John Piper - A Problem with Christians in Evangelicalism

I really appreciate John Piper and his message.
I read in the Book of Acts where Peter gave the first messsage on Pentecost. There wasn't an altar call. No music. No Choir. Just the Word of God. People cried out to Peter, "What must we do to be saved?" That is the power of the message. What must I do to be saved?
God help me to not shy away from speaking the truth.
Help me to not seek the favor of man and his praise and applause, but let me wholly lean on Jesus.

Find God this weekend.
Meet with some other believers.
Read His Word.
Talk to Him and then listen for Him.

Michael b

What Say You?

HE is....
He isn't....

He might.....
He might not....
Some say, "Yes!"

Some say, "No!
Who is right?
He is.

Jesus.

What difference does it make for us to argue.
Be ready.
Be prepared.
Be watchful.
Be vigilant.

We fall prey to the mind game of, "Well, he hasn't come back yet and it's been thousands of years. He must not be coming back.

Here is what THE Word says.

His Word.

His Bible.

I Thessalonians 4:16-18

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout. With the call of the archangel, and with trumpet call of God. First, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with Him forever. So comfort and encourage each other with these words.

This will be the true beginning of the end when Jesus gathers unto Himself His church. Not the brick building, Sunday Go To Meeting people. But among those who do go to church, the ones who truly had surrendered their hearts to God. The ones that others in the church viewed being as fanatical and weird. The ones that never got invitations to church gatherings because all they wanted to do was pray for someone or talk about Jesus.

I believe like I have never believed before that Jesus is truly coming back and it might be sooner than most of us would think. I don't' know why I feel this way. I am not looking to escape anything or have this desire to simply want to run away. If anything, I burn today more intense and more passionately to make disciples. To see others come to a saving knowledge of who this Jesus is.

Marantha, Lord Jesus!

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It Changed Everything

6 Days That Changed Everything

June 5, 1967 in HistoryEvent:6 day war between Israel and Arab neighbors begins.Arab demonstrators calling for war with Israel. Egypt mobilizes thousands of its troops in and around the Suez Canal. Nasser finds no Israeli buildup, but continues massing troops.

May 16, 1967Egyptian commandos dispatched to the Sinai peninsula Egypt moves into Sinai, demands U.N. peacekeepers withdraw.

May 19, 1967UNEF soldiers leave their positions in the Sinai.Tens of thousands of Egyptian troops mass in the Sinai.May 22, 1967casus belli according to international law, cuts off Israel from its only reasonable shipping route to Asia and halts the flow of oil from Israel’s primary supplier, Iran.Act of War; Egypt closes the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping.

May 23, 1967 U.S. President Johnson warns Israel not to attack first.

May 24 - June 4, 1967

Israeli NCOs inspecting personal arms of reservists in the field.Six Arab countries deploy more than 230,000 troops close to Israel's boundary lines.

May 27, 1967

Nasser cancels planned Egyptian attack on Israel.

May 30, 1967

King Hussein of Jordan and Pres. Nasser of Egypt sign a mutual defense pact.'Jordan and Egypt sign mutual defense pact.

May 31 - June 4, 1967

Iraqi President Abdur Rahman Aref'. "Our goal is clear - to wipe Israel off the map!

THE WAR

DAY 1, JUNE 5, 1967

Egyptian air force jets lie destroyed on the tarmac by Israeli air force bombing on the first day

8:15 am: Israel destroys Egyptian Air Force. Fearing thousands of civilian losses by the Egyptian Air Force, Israel preemptively strikes and destroys 311 Egyptian planes, most on the ground. Thirteen bases are rendered inoperable.

8:30 am: Israel sends message to Jordan, pledging no attack, if Jordan stays out of war. Israel passes message via Chief U.N. Observer Odd Bull to Jordan’s King Hussein. Israel promises not to attack if Jordan stays out of the war, but warns that Israel would respond forcefully otherwise.

10 am: Jordan attacks Israel. Nasser tells Hussein Egypt has inflicted staggering damage on Israel.

At 9:30 am, Hussein informs his people that ’the hour of revenge has come.

At 10 am, Jordan begins attack on Israel. Over 6000 shells hit Jewish Jerusalem, 900 buildings are damaged, including Hadassah Hospital. Twenty civilians die, over 1000 injured. ’Very heavy machine and mortar fire, probably cannon, continuous in Jerusalem’, reported the British consul-general at around 11:30am.

Noon: Syria and Iraqi Air Forces attack Israel.

12 noon, Motivated by Jordan’s attack, Syrian MiG’s strike Galilee settlements, including Kibbutz Degania, home to PM Eshkol. Iraqi planes fire on communities in the Jezreel Valley and Afula.

12:30pm: Israel strikes Jordanian airfields in Mafraq and Amman.In response to Jordan’s attack, Israel seeks to destroy Jordanian air capabilities.

