Game

its not a game

. . . anyway, these are the rules:

PLEASE ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS

where did you come from?

where are you?

why are you here?

where are you going?

so, I guess by now you have noticed that you have it

you may or may not have figured out what it is but you have life!

you have only one basic freedom

that is, to choose, every time what you will believe.

everyone starts by being "given" some beliefs.

usually by a parent. some get a little other get a lot.

like the one and two and five talent story told by Jesus.

no one gets the "full picture" we ALL have to find the

pieces of the puzzle in order to get the big picture.

IN THE BEGINNING - GOD

some people get the first question answered pretty quickly.

"For the invisible things of him from the creation

of the world are clearly seen, being understood

by the things that are made." Romans 1:19

not rocket science right?

like most kids I couldn't help noticing the sky - it was everywhere!

so I guess I must have asked about it. I don't remember if I asked

first or parents told me that God made it. I was not born a skeptic

so I must have CHOSE to exercise my one basic freedom at an early age.

then I grew older and went to school and was told about science

they told me that science meant to know. and that I could "know stuff"

by observation

THE QUESTIONS begin when we see the physical world around us.

someone pointed me to the bible

you may not be able to figure it out

but the answers are ALL there.

Humbled

EXCELLENCE and

"The peril of perfection".

THE MAC DAVIS PROBLEM: "Lord it's so hard to be humble when we are 'perfect' in so many ways". 

OR Why some Baptists are 

wary of "Osteenism".

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:5 KJV)

SO . . . is humility " a sign 

of weak character?"

To be humble is to accept one's fundamental lowliness and powerlessness, one's inadequacy and dependency, and the fact of one's ultimate origins in the earth, the humus. From dust we came, and to dust we shall return . . . but

NOT IN THE AGE OF

"The American Idol"! . . .

according 

to Wilfred M. McClay:

the mighty god of "self-esteem" has been elevated to power and permitted to reign unchallenged.

There is obvious value in courage,

confidence, dignity and self-esteem

are prime character attributes 

that are encouraged for success

in the world. Then we hear of the virtue of humility but what value is there in humility?

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (James 4:10 KJV)

For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 14:11 KJV)

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. (Romans 12:3 KJV)

For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. (Galatians 6:3 KJV)

Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets. (Luke 6:26 KJV)

Notice what St Paul mentions twice:

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. (2 Corinthians 12:7 KJV)

Let us, Seeing Death as the ultimate humiliation, pray like David in Psalm 90:12 "Teach us to number our days" & to apply ourselves wisely.

Sent from my iPhone

Gates and Buffett

I've always admired Gates

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Business_@_the_Speed_of_Thought_(book_cover).jpg

HUMAN NATURE:

"It doesn't matter if you have a perfect product, production plan, and marketing pitch; you'll still need the right people to lead and implement those plans." - GATES

BUFFETT : "buys great businesses run by wonderful managers and then gets out of the way."

http://bit.ly/1mcKtVc

war or sport

A PERSECUTION COMPLEX

"I am aware, it  is a thing of which many know nothing.  Talk to them about it, and they are ready to set you down as a madman, an enthusiast, or a fool." - J.C. Ryle asked back in the 19th century 

"are you fighting?"  http://bit.ly/1qTNZtI

Is The bible a study 

in human struggle?

Time after time from Genesis onward there seems to be a steady stream of stories depicting human conflict. Saint Paul  stated: "we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." Romans 8:22

. . . so, what is the true  NATURE OF CONFLICT and where did 'the peace 

and harmony go?

. . . more fun and games? Is this just 'normal' COMPETITIVENESS  or the real shadow of wars? > "The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law". Luke 12:53 

more from Ryle :

"there is another warfare of far greater importance than any war that was ever waged by man.  It is a warfare which concerns not two or three nations only, but every Christian man and woman born into the world.  The warfare I speak of is the spiritual warfare.  It is the fight which every one who would be saved must fight about his soul." 

Does all conflict involve deception?

. . . "Be not deceived"; Chuck Mcknight commenting on Galatians 6:7-8 says concerning SOWING TO THE FLESH that some people

"Even if not committing blatant acts of sin, they live in a state of apathy, not seeking the Spirit's leading to produce in them good works. "

http://bit.ly/W8n1n2

so, AM I FIGHTING THIS FIGHT?

"it is as real and true as any war the world has ever seen.  It has its hand-to-hand conflicts and its wounds.  It has his watchings and fatigues.  It has its sieges and assaults.  It has its victories and its defeats.  Above all, it has consequences which are awful".

SAINT PAUL: from 2 Corinthians 11

"In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness."

SO, is this still true ?

. . . all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 

 2 Timothy 3

What some "unbelievers" say:

they 'feel persecuted or "oppressed" whenever they find someone that doesn't share their particular worldview" http://bit.ly/W8t5w3

Was this just for the 

disciples back then?

"The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. "  St John 15 

He was born July 17, 1674

Isaac Watts was asking 

"Am I a Soldier of the Cross?"

His father was not a member of the state church, and was twice thrown into jail for opposing it, so that when he was a baby his mother often carried him in her arms to visit his father in prison.

http://bit.ly/1y9uvDF

This is what he said in poetry:

Am I a soldier of the cross,

   A follower of the Lamb?

And shall I fear to own His cause

   Or blush to speak His name?

Must I be carried to the skies

   On flowery beds of ease?

While others fought to win the prize,

   And sailed through bloody seas?

Are there no foes for me to face?

   Must I not stem the flood?

Is this vile world a friend to grace,

   To help me on to God?

Sure I must fight, if I would reign

   Increase my courage, Lord!

I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,

   Supported by Thy word.

Thy saints, in all this glorious war,

   Shall conquer, though they die;

They view the triumph from afar,

   And seize it with their eye.

When that illustrious day shall rise,

   And all Thy armies shine

In robes of victory through the skies,

   The glory shall be Thine.

_______________

Are You Fighting? 

J. C. Ryle

(1816-1900)

PS

	Paul Chappell (@PaulChappell)
7/12/14, 5:14 PM "What our Lord said about cross-bearing and obedience is not in fine type. It is in bold print on the face of the contract."