd think I have "enough" bibles here in the house. :) This one seems to do what so many other translations have promised - translate the KJV into something that is easily readable but also does not add or take away from the Word. Not only does it retain the power of the Word, but it also includes great witnessing tools throughout.

It should be here early next week. Looks like it's time to break in an other new Bible. :)

HE'S ALIVE!!

Thank God, He's ALIVE!

God of Justice and Mercy

Why did God the Father let God the Son to die for our sins?

I wonder how many times that question has been asked in the last 2000+ years. I doubt any of us could even come close with a guess. It's a question I've asked many times. I've found and been given several reasons, and most were true. There was so much accomplished on the Cross that there is a multitude of things that God did it for.

Just so we're all on the same page, He came, died, and rose again to pay the price for the sin debt of the world. The world is stained with sin, He came to wash that stain out (not off, but that's another topic) with is very own Blood. So we could be clean in the sight of God.

That's the why He did it, that was His purpose. But, we ask, why did the Lover of Our Souls have to DIE!?!

This is my paraphrase of a message I heard on the radio today - if I could remember the name of the preacher I surely would give credit. This isn't mine, but I agree with it. I of course will use my own style in presentation.

Well God says He's a just God. He also says He can not lie. So since we have all sinned, and the wages of sin is death then we all need to die. Period, right? Well... God also says He's a merciful God. And, He cannot lie. So we must all be given mercy and go free then right? We can do whatever we want because God is merciful and so He must forgive us. Period, right?

The truth my friends is this. God is both just and merciful. If He were all just we would all be put to death and have no hope. If He were all merciful we would live in a world where anyone could do anything, hurt anyone and God would honor it. Neither option is very pleasant is it? So, since God is also the source of wisdom, and therefore all wise, He has the only solution. HE has paid the price for OUR sin debt. Because He wants to have fellowship with us, and He can not fellowship with the unrighteous, He has had to make us righteous. We cannot do this for ourselves. However, because He is also just, the debt had to be paid. The only one who could pay the debt was He Himself. We corrupt, vial beings could not pay the debt we have incurred. So He has paid it for us.

Thereby He honors His eternal character, and ensures we have a future with Him.

Jesus HAD to die, to pay the price for our sin because God is BOTH just, AND merciful. There is no other way to satisfy both characteristics of our heavenly father. Our part in this is to believe in Christ which means to believe so much that we rely on Him. Not simply know He's real, as the demons all know He's real and they do not share in the redeeming blessing from His work on the Cross.

180

180 is the number of degrees the Lord has turned me from my past.

180 is the number that attempts to condem me.

180 is a curse I know God alone can turn into blessing.

180 is part of the name of something that, God willing, will be used to bring many to Christ's saving Grace.

Stay tuned into Him.

Are You Legalistic? I sometimes am.

Here's a great article that talks about what true legalism is and isn't. You know as I continue to face this test and these trials I'm constantly tempted (I think that's the right word) to fall into legalism.

I ache to be completely, 100% obedient to the Word. This isn't legalism. However, sometimes my motivation moves from pleasing God to hoping to gain favor with Him and have this affect events here on Earth. This IS legalism.

"See Daddy, I was really good today! Can I now have that candy?" This is a legalistic motive for following the rules.

"Daddy, even though I didn't see You all day I did the things I know (because You've told me) You'd want me to do. Just to say 'I love You'." This is obedience.

The impact of the difference is immense. It's a lesson that we all likely struggle with. Again, as with everything else about our relationship with God, it's a heart issue. Obeying the "rules" is not bad. Obeying the rules to look good is. Obedience is an act of worship and love.

Death of a friend

This morning I learned that a good friend died of a heart attack last evening. He was very well loved by those who's lives he touched. However, I'm not sure he knew the Lord. I suspect that he had done a bit of thinking about it though. He seemed to be familiar with some concepts. There is hope that he had trusted Him at some point in his life. I regret that I had never (that I remember) prayed for him to come to the Lord.

The last conversation I had with him was to thank him for being such a good friend of mine. I'm thankful I was able to tell him that. It seems so often that when people die we are left with unfinished business with them.

I loved him as a friend, I will miss him. The Lord is good.