Word for Word?

Do you read your Bible?
Do you pray?
Why?

As a new believer (some years ago now) I was so naive.
Every time I read the Bible, I found something new in there and I longed to share it and to live up to is as well. The funny part is, I thought everyone else would too!

Now, I understand that people don't read it very often and they certainly don't believe it; at least not word for word.

We are taught many strange, foreign, and contrary things about the Scriptures.
Just last week, I had someone tell me that you could get to god through any means but when I ask them to prove it with Scriptures, they could not. At best, you can only cite Oprah but not God for this "doctrine".

I have become more and more aware of preachers saying that certain verses "don't matter any more".

And every where I turn, the "church" is hard to tell apart from the world. It seems that the ole "come ye out from among them and be ye separate" might be one of those verses that don't apply anymore.

What about you?
Do you believe It, word for word?
Or do you believe that only parts of It are for this modern day?


2 Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Prov 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

Who is your Jesus?

While wandering around the internet, it is amazing how many different versions of 'jesus' are out there.

Some say he is God, some say he isn't.

Some say he was a prophet, and some say he wasn't.

Some say he had long hair, some say he didn't.

But the thing that baffles me the most is the thinking that He is all love and that's IT!
They accept His "love" but reject the hell that the Bible says is real.
They accept His "love" but reject the wrath that the Bible says He has.
They accept His "love" but reject His hate and His anger.

They even accept His forgiveness but refuse to "go and sin nor more".


Is your jesus- the Jesus of the Bible, or is he one that you created, or your preacher created, or a book created?
If we accept "Jesus", the real Jesus, then we must accept Who the Bible says that He is and all that He requires.

Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
James 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

A great example: watching the tongue

I told my kids this story tonight and then gave them a lot of Q&A, in hopes of really drilling in the point!

I started off by telling them that "there's a time to talk and a time to be quiet" and I won't always be there (or know) when those times will be for them but as their Mother, I have to give them instruction.

I told them about a friend of mine, from back home and reminded them about the last time we seen her and her family. That peaked their interest! :-)

I told them about a conversation that her and I had that day.

I said, "I want to compliment you on something." She looked up with a bit of a surprised look on her face but didn't say anything just waited for me to finish.

I said, "In all the time that I've known you, I have never heard you say a negative or critical word about your husband. I think that's very commendable."

She looked down and then back up at me and said very bashfully, "Well...you know, I've really tried to watch that. See, one time, after my husband started a new job someone asked me how his new job was going. I told them that he was working a lot but that it was a good job and he really did like it. Well, a few days later, my husband came in from work and I could tell that he was upset about something. He looked hurt. I asked how his day was and if something was bothering him. He told me that someone had told him that I had said he was not spending any time with his family and kids. He was so hurt, so I have really tried to watch what I say since then because I would never want to hurt him that way again."

I went on with my kids with Q&A about the dangers of talk! See, my friend NEVER said what got back to her husband. And what she meant as just small talk was twisted into BIG TALK!

Then I gave them the moral of the story (which I've had to learn the hard way!):
Don't give people bullets to shoot you with!

*****

a true story

Displaced honor......

I saw where the House of Representatives held a moment of silence for Michael Jackson.

The "media" continues to nearly worship a president that thinks we can get out of debt by spending!

.....but, while life rolls on, business as usual, and people in high places continue to play politics... a REAL hero lost his life.

Oh great one, oh media, where are you? See all, hear all, tell all...but yet you missed the best story of them all!

I do not understand where the media sets its balance for standards.

When we look at Jackson and his life, his decisions, his troubles, and his death.... he just does not seem to be the "hero" type to me. What part of his life would I want my children to imitate? Uhm, the way he dances? Nope, don't even want them to see that- one "move" in particular. Let's see...his songs? Uhm...abstract this and that from sex to rebellion. I think I'll pass! Let's see his morals--- let's just don't go there. His stability- Ha! Not applicable. Hmm, his integrity? Let's see- he's had some crazy accusations on him...he died "loaded"- and I don't mean with cash! And he 'LOVED' sleeping with kids, boys in particular. Wacky at best! ...There's a few other things I'm thinking on here, but...well... Ok, I'll go ahead with just one... His plastic surgeries? Absolutely nothing to be proud of there! His eyes look like a woman, his chin has a cleft, and his nose looks like an elf! ...Well, its the truth and even he knew it! All those face wraps weren't just for fun- he knew they botched him up!

Whew! Boy did I digress!

My point is- he was an entertainer. He was not hero material. He hired people to put his music together.

When you look up the definition in Merriam-Webster for hero; you would have to add more to the definition in order to add Michael Jackson.

REAL heroes do something for their fellow man. They put others first. They sacrifice. They do something noble or something brave. They "lay down their own life" , not insist that others risk theirs in order to get them drugs! They don't dangle babies from balconies, they rather fight for souls in the balance! They don't keep spending money they don't have, rather they store up treasures in heaven!

Where is your priorities media people? What or who is determining the criteria for your choices in heroes?