it is sad when christains act in a unloving reasonable matter and when unbelivers are more "christain" in their demeanors and actions-here regrettably is a perfect example: click on link which is found at:
www.anthonybradley.worldmagblog.com/anthonybradley/
under the march 24,2006 heading: the saddest thing you may ever see a christain do and also read the comments.
Reflecting on what i saw we christains have acted(i have)or have the potential to act like her in any circumstance we may find ourselves in. We can be the sweet aroma to draw us christains together and also draw the unsaved and lost to Christ or we can act like this and be the foul smelly stinking rotting odor that draws christains away from each other and the lost away from Christ and become a source of ridicle,mockery,contempt and barriers to the lost. May we take our daily need of Christ's grace as we try to live out our faith in this world.
a site where the reformed faith and the doctrines of grace are promoted by a Puerto Rican christain who happens to love and cherish the reformed faith and the doctrines of grace and by that grace tries to live it out in the real world. Tim Keller on the Gospel The gospel is: you are more sinful and flawed than you ever dared believe yet you can be more accepted and loved than you ever dared hope at the same time because Jesus Christ lived and died in your place. . . .
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Friday, March 24, 2006
children our blessing from God
watching cnn they talked about this website which we as christains,as neighbors,as citzens,as friends,as stewards and as fellow image bearers of God should look into and arm ourselves mentally as we in our everday activities our paths cross with children: our family,friends,neighbors and strangers-all a blessing and priceless treasure from God.
here is the link:
www.childluresprevention.com/
here is the link:
www.childluresprevention.com/
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
new postings soon
sorry i havent posted. I have been working on some ideas for some topics. in the next couple of days new postings shoiuld appear.
God bless...
God bless...
Thursday, March 16, 2006
more pet peeves 3
1. when the church embraces pick,choose and delete theology.
2. when one's connections determines your role in the ministry of the church such as deacons,elders and teacher and not the biblical requirements.
3. when minority seminary students graduate and say show me the money and go to rich white churches in the suburbs or the low crime glitzy preppy city neighborhoods where they are safe and comfortable and face minor challenges-instead of choosing a poor urban church in a crime ridden part of the city(or plant a church) and live and teach like jesus knowing the same grace that provides for the needs of the little bird will provide for him and their families,that the same God that protected moses,joseph,daniel and his friends and other men who followed and obeyed God is the same God who will protect them and their families and the same same savior they preach and teach and point to-to those who need salvation in the rich churches is the same savior that is needed by the same minorities in those poor churches and living in the shun parts of the city to be preached,taught and pointed to Him who died for both rich and poor.
4. where the church instead of influencing such areas as politics,society and everday life and address important issues such as health,jobs,abortion,domestic abuse,crime,drugs,aids etc instead are influenced by them and instead becomes a pulpit for them.
5. when churches proclaim themselves multicultural and in their congregations do not include hispanics or african americans-even though they are near areas that are heavily populated by these groups.
6. when cults are more understanding,compassionate,sympathic and accepting etc than the church.
7. when the church is filled with easter/christmas christains.
8. when the church sweeps a problem under the rug or mimics a ostrich and hides its head in the sand hoping either the problem goes away or nobody chooses to see.
9. when the church preaches on tithing and it seems more like a infomerical,telethon or a health/wealth money scam.
10. when seminary education overshadows the biblical reqirements of choosing or becoming a pastor.
11. when the church literally or spiritually moves to the suburbs to flee the city.( this is a true account a solidly reformed spanish church moves from hoboken to coqui land(secluded/isolated area that offers no public transportation to reach it)to tonnelle new jersy where the church's nearest neighbor is a cemetry and the pastor's study and home has a good scenic view of it!!!
12 when cell phones and itsgrowing family members goes off during worship services and they answer it!!!
13. when babies start crying during the worship service and the poor parents are greeted and blessed by dirty looks/stares and the hellish gnashing of teeth.
14. when the church resembles a medival monastry during the "dark ages" than a city on the hill or the salt of the earth.
15. when the church promotes (or condones) itself as a meatmarket for singles to meet.
16.when the church talks a great talk but does not walk the walk.
17. when a pastor enters the church not as a calling but as a career choice.
18. when economic,social potential(or both) determines whether a church is planted in a neighborhood or not.
19. when churches are more concerned with numbers than dealing with individuals like the gospel calls us to do.
20. when true unity of the church is based on either who you know,who you are,what you do or non essentials of the faith instead of the essentials of the faith.
2. when one's connections determines your role in the ministry of the church such as deacons,elders and teacher and not the biblical requirements.
3. when minority seminary students graduate and say show me the money and go to rich white churches in the suburbs or the low crime glitzy preppy city neighborhoods where they are safe and comfortable and face minor challenges-instead of choosing a poor urban church in a crime ridden part of the city(or plant a church) and live and teach like jesus knowing the same grace that provides for the needs of the little bird will provide for him and their families,that the same God that protected moses,joseph,daniel and his friends and other men who followed and obeyed God is the same God who will protect them and their families and the same same savior they preach and teach and point to-to those who need salvation in the rich churches is the same savior that is needed by the same minorities in those poor churches and living in the shun parts of the city to be preached,taught and pointed to Him who died for both rich and poor.
