What A Candel Can Tell Us About History...

This is quoted from a website. I'll link to it at the bottom, but for now I'd like to keep the site secret.

The Parable of the Candle
by Garth Wiebe

Chris and Lucy entered a building looking for Manuel. In a room they
found a note and a lighted candle. Chris looked at the note and read it
aloud:
‘Hi! It’s 2:30, and I’m leaving to run some errands. I’ll be back in a
couple of hours. BTW, the electricity is out, so I lit a candle for you. —
Manuel.’
Then Lucy said, ‘I know how we can find out how long it’s been since
he left! Look, the candle has been burning since he lit it and has a significant
amount of wax that’s melted and dripped down. If we figure out what the rate is
which the wax is melting and measure the amount of wax that has thus far
dripped, we can work backwards to find out how long it has been since he
left.’
Chris said, ‘Why waste your time? The note says he left at 2:30.’ Lucy
said, ‘Don’t believe everything you read.’ Chris replied, ‘Look, I’ve known
Manuel for a long time, and this is his handwriting. Don’t be
ridiculous.’
Lucy replied, ‘Ah yes, but what does he mean by “2:30”? A note
like that is subject to interpretation. Suppose he was talking about another
time zone or something.’ And so a short philosophical argument ensued about the
note. However, Lucy prevailed and insisted on performing the measurement and
calculations.
A few minutes later, Lucy announced: ‘Well, I’ve got bad news
for us. Based on the amount of wax that has melted and the rate at which the wax
is melting, I can confidently tell you that it has been at least one whole day
since this guy left. He was probably talking about 2:30 yesterday. And since he
said that he’d be back “in a couple of hours”, we can assume that something
happened to him and he’s not coming back at all. So much for your
“note”.’
Just then, Manuel walked in. Lucy said, ‘Are you this guy “Manuel”?
What took you so long?’ Manuel replied, ‘What are you talking about? I left you
guys a note saying I’d be back in a couple of hours. It hasn’t even been that
long.’ Lucy said, ‘Never mind the note. I measured the amount of wax that has
dripped off your candle, and the rate which the wax was melting. I know you’ve
been gone since yesterday.’
Manuel replied, ‘First of all, that candle isn’t
burning anywhere near as brightly as when I first lit it. Second of all, I
didn’t light a new candle, but a used one. And thirdly, I used another candle to
light this candle and in the process the wax from that candle spilled all over
this one.’
Lucy said, ‘So you set up that candle to deceive us, to make it
look like you left the room over a day ago, when in fact it’s been less than a
couple of hours.’ Manuel replied, ‘Look, I left you a note telling you when I
left. I never intended for you to conduct some silly experiment measuring wax
dripping off of a candle to figure out when I left. I put the candle there so
you guys would have some light.’

Hopefully, you caught that the Note is the Bible, Manuel is Jesus, Lucy is a so-called scientist, and Chris is a Christian.

Not all scientists are as flaky as Lucy is depicted in the above. However, many do go into a study trying to prove their previously held opinions instead of looking for truth.

Visit AiG for more information.

Quick thought about Baptism

Col 2:12 makes the point that we share in the resurrection of Christ if we are in Him. Yesterday as I read, I realized it also makes a thought about Baptism. If you read more of the section of scripture, lets say Col 2:6-23 you see there is a point about maturity and freedom in our walk in Christ.

Col 2:12 says we are "Buried with Him in baptism..." Paul often talks about maturity as dying to yourself, dying to your old nature, your fleshy wants.

The point of all this is, lately I've been wondering when a person should be baptized. I believe it should be shortly after salvation. But when exactly and how do you make the decision? When I read Col 2:12 I seemed to get the answer. When you are ready to die to your old way of living you declare it by being "buried with Christ" which is what baptism is an image of. The going down into the water is being buried, the coming out is being resurrected.

Harvest House

This week we were out witnessing earlier in the evening, starting at 6pm. Harvest House rolled into town in a van and did an open air show. It was cool to see a bunch of teens sharing their faith & life stories. Not only that, but they sang (very well) and did dramas. There were many people watching and listening.

As I was watching this small troop of young men and women I couldn't help but think "If our church had this many people who were willing to share their faith publicly we could really make an impact on this city."

