Berean Contest -- by Will

If you grew up Christian, sometimes you can find yourself believing things that you learned when you were very young without questioning them. Things your parents taught you, or maybe things that you learned in Sunday School. Probably most of what you learned was true, but the point is that you just too their word for it. But have you ever questioned if some of those facts were true?
The Berean Christians, in Acts 17:10-11, listened to Paul preach. And after hearing him, they examined the scriptures to see if he was speaking the truth. It wasn’t as if they didn’t trust Paul, they just knew they shouldn’t except a teaching without examining it.
Have you ever been pondering something you knew was true, and then wondered where it was found in the Bible? I have.
So, I have decided to make a contest. I have written a truth at the end of this post. Take a week to study the scriptures, and then post a comment with as many scriptures as you can find to back up that truth. Or maybe you disagree with it, than back that up instead.
Who is the winner? Anyone who completes this contest. What is the prize? A better knowledge of God’s word.
I hope you can take some time out of your week to do this.
I'll try to post another truth every other week






God is everywhere.




Song of the Post:
Now that I have you

Trip Accident: Thank God we're alive! (by Charlie)

During our trip to Michigan, I was taking my driving shift during the night, and everything was going normally. I was tired, I was snacking on trail mix, and I was listening to a sermon. All of a sudden, I heard a loud SNAP, followed by a grinding noise. I looked back in the mirror to see sparks flying everywhere. Immediately, I slowed down and pulled over. I realized what had happened when I saw a lone wheel zip past me and roll on down the highway.

The car had scraped to a stop just on the shoulder of the road. After informing my mother, I got out and took a look at the damage. It was still dark, so I couldn’t see much, but what I could see surprised me. The right-side trailer wheel was completely gone, and the axle it had rested on was glowing red hot and bent out of shape. The bare frame was resting on the ground; this thing was not going anywhere. I then tried in vain to tow it further off the highway, confirming my suspicion.

So, we had to get the trailer off the van, and drive to get help. It was way too heavy to lift, and we ended up having to use the car jack to pry it off the trailer hitch.

We then got the phone number of a mechanic, who drove to the site and helped us decide what to do. He got a tow truck to come and pick it up. He also went and retrieved the wheel for us, which had rolled another 150 yards down the road. He had to cross two lanes of 70mph highway, risking his life to grab our lost wheel. He was very gracious to us. He could have charged us the $75 service charge for taking our call, but he only took the $18 dollars we had in cash because we didn’t need him.

Then we took it to a place that sold trailers, and got them to fix it. They told us that a lack of wheel grease had caused the accident. Because there wasn’t enough grease in the wheel, it began to heat up, thus melting the rest of the grease away. Then it heated up so much that the axle bent out of shape and allowed the wheel to fall off.

We were going to need a new axle on the trailer, and they just happened to have the right one for the replacement. They heard our story about being on our way to Michigan, so they started on it right away. It only took about an hour, and we were back on the road.

We stopped a little while later to fix the lights on the trailer, (which had not been working) but eventually got those fixed as well.

All in all, I am thankful that we even lived through this accident, and that we were able to still make it to Michigan. I also pray that we will have no similar setbacks on the way down from Michigan.

Scripture Memory - by Will

“I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11
That’s a pretty good reason to memorize scripture! Another good reason is that we never know when persecution might arise, so it is nice to have God’s word in your heart, where people can never take it away.
You know that memorizing scripture is good, but it’s just too hard! Here are some tips that I have learned while memorizing the Psalms:
1. Pray for God to give you a desire to memorize and that he will also help you too. God will give you the desire and the power to do this.

2. Get to know what is in the passage that you are memorizing. If you are just memorizing a bunch of sounds and words, you might tend to forget the passage. Besides, what’s the point of memorizing scripture if you don’t know what it is saying? I find that if you learn what the passage is saying, it will be easier to remember.

3. Start by reading the verse/s to yourself. I like to read out loud to myself. I think it trains your mind what to say when you recite it. So what if your little sister thinks you’re silly! You’re doing this for God.

4. Don’t try to memorize too much at once. I like to focus my time on memorizing a few verses really well, and then expand off of those verses, (if you are memorizing a passage of scripture instead of just one verse.)

