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Guess our national leaders didn't expect this, hmm? On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton , Colorado , was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful. They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. It needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert! These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. The following is a portion of the transcript: Since the dawn of creation there has been both good &evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers. The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used.. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart. In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death.. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy -- it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best. Your laws ignore our deepest needs, Your words are empty air. You've stripped away our heritage, You've outlawed simple prayer. Now gunshots fill our classrooms, And precious children die. You seek for answers everywhere, And ask the question "Why?" You regulate restrictive laws, Through legislative creed. And yet you fail to understand, That God is what we need! Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts. As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America , and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA -- I give to you a sincere challenge.. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone! My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!" ..........Darrell Scott

http://www.bibleornot.org/the-impossible-truth-sir-arthur-conan-doyle/

I want as many opinions as I can get. ~WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON EASTER? ~DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT? ~WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE PALM SUNDAY IS ALL ABOUT? ~SHOULD WE CALL "VACATION" AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, 1.SPRING BREAK OR 2.EASTER BREAK ??? LET US ALL HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS, JUST KEEP THEM RESPECTFUL.

http://drbobgonzales.com/2011/when-godly-brothers-disagree-the-division-of-paul-and-barnabas/

You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am theLord. Leviticus 19:17-18 Vengeance, I think is a topic that is rarely spoken of or even taught about at church. I'm not sure why that is. There are a lot of topics that are rarely taught on just because of the fact that there are so many important ones to teach on. We all have an innate “feeling” in us that urges us to “get back” and “get revenge” on others because of “all” that they have done to us to “deserve” it. Genesis 4:15a says, And the LORD said to him, “Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” What stands out to you in this passage? Is it God's power? Or maybe His promise to protect Cain? To me, the fact that the LORD would take time enough to answer Cain's worries about his own safety and to place a mark on him to show that He was God's is amazing. To be punished sevenfold? That is a lot. None of us could stand having God's vengeance placed on us sevenfold. Also, notice that God is the one who takes care of the vengeance. He is the one who gives it and not Cain. Numbers 31:3So Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm some of yourselves for war, and let them go against the Midianites to take vengeance for the LORD on Midian. The interesting thing that I noticed here is that Israel was instructed by God to take vengeance for Himself. So, God was using them to punish Midian while at the same time Israel was not punishing them for their own sake because they wanted to “get back” at them, but because they were commissioned to do it for the Lord and in His name that His power should be known that it was with Israel. Dueteronomy 32:35a Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time... Dueteronomy 32:41b I will render vengeance to My enemies, And repay those who hate Me. When God is executing vengeance on someone, you can be sure that they will end up less proud or even may perish by the power of God. Let us be the more earnest to give all glory to God, to remind ourselves through scripture that vengeance IS the Lord's and that He will take care of it better than you could (especially if you were angry when you tried to “punish” them). Deuteronomy 32:43“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, And render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement for His land and His people.” I think it's a pretty good feeling that we can have when we read that God will provide atonement for His land and His people. That is His elect He is talking about. We are atoned for. God takes vengeance for us against our and His adversaries because anyone who is against us when we are promoting God through our lifestyle is actually against God because they oppose the path of righteousness which God commands us to live on. Judges 16:28Then Samson called to the LORD, saying, “O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!” I thought that this verse was very interesting. There is an underlying, very important point. Samson prays this when he is chained to the pillars of the temple where the Philistines worshiped their god. Notice how he prays that he may have vengeance on the Philistines because of the loss of his eyes. He doesn't pray that God would have vengeance for him toward them, but he is asking God that he may take vengeance for himself. In the other verses, we noticed that God was the one that was taking revenge for Himself or for His people, Israel. The key thing I see here is that Samson knows his mistake and recognizes his punishment, but he is also showing that he knows that God is in control of vengeance. You know the rest of the story, how God answers Samson's prayer and gives him strength so that he pushes the pillars of the temple down and many ungodly Philistines are killed along with Samson. He used his last breath to do God's will because God allowed new strength to come to him. Give your heart to God. Let Him take control of all of you especially when you want to return evil for evil. God knows all and sees all of what you are going through. So, be patient. Pray that God will help you bear it and give the rest to Him. He is more than capable of taking care of it.

