Rejoice in Him

I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
–Habakkuk 3:18

Christians are supposed to be happy persons! Our generation has become well versed in Christian terminology, but is remiss in the actual practice of Christ’s principles and teachings. Hence, our greatest need today is not more Christianity but more true Christians. The world can argue against Christianity as an institution, but there is no convincing argument against a person who, through the Spirit of God, has been made Christlike. Such a person is a living rebuke to the selfishness, rationalism, and materialism of the day. Jesus said to the woman at Jacob’s well, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.” This sin-sick, disillusioned woman was the symbol of the whole race. Her longings were our longings! Her heart-cry was our heart-cry! Her disillusionment was our disillusionment! Her sin was our sin! But her Savior can be our Savior! Her forgiveness can be our forgiveness! Her joy can be our joy!

PRAYER FOR THE DAY
My soul delights in You, my God, and my Redeemer.

Mormon Practices

Mormons are well-known for their interest in genealogy because they believe it is their responsibility to be baptized on behalf of the dead. They believe those who have died without accepting Mormonism can still make it to heaven if their names are taken to the Temple and someone is baptized on their behalf. Because they don’t have a body, the ordinance is done for them by proxy, giving the dead the opportunity to accept Mormonism in the spirit world. Mormons base this practice on 1 Cor. 15:29, but Paul disassociates himself from the pagan practice by using the word “they,” not “we.”

Some Mormons are even married on behalf of the dead, by going through the marriage ceremony in their place. This supposedly enables a dead person to make it out of “Spirit Prison” and into a higher level of heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:29 Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?

Lean on the Rock

When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
–Psalm 61:2

When you become a Christian, it doesn’t mean that you will live on a perpetual “high.” The Psalmist David went down to the very depths, and so did the Apostle Paul. But in the midst of all circumstances God’s grace, peace, and joy are there. The tears will still come, the pressures will be felt, and so will the temptations. But there is a new dimension, a new direction, and a new power in life to face the circumstances in which you live.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY
David and Paul have given me the example of trusting You, Lord, even in the excruciating valleys of life. Like them, I praise You.

Our purpose on Earth

“If God’s primary purpose for the saved were loving fellowship, He would take believers immediately to heaven, where spiritual fellowship is perfect, unhindered by sin, disharmony, or loneliness. If His primary purpose for the saved were the learning of His Word, He would also take believers immediately to heaven, where His Word is perfectly known and understood. And if God’s primary purpose for the saved were to give Him praise, He would, again, take believers immediately to heaven, where praise is perfect and unending. There is only one reason the Lord allows His Church to remain on earth: to seek and to save the lost, just as Christ’s only reason for coming to earth was to seek and to save the lost. “As the Father has sent Me,” He declared, “I also send you” (John 20:21). Therefore, believers who are not committed to winning the lost for Jesus Christ should reexamine their relationship to the Lord and certainly their divine reason for existence. Fellowship, teaching, and praise are not the mission of the Church but are rather the preparation of the Church to fulfill its mission of winning the lost. And just as in athletics, training should never be confused with or substituted for actually competing in the game, which is the reason for all the training.” John MacArthur

“Christ said, ‘I came into this world for one reason—to reach and save lost souls!’ Yet, this was not only Jesus’ mission. He made it our mission as well: ‘And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature’” (Mark 16:15). David Wilkerson

Luke 19:10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Do you know God

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
–John 10:14

Unless God is revealed to us through personal experience, we can never really know God. Most of us know about God, but that is quite different from knowing God. We learn about God through the agencies of the church, the Sunday school, the youth activities, the worship services. Many people stop in their quest for God at this point. It is one thing to be introduced to a person, but quite another thing to know him personally.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Lord, You are, indeed, the good Shepherd, who leads me each day. Help me to love and know You more deeply so that others may be drawn into Your fold.

So what if Tebow believes his audience is God?

It was a casual football conversation, about this being the Year of the Quarterback. Then Tim Tebow's name came up and the football enthusiast beside me said, "He's good. He just needs to drop the religion stuff."

Except that, to Tebow, the Denver Broncos quarterback, religion isn't stuff.

His faith is who the man is, even more than his ability to run the football or rally his team from a fourth-quarter deficit.

The notion that anyone can simply segregate his religious beliefs - slice them off from the rest of his identity - is a patronizing thought. The idea that Tebow should do it because his beliefs make others uncomfortable is truly an arrogant one.

So what is it about Tebow, his playing style or his personal religious practice that some people find so upsetting? Why is it that a player who, in another age, would have been hailed as a clean-scrubbed role model now faces skepticism, even derision?

Today professional athletes are far more likely to make news for carrying guns, slapping girlfriends or using drugs than they are for thanking God or praying on the sidelines. Yet they are quietly endured or forgiven, while Tebow is parodied and mocked.

Tebow has never hidden his religious beliefs. An NCAA ban on putting letters or symbols in players' eye black is called the Tebow Rule, because the former University of Florida Gator used to display Bible verses there. Yet it's hardly fair to say that, as a pro, he's exactly forced his beliefs down anyone's throat.

In a game where defensive players throw quarterbacks to the ground then prance above them, and receivers taunt defenders with salsa dances in the end zone, Tebow's quick kneel on the sidelines or index finger pointed skyward hardly seems provoking.