5. Set goals for what you are going to memorize. Sometimes I would start slacking off while I was memorizing. So I made a new year’s resolution to memorize a certain number of Psalms before next year.
6. Use keywords and keyletters to help you. There are certain times when you can use certain words or letters to help you memorize. I like to associate a letter to a Psalm or chapter to help me remember what to say. Example: I will memorize which Psalms begin with “O Lord” and then remember what follows that in the rest of the first verse.
There are also tricks you can use to remember what to say: Sometimes I remember the next verse by using a keyword/keyletter from the first verse:
“that I may recount all your praises, that in the gates of the daughter of Zion I may rejoice in your salvation. The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught. The Lord has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the works of their own hands. - Psalm 9:14-16
Notice that each verse, and sometimes the segment in the verse, starts with TH. If you can remember things like this, it can make it easier to memorize passages. Another example:
“For he who avenges blood is mindful of them; he does not forget the cry of the afflicted. Be gracious to me O Lord . . .” – Psalm 9:12-13
I remember that, in the alphabet, B comes after A and the previous verse ends with an A-word, so the next verse will start with a B-word. Another example:
“. . .their drink offerings of blood will not pour out or take their names upon my lips. The Lord is my chose portion and my cup. . .” – Psalm 16:4-5
The first verse ends with an L-word, so I memorize that the same letter comes next in “The Lord.”

I hope these things were helpful!
I have decided to post a song that I like on all of my posts. It doesn’t necessarily relate to the subject. This is a song from the former band called the O.C. Supertones. Enjoy!

1999 and the stakes is high
Our options have come down to either we do or we die
We need You now more than ever, Pull out all of the strife in the church, get us together
Is time running out? I can't say I do know. We have one day less than we did yesterday.
So it's up to us to unite, You wanna fight the power? You need the power to fight.
And can we sing with one voice, if we all love the same God? Can we agree to disagree?
And so we cry with one voice to the only God in all the universe- who holds us in His hands.
No more time for us to bicker and complain,
If we're called by the same name, there's nowhere for us to lay the blame,
except for ourselves. And if we died to our old selves we've come alive as God's flesh,
that makes us family.
Deeper than death, but we don't act so tight when there's a back to bite.
Are we less like a family, and more like a fistfight?
Are we there, but not quite are hypocrites children of light?

Speechless

--Will--

I like good music, and especially Steven Curtis Chapman’s music. So I just wanted to share this song with you guys. This is probably one of my favorite Christian songs that I have heard. Not only is the message very strong in proclaiming the gospel, but the music is a wonderful blend of Orchestra and Rock. Click the video to listen to the song. The lyrics are posted below.

Words fall like drops of rain

My lips are like clouds

I say so many things

Trying to figure You out

But as mercy opens my eyes

My words are stolen away

With this breathtaking view of Your grace

Chorus:

And I am speechless, I'm astonished and amazed

I am silenced by Your wonderous grace

You have saved me

You have raised me from the grave

And I am speechless in Your presence now

I'm astounded as I consider how

You have shown us

A love that leaves us speechless

So what kind of love could this be

That would trade heaven's throne for a cross

And to think You still celebrate

Over finding just one who was lost

And to know You rejoice over us

The God of this whole universe

It's a story that's too great for words

Chorus

Bridge:

Oh, how great is the love

The Father has lavished upon us

That we should be called The sons and the daughters of God

Chorus

Spend the rest of your day reminding yourself of this message.

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” -1 John 3:1

New Author

Hey, guys. I just wanted to introduce my younger brother, Will.

He will now be posting on my blog as well. Here are a few words from him:

I decided that Charlie couldn't have all the fun blogging, so I want to make some posts too. So when I have something on my mind I'll make a post.

Obama's Federal Budget

Well, I'm just tired of waiting for readers, so I'm gonna keep on blogging anyway.


I was thinking today about the federal budget plan in place. The amount is currently a three trillion dollars, and for anyone who can't tell the difference between millions, billions and trillions, here's what a trillion dollars looks like:


$1,000,000,000,000.00


That's a million times a million. Multiply that by three, and you get the budget plan. So, speaking of multiplication, I decided to do a little math concerning the tax burden that it will put on us.


I looked up the population of America on the U.S. Census Bureau website. It said that the population was estimated at 304,059,724 on July 1st of 2008. So, based on the previous numbers, I estimated that by now, the population will have grown to about 307 million, but because of the deadly swine flu pandemic, and the devastating effects of global warming, we'll round it down to 306,999,998.