Be Men Now and Take Up the Heart of Courage by Bible or Not 2Fwww.bibleornot.org&rpctoken=328828320&_methods=onPlusOne%2C_ready%2C_close%2C_open%2C_resizeMe%2C_renderstart" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" width="100%"> Much is said about courage and perseverance in the Bible. While some consider that to have courage means to have no fear, others like myself believe that courage provides us the ability to act in the face of fear. Which brings me to today’s Bible-sounding quote… “Be men now, dear friends, and take up the heart of courage, and have consideration for each other in the strong encounters, since more come through alive when men consider each other.” – Homer, The Ilead c. 800 BC We see that the notion of courage has been around for a very long time, and that’s because such quality traits have been ingrained in the human spirit from the beginning. Here is a formal definition of courage according to Webster and Dictionary.com. Courage - [kuhr ij] – noun | Definition:1. the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.2. the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery. The courage written of by Homer was preceded by the courage written of in the Old Testament book of Joshua by approximately 400 years. While the idea of courage may be the same, and the context of having courage through war may be the same, the courage we read about in the Bible has much more power. And why is that? “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9 NKJV So we see that courage is a universal trait, and that whether it comes from the Bible or not, it is to be desired and those that display it are admired. The difference lies in where we get the power and strength to be courageous. If our courage comes solely from the spirit of man, then it will have its limitations. But if we walk with God, and stand on His promise that He is with us wherever we go, then our courage will be bolstered by the Spirit and power of God.

It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes. Psalm 119:71 Good day! I hope your week has been well. Have a great rest of the week. Have you ever wondered how God disciplines us? I know it's an interesting question to ask because it is not usually a pleasant thing to think on. Nonetheless, I think it is important to know the ways that God chastens us so that we know better when He is working on us, so by His grace, we can be opened up and a fruitful surgery on our heart may take place and we will come out stronger and more perfect. Here are some ways God lovingly disciplines His sheep. 1. He disciplines us through Scripture. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness...2 Timothy 3:16 He disciplines us through the instruction, encouragement, correction and rebuke of those who are in leadership: church leaders, parents, bosses and employers, governing authorities and all other authorities. Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Romans 13:1 A wise son heeds his father’s instruction...Proverbs 13:1 He disciplines us through the rebuke of friends and wiser people. Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear. Proverbs 25:12 He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue. Proverbs 28:23 A scoffer does not love one who corrects him, nor will he go to the wise. Proverbs 15:12 He disciplines us through difficult circumstances or difficult people. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes. I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me. Psalms 119: 67,71,75 So, the big question is... when we are corrected or afflicted, do WE humbly submit to God's hand because we trust that His will is the best? Or do we pridefully resent it? If we want to have sanctified lives than we MUST submit and pray that God will be merciful to us and give us a teachable spirit, ready to learn and crush our former ways to put on new clothes of righteousness. If you have resisted and resented God's discipline or pridefully turned away from a loving rebuke, confess it to Him now in the quietness of your heart. It is between you and God and it must be taken care of. "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." 1 Peter 5:10 ...I will be with you and bless you... Genesis 26:3a

Do Not Pray for Easy Lives. Pray to Be Stronger Men. by Bible or Not 2Fwww.bibleornot.org&rpctoken=238086272&_methods=onPlusOne%2C_ready%2C_close%2C_open%2C_resizeMe%2C_renderstart" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" width="100%"> Life can be hard, and sometimes as Christians we think it shouldn’t be so. I am sure we all have prayed for relief from the struggle and for things to make life easier. But perhaps that’s not what God has in mind. I believe our 35th president understood this principle. “Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men.” – John F. Kennedy Whether we like it or not, and I don’t think I’ve met anyone who really likes it, God uses hardship and struggle to shape us according to His plan, not ours. So the advice of John F. Kennedy is very apropos. Let’s see what the Bible says. According to the Apostle Peter, we should not be surprised when we face trials and troubles. “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;” – 1 Peter 4:12 And what is the purpose of the struggle? That God would make us stronger. “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” – 1Pet.5:10 So, as tough as it might be, it is good advice to not pray for easy lives, but rather, pray to be stronger men and women. And also remember that a faith that has not been tested cannot be trusted. I thought this was an encouraging reminder for us men and women as well. Ponder it.

