The following post was written by Dr. Rob Oberto, but it is so worth sharing! I would encourage you to check out his blog and let him know I sent you 🙂
https://videopress.com/embed/e1FfLaZT?hd=0&autoPlay=0&permalink=0&loop=0
In this brief post I share with you the key biblical, historical, and scientific evidence that I have gleened from over 39 years of academic, professional, and personal study.
via Who is Jesus? Key biblical, historical, and scientific evidence. — Opened Heart Ministry
In a recent interview on CNN, Hillary Clinton said:
“You cannot be civil with a political party that wants to destroy what you stand for, what you care about… That’s why I believe, if we are fortunate enough to win back the House and/or the Senate, that’s when civility can start again. But until then, the only thing Republicans seem to recognize and respect is strength.”
Now, I understand that politics can get ugly, and that’s unfortunate. Anyone who dares enter the political landscape had better be prepared for misrepresentations and dirty tricks, slimy deals and back-stabbing colleagues. But what has historically been little more than mud slinging is now becoming even more than character assassination; it’s getting dangerous.
In the above-mentioned interview, Clinton referenced the “swiftboating” of John Kerry. She also talked about the “lies” the “right wing” told about her. But in both of these cases, including others she mentioned, we were dealing with wars of words. Even if lies were told (and I certainly don’t believe all the stories about her were lies), lies should have been expected – it’s politics… dirty, old-fashioned political theater.
But ever since Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton, politics-as-usual has become a thing of the past. No longer is it acceptable to have a conversation; words have been exchanged for screams toward the sky and door-banging. When Hillary lost, the old way of doing things had to change and a new norm had to be established.
Even if Donald Trump is guilty of saying racist, sexist, xenophobic, homophobic, or Hillaryphobic things, what about his words justified violence as a response? Even if Trump disagreed with everything every Democrat ever stood for, does that justify threatening every Republican’s life?
Hillary said, “You cannot be civil with a political party that wants to destroy what you stand for, what you care about,” but how many conservative college professors called for the castration of Democrats? How many conservative comedy writers rejoiced at the thought of at least ruining somebody’s life? How many conservative school employees have asked when someone was going to “take one for the team” and kill somebody?
With all the violence, threats, intimidation, calls for attacks, death threats, and physical assaults meant to disrupt the lives of American citizens just going out to dinner or walking to work, how are the above words any less disturbing than anything Trump was accused of saying that supposedly promoted violence?
You see, regardless of your political persuasion…regardless of how you felt after the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh…where will ending civil discourse and the mature, adult-like exchanging of ideas lead? Where will you draw the line? What if you don’t win the next election, will you up the ante and resort to armed conflict?
That’s the way lots of other socialists around the world have done things. Why shouldn’t I be nervous?
I fear for America.
In December of 1941 the Japanese decided to end talking, resulting in the awakening of the “sleeping giant” Admiral Yamamoto feared. My question to the liberal and angry left is this: What kind of giant are you about to awake?
Even though so many of us saw what we believed in, some of our most treasured biblical institutions, assaulted by the Obama administration, we remained civil and kept our fight within the realm of discourse. We didn’t call for attacking Democrat representatives every time they went out to eat. Yet, amazingly, there are people who call themselves Christians who side with this new Democrat strategy. They evidently have no problem with the call for incivility and continue to support the people who endorse it.
I don’t understand.
Who is the author of confusion? Would the Prince of Peace identify with those who harass and intimidate? It would seem to me that Jesus is not behind incivility and terroristic threatening, so why would His followers condone it?
America survived a Civil War, but will we survive an Incivil one?
Filed under America, current events, politics
This past Sunday I delivered the fourth sermon in a series through the book of James. The text I covered was James 2:1-13.
If we would only heed the words of James, many criticisms of the Church would disappear.
Let me know what you think 🙂
Click on the picture for a link to the sermon audio.
Filed under Christianity, Church, Preaching
Just for fun, I am reblogging this post from several years ago (I do miss that study).
If you’ve never read my book, you can still order it. It’s a good read, even though I don’t drive a school bus anymore.
If you have been waiting to hear glowing endorsements before purchasing my book Life Lessons from the School Bus, then wait no longer.
On today’s edition of “Monday Monkey” Mr. Monkey will share a few words regarding the book and our friendship.
Filed under book review, Monday Monkey
There are a lot of scams out there, believe me. As a matter of fact, a lot of those trying to steal your money are people claiming to work for God.
Some will tell you to send in a “seed” in order to reap a “harvest.” I once saw a preacher tell his television audience that someone should send in a “thousand dollar seed,” even though they were afraid the bills couldn’t be paid! He literally told them that God would take care of the bills if they would just sow that $1,000 seed to that ministry.
Sickening.
Other ministries have asked for millions of dollars to buy private jets, while still more try to sell a never-ending stream of books and videos meant to fund who knows what.
Unbelievable.
However, there are smaller, local, nothing-fancy ministries out there that are just trying to make a difference in their own communities. Those ministries don’t exist for the purpose of getting; they exist in order to give.