He's not stopping the game. He's not prancing for TV cameras. Cynics may believe he's posturing for the crowd, but maybe it's just the opposite - maybe he's forgetting all about the crowd and expressing his faith in a way that seems natural to him. How unthinkable would it be if he saw his audience as ... God?

His faith, in fact, may be the source of the traits fans admire most - like his humility or his sterling work ethic - and may have as much to do with a perfect touchdown pass or a Tebow run as does his coaching.

They are simply part of who he is.

And therein lies the secret to seeing the best of Tim Tebow. He is a bird of a different feather; let him be.

Like it or not, the Broncos' success has come by accepting that fact. Yeah, his passing game is weak and sometimes awful. He needs more time to read a defense or find the open man. He's got to be more decisive.

But Tebow is incredibly mobile. He's ridiculously strong. And - when you let Tebow be Tebow - he's strikingly confident, and inspires the same in his teammates.

Perhaps the Broncos will crash by building their offense around Tebow's unlikely style. It's also the only way they'll soar.

So on the field, accept Tebow's unorthodox approach. And off the field, accept his orthodox faith.

If you can't, then keep your gaze on the gridiron.

If he's not hurling his helmet after a failed possession, or berating a teammate or lambasting a coach - and he's not - then what Tim Tebow does on the sidelines should be purely his own business.

Krista Ramsey's column appears Friday and Sunday. Email kramsey@enquirer.com.
*Article copied from Cincinnati.com.

Where is your Hope

And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.
–Psalm 39:7

The sea was beating against the rocks in huge, dashing waves. The lightning was flashing, the thunder was roaring, the wind was blowing; but the little bird was asleep in the crevice of the rock, its head serenely under its wing, sound asleep. That is peace—to be able to sleep in the storm! In Christ, we are relaxed and at peace in the midst of the confusion, bewilderments, and perplexities of life. The storm rages, but our hearts are at rest. We have found peace—at last!

PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Thank You, dear Lord, for the hope I have in Your abiding love, which surrounds me.

Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus || Spoken Word

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God violates the laws of nature and logic

His very omniscience is illogical. How can He be aware of every thought of every human heart at one time (see Psa. 139:1–10)? We struggle to entertain two thoughts at once. Neither is it logical that old movies invisibly and instantly (in full color) speed through the air and manifest themselves on my TV screen.

So many natural things that we now take for granted defy the logic of earlier days. So it is not logical to reject the idea that the Creator of this universe—the One who created the laws of nature—could turn water into wine, still storms, curse a fig tree, and raise the dead. God made the sea; He can part it if He so desires. He can also walk on it. Since He created the human body, He can fix it without medicine. He can create pillars of salt, pillars of fire, and pillars of goose feathers, if He wants. Virgin birth? No problem. Resurrection—easy (see Acts 26:8).

If I acknowledge that a supernatural Creator exists, everything becomes possible.

NASA Proves Bible

One of the most persistent “urban legends” in Christianity is the tale that NASA computers have confirmed the Biblical account of the long day of Joshua. This tale has become so widespread that once, while being interviewed on television, an Answers in Genesis–U.S. speaker was asked to comment on how wonderful it was that science had proved the Bible in this fashion. Again, this argument is well meaning but misguided.

The most common version of the story is that some years ago, NASA scientists were doing some advanced computer computations to determine the positions of the sun, planets, and stars. In the course of completing these calculations, the computers ground to a halt. As scientists investigated the problem, they found that the computers had discovered a day was missing. The team was totally frustrated and unable to solve the problem. Then a member of the team, who was a Christian, recalled that the Bible tells of a missing day. He got out his Bible and read:
So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. (Joshua 10:13)

Then, after taking this into account, the NASA team was able to account for 23 hours and 20 minutes of the missing time. But what about the remaining 40 minutes? Well, it was further pointed out that 2 Kings states:
Then Isaiah said, “This is the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing which He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees or go backward ten degrees?”
And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees; no, but let the shadow go backward ten degrees.”
So Isaiah the prophet cried out to the LORD, and He brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz. (2 Kings 20:9–11)

This 10-degree movement would precisely account for that missing 40 minutes! NASA has proven the Bible!
Well, not really.

Further investigation reveals that this type of tale dates back to the late 1800s. The story picked up more steam after the 1936 book The Harmony of Science and Scripture promoted it. As time passed, the story was updated to include the advancement of technology, thus the addition of NASA scientists and computer calculations, etc.
So what is the truth? The truth is that this entire scenario is impossible. We can calculate the past or future positions of heavenly objects with great precision. However, in order to detect any “missing time,” we would need an accurate earth-based clock with which to compare our astronomical observations. Otherwise, how could you know anything was missing at all? However, accurate earth-based clocks do not go back to the time of Joshua. Nor do we have precisely-timed astronomical observations from that time. The illusion of astronomical precision for dating past events has in fact led many people to dogmatically hold unsupportable positions without realizing the multiplicity of variables that form a sandy foundation for their contentions.

We know the accounts in Joshua and 2 Kings are real events in history. In no way do we dispute the historical accuracy of the Bible. However, the tale of the scientific discovery of Joshua’s lost day and Hezekiah’s extra minutes is a fable—another argument a Christian should not use.