02-25-12 - Praying Through Anger http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/02/02-25-12-praying-through-anger.html Ephesians 4:26-27 / 26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27Neither give place to the devil. This is in reference to a piece of discussion we have been having on handling anger Biblically, in conjunction with loving your enemies. The question asked was, "How can you love your enemies? Do you love the guy who is destroying your family? Do you love the arsonist why is setting fire to your home? Do You love the guy who is taking a knife and slowly beheading your spouse? Do you love the soldier who is grabbing your baby, throwing it up in the air and catching it on his bayonet? And do you love his fellow soldiers who chuckle and joke about the expression on your wife's face after the loss of her baby, just before she is raped and murdered? Do you love the Saudis who flew jet planes into the World Trade Center and killed 3,000 people?" We discussed this concept right afterward. It is one thing to feel anger over something bad that is happening around us - it is then up to us to choose what we do with that emotion. Anger, like joy or sadness, is an emotion that can trigger decisions we will make. As a matter of fact, it is a strong emotion that has the ability to make us do things that we would later regret. Families can be destroyed, jobs lost, friendships wrecked - all over anger. If this is so, we need a good mechanism to help us deal with anger! This is where God's love comes into place. His love is so amazingly strong, it can bring healing and ability to forgive even in the midst of extreme anger situations. Let's take one instance - a man breaks into your house and steals your things. You were gone at work, so you did not know it was happening. When you come home, you find your house ransacked and your TV is missing. Your wife's favorite necklace is also missing. Your furniture has been turned upside down, all the drawers are thrown down on the floor, and papers are everywhere. One of your windows has been broken, and the door was kicked in. This would be enough to make anyone boiling mad - that is understandable. Now comes our part - what do we do? Do we go out and buy a gun and threaten to hunt the man down? Do we begin to fantasize about catching him around our house and slowly beating him to a pulp with a baseball bat? Let's be real about this - we can never effectively deal with anger issues if we pretend they do not exist. IF WE DO NOT OVERCOME OUR ANGER, IT WILL OVERCOME US. What can we do? The first thing we have to do is forgive that person for what they have done to us. Jesus spoke on this wise when He was being crucified in Luke 23:34 - "...Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do...". Forgiveness clears us of the desire to extract a debt we feel we are owed from the person. If we choose not to forgive, but instead harbor unforgiveness in our heart, it will act as a slow poison, introducing bitterness, wrath, jealousy, vengeance, etc. into our hearts. We will not be able to function in the same capacity as we once were able, because the unforgiveness has crippled our emotions. FORGIVENESS CLEANS THE SLATE IN OUR HEARTS AND ALLOWS US TO OPERATE FREELY. I speak from experience of the bondage of anger - it has crippled my emotions for many years. My dad was very verbally (and at times, physically) abusive to me. He would call me "stupid mother -", "idiot", etc. I was constantly yelled at, belittled and berated. Granted, my dad had some intense anger issues from his childhood - he had a pretty bad one too! So, I was receiving the short end of the deal daily. My mom was mentally handicapped, so I could not relate to her. My parents got a divorce when I was about 6, and I finally went to spend the majority of my childhood with my dad. I never really talked to people about what was going on - I was too scared. I felt that if I told on my dad, he would beat me really bad. I wanted to run away to a Safe House, but I was afraid that when I had to come home, my dad would beat me badly for running away. I hated life, and I wished I was dead. I had no purpose to live - I wanted to die and go to hell, because I could not picture heaven being a good place after all the hell I was going through. To put it shortly - God did a WORK on my life! He gave me a purpose, direction, and hope - for this life, and the next. This doesn't mean the anger was all gone! But God was beginning to teach me about things that began to take root years later. I tried for years to forgive my dad, but I couldn't get the anger to go away. I found that you must be able to discuss issues - you cannot keep them pent up. The Bible even teaches us that in Matthew 5:23-26 / 23Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 25Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. God encourages us to discuss any issues we may have with another individual. IF THE ISSUE IS NOT RESOLVED, IT CAN BECOME A FESTERING BOIL, BREWING UP HATRED, DISSENSION AND WRATH. We must learn to deal with these issues, and try to make amends with our enemies - even if we feel we are in the right. I would walk around and envision people wanting to kill me, or hurt me. Some might chalk this up to schizophrenia, but it was symptomatic of two things - #1 - The pain I endured as a child #2 - The anger that was harbored in my heart Every person I saw was simply an extension of my dad. Every person was just another person who wanted to hurt me or say something hateful to me. How did I deal with this? I pretended it did not exist. I created another form of consciousness for myself and operated within that form of conscious. This may be hard to explain, but let me try. Whenever I would see someone and sense those negative emotions, I would pretend the emotions were not real, and I would act as if everything was okay. For the most part, people treated me okay. On a superficial level, this was okay, but I never could make bonds with friends like I would have liked to - I was scared that when I opened up to the people, the reality of my Father would come through their lives. They would become just like him, hating me, hurting me...it was too much for me to bear. Through God, I was able to begin to forgive my dad. I learned that God had compassion on me in my weakness. I was able to understand that people were not "out to get me", and I was able to begin to make some real bonds with people in life. I was able to talk to my dad in a respectful tone, while still respecting myself. Before my healing, I always viewed myself as extremely beneath my dad Going back - I remember I used to have nightmares of being chased by an enormous shadow that I could never get away from. I had dreams of people trying to kill me constantly. I had dreams of helplessness. These were all from my youth, around age 8-10. These were all symptomatic of what I was going through in life. I can testify that God brought healing in that area too. Now, I sleep like a rock, and I don't have those terrible dreams anymore. God has been very kind to me. In short, this message is about how the effects of anger can cause destructive affereffects in our lives. My dad experienced a lot of pain in his childhood, and later he channeled his frustrations onto me. I had to be healed of my pain, otherwise I would enter right back into the same destructive cycle. Today, if you have anger (or any negative emotion) towards an individual, I encourage you - take time to pray and get away. Forgive that individual, and let God heal your heart. Then, if possible, try to make amends with that individual. Sometimes the problems that happen are just symptoms for an issue that is not even related to the problems you are going through. God bless!