South Soddy Baptist Church is one of those smaller, nothing-fancy ministries.
Christians are a giving people, but many times they are taken advantage of. Very often groups will come along and make grand claims of helping the poor and needy, or sharing the gospel with people in far-off lands, but their claims are hard to verify.
Not here at South Soddy Baptist.
South Soddy Baptist is a small church in a small town that desperately wants to fulfill their calling to make disciples, love their community, and take the gospel to the world, but starting right in their back yard. And nowadays, even getting the word out to people down the road costs money (street-of-the-week signs, gas, flyers, website expenses, door hangers, cookies to homes, etc.).
Then there are the normal operating expenses associated with just keeping the electricity on in our meeting facilities where we worship, teach, hold free bluegrass events, provide free food, etc.
If South Soddy Baptist Church was a place where millionaires attended, there would not be the need for a “Give online” tab at the top of our website. However, none of those who attend South Soddy are rich. What’s more, the people we want to reach aren’t rich, either. That’s why your help would be so much appreciated.
You may already attend a church and give there. If that is the case, then wonderful! On the other hand, maybe you’d like to have a real part in impacting the work of a legitimate, down-home ministry to real people living through real life.
If so, why not pray about giving to South Soddy Baptist Church in Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee? We make no promises about how God may bless you, but we will promise every dollar you give will be used to minister to our community for the glory of Jesus Christ.
And every very-appreciated gift is tax-deductible.
Click on our logo below, then click on the red “D0nate Online” tab at the top of the website.
And, while you’re there on the church website, read my blog posts and leave any prayer request – I promise we pray for every one.
Blessings!
Filed under Church
“Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.” – Psalm 3:8
Selah. A word at the end of a verse that calls us to think… to ponder… to meditate on what has just been said. Let’s meditate for just a moment on our salvation.
They said there is no hope in God. In their arrogance, they belittled David’s faith and tried to scare him. By the thousands they surrounded David, seeking his demise.
But David was not afraid. His confidence in God was such that he could sleep like a baby, cradled in the arms of his Deliverer.
They said God could not – that He would not – help David. But that’s what they said … and they had no clue what they were talking about.
David’s hope was not in man; it was in God. Who were these people to say God wouldn’t help? Did they have control over the Creator of the universe? Were they to tell God to whom mercy would be given?
David didn’t listen to the lies of his enemies, and neither should we. Salvation is not something we can get by bowing down and submitting to men. Salvation is of God! And if He chooses to save us from danger, nothing can stop Him.
But if you don’t mind, there’s one more little thing to think about as we pause and reflect on God’s salvation. Think about the original Hebrew word for “salvation,” and then start putting two and two together.
יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (H3091) is the Hebrew name “Joshua,” pronounced yeh·hō·shü’·ah. It means “Jehovah (Yahweh) is salvation.”
“But thanks [be] to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 15:57
“Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ:” – Ephesians 1:3
When the Enemy comes against you, find rest in the assurance that your Salvation is in Jesus Christ. He saved David, and He can save you!
Filed under Bible Study, Selah
I don’t know that I would call it “writer’s block”; it’s more like “writer’s laziness.” You see, I have plenty of things to write about, but very little energy to attack them with the literary fervor each one deserves. Therefore, I am going to cut and paste something from a few years ago into a post for today.
A couple of years ago I told my daughter Katie (the one in college) that I was having a “form of writer’s block.” She asked, “Do you want me to give you a random suggestion?” I said, “sure.”
Two minutes later she comes to me with a picture and a word: hupomenō (ὑπομένω). “Write about this,” she said.
The word is a Greek word which means “to remain under,” or, “to remain under the test in a God-honoring manner, not seeking to escape it but eager to learn the lessons it was sent to teach.”*
But it could also mean standing firm by holding one’s ground (Mt 10:22; 24:13; Mk 13:13) and persevering in spite of difficulty (2 Tim 2:10).** The words that hupomenō is most commonly translated into are “patience,” and “endure.”
Katie’s a godly young girl, so she wrote Hupomeno on her hand as a reminder to be patient and to “endure.”
So how are you holding up? How are you enduring? Sometimes that’s all we can do, isn’t it? Sometimes all we can do when the winds are blowing, when the waves are crashing against us, and when the sand is shifting beneath our feet is to just endure the tempest while holding on for dear life to something…or Someone…unmovable and secure.
Whatever you are under right now, don’t give up – honor God with your faithfulness. Whatever you are fighting against, just hold your ground. Whatever road your traveling, even if it seems like it’s never going to end, persevere – don’t give up till you’re home.
“Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” – James 1:2-4 HCSB
Just hang in there; God is still God.
*Kenneth S. Wuest, Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: For the English Reader (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997), Ro 12:9.
**James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).
Filed under Bible Study, blogging, Faith
Earlier this week I posted a question on Facebook:
If I could offer you your choice – if you’d just come to church just once – of either $1,000 or a blessing from God, would you come?
I got a few responses, but one friend, Michael Wheeler, decided to probe a little, asking if I could define what a “blessing” actually is.
