Thankful!
What a wonderful LORD we have.  Zara says she is thankful for God.  That is true, but aren't we all.  I also like that she said she misses Him.  The beauty of it is that we know He is with us always. 
And so I say to all of you my children.   Yes we have much for which to be thankful.

Second hand smoke

Second Hand Smoke
Twice recently while at a doctor's appointment, I was asked an odd question.  "In the last two weeks have you been around anybody who smokes?"  Note that the question is not have you smoked in the last two weeks or have you been around second hand smoke in the last two weeks.
There must be radically new evidence of the dangers of smoke and smoking.
Second Hand bad religion.
I was thinking that second hand smoke is like bad religion.  Are there smokers who live a full life and die of something other than emphysema and lung cancer?  Sure, just like there are Christians in churches that have bad religion.
Are there people who get second hand smoke who don't get the same diseases?  Sure, just like there are folks who worship with people who have bad religion.
Perhaps doctors are finally realizing about smoking what God has always known about the danger of religion that is not centered around His Word.  His command is to have no company with darkness.
If you continue in my Word, then are you my disciples indeed and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free.

Be Doers of the Word and not hearers only.

Amanda called me tonight and she was really upset about what is happening in religion today. She was especially concerned about Jeff and Adam's blog.

Let's examine things from God's point of view.

What does he want from us?

Nothing. He gives us all things.

You has He made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins.

This passage points to a number of things. First He is able to do anything including make what is dead, alive. Second we need to recognize that without Him, all we do is sin.

No, really, what does He want from us?

Well, if you insist, I don't need you to do anything, but if you want to show me that you love me, Love each other.

In this is the law fulfilled that we love one another.

This passage points out the importance of how we treat each other. By showing our love for others, they may be led to ask why we love. We can then have the opportunity to share the story of what he has done for us?

But what about Jesus direction to make disciples of all nations?

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and behold I am with you always even to the end of the world.

It is entirely possible to overstress this passage. We can make spreading the gospel into a good work that we need to do. That's what happens when we stress the "Go, therefore" part. But then, we miss some important things.

"disciples" you don't become a disciple just by saying so, you have to learn about Him.

Search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life and they are they that testify of me.

You don't become a disciple without His word.

"all things that I have commanded you" Don't you see that means we can't pick and choose what we want to talk about. We can't be going out into the world and looking for answers for Spiritual questions.

By far the most important part about sowing the seed is that

The seed we sow needs to be pure.

What happens if we sow 99% seed and 1% weeds? I've been a gardener long enough to know that weeds grow like crazy. Besides the seed we sow is the seed that Satan sows. Amanda talked about that in I Cor. 4.

Luther sure had it right when he said that the Word of God was to be taught in its truth and purity.

Where do you get that pure seed?

From His Word.

Teaching them not with the words man teaches, but with the words God teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

But why is it so hard? Why are people leaving like crazy.

I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.

Now when Elijah said this, he thought he was the only one left. The truth is, it is hard to be a Christian, in fact, without God, it is impossible.

But God appeared to Elijah, not as the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire, but in the whisper.

The point is that faith is so difficult for people. If it would be easy, then we wouldn't have needed the Holy Spirit, we could have just done it ourselves.

So what should we do?

Live your life,

be always ready to give to anyone who asks the reason for the hope that is in you.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and don't lean on your own understanding.

So are those guys on the right track?

Judge according to what you have learned from your youth. Look at the things they teach. Do they differ? What did you learn about the age of the world? What did you learn about the way to salvation? What did you learn about people who deceive you with good words and fair speech?

So which passage should we apply?

Mark those who cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine you have learned and avoid them.

That which they most heartily preach against is exactly the message we need to hear. That which the natural man rejects because it seems to discriminate against people is the only way to keep yourself from falling. Which of us thinks they are strong enough to argue with the words they bring? There are only two choices, either the words we hear are the words of God, or they are the words of the deceiver. The "good words and fair speeches" of the world can deceive us. Only by admitting we are simple, can we be saved from the world. We will not be deceived when we listen to the truth.

The first mistake that Eve made was thinking she could argue with Satan. Where did that lead?

We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and rulers of the darkness.

Our father treats us like little children on purpose. We are little children, and in need of help.

for of such is the kingdom of God.

We love you all, and have confidence in Him that He will preserve us so that we all will be with Him in eternity.

Dad and Mom

Being a Dad

We decorated the Christmas tree tonight while watching White Christmas. Of course, Amanda got very emotional since this will be her last time decorating a tree at our house. From a Dad's perspective, it's easy to have your children leave home because God has made them strong to face the world. It is also hard to have your children leave home because they don't need you anymore.

The reason I posted the article about fellowship is that's the way it is with your family, you need your relatives to complete your life.

To each of you this holiday season may the love of your Brother fill your lives with the everlasting life his birth, life, and death earned for you.

Fellowship

Christian fellowship is common sharing in the Gospel in faith, and in other spiritual and mutual gifts. God creates it by calling us into fellowship or partnership with His Son so that we share in all Christ’s works, blessings, glory, and goods. It is a union of believers in Christ through fellowship of the Spirit. This communion of believers is unity or “oneness’ in Christ, which transcends race, social position, and death. Non-relatives are called father, mother, brother, and sister.
Christian fellowship involves participation in the experiences of Christ and of fellow Christians. Out of basic communion in the Gospel of Christ comes the communication of spiritual and material gifts.
As faith always produces fruit, so fellowship of the Spirit in Christ manifests itself in action. Christian fellowship is activity in the Gospel. Its mark is love. It causes Christians to treat each other as close relatives. It is a fellowship of feelings, burdens, and a communication of help. It is activated by desire to bring others into its fellowship and avoid or heal schism within itself. A climax is in the Lord’s Supper. (CPH, 1975 p 295)

Jon and Kate

Our family has been watching the show forever. When Hannah and I watched the first episode of season 5, we decided to stop watching. We still love the show, but we think that the only way to save their family is to get out of the spotlight.
Is Jon right? Is Kate right? I don't know. Hannah said that the Dionne quints urged Jon and Kate to not get into the publicity business. They knew how it ruined them 70 years ago and they didn't want it to happen again.
Sandy thinks it might be fruitless to think that not watching a show can get it canceled, but I know that watching it, buying tabloid magazines and adding fuel to the paparazzi fire can only make it worse for them.

Not that Sandy is sideways in life, but Uriah has really turned our lives around!