What is your purpose is in life? What do you work for? Who do you work for? When you wake up in the morning, what motivates you to get up and do your duty? Let the people in this group know your thoughts so we can learn and discuss your ideas and truth.

Guys, I want to testify that in most of the groups that I post in, I have begun to see some growth! Some are inviting people into the groups. Today, I want to encourage you - invite someone to your Christian chess group! This is a fantastic way for them to learn about Jesus Christ! Sure, you may not gain everyone - but you may at least gain one. If you have gained one, it is worth every rejection you received. God Bless!

Scripture References: Matthew 28:1-20; Mark 16:1-20; Luke 24:1-49; John 20:1-21:25. Resurrection of Jesus Christ - Story Summary: After Jesus was crucified, Joseph of Arimathea had Christ's body placed in his own tomb. A large stone covered the entrance and soldiers guarded the sealed tomb. On the third day, a Sunday, several women (Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Joanna and Salome are all mentioned in the gospel accounts) went to the tomb at dawn to anoint the body of Jesus. A violent earthquake took place as an angel from heaven rolled back the stone. The guards shook in fear as the angel, dressed in bright white, sat upon the stone. The angel announced to the women that Jesus who was crucified was no longer in the tomb, "He is risen, just as he said." Then he instructed the women to inspect the tomb and see for themselves. Next he told them to go inform the disciples. With a mixture of fear and joy they ran to obey the angel's command, but suddenly Jesus met them on their way. They fell at his feet and worshiped him. Jesus then said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee. There they will see me." When the guards reported what had happened to the chief priests, they bribed the soldiers with a large sum of money, telling them to lie and say that the disciples had stolen the body in the night. After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to the women near the tomb and later at least twice to the disciples while they were gathered at a house in prayer. He visited two of the disciples on the road to Emmaus and he also appeared at the Sea of Galilee while several of the disciples were fishing. Points of Interest from the Resurrection of Jesus Christ Story: • There are at least 12 different appearances of Christ in the resurrection accounts, beginning with Mary and ending with Paul. They were physical, tangible experiences with Christ eating, speaking and allowing himself to be touched. • Jesus' resurrected body was different from his physical body. It was no longer subject to the same laws of nature. He could transcend locked doors, and yet he could still be touched and he could eat. • Before Jesus ascended into heaven he gave the Great Commission, telling his followers to go and make disciples of all nations. • The stone was not rolled away from the tomb so Jesus could get out. He was able to walk through walls (John 20:19) in his resurrected body. The stone was rolled away so that everyone could see that he was risen. Question for Reflection About the Resurrection of Jesus Christ:: When Jesus appeared to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, they didn't recognize him (Luke 24:13-33). They even talked in great length about Jesus, but they didn't know they were in his very presence. Has Jesus, the resurrected Savior visited you, but you didn't recognize him?

Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good.Abstain from every form of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22 Do not despise prophecies. Nowadays, God does not speak to His people through prophecy anymore, but He does speak to us in different ways. One of the most frequent ways that He speaks to us is through His Word, the Bible. He also uses people around us to encourage us to follow Him and also He gives them wisdom that they give to us through suggestions, advice, correction and rebuke. Another thing we can learn from this verse is that it is reminding us not to despise the preaching of the gospel especially if we hear it a lot (which we should). And if we do “get tired” of hearing it, then we are basically saying that we are prideful people who don't need to hear what wondrous things God has done for us and about the suffering and glory that was revealed in the God/Man, Christ. One of the amazing things about hearing the gospel over and over is that 1. Over time I guarantee that you will see new things and understand truths that you had never heard or read before. 2. By hearing of the sacrifice of Christ for us, it generally makes us more humble, thankful and makes us want to draw nearer to God through the Holy Spirit, prayer and reading the Word. Test all things; hold fast what is good. One element that we can take from this is about the teachings we hear, whether they are of Christ or not. Here are some scriptures that give us examples of other “gospels” that were being promoted during Bible times and how we are warned and commanded to avoid them. If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions... 1 Timothy 6:3-4 Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. Hebrews 13:9 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. …they will exploit you with deceptive words... 1 Peter 2:1, 2b So, test all “new” information you hear based on what you have read in the Bible which hold the true doctrine to see if it is something that you should believe in. Abstain from every form of evil. I think this is pretty clear in itself, but I'll try to shed a little more light on the subject by God's grace. Stay away from the appearance of evil, that which seems wrong as well as evil itself. I thought this was a good portion written on the topic that I found. There are things, also, where, even if our motive is good we may be regarded as improper. A great variety of subjects, such as those pertaining to dress, amusements, activities and various practices in the transaction of business, come under this general class; which, though on the assumption that they cannot be proved to be in themselves positively wrong or forbidden by scripture, sometimes can have the “appearance” of evil and will be interpreted as evil by others. The safe and proper rule is to lean always to the side of virtue. I agree that this is ALWAYS the safest route to go, but I confess that I don't always do it. So basically, I would say just be careful and prayerful in the decisions that you make even though they may be what you would call “simple Christian liberties.” I think all of us can improve in this. Always by God's grace, LoyalWarrior

This week I went to a Bible study done by one of my friend's ministries and it was onthe subject of the tongue. Here are some good points that I thought were very important. As we walk in this world using our tongue A LOT (which is often a good thing), I think it is important to understand just what we can do with our tongues either for good or evil. The tongue has the power of life or death. Tongues navigate like ships. James compares our tongues to a rudder and a bit. THE TONGUE NAVIGATES~ Words frame our world. Frame means- a supporting structure or skeleton defines the shape and boundary for all that it contains. Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. Words confess. Your speech is a confession that either aligns you with God's view of reality or someone else's. Romans 10:9-10 ...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Words have spiritual consequences. They can "bind" and "loose." Matthew 18:18 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Words affect our destiny. Your words will either acquit or condemn you. Matthew 12:36-37 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” CHARTS AND TOOLS ARE PROVIDED~ The Bible charts the course. We will be on course if we follow the right chart. James 1:25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. Tools take our bearings. Some of these are our consciences, feedback from family and friends, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. John 16:8-16 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.” ORDER AT THE HELM IS REQUIRED~ Accept responsibility. John 16:26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you. John 3:7-8 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Get help. To be totally responsible yet totally dependent is the paradox (A seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true) of believers and the paradox of successful navigation. Psalm 18:30-32 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. WHERE YOU GO TODAY DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU SAY TODAY. I encourage you to meditate on these scriptures this week and if you are able, even memorize 1 Peter 3:10-11 which says, For He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.

02-27-12 / Ye Are Few In Number http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/02/02-27-12-ye-are-few-in-number.html Deuteronomy 7:7-8 / 7The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: 8But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. "O LORD, I AM NOT WORTHY" (Catholic Gregorian Chant) Lyrics to "O LORD, I AM NOT WORTHY" Traditional Catholic Hymn1. O Lord, I am not worthyThat Thou should'st come to me,But speak the words of comfort,My spirit healed shall be. 2. Oh, come, all you who laborIn sorrow and in pain,Come, eat This Bread from heaven;Thy peace and strength regain. 3. O Jesus, we adore Thee,Our Victim and our Priest,Whose precious Blood and BodyBecome our sacred Feast. 4. O Sacrament most holy,O Sacrament divine!All praise and all thanksgivingBe ev'ry moment Thine. Why did I choose the picture of the ugly duckling for today's theme? To somebody on this earth, you will always be nothing more than an ugly duckling. People will look down on you, tell you that you cannot do it, make fun of you - yet they are blind. You are not truly an ugly duckling - YOU ARE A SWAN. If you judge your life based on man's standards, you may get a pretty poor idea of what you are capable of. There is no real plan for our lives - we find that the world we live in is a DOG-EAT-DOG society where the strong survive, and the rest is thrown to the side. However, with God, it is not this way. God has particular promises that He has established BEFORE YOU WERE EVEN BORN. This is why abortion is so detrimental - mankind is trying to establish that a person is not a living creation, when God already has a plan ordained for that individual's life IF THEY WILL WALK IN THE PATHS HE HAS SET UP FOR THEM. What are God's promises for you? Here are a couple - in Philippians 4:13, we read "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." In 2 Timothy 1:7, we read "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." In Hebrews 13:5-6, we read "5Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." God has given us promises for life - He is the one who sees the swan underneath, and not just the ugly duckling that the world may say you are. IN GOD'S EYES, YOU ARE A SWAN! God bless!

02-26-12 - They Are New Every Morning http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/02/02-26-12-they-are-new-every-morning.htmlLamentations 3:22-23 / 22It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. "GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS" by Chris Rice Lyrics to "GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS" by Chris Rice http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/lyricsdetail.php?lyrics_id=25485 My God has been so kind to me. Lord knows when I wake up some mornings, there is a part of my soul that does not want to press on, yet, as it is written in 2 Corinthians 5:14 - "...For the love of Christ constraineth us..." This word "constraineth" comes from the Greek word "συνέχω" (pronounced "sün-e'-khō"), which means, among a multitude of definitions, "to urge, impel". Trust me, there are a multitude of definitions for this word, but what I am saying is that when I don't feel like continuing, Christ within me PROPELS me - He DRAWS me -He puts a FRESH DESIRE in my heart. WHY? So I can continue the race? WE CANNOT RUN THIS RACE ALL BY OURSELVES! The Same God who saved you, He is the same God that will lead you, EVEN IF YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU CAN CONTINUE. Great is thy faithfulness, O JESUS! God Bless!

02-24-12 - The Depths of Sin http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/02/02-24-12-depths-of-sin.html Revelation 2:24 - "But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden." "CHOICES" by George Jones Lyrics to "Choices" by George Jones http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Choices-lyrics-George-Jones /E3D9B8819021BDB748256BF8002BBB3B Revelation 2:24 speaks of the "...depths of Satan..." - what is God talking about? We know that Satan is a reference to a fallen angel that tempts mankind into sin, but the depths of Satan refers to the deeper levels of sin. What I want to discuss here is making concessions. The flip-side to the depths of Satan is keeping yourself pure before God. We read in Galatians 5:9 - "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." What is the Bible teaching us? It is saying that it is not always the big things that can bite us and entice us into sin - also the small things in life can lead us into the big things. Often, we begin with the small things, which lead up into the big things. A perfect scenario of this is an office affair. We all know that we should keep our focus on our spouse, not letting ourselves get involved in extramarital affairs. However, it happens time and time again. It begins with a look, or a gesture. Subtle hints are exchanged, and instead of fleeing from the temptation, both parties slowly begin to embrace the hints. Office flirting eventually follows, and finally people go so far as to make the concession of having a fling. Sometimes this totally destroys a marriage - sometimes not. Either way, it has a damaging effect on the relationship that takes a lot of work to bring back to something workable. Another example is lying - we all have heard the old Sir Walter Scott saying "Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive...". The idea is simple and well-known - when you make a concession in life to tell a lie, often when you are caught in the lie, you either have to confess your wrong, or continue in the downward spiral with another lie. This eventually destroys your credibility, and sometimes even destroys your life. Many business moguls have been entrapped by this - type in the word "Ponzi scheme" in Google and you find many big names that have lost so much in the name of greed. Think back to when you were a child, and you were first given the opportunity to do something right or wrong. I am not talking about before you were able to think for yourself. Think about the first moment of wrong that you did on purpose. I can remember when I was 4 years old in preschool - I stole a puzzle from the Bookfair on purpose. I knew it was wrong, but I did it anyway. I made a concession to take that which was not my own. Fortunately for me, I never got involved in a steady stream of theft, as many others I grew up with. But I know many people who, once they stole for the first time, became hooked on the concept, working their way up to more and more crime. For some of my friends, it involved breaking into houses. For others, it was stealing jewelry from a store. My point here is that once you begin to make a bad choice, it becomes easier to make worse choices later. You begin to become insensitive to things that you would have never done in the first place. Another perfect example of this is with drugs - many start with easier drugs such as a beer or a cigarette, then proceed to something like marijuana, later trying drugs such as cocaine, acid, or abusing prescription medication. I am not going to quote a lot of scripture here - I think the initial scripture gives us a lot to think about. The more wrong you do in life, the easier it is to add a bit more on the pile. It is never too late to make good choices. God bless!