The answer seems obvious, but how do you define “blessing”? That word is thrown around with no real meaning. – Michael Wheeler
I gave a typical tongue-in-cheek response:
True. I know a thousand dollars would surely BE a blessing right now
Michael followed that response with how that he had asked “countless pastors and laypersons who overuse that word to define it, but have never gotten a satisfactory answer.” He then went on to say that the use of the word “sounds good,” but carries with it “no real meaning.” “Other than salvation,” he proposed, “we have no other ‘blessings’ or promised things over what unbelievers experience.”
Well, in fun I replied to Michael Wheeler’s question with:
Do you even own a box of crayons?
As expected (because Michael is usually a very serious kind of guy), he answered with:
Nope… Is that the extent of your definition of “blessing”?
That is when – after a brief distraction – I wrote the following:
No, not hardly. I got distracted by other things. I only asked that because sometimes I feel like you see things only in black and white – not as in truth claims, but in what you see. For instance, I never read fiction, but then I read “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”…it added color to the pallet of my spiritual imagination. Lewis didn’t teach me any new truth, but he added shades of color to what I could already see.
Much of what I would call “blessings” are those moments when the Spirit opens the eyes of my understanding and allows me to see the beauty of a Truth in a new shade. In some ways, it’s like God takes me into His art gallery and amazes me with a new painting of the same scene. I’m speaking in terms of spiritual imagination, of course… the box of crayons.
We are blessed every day by the goodness of God. That goes for everyone who enjoys the providential care of the Creator (it rains on the just and the unjust). But we are also blessed in that we have a Father who not only gave us salvation but continues to give us bread instead of stones. He is the one who will one day bring us close to Himself and share with us that little white stone with a name on it only the two of us will know – that’s true intimacy. So, many blessings are no less than those moments when we enter into worship – corporately or privately – and sense the real presence of the Holy Spirit reassuring us of the truth that He will never leave us or forsake us, that His grace is sufficient for every need. I could go on and on.
If I had the time to sit down do a more meticulous study of the definition of “blessing,” I’m sure you’d find the result more satisfying to your particular taste. However, what I’ve just described for you is the practical and real-world look at how I see it. Simply put, many times getting a “blessing” may be nothing more than being brought the realization of how good, merciful, and gracious our Father is. If He throws in a thousand dollars, well, that’s a bonus.
“Excellent answer,” wrote Mr. Wheeler.
That’s why I thought it would be worth sharing with you!
What do you think? How would you define a “blessing”?
Filed under Church, Love of God, salvation
Have you ever had so much to write, but being sleepy, tired, worn out and ready for bed kept you from it?
Have you ever wanted to launch into the deep waters of controversial topics only to realize the sails of your little boat were too tattered to catch the wind?
Well, that’s about how I feel right now. I’m tired, sleepy, and I need to get up early in the morning.
However, I saw a bumper sticker today that really got my goat, so I have to say something.
You see, just tonight I was going through a small book that was given to me by a Muslim “apologist,” and my head is still spinning from all the twisted scripture he used to “prove” his obscenely ignorant arguments. The former Baptist converted to Islam, then he wrote a book meant to “prove” that Jesus never claimed to be God nor died on the cross.
If there was one verse taken out of context, there were ten. If there were ten times he made ignorant inferences, there were a hundred where he proved nothing more than that he never studied the Bible as a Baptist, much less as a Muslim.
Maybe, just maybe, if this man had spent more time in the Word of God studying what it actually said instead of being caught up in some social or racial “gospel,” he might have never fallen victim to the foolishness he now believes.
And that’s where the above bumper sticker comes in… It’s about the most useless attempt at profundity I’ve ever seen; it makes no sense whatsoever.
You may think that “Jesus [loves] Feminists” is a wonderful truth, but let’s take a moment or two to unpack it.
First of all, Jesus loves feminists. Yes, He does.
However, Jesus also loves prostitutes and murderers, so what’s the point?
Jesus loves sinners, and that’s why He went to an old, rugged cross to suffer and die for the sins of the world. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Are feminists sinners? Is that what they’re saying?
Or, is the bumper sticker implying that Jesus loves feminists, but not chauvinists? Is it saying that Jesus prefers tree-hugging egalitarians over traditionally conservative complementarians? Does Jesus love some people and not others? Is that the point?
On the other hand, maybe it’s simply trying to say that Jesus loves feminists, also. Like, Jesus loves the chauvinists, the complementarians, the macho men, AND the feminists.
If that’s the case, then Jesus loves everybody, right? So what’s the point of the bumper sticker?
Unfortunately, the above bumper sticker does nothing glorify the love of Christ. All it does is pander to those who need to be affirmed.
Truth is lost in ambiguity; the reader learns nothing.
What a doctrinally worthless bumper sticker!
I did say I was tired, didn’t I?
And just for fun… watch “What it’s like to date a feminist in 2018.” https://www.facebook.com/allieCRTV/videos/1986330614991509/
(Please send all your hateful and angry comments to Wally Fry – he’s got far more energy than me)
Filed under Culture Wars, current events, General Observations, Marriage, politics, self-worth
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The Recovering Legalist 