It was a bit strange to be working along side another ministry, in that we didn't really know how we could work without taking away from what Harvest House was doing. Thankfully, it didn't take long for us to pick up the groove and start talking with people. Carl, a passionate man from my church came out with us last night. In fact, he was willing to go back down town with me after most everyone else had gone home. The Lord led us to talk with many people last night, including a man who was very broken. Had we not gone back out we wouldn't have had the chance to speak with him. God uses a willing vessel. I encourage you to be willing to do His work.

I Love The Gospel

It's a funny thing, salvation has been mine for a long time now. Someone told me recently, it was a very secular teaching but it had some "observable" merit. He said, the last thing you think off before you go to sleep is often what is very important to you.

Last night I was speaking with my wife as we were about to drift off to sleep. I had completely forgotten about this other person's statement (until I just started to write this post actually) and we were just sharing about God. I suddenly had an overwhelming love in my heart. I blurted out, though quietly, "I love the Gospel". Then I realized it was the first time in my life that I had said that and meant it as much as I think God would have me mean it.

Each of us is a sinner, individually responsible for our every action, inaction, thought, word, deed and opinion before a holy and just God. We will individually give account for our individual lives. None of us can pass this "test" and by our own merits would be fully guilty before God and sentenced to eternal punishment in Hell. Hell because it's the only place where God isn't, and sin separates us from God. There's a payment for sin, that's death. One sin many years ago, or consistent sin right now, the payment is the same.

Because God so loved the World, and did not us to perish in Hell. He paid the sin debt that we owe. Christ lived a sinless life, neither inherited nor self sin was in His life. He freely gave His life, in place of ours. So that the debt would be paid for us, if we simply believe in Him. If we put our faith in Him, honestly, the debt is paid.
He is just in that the payment was made in full. He is loving in that He paid what we could never afford to pay. He is faithful in that He accepts that payment, as in full eternally.

New Bike For My Wife

She's been held back by an older bike long enough. So now she's the owner of a 2007 Norco Scorcher. The picture is black, but hers is a light blue.

She's so sweet and humble, it's really nice to be able to do something unexpected and nice for her every now and then.

Sanctification: What Is It?

I've always thought booklets were made on topics that were not important enough to write whole books on. I have always been wrong about this.

If you are a follower of Christ, honestly saved, then you need to understand the freedom you have in Him.

C.H. Mackintosh on Sanctification.

These that have turned the world upside down

Acts 17:1-9 amazes me. These few people had such a powerful effect on the world they were accused before the courts of having "turned the world upside down".

I've been asking God if this is really still possible in today's world. I live in a city of about 480,000 people. As I've posted before, I've been out with a small group of believers witnessing on the streets for the past few Fridays. On any given outing we witness to about 600 people.

Tonight a woman turned down a tract and said "No Thanks. Everyone is getting these things...."

"Everyone"

Now we have hardly reached "everyone", in fact we've reached a small percentage of the city face to face, and the tracts have likely changed hands a couple of times. Since the group has been going out (including time previous to my joining them) it seems we have reached about 6000 people. If 10% of the tracts get passed on to someone else, then we've reached 6600 people. A much smaller portion has actually had the Gospel spoken to them face to face. We only engage in conversation with people who want to talk.

Now this woman, who was just waiting for her ride to show up, had the impression that "everyone" was getting them. I'm sure she didn't mean "everyone" in the literal sense. Yet she did mean it in the topical sense.

Clearly, today even, a small group of people can turn the world up side down if they are working in the power of Christ.

Oops They Did It Again

OK so that was bad....

Check it out.

Security

This topic comes up in deeper conversations about Christianity. Some Christians live in fear of loosing their salvation from day to day, some are fearless. There's no way we can earn salvation, we can not even please God without faith. The Word tells us that we are saved by the Grace of God through faith alone. While I do believe that those with faith will do "good works" I do not believe that "good works" impress God at all. Our best works are but tattered rags to Him. So, if nothing good we do even after we are saved changes the way God sees us, what makes us thing anything bad we do will change how He sees us? Actually the answer is, He doesn't see US as we are filthy, He sees the Son, Christ Jesus. We are seen as clean because He is clean. If God the Father looks on us and sees His Son how then can we change what God sees? Do we have dominion over Christ?