Now if you take the budget plan, and divide it by the total population, you should get the amount that every one has to pay in order to pay for Obama's budget. Let's try it:


3,000,000,000,000 / 306,999,998 = 9771.9870343451924061576052518411


or about $9771.99


That's how much more you'd have to pay over the span of four years in order to make up for Obama's spending plan, and that not even counting how many people who don't pay many taxes, how many people aren't even old enough to pay taxes, the interest that will accumulate on that debt, or the number of people that will die from global warming before they can pay their taxes.

And by the way, that means that you evil business owners and rich people will have to make up for those who can't pay.

I wish I could say that I have confidence in what Obama's spending it on.

Legalism (part 4)

My friends, abstain from Illegalism!  Can you not see how the devil uses God’s good things and distorts them?  He loves to take good things that God has made (like the law), and warp them to the utmost degree.  Let me take an example from giving to the needy.  All in all, this is a perfectly wonderful act, but the devil has taken this, and twisted both sides.  While some people would be tempted to be lazy or greedy, and not give any money, others would be tempted to give extravagantly in order to show off in front of others.  The same goes for the law.  Satan has taken God’s law—his perfect way of living, that is—and twisted it to both extremes.  With those who wish to follow the law, he tempts them to boast, and to adopt a legalistic dependency on it rather than God.  And, for those who wish to break free from the law’s chains, he gives them laziness and selfish thoughts of “freedom.”

Some of you may say:  “Well, I guess were darned if we do, and darned if we don’t.”  That’s where I believe you’re wrong.  Through the glorious liberty in Christ, he has enabled us to be do-gooders free from the curse of the law.  I think it is possible to get to a place (with God’s help) where you can follow the law perfectly, and not slip into either side of temptation.  That should be our goal as Christians.

And to those who are lazy and selfish (like me), I will say this, even though it seems like it is overused.  The Christian walk is not about you; it is about the giving up of yourself, in order to do what God wants.  There may be some things that you have to give up, things that your sin nature clings to fiercely, and your body fights against every step of the way.  You may have to let your pride, which can be found in almost every part of our lives, be crushed under humble service and pursuit of righteousness.

Now I realize that many of you may never follow the law completely, and that’s fine!

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”  (Ro. 8:1-2)

Now, shouldn’t you at least try?  I’ve said enough:

“‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared.  ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’”  (Jn. 8:11)

Legalism (part 3)

Here is another question you may ask: Are we expected to follow the whole law?

As I said before, the law (all of it) is a good and righteous thing, and I believe that as you follow and study the law, you will begin to see why God wrote it, and it will bring you closer to Him. And as you strive to have a clean heart, you may discover elements of the law that you wish to attempt to follow. But God, when he sent his son, did not intend for Christians to still have to follow all the law, nor does he expect us to. If any man could follow the law completely, he would not need salvation through Christ, and that would nullify the scriptures, for they say:

“…There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Ro. 3:22-24)

“Everyone has turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one good, not even one.” (Ps. 53:3)

One must consider why the law was made.

“What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, ‘Do not covet.’” (Ro. 7:7)

The law was created to show us that we cannot earn salvation, and to show God’s love through His son’s death. It is only through faith in Him that we can escape the law’s demands.

“Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.” (Ro. 3:31)
In the same way, God’s desire is that we follow the law flawlessly, but we have already concluded that this is impossible. Does that mean that we should go one without even trying? Of course not!

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” (Php. 2:12)

God never said it would be easy, much less effortless. You are eventually going to have to work through your salvation.

Hopefully, you will begin to see the two extremes, both being far from the truth. Legalism would tell you that you have to follow the whole law in order to ensure your salvation. Instead, we have been freed from bondage to the law. The opposite would tell you that this freedom allows you to live a sinful life without restrictions, all the time still being under God’s saving grace. This is obviously wrong as well.

So then, should we rely on our works? Absolutely not!

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” (Isa. 64:6)
Our deeds alone are worthless, but at the same time:

“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” (Jas. 2:26)

Allow me to coin a new term, here. There is a lazy, selfish attitude that says: “Sinning will not matter to God; he has already saved you. Do whatever you want, even if the Bible speaks against it. You are now completely above the law.” I’m going to call this heretical idea ILLEGALISM, for it is the opposite of legalism.