02-23-12 - God's Grace http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/02/02-23-12-gods-grace.html Romans 5:20 - "...But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:" "HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR ME" by the Booth Brothers Lyrics to "HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR ME" by the Booth Brothers http://www.itickets.com/lyrics/index.html?aid=1224&alid=1250&print=1 I think of God's grace kind of like a bridge - an expanding bridge! Or another way to describe it is kind of like a swimming pool - please let me try to explain, as it makes more sense in my head! When you first get saved, your sins are forgiven. However, this does not mean that you are perfect! Rather, you have just begun your Christian walk. Just as a baby does not immediately come out of the womb driving a car to work and paying house payments, neither does a beginning Christian immediately walk in the "stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13). As a matter of fact, a person that is just saved is still spiritually in the womb - they are not born again until they are "born of water and of the Spirit" (John 3:5). This is in reference to being baptized in water, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is not the same thing as being saved - that begins with confession (Romans 10:9). Some dispute that you must also be baptized, referencing Acts 2:38 - "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." However, this negates the fact that salvation BEGINS at confession. Let's take a good look at Romans 10:9 - "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." We see here that salvation BEGINS with confession! From there, a person begins to OBEY GOD'S WORD - the next step is getting baptized in water, which is a testimony to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 6:3-5). Some even go so far as to say you are not saved until you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, once again referencing John 3 - they say that being "born again" is reference to salvation, and that without the Holy Ghost baptism, there is no salvation. However, God does not instill His spirit into that which is dead, but that which is living! You gain new life through confession, and then you take on the name of Jesus Christ in water baptism, and God fills you with the Holy Ghost - then you are born again! With that being said, this is an important message for all Christians, but ESPECIALLY important for brand new Christians. When we first get saved, we feel like everything is brand new - we have a new start, and it is almost like a diamond that has been freshly polished, shining beautifully and brilliant. For a moment, we feel like nothing will ever go wrong again - yet inevitably it does. It would be unrealistic to expect God to take away every obstacle. If He did that, everyone would become a Christian - NO QUESTIONS ASKED! What He did promise was written in 1 Corinthians 10:31 - "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." In modern English - God will always help you through these obstacles if you will put your trust in Him. God knew that when He saved you, you had sin in your life, and He forgave all of that. He also knows that as you walk daily, you will sin. We read in 1 John 1:8 - "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." This scripture has a nugget of comfort within it. It states that God already knows that we will never be able to live up to the level of perfection that He requires. However, His grace abounds above and beyond the level of sin in our lives. He knows that we, in our best efforts, cannot achieve that high level, and so when we do sin, He has grace that is MORE than sufficient to make up the difference. This does not mean that God wants us to continue in sin (Romans 6:1-2)! His desire is to produce spiritual growth in our lives (i.e. fruit - see John 15:1-8). As we spend time in God's Word, and walk according to His Will, it will transform our nature. This is most confusing for a new Christian. When the moment of their first trial comes, they may feel like they are not saved anymore. The "honeymoon" period has come to a close, and they are brought into their first valley of trials and tests. For a new Christian, they feel like they never were saved in the first place, or that they have done something wrong, or that they just didn't have it figured out in the first place. God's Word is a surefire way to help us through these dark moments of confusion in life. His Word promises inJoshua 1:5, "...I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." When we understand that God's promise is to help us overcome these obstacles in our life, we are less unsure about our relationship with Him. We understand that He paid a HUGE price to let us be saved - therefore, He is willing to do what He can to help us grow along the way. REMEMBER - WE ARE WORTH A LOT TO GOD!!! In short, to try to get back on topic, God's grace is a NECESSARY part of our spiritual growth. Even if we try our best, it will never be enough for God's real standard. If we pictured God's standard as a 10 on a 0-10 chart, when we first start, we are maybe at less than 1. We are trying our best, and God knows that. Therefore, for us to make the "10", He has to make up the difference. This is where grace comes into play. If we make it up as high as a 1, He makes up the other 9 via grace. As we grow, we eventually hit a 2, or a 3, on our way up. His aim is to help us grow up in the "stature of the fullness of Christ", and along the way, He makes up the difference of what is needed. Remember - God is for you, not against you! God bless!