Here are some much better explanations.

http://withchrist.org/security.htm

http://withchrist.org/ironside.htm

If someone has told you that Hebrews 6 tells us that a believer can loose his salvation, check out the following for the truth.

http://withchrist.org/MJS/apostasy.htm

Slow Light

Last week MSNBC reported The speed of light may have been different in the past. I had noted then that this wasn't exactly a new idea. Actually, even secular scientists have proven that the speed of light can be slowed down, to a stand still even by using Sodium. You can Google Sodium+speed+light to see for yourself or you can click this Google Search that I was so kind to make for you. :)

This becomes interesting to Creationists, because while measuring the distance to distant stars is far from a "science" at this point they do, by all accounts, seem to be very far away. There is often a good question asked of how can the Universe only be 6,000 years old if there are stars so far away and we can see the light from them. There are a bunch of interesting and scientifically sound reasons for how this could be, but none are yet verifiable that I know of.

Christian Chronicles

Christian Chronicles the theological journal, has been posted for July. This month they are touching on the Book of Romans.

Of all the books of the Bible, none rises to the heights of Paul’s letter to the
church at Rome. The first eight chapters present a theological foundation
for all that is indeed the Word of God, explaining how a just God can remain
just, while forgiving sin, even as He also executes Divine judgment upon every
sin, from the slightest to the most egregious. No expositor can do this
epistle justice in either a small publication such as ours or in a multi-volume
commentary. The first eight chapters of Romans constitute an indictment,
evidence, conviction, the death penalty, and its execution; yet, culminating in
eternal life. No human author either could have or would have conjured up
such a faith as ours. And if he had, he could never have explained so very
much in so little space as Paul did in everything he wrote, but especially in
his letter to the faithful saints at Rome.

I'm Always Picking On Them

While Evolution is clearly a failed theory, it's important that Creationists do not get "flaky". We should not believe and promote every idea or theory that happens to line up with our preferences.

There are a number of arguments against Evolution which simply do not hold water. They are not based in fact and if you use them you're only showing yourself to be uneducated about the subject. This will take away credibility from yourself, and of course your witness.

Here's a list of arguments Creationists should not use.

Now here's a ton of info that we should use.

Revelation Glossary

Here's a cool reference to what the various terms in the Book of Revelation mean. Just in case some people are interested in getting through this book now with all the action in the Mid East of late. See my last post, what's going on isn't what's written in the book. Those events take place after the Church is Raptured.

Revelation Glossary

Thoughts On The Mid East

Well, while this may be well beyond my normal topics it does relate. Many will be looking at the current crisis and trying to fit it into the Book of Revelation.

While the events surely do relate to Israel, and how the world interacts with this nation, these are not those future events revealed in Revelation.

The next big event in the prophesied future history of the world is the Rapture of the Church. Tribulation, which is the period of time described in Revelation does not start until the Church is "caught up to Heaven".

OK with that having been said I'd like to make a clear statement.

This is quickly becoming a wider conflict. I watched the Syrian Ambassador to the US interviewed on CNN this morning. While he refused to admit direct military support of Hezbollah he didn't refute claims that they are allowing Iran to do so using Syrian territory.

Today, as previous to other Israeli attacks, The IAF (Israeli Air Force) dropped warning pamphlets to tell the residents of Southern Lebanon to leave immediately as an attack is imminent. I want to clearly state that there are few military forces in the world that announce where they are going to attack previous to doing so. If Hezbollah encamps in civilian areas, and if people do not or are not allowed to leave these areas surely civilian deaths can not be Israel's fault.

Today we learned that 5 Canadians were killed in Lebanon, report-ably by Israeli weapons. This pains me. Yet I hold firmly to the fact that Israel has the right to defend it's self. If anyone questions this, I ask you to honestly consider hundreds of rockets landing on you own city. How would you expect your government to react? What if this happened over and over and over again. Be honest in your answer and I believe you will agree that Israeli is required to route out Hezbollah now before this gets worse.

Justin Got Saved Tonight!

