“Now I lay me down to sleep.
I KNOW the Lord my soul will keep.
And if I should die before I wake,
Then, HALLELUJAH! That would take the cake!
Thank you Jesus! Amen! Praise God!”
“Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.” – Romans 15:33
Tag Archives: faith
Bedtime Prayer of the Saved by Grace
Filed under Christianity, Faith, grace, iPosts, Life/Death, salvation
I’ve Got a Mighty, Mighty Friend
Tough Times
All of us are living in tough and troubling times. For some of you, the road you’re on has far more bumps and potholes than the roads of others. Yet, all of us will agree that, wherever we are, the world is not getting any better.
Times are tough, and they’re only getting tougher.
But…
But, I have a Mighty Friend who is not affected by the whims of men or the winds of time. As a matter of fact, my Friend is the One who created man and started time.
Several years ago (2007) I wrote a song for my little girls to sing. Not long ago, while doing some stuff at church, I listened to a recording of the song …and shouted…literally, I kicked up my heels, pumped my fists, waved my hands, and shouted “Praise GOD!”
Maybe you need some encouragement? Just read the lyrics I have included below, and if God is your friend, don’t worry (Matthew 6:30-34).
Mighty Friend
Well I may not be as tall as a building or strong as a big ol train I may not be as smart as a scientist doing things I can’t explain But I know the One who made the tallest mountain and can whip up a hurricane And the very One who invented gravity says He even knows my name. Well I may not know what’s comin’ in the mornin’, or what the day may bring Good or bad, I’m not gonna worry, ‘cause Jesus knows everything. So I’ll do the best with what God has given me as long as there is time ‘Cause the One that got the clocks a-tick’n told me it’ll all be fine. When the devil acts like a bully, putting on a scary show Before you run away and hide in a corner there’s something you need to know The One who spoke the world into existence is standing by your side And if you look close the devil’s knees are shakin’ cause he knows he’ll lose the fight Chorus: Cause I’ve got a Mighty, Mighty Friend who watches over me And He’s the Mighty, Mighty Savior who died to set me free Well I may not be the greatest at anything, but this one thing is so The God that is the greatest at everything loves me, this I know.© 2007, Anthony C. Baker (BMI)
Katie is going to hate me for doing this…
…but I am going to include the recording I was talking about. This was recorded back when she (Katie, the one on the far left) was only 10 or 11 years-old. It’s not Nashville quality, but it’s precious. So, as so many people say before they sing in church, “Don’t listen to how we sing, just listen to the words.”
“Mighty Friend”
Katie, Valerie, Alicia, and Haley
Filed under Faith, God, music, Relationships and Family
A Doctrine from Eden Repackaged (Faith In Words)
The Beginning
In order to put things in perspective, we must start with the beginning. And when I say beginning, I mean THE beginning. Please consider the following verses, for they are critical:
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
It should be obvious, according to the above verses, that not only did God create the universe, but that the Word which He spoke was none other than Jesus Christ. The doctrine that Jesus is the “express image” of God the Father, even God Himself (Hebrews 1:3), is at the core of orthodox Christianity.
Jesus was not just a good man or prophet, and neither were the words of God at creation just words spoken in faith.
Did you get that last part? That’s the part I want to address.
Faith in Words
There is a teaching still being taught that essentially says: “If you have faith in your words, as God had faith when He spoke the worlds into being, you can also create a miracle, your own reality. You can be like God, if you have the faith of God.”
Excuse me? God had faith? Really? If so, in what?
Well, if you’re like Kenneth Copeland, you’ll believe God had faith in His own words when He “spoke to the Spirit” on the day He created man…
“[We] can see that man’s body was formed from dust, but he became a living spirit when God spoke to Himself and breathed life into his physical body. … In short, we must always remember that unlike any other creature, man was both formed from dust and created with words of faith.” (Source)
Or then there’s this:
“God used words when He created the heaven and the earth….Each time God spoke, He released His faith — the creative power to bring His words to pass.”
Kenