Do not run!

From the Blog of Ray Comfort

I dreamed I was a doctor. I was stationed in the darkest of places, fighting a deadly disease among a very primitive tribe. This tribal group were particularly vicious by nature, and what’s more, they, for the most part, didn’t like me at all.

Their primitive beliefs were certainly strange. They were utterly convinced that they were related to gorillas, and that they originally came from a puddle of water.

In the dream, I wanted to run from their delusions, but I couldn’t because I knew that they needed to be inoculated, or they would all die. My job was to convince them that they were in serious danger and that they needed to hold still while I plunged a needle into their tender flesh . . . a difficult task indeed.

It was hard because these tribal people were particularly proud, and thought that they needed nothing and knew everything.

They were so primitive in their thinking that they only believed in what they could see. So they were particularly resistant to the belief that there were unseen microorganisms, and that the deadly disease that was killing them was being promoted by their filthy lifestyle.

Then I awoke to the fact that it wasn’t a dream at all, and that I have a difficult task ahead of me, but one from which I will not run.

********************************************************************************

Christian, do not run away from the task of Evangelism. You have the cure to a mighty disease called sin. It would be a tragedy for you to tell no one how to be cured.

Don't sting them

From the Fishwithtrish blog -

Don't Sting Them

The next time you get rejected for the Gospel's sake or someone takes your tract and throws it in the trash or you get yelled at--be like a bee. A bee doesn’t sting the flower when it doesn't have pollen, it just moves on to the next flower to see if it can find pollen there.So when you have a "bad" witnessing encounter, take courage friend and don’t get upset and “sting” the individual. Just move on to the next person. Remember not to take it personal. It's the message they are rejecting.

I'm comforted by Jesus' words that are for the Christian, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matt 5: 11-12).

There's no such thing as a bad witnessing encounter. Everytime we share our faith it is a winning situation!

Special Thanks to Mark Spence for the analogy--it's stuck with me during times that I am tempted to "sting" an individual who has rejected the Gospel message.

The comforts of grace and godliness

The comforts of grace and godliness

(Matthew Mead, "The Almost Christian" 1661)

"The Father of compassion and the God of all comfort." 2 Corinthians 1:3

There are no comforts which can compare to the comforts of grace and godliness.

1. Worldly comfort is only external. It is but skin-deep, "In the midst of laughter, the heart is sorrowful." But the comfort which flows from godliness is an inward comfort, a spiritual joy; therefore it is called gladness of heart. "You have put gladness in my heart." Other joy smoothes the brow--but this fills the heart.

2. Worldly comfort is always mixed. The spring of worldly comfort is in the creature, in some earthly enjoyment; and, therefore, the comfort of worldly men must needs be mixed and muddy. "An unclean fountain cannot send forth pure water." But spiritual comfort has an upper spring. The comfort which accompanies godliness, flows from the manifestations of the love of God in Christ, from the workings of the blessed Spirit in the heart--who is first a Counselor, and then a Comforter. Therefore the comforts of the saints must needs be pure and unmixed comforts--for they flow from a pure spring.

3. Worldly comfort is very fading and transitory. "The triumphing of the wicked is but short, and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment." Solomon compares it to the "crackling of thorns under a pot," which is but a blaze--and soon out. So is the comfort of carnal hearts. But the comfort of godliness is a durable and abiding comfort, "your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man shall take from you." The comfort of godliness is lasting--yes everlasting; it abides by us in life, in death, and after death!

Funny Story

Ok - This has nothing to do with anything in particular.......it's just plain funny!

Energy Guzzled by Al Gore’s Home in Past Year Could Power 232 U.S. Homes for a Month
Gore’s personal electricity consumption up 10%, despite “energy-efficient” home renovations

NASHVILLE - In the year since Al Gore took steps to make his home more energy-efficient, the former Vice President’s home energy use surged more than 10%, according to the Tennessee Center for Policy Research.

“A man’s commitment to his beliefs is best measured by what he does behind the closed doors of his own home,” said Drew Johnson, President of the Tennessee Center for Policy Research. “Al Gore is a hypocrite and a fraud when it comes to his commitment to the environment, judging by his home energy consumption.”

In the past year, Gore’s home burned through 213,210 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, enough to power 232 average American households for a month.

In February 2007, An Inconvenient Truth, a film based on a climate change speech developed by Gore, won an Academy Award for best documentary feature. The next day, the Tennessee Center for Policy Research uncovered that Gore’s Nashville home guzzled 20 times more electricity than the average American household.

After the Tennessee Center for Policy Research exposed Gore’s massive home energy use, the former Vice President scurried to make his home more energy-efficient. Despite adding solar panels, installing a geothermal system, replacing existing light bulbs with more efficient models, and overhauling the home’s windows and ductwork, Gore now consumes more electricity than before the “green” overhaul.

Since taking steps to make his home more environmentally-friendly last June, Gore devours an average of 17,768 kWh per month –1,638 kWh more energy per month than before the renovations – at a cost of $16,533. By comparison, the average American household consumes 11,040 kWh in an entire year, according to the Energy Information Administration.