02-22-12 - Love The Sinner, Hate The Sin http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/02/02-22-12-love-sinner-hate-sin.html John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Some may say it is inappropriate for me, being a Christian, to quote Gandhi on a Christian blog. However, this statement shouldn't just apply to Christianity - it should apply to all mankind regardless of religious beliefs. That being said, as Christians, we should strive to love one another. We all have faults - not one of us is perfect. "BROKEN AND BEAUTIFUL" - MARK SCHULTZ Lyrics to "Broken and Beautiful" - http://www.lyricsmania.com/broken_beautiful_lyrics_mark_schultz.html When we realize that we all have faults, we are less likely to condemn one another. The real reason behind Christianity was never to condemn us, but to lead us back to God. Jesus paid a big price on the cross at Calvary - He shed His blood for us. He took our sins and judgments upon Him. We read the prophecy that was given in Isaiah 53 concerning Him - look at verses 4 and 5: "4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." God taught us judgment in turn to teach us mercy. He never intended for us as Christians to gnash on others with our teeth, but rather to pray for them, and to love them. If you are guilty of gnashing on others' faults with your teeth, first remember that you have faults too, and God wants to heal you of this grievous sin in your life. He wants us to be ministers of love, not of judgment. How can you truly have a healing ministry when you are so busy tearing people apart? "Lord, forgive us of our sins, and bring healing into our hearts, so we do not feel we need to tear people apart with our mouth, but rather heal their wounds, and bring edification to their lives, in Jesus' name - AMEN." God Bless!

02-19-12 - Love Your Enemies http://godtalklouisvilleky.blogspot.com/2012/02/02-19-12-love-your-enemies.html (This is an extension of what we are doing on Facebook with GodTalk - since I post outside of Facebook, I like to have a homebase of operations to store all the old material, and this Blogger tool works well! I normally try to post in series of 3 in the mornings, and I have been trying to make the themes match up if possible. Today, the theme is LOVE YOUR ENEMIES.)PICI keep going back to this - we are called to love our enemies! We act like we should treat someone differently who doesn't see eye to eye with us, but your bold love directed at them when they don't like you may be the sunshine that melts the ice on their heart. SONG I cannot get away from this concept recently. God has called us to love our enemies. DO YOU LOVE YOUR ENEMIES? DO YOU PRAY FOR THEM, THAT THEY MIGHT KNOW GOD? I encourage you to love your enemies, and to pray for them! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcnJWFLjgn4 MESSAGEToday, I posted a poll with a simple question - HAVE YOU LOVED YOUR ENEMIES TODAY? You don't have to answer this question publicly if you don't like, but it does put a point on an important topic we all must reflect upon. REMEMBER - Christ loved you when you were His enemy, sold out to your sins. Romans 5:10 - For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. God Talk asked: HAVE YOU LOVED YOUR ENEMIES TODAY? YES Please don't ask me that! ;-) NO MAYBE The concept in Christianity is simple. Jesus gave an awesome command in Matthew 5:43-48 / 43Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.