4. where the church instead of influencing such areas as politics,society and everday life and address important issues such as health,jobs,abortion,domestic abuse,crime,drugs,aids etc instead are influenced by them and instead becomes a pulpit for them.
5. when churches proclaim themselves multicultural and in their congregations do not include hispanics or african americans-even though they are near areas that are heavily populated by these groups.
6. when cults are more understanding,compassionate,sympathic and accepting etc than the church.
7. when the church is filled with easter/christmas christains.
8. when the church sweeps a problem under the rug or mimics a ostrich and hides its head in the sand hoping either the problem goes away or nobody chooses to see.
9. when the church preaches on tithing and it seems more like a infomerical,telethon or a health/wealth money scam.
10. when seminary education overshadows the biblical reqirements of choosing or becoming a pastor.
11. when the church literally or spiritually moves to the suburbs to flee the city.( this is a true account a solidly reformed spanish church moves from hoboken to coqui land(secluded/isolated area that offers no public transportation to reach it)to tonnelle new jersy where the church's nearest neighbor is a cemetry and the pastor's study and home has a good scenic view of it!!!
12 when cell phones and itsgrowing family members goes off during worship services and they answer it!!!
13. when babies start crying during the worship service and the poor parents are greeted and blessed by dirty looks/stares and the hellish gnashing of teeth.
14. when the church resembles a medival monastry during the "dark ages" than a city on the hill or the salt of the earth.
15. when the church promotes (or condones) itself as a meatmarket for singles to meet.
16.when the church talks a great talk but does not walk the walk.
17. when a pastor enters the church not as a calling but as a career choice.
18. when economic,social potential(or both) determines whether a church is planted in a neighborhood or not.
19. when churches are more concerned with numbers than dealing with individuals like the gospel calls us to do.
20. when true unity of the church is based on either who you know,who you are,what you do or non essentials of the faith instead of the essentials of the faith.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Pet peeves 2
1. When one pastor preaches against the sins of gambling in particular lotto-then when his wife wins a million dollars from lotto-all you hear is the croaking of coquis(frogs that only live in Puerto Rico)
2. When the American reformed church reads the bible through white eyes and ignores the contributions and gifts God has blessed the minorities as well.
3. when the american reformed church frowns on minority worship and says it is unbiblical.
4. when the american reformed church plants churches in urban neighborhoods that are upcoming and ignore the poor urban neighborhoods and guess who live there?poor and working class minorities!
5. when the american reformed churches says that hispanics are not attracted to reformed faith and reformed churches because they are academic. playing consciously or sub-consciously to the racial sterotype that hispanics think with their hearts-are overly emotional.
6. when the church entertains more than teach and preach.
7. when the church demands seminary education for its pastors unofficially or offically ignoring the fianicial obstacle or burden it creates which ripples still long after graduation on the candiadate who is poor.
8. when the church sees seminary education which is a blessing as a vaccine againest the aids of the false gospel which clearly it is not.
9. when the pulpit preaches nothing but political and social commentary divorced from the gospel.
10. when the church hangs out with the world like a nerdy kid seeking appproval and acceptance from the in-crowd.
2. When the American reformed church reads the bible through white eyes and ignores the contributions and gifts God has blessed the minorities as well.
3. when the american reformed church frowns on minority worship and says it is unbiblical.
4. when the american reformed church plants churches in urban neighborhoods that are upcoming and ignore the poor urban neighborhoods and guess who live there?poor and working class minorities!
5. when the american reformed churches says that hispanics are not attracted to reformed faith and reformed churches because they are academic. playing consciously or sub-consciously to the racial sterotype that hispanics think with their hearts-are overly emotional.
6. when the church entertains more than teach and preach.
7. when the church demands seminary education for its pastors unofficially or offically ignoring the fianicial obstacle or burden it creates which ripples still long after graduation on the candiadate who is poor.
8. when the church sees seminary education which is a blessing as a vaccine againest the aids of the false gospel which clearly it is not.
9. when the pulpit preaches nothing but political and social commentary divorced from the gospel.
10. when the church hangs out with the world like a nerdy kid seeking appproval and acceptance from the in-crowd.
Friday, March 10, 2006
Who's afraid of Big Bad Theology?
I remember when i was young in the faith i attended my friends church where he was lecturing his fellow sunday schoool teachers. When he used the word THEOLOGY a female sunday school teacher raised her hand and said we should not preach/teach theology but who christ is.
His response was: that is theology
she responded again: we should not preach/teach theology but the love of christ.
His response was: that is theology
she contiuned and he responded with the same response: that is theology!
Looking back then:
1. I hope she got it
2. I hope the sunday school teachers gathered there did not feel like her.
His response was: that is theology
she responded again: we should not preach/teach theology but the love of christ.
His response was: that is theology
she contiuned and he responded with the same response: that is theology!