In the wake of becoming the most well-known global warming alarmist, Gore won an Oscar, a Grammy and the Nobel Peace Prize. In addition, Gore saw his personal wealth increase by an estimated $100 million thanks largely to speaking fees and investments related to global warming hysteria.

“Actions speak louder than words, and Gore’s actions prove that he views climate change not as a serious problem, but as a money-making opportunity,” Johnson said. “Gore is exploiting the public’s concern about the environment to line his pockets and enhance his profile.”

The Tennessee Center for Policy Research, a Nashville-based free market think tank and watchdog organization, obtained information about Gore’s home energy use through a public records request to the Nashville Electric Service.

The Five Hundred - I'm one of them..can you join us?

Gone to the beach!

Yes...that chair has my name on it.

The Dawg family will be at the beach for the next week. No e-mails....no voice mails...no news (if I can stand it)....no hurries.....no worries.

It time for some R & R on a East Coast beach.

I look forward each year to this time of getting away and treating the family to a well deserved stress reduction program. Program includes, but is not limited to, doing a lot of nothing.

Don't fear...I will be taking lots of Gospel tracts to hand out and hopefully will be engaging in some life changing conversations. Witnessing never takes a vacation!

See you next week!!

Where is the Gospel not allowed?

The following is from Tony the Lawman.

The story you are about to read is true.

The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

I received a call today from a friend of mine. He is a godly man who loves the Lord Jesus Christ, his family, his fellow Christians, and those who are bound for hell apart from the gift of eternal life that only Jesus Christ can give. He is passionate about biblical evangelism. I’ve listened to him preach in the open-air and I’ve listened to him engage strangers in one-to-one conversations.

He speaks the truth in love.My friend came up with an innovative way to reach lost people with the gospel. His plan was simple enough: set up a table; give away hot and cold drinks; give away gospel tracts; and use this simple act of kindness as a springboard for sharing the Law and the Gospel with lost people. All he needed was a place to set up his table.My friend approached two organizations.

Both organizations are hosting large-scale events. One boasts of an expected, one-time attendance of more than forty thousand people. The other will host their event every week. Both organizations are inviting vendors to man booths to sell their wares and advertise their businesses and organizations. Both events are taking place on private property, but are open to the public.My friend was honest about his intentions when he approached each of the organizations.

The first organization expressed concern that by giving away beverages, my friend might diminish the sales of other vendors.They also seemed less than enthusiastic about my friend’s plan to distribute gospel tracts and engage people in spiritual conversation. “It appears that we don’t have any room for you, right now.” They told my friend. “We’ll keep your name on file, and we’ll let you know.”

A bit discouraged, my friend went to the second organization. He knows the people well who run the organization, and he was confident that he would receive a positive response from them. This is the organization that will host tens of thousands of people at their event.Just as before, my friend was honest about his intentions when he approached the second organization. Like the first organization, the second organization denied his request to distribute hot and cold beverages because they didn’t want his free gifts to infringe upon the other vendors’ efforts to make a buck or two.

But there was one significant difference in the way the second organization responded to my friend’s request to distribute gospel tracts and engage people in spiritual conversation.“We’re not billing this as a religious event.” My friend was told. “You won’t be able to hand out any gospel tracts.” My friend was shocked.

Why?

The first organization: a farmer’s market setting up in a mall parking lot.

The second organization: my friend’s church.

That’s right. My friend’s church is inviting some forty thousand people to their “campus” for an evening of food and frivolity. And the Gospel is not welcome there. As was the case last year during a similar event, my friend will have to stand across the street from his own church the night of the event to hand out gospel tracts.

I'm angry and I'm heartsick. I'm angry that a church (any church) would tell one of its members that the Gospel is inappropriate for a "church" event. And my heart breaks for my friend and for a church that seems to have drifted so far away from God's mandate to preach the Gospel to the entire world.

I will simply close with this. As the line continues to fade--the line between the world and those professing to be the church--I pray that churches like the one my friend attends will come to realize that their exclusion of the Gospel at any time is a sin against God.

I pray that this church and churches like it will repent--turn away from its sin and return to proclaiming His Gospel.

D-Day - June 6th, 1944

Lest we forget (Where is the news coverage today) what great sacrifices were made on this day 64 years ago. Hero's of old who saved Europe...............





.........You are not forgotten

You have no reason to complain

You have no reason to complain

(Thomas Boston,

"Human Nature in its Fourfold State")

"Why does a living man complain?" Lamentations 3:39

You have no reason to complain, as long as you are out of hell. Do you murmur, because you are under pain and sickness? Nay, bless God, you are not there where the worm never dies! Do you grudge, that you are not in so good a condition in the world as some of your neighbors are? Be thankful, rather, that you are not in the condition of the damned!

Is your money gone from you? Thank God that the fire of His wrath has not consumed you! Kiss the rod, O sinner! and acknowledge mercy!

Are you Born Again?

Are You Born Again?

by J. C. Ryle

Are you born again? This is one of life's most important questions. Jesus Christ said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).

It is not enough to reply, "I belong to the church; I suppose I'm a Christian." Thousands of nominal Christians show none of the signs of being born again which the Scriptures have given us—many listed in the First Epistle of John.

No Habitual Sinning

First of all, John wrote: "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin" (I John 3:9). "Whosoever is born of God sinneth not" (5:18).

A person who has been born again, or regenerated, does not habitually commit sin. He no longer sins with his heart and will and whole inclination. There was probably a time when he did not think about whether his actions were sinful or not, and he did not always feel grieved after doing evil. There was no quarrel between him and sin; they were friends. But the true Christian hates sin, flees from it, fights against it, considers it his greatest plague, resents the burden of its presence, mourns when he falls under its influence, and longs to be completely delivered from it. Sin no longer pleases him, nor is it even a matter of indifference to him; it has become a horrible thing which he hates. However, he cannot eliminate its presence within him.

If he said that he had no sin, he would be lying (I John 1:8). But he can say that he hates sin and that the great desire of his soul is not to commit sin at all. He cannot prevent bad thoughts from entering his mind, or shortcomings, omissions, and defects from appealing in both his words and his actions. He knows that "in many things we offend all" (James 3:2). But he can truly say, in the sight of God, that these things cause him grief and sorrow and that his whole nature does not consent to them. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Believing in Christ

Second, John wrote: "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God" (I John 5:1).

A man who is born again, or regenerated, believes that Jesus Christ is the only Saviour who can pardon his soul, that He is the divine person appointed by God the Father for this very purpose, and beside Him there is no Saviour at all. In himself he sees nothing but unworthiness. But he has full confidence in Christ, and trusting in Him, he believes that his sins are all forgiven. He believes that, because he has accepted Christ's finished work and death on the cross, he is considered righteous in God's sight, and he may look forward to death and judgment without alarm.

He may have fears and doubts. He may sometimes tell you that he feels as if he had no faith at all. But ask him if he is willing to trust in anything instead of Christ, and see what he will say. Ask him if he will rest his hope of eternal life on his own goodness, his own works, his prayers, his minister, or his church, and listen to his reply. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Practicing Righteousness

Third, John wrote: "Every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him" (I John 2:29).

The man who is born again, or regenerated, is a holy man. He endeavors to live according to God's will, to do the things that please God and to avoid the things that God hates. He wishes to continually look to Christ as his example as well as his Saviour and to prove himself to be Christ's friend by doing whatever He commands. He knows he is not perfect. He is painfully aware of his indwelling corruption. He finds an evil principle within himself that is constantly warring against grace and trying to draw him away from God. But he does not consent to it, though he cannot prevent its presence.

Though he may sometimes feel so low that he questions whether or not he is a Christian at all, he will be able to say with John Newton, "I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I hope to be in another world; but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God I am what I am." What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Loving Other Christians

Fourth, John wrote: "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren" (I John 3:14).

A man who is born again has a special love for all true disciples of Christ. Like his Father in heaven, he loves all men with a great general love, but he has a special love for those who share his faith in Christ. Like his Lord and Saviour, he loves the worst of sinners and could weep over them; but he has a peculiar love for those who are believers. He is never so much at home as when he is in their company.

He feels they are all members of the same family. They are his fellow soldiers, fighting against the same enemy. They are his fellow travelers, journeying along the same road. He understands them, and they understand him. They may be very different from himself in many ways—in rank, in station and in wealth. But that does not matter. They are his Father's sons and daughters and he cannot help loving them. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Overcoming the World

Fifth, John wrote: "Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world" (I John 5:4).

A man who is born again does not use the world's opinion as his standard of right and wrong. He does not mind going against the world's ways, ideas and customs. What men think or say no longer concerns him. He overcomes the love of the world. He finds no pleasure in things which seem to bring happiness to most people. To him they seem foolish and unworthy of an immortal being.

He loves God's praise more than man's praise. He fears offending God more than offending man. It is unimportant to him whether he is blamed or praised; his first aim is to please God. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Keeping Oneself Pure

Sixth, John wrote: "He that is begotten of God keepeth himself' (I John 5:18).

A man who is born again is careful of his own soul. He tries not only to avoid sin but also to avoid everything which may lead to it. He is careful about the company he keeps. He knows that evil communications corrupt the heart and that evil is more catching than good, just as disease is more infectious than health. He is careful about the use of his time; his chief desire is to spend it profitable.

He desires to live like a soldier in an enemy country—to wear his armor continually and to be prepared for temptation. He is diligent to be watchful, humble, prayerful man. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

The Test

These are the six great marks of a born again Christian.

There is a vast difference in the depth and distinctness of these marks in different people. In some they are faint and hardly noticeable. In others they are bold, plain and unmistakable, so anyone may read them. Some of these marks are more visible than others in each individual. Seldom are all equally evident in any one person.

But still, after every allowance, here we find boldly painted six marks of being born of God.

How should we react to these things? We can logically come to only one conclusion—only those who are born again have these six characteristics, and those who do not have these marks are not born again. This seems to be the conclusion to which the apostle intended us to come. Do you have these characteristics?

Are you born again?

If not, then you need to repent of your sins and put your trust in Christ to save you from God's wrath on Judgment Day. Either you will pay for your sins in Hell or you can repent and trust Christ to save you. One way or another your sins will be paid for.