1pm: Israel strikes Syrian air bases In response to Syrian air attack, Israel strikes Syrian air bases, destroying 2/3 of Syria’s planes, but losing ten of their own.First day of fighting. Israel destroys most of Egyptian air force. Jordan, Syria and Iraq attack Israel.

DAY TWO

JUNE 6, 19672

Massive Syrian artillery barrage on Galilee communities.Over 250 guns shoot an estimated 45 tons of ammunition per minute on the towns.

5:50 am: Massive Egyptian retreat begins Afternoon: Lebanon attacks Israel with planes in the Galilee

4:30pm: Israel and Jordan accept terms of U.N .cease-fire, but Egypt and Syria do not.

11:30pm: King Hussein of Jordan orders his troops to retreat, then reverses himself.Second day of fighting. Fighting continues on all fronts.

DAY 3

JUNE 7, 1967

10am: ’The Temple Mount is in our hands’ Israeli troops gain control over eastern Jerusalem, including the Old City, home of the Jewish Quarter and the holiest site in Judaism, the Temple Mount. Jews had been denied access to these sites during the nineteen years Jordan had occupied eastern Jerusalem despite stipulations of the 1948 Jordan-Israel armistice agreement. Israel leaves the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque, Muslim holy sites in the Old City, under the administration of Muslim religious authorities.

12:15pm: Israel breaks Straits of Tiran blockade Israeli forces take control of Sharm al-Sheikh from Egypt. Israel opens the Straits of Tiran to all ships. Throughout the day: Syria continues shelling Israel’s northern communities.

DAY FOUR

JUNE 8, 1967

Israel Defense Forces take control of Hebron and other West Bank towns. Syria continues shelling northern Israeli communities.According to American ambassador Barbour, ’Syrian shelling of kibbutzim and settlements in Israel has been continuous and incessant...Some kibbutzim have been completely leveled above ground.

DAY FIVE

JUNE 9, 1967

Fifth day of fighting. Israel and Syria in heavy fighting on the Golan.

DAY SIX

JUNE 10, 1967

Israel gains control of the Golan Heights. Evening: Ceasefire agreed to by all parties.

The mood of our country seems to be one of anti-Israel at this moment.I am not here to lift Israel and look the other way when mistakes have been made on their part. I am here to say that the United States of America should consider the slippery slope they have started on by dissing Israel in order to curry favor with the Muslim World.We claim to be a Christian Nation and yet but the looks of things, we haven't really studies the Scripture.Israel and the Jews are God's chosen. According to Romans 9 / 10 /11, the only reason Gentiles have access to salvation and relationship with God is too make Israel jealous. We have been granted this incredible gift from God simply because the Jews rejected it.There will be a time when God will gather the Jews again.They will see Messiah.They will know that He is Jesus.We are told to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Let us do that.We should also pray for the Muslim world that the Word and Spirit of God would open their hearts also to the truth of who Jesus is.I fear that we reject one (Israel) to embrace another (Muslim) and in doing so, seal our fate in the hands of God.One only has to look at history to see what happens to those nations who have turned their back on the Jews.Dare we travel that same road.God on you..........mb

A Called Out People

Grand kids had Vacation Bible School last night, so after they were dropped off at church, we invited Chad and Robin over for supper. It was a good evening as we ate burgers and made plans for our vacation in July. Last year the entire Clan Bynum spent a week in Ft. Walton. It was such a hit that I told Vicki we have got to make this an annual event. A time where the family can be together, play together, and just love on one another for an entire week. I'm so looking forward to it.

I still continue to be lead by God's Spirit to study in I Chronicles. Not exactly what you would call as light reading. Lists of names and families, interspersed with a few verses that give tidbits of information about the people in the book.

David, in I Chronicles 11 and 12 is now coming into his own as King. Saul is dead and David takes the city of Jebus ( known to us as Jerusalem). The elders of the Northern Kingdom come down to Hebron to anoint David, thus restoring the nation of Israel under one King. All of this takes place because David waited on God. David had opportunities to kill Saul and usurp the throne from him, but David chose to wait on God. Those who wait on the Lord enjoy the plans that God has for them.

I Chronicles 11:9 reads: So David went on and became great, and the Lord of hosts was with him. That is the reason that David was an over comer. God's Spirit rested upon David. David, during his time as king, made some bone headed mistakes. His fling with Bathsheba brought trouble right into the palace and caused David's family to be the poster children for dysfunctional behavior. But David never wavered in his love for God or his willingness to stand for correction from God's hand. That his the heart that I want today. A heart that seeks God's presence at every turn.

Get into God's word today.
Study it.
Feast on it.
God on you........
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Did You Read That !!!

I have been writing and teaching about the holiness of God. That this God we claim to believe in and worship is the same God we read about in the Bible. He is the God who spoke into existence every thing we see, touch, smell, hear and taste. Yet somehow there seems to be this disconnect between who God is and who we really think He is.

I have been wrestling with giving God the reverence and worship that is due Him, not because of what He has done but simply because of who he is. I don't think this worship can be scripted or rehearsed, I think it has to flow from our hearts as a true offering of praise. I do believe that we can sing songs that have been written about God, as long as we are singing to Him. I believe that from this place, the spontaneous songs and praises of God will come. But we have a tendency to hold back for fear of looking foolish. I don't see too many people holding back at football games, or concerts or at a NASCAR race. Why is it we become so reserve? Is it because we fear God. Now don't get me wrong, fear of God is a good thing. We don't need to become chummy with Him. He is not the "big guy". He is not the "Man upstairs". He is Almighty God who rules over everything. What falls under everything? Everything.

God has had me in the two books of Chronicles this week. Not really reading one can sink your teeth into, but none the less, I am trying to be obedient. I came across a verse today that made me stop and think.

II Chronicles 2:3
The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, and Shelah. These three were born to him by the daughter of Shua, the canaanitess. (now pay attention to this part) Er, the firstborn of Judah, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, so He killed him.
How does that fit into your view of God? Oh but Michael, that is the Old Testament and we know that there wasn't any grace and it was hard and it was the law and God must have been having a really bad day. Oh yeah?
How about in the New Testament where Grace abounds in the book of Acts where we read about a couple of liars.....Ananias and Sapphira. God struck them dead! What are you trying to say? I am trying to say that we need to remember who it is that has called us to salvation and relationship. That this is the real God who sits in heaven and carries out His plan in spite of the sin and evil in the world. He is not overcome by it. He doesn't sit around crying and whining about "what am I going to do?" He is not deterred by anything. He is not surprised by the depth of sin in humanity. He patiently goes about working with those who are saved to bring the Kingdom of heaven to earth. That is His will and that is His plan.
Try getting in touch with the majesty and awesome power that God possesses.
Read Chapters 4 and 5 in Revelation to get an idea of what is going on around the throne of God.
Me?
I can't wait to see it firsthand....
Talk about worship.........now that is worship.
God on you....
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Listen!

I Peter 5:5-6
Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility for "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.

We don't like to think of bad things happening to us.
We don't like to talk about situations that could cost us our lifestyle.
We want to think good thoughts and happy thoughts, yet I am surrounded on all sides by books and tapes and the voices of men I know hear God and they are all saying the same thing. We need to be prepared for a hard season that is approaching. I do not write these things as one who is fearful and I pray that you do not lapse into that place of fear. If you are saved, you are in the hands of the living God and He will sustain you no matter what.

I do not claim to be a prophet or a seer of the future, but it really doesn't take much to see that the behavior of our country as our leaders go from one self-centered decision to another is leading us down a road to where only God can save us. Is this coming season judgment from God? I think it may be.

What does God hope to accomplish if judgment does come to the United States? Does God simply want to see us suffer for our rejection of His Word? No. Humility is the goal of judgment. Humility to the people. To break the proud and presumptive heart of a stiff-necked people. We read in James Chapter 4 where if we bow before Christ, He will lift us up. God cannot heal a proud people...........he can only heal those who are broken.
I will be the first to tell you that I do not want to go through any judgment, but I am learning that God gives grace to those who do.
Grace---the empowering presence of God in my life that enables me to be who He created me to be and do what He has called me to do. No matter what the future holds, God's grace is sufficient. There isn't any darkness, any sin, any weapon, any plot or devise of man that can overcome the grace of God. That is what I cling to.

I think we are going to see a division in what we call "Christianity" between those who are truly following and listening and obeying God, and those who are simply playing at religion. I pray that my heart be found pure and on fire. I pray that I not embarrass my God. I pray that I do not stand before Jesus thumping my chest like Peter, proclaiming, "Never...I will never deny you, Lord." I pray that in humility I simply follow.

God on you.........
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New Week To Chase Him

I will arise and give thanks to you Lord my God.
And Your name I will bless with my whole heart.
You have shown mercy....
You have shown mercy to me....
I give thanks to you Lord.

This Vineyard Worship song was the very first thought I had this morning. As I was opening my eyes and beginning to stir, these words came up. How wonderful to arise giving thanks to God. Not loaded down with emotional baggage or spiritual darkness, but with the words of praise floating in my mind and spirit. No matter what the day brings........God has shown mercy to me.
No matter what CNN or FOX tells us, God is in control and has a remnant of believers. We cry out to Him to heal our land. No matter how bad we think things can get, God has shown and continues to show us mercy.
Mercy?
What is mercy?
Mercy is God giving me what I don't deserve and keeping from me that which I do deserve.
Not being grateful to God keeps one from seeing and experiencing mercy.
We, as humans, tend to let "life" and the situations we face dictate our responses, both physical and emotional. We have a bent toward reacting to what we face rather than finding the blessing and mercy of God in whatever circumstance comes our way.

I love the words of Hebrews 4:14-16
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain MERCY an find grace to help in time of need.

Let those words soak into your spirit today.
God on you.........
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