Looking back then:
1. I hope she got it
2. I hope the sunday school teachers gathered there did not feel like her.
Pet peeves
My first pet peeve is when Christians hold to teachings,beliefs,traditions and doctrines and refuse to examine it under scriptures to see if it is directly supported or indirectly supported by mining out principles that can be deduced from His word. For example porn and computers are not mentioned direcly from scriptures-yet indirectly you can deduce and apply other scriptures to address this situation.
The final pet peeve is when christains are more familar with the latest fads in biblcal prophecy etc and theology and church issues yet their bibles are gathering dust in their homes.
The final pet peeve is when christains are more familar with the latest fads in biblcal prophecy etc and theology and church issues yet their bibles are gathering dust in their homes.
Sister site in the works
In the next few weeks i will notify when the sister site is up in coming. The sister site will contain full articles and this site will contuine to be a creative diary and source of links.
soli Deo gloria
soli Deo gloria
Friday, March 03, 2006
Thursday, March 02, 2006
i will rather serve the real christ
on a post in carm someone there posted the use of images of christ because luther and calvin supported it. my point is we christains at times make our own popes and we should'nt because these were great men that God used to revive and reform His church-yet they were sinners and as sinners at times they acted contary to God's ways. So when we do we should especially run to Holy Scriptures and put all teachings of men under it-rejected if scriptures Do Not support it directly or indirectly and accepted if scriptures support it directly or indirectly --that alone is binding to our conscience,mind and heart.
So returning to the title of this post:
i rather take hold of the real jesus that lives and rules now as prophet,priest and king in heaven and here in His church and that died and saved me from the power,bondage,pollution and consequences of my sin Than a pseudo-jesus that lives in our sinful minds and hearts(which is a mixture of some biblical crumbs-and the majority from extra biblical sources such as :heresies,cults,hollywood,arts,media,personal bias,superstitions and traditions etc) that is no real prophet,priest or king only in one's sinful heart and imagination...and who did not die for anyone that is nothing more than a idol of wood and stone that cannot hear or speak or respond and cannot save anyone from the power,bondage,pollution and consequences of sin and the only power it has is to lead you away and keep you from knowing the real Jesus Christ as revealed in God's Holy word.
So returning to the title of this post:
i rather take hold of the real jesus that lives and rules now as prophet,priest and king in heaven and here in His church and that died and saved me from the power,bondage,pollution and consequences of my sin Than a pseudo-jesus that lives in our sinful minds and hearts(which is a mixture of some biblical crumbs-and the majority from extra biblical sources such as :heresies,cults,hollywood,arts,media,personal bias,superstitions and traditions etc) that is no real prophet,priest or king only in one's sinful heart and imagination...and who did not die for anyone that is nothing more than a idol of wood and stone that cannot hear or speak or respond and cannot save anyone from the power,bondage,pollution and consequences of sin and the only power it has is to lead you away and keep you from knowing the real Jesus Christ as revealed in God's Holy word.
sin the idol-maker
sin first guides the heart to produce the idols in a act of love
sin then guides the mind to embrace that idol(s)
sin lastly guides the life to follow and serve that idol(s)
sin then guides the mind to embrace that idol(s)
sin lastly guides the life to follow and serve that idol(s)
sin and unbiblical compromise
this thought came to mind when i responded to postings on reformed blacks of america which dealt with churches closing on sunday because it fell on christmas and churches either amending their sunday services worship time around the superbowl or setting up superbowl parties in the church. the thought was:
1. one of sins best disguises is unbiblical compromise.
2. unbiblical compromise is like a roll of dominoes once you knock one down everything else follows. meaning you open doors you should'nt or would'nt if you had not started with just one small thing.
1. one of sins best disguises is unbiblical compromise.
2. unbiblical compromise is like a roll of dominoes once you knock one down everything else follows. meaning you open doors you should'nt or would'nt if you had not started with just one small thing.
why do the puritans get such a bum wrap?
i remember in one of carms bulletin board forums some one posting this exact question. i responded that some of the reasons the puritans get such a bum rap is:
1. the world take notice when christains start living out the gospel inside and outside the church and goes on the offensive:
a. by mudslinging when they find nothing
b. by promoting their excesses,weaknesses,sins and extremes.
c. by advertising they are oldfashioned,outdated or unkool etc.
one further note i did not add but wished to is piggybacking on point b which is: the puritans and any great christian(s) we look up to like pastors,friends,teachers ,singers,actors,sports stars etc are christians yes but we must recognize we all have weaknesses and are sinners--so we must shun away from making our own popes and examing whatever they say and teach they say is biblical under our only final and binding authority: The Word of God and be like the beareans of acts 17:28
1. the world take notice when christains start living out the gospel inside and outside the church and goes on the offensive:
a. by mudslinging when they find nothing
b. by promoting their excesses,weaknesses,sins and extremes.
c. by advertising they are oldfashioned,outdated or unkool etc.
one further note i did not add but wished to is piggybacking on point b which is: the puritans and any great christian(s) we look up to like pastors,friends,teachers ,singers,actors,sports stars etc are christians yes but we must recognize we all have weaknesses and are sinners--so we must shun away from making our own popes and examing whatever they say and teach they say is biblical under our only final and binding authority: The Word of God and be like the beareans of acts 17:28