Witnessing went awesome. A young man named Justin called out for Salvation and received his Savior tonight in downtown Halifax. Right on Spring Garden Rd during the Jazz Fest! Amazing. He is now free. Never to be condemned. Lifted from bondage to sin and death to life in Christ seated in the Heavenlies.

Not of my strength. Not of my cleverness. In fact nothing of me. All was the Holy Spirit who convicted and set free! Glory be to God!

There were a total of 6 people who were open to hear the Gospel. Kim & Karen almost prayed with us, please pray for them to call out to God for His saving grace. Some 100 more were witnessed to through tracts and speaking.

I'm not sure how many hundred the others in our group witnessed too, but all in all it was an amazing night.

Loopholes-n-Prizes

Convinced of the factual basis for Evolution? Check out some of the many "loopholes" in this theory.

Still convinced? You're not alone. However, even though no one can figure out how it could possibly happen many otherwise sane human beings do still believe in Evolution. With that in mind, if you're willing to tell them something that sounds "plausible" and confirms their preconceived ideas they'll pay a million bucks! Go check out how much it pays to tell the "smart guys" they're right!

OH WAIT!!! Do you want to cash in and get paid TWICE?

There's been a long standing reward offered to "Anyone who can give any empirical evidence (scientific proof) for evolution." totaling $250,000. Offered by Dr. Kent Hovind. In 1990 the reward was for $10,000 but it's been increased to 250K just to get more people interested in the subject. :) Even better Kent doesn't care who's preconceived ideas you confirm or disprove. Just give him "any" empirical evidence for evolution and you're 250K richer!

Seeing as all these scientists are always lobbying the government for more money, and how they are all absolutely correct about Evolution you'd think this reward would have gone long ago wouldn't you? Or is it that there isn't any empirical evidence for this theory after all?

On What We Do

I noticed a sad thing recently over a number of weeks, as summer approached. My mind kept going to the carnal. Be it fast cars, fast computers or you guessed it "fast" women. Normally my response to such a thing would be to fast. (That whole statement kinda worked didn't it? hehe)

Actually, while I tried to make the above clever it's true. When I get all wrapped up in myself I like to fast and deny myself before God. To let Him speak. This in no way makes me "holy". Fasting is not a public action. It is a private thing that you do before God not men. For men may be impressed by your "holiness" but God will not be.

Still, with all this recent learning of evangelism I'm struck by how my first response to sin is to fight it. Instead of fleeing it. There is no room for sin in my life. I'm not to struggle with it, I'm to flee from it. Sometimes I think I use "fasting" as some kind of atonement for sin..(which is so wrong it's almost blasphemous) sometimes I think I use it as a way of overcoming sin (which is also wrong as I'm to flee it, not overcome it) I'm considering 2 Cor 10 today. I am taken by verses 3-6.

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh.

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is
fulfilled.

The rest of the chapter shows how the above is about how Paul and the other Apostles were (and are still) witnessing to the Church. However, I believe we can apply this to our own "struggle" with our old self. That which was crucified on the Cross with Christ. It was not annihilated (as some suggest) but it was judged and sentenced to death. In effect it is dead now. We must live in it with knowledge that it is dead, and all it's works are death.

If we live as from our Heavenly position in Christ then we are not living from our worldly position in death.

I guess the point of this whole post is, it's a heart issue. It's not about fighting the action it's about submitting to God. Understanding that, and living from the fact that we are IN Him. We are free from the bondage of Sin and it has no dominion over us. We are no longer slaves to it.

In this whole post, "we" indicates believers in Christ, not the general population of the planet. Those who wish to be freed from slavery to sin and the coming judgment must believe in and confess Christ Jesus.

Say It Isn't So

The speed of light may have been different in the past.

Scientists who believe in the 6 day creation have been giving proof for this for the last two decades.

Actually, these so called "constants" have been proven to be anything but constant for ages. Ever wonder why all these different "dating methods" give widely different ages for items? Such as recent lava flows (1949-1954) that are dated at millions of years old by "scientists".

I wonder if this new "twist" on the "constants" will be used to explain why so many observations poke holes in the popular evolutionary theory. Surely, this means it must be true! hehehe

Vacation

Wow it's nice to be on vacation. We don't have the means to get away anywhere but we're doing little things everyday to make it special.

I haven't been studying enough, neither at the School nor in the Word. I can feel the hunger.

Tonight's Prayer meeting is the first "scheduled" event I'll be at in days. It's about noon now, and I'm hoping I'll be on time. :)

Carl and I have been working on a new song together. It's been such a long time since I wrote with anyone else it's great. I'm "passionate" about songwriting. I can spend 8 hours with a guitar and a notepad and not even notice the time go by.

I've been having a great chat with Joseph about evangelism. You can see it in the comments in the two posts below this one. What are YOUR thoughts?

Coocoo For Cocoa Puffs

I had my first experience with street witnessing on Friday night. A group of us went to the downtown core from 9:30pm til about 12:30am. This was prime time to meet people on the streets.

We followed The Way Of The Master, which is the same approach that is taught in at the Biblical School of Evangelism where I am currently enrolled. We gave out tracts to tons of people. Mostly we gave out an "IQ Test" tract which everyone enjoyed. If the people stopped to talk with us then we engaged them in a spiritual conversation which led them to understand their position as sinners. If they came to understand that and were wanting the solution that's when we share the Gospel with them. That's when they are prepared for God's Grace, and that's when we give all of it to them.

What an incredible experience. No one was offended. People wanted more and more of our tracts. We got to see people be convicted by the Holy Spirit and cry out to know what God had done for them to save them from Hell. Amazing. Edifying. Unforgettable.

The amazing thing about all of this is that witnessing has nothing to do with any skill or ability of the witnesser. You're only there to engage the person. The Holy Spirit truly does the rest. You need only stay on topic and not argue. You don't condemn the sinner, you simply lead him through the steps and let the Holy Spirit do it quietly in his own heart. When he realizes where he is and what he faces, all on his own, then you offer him the solution and let him reach for it.

As for rejection.... well we gave out a couple hundred tracts. In all of that there were a few people who didn't want one, and one guy we talked to who was drunk but nice enough told Ken he is "KooKoo For CooCoo Puffs". That's also something I doubt I'll ever forget.

Check out the great tracts that Living Waters Canada puts out.

Tracts

So today I bought my first set of Gospel Tracts and put them out around town here and there... only three places but ya know! It was very cool because I left one on a urinal in a McDonald's. I went back in and it had been moved and read.

I pray that guy was spoken to, and that he listened and spoke to God about it!!

Guys and Gals, this is the easiest way to spread the gospel. Leave tracts here and there. I'm sold on it.

Check this one out 101 of the funniest 1 liners.

In The Midst

We often think we're the only one in the midst of a trial. We often think we're alone in it.

I know both of these two statements are often true of me. I often, think I'm alone not only in having trails, but that I'm alone in my own personal trail.

To deal with the silly thought that I'm the only one who is feeling the flames of life on this planet, I can simply listen to any other person speak for more than a moment or two. For people always share their troubles if you let them.

To deal with the second statement I need only look into scripture. Today I listened to a message from Woodrow Kroll entitled "The Shepard In The Midst". I encourage you to listen to it yourself, but I'm going to just cover a few scriptures that show that Christ has been and always will be "in the midst" of where we need Him. Be it a valley or a mountain, He is there right in the middle of it.

In the garden He was the Tree of Life in the midst of it.

He was the angel of the Lord in the midst of the burning bush when He spoke to Moses.

He was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the midst of the fiery furnace with them.

He is in the midst of the Church.

He will be in the midst of the throne of Heaven when we are there.

This is just a spattering of scripture that shows "where" Christ is in any situation. He's always in the midst, in the middle of it. He is never far from us. We need only look to Him.

N. Korea test fires LONG range missile - failure.

Looks like they bit off more than they could chew. That's a good thing.

CNN

EDIT: this post is a bit out of left field for my blog.. but ya know, I did a search an no one else seemed to have made a post about it yet... I couldn't resist. Pray for me.... I'm an attention hog.

OH and just for you know.. it was a complete failure (my attention grab attempt that is) only one new person actually visited and they left immediately. LOL that'll teach me!

EDIT#2 what's even funnier is I spelled missile incorrectly - "missle" in the title... I really need to stay in my own genre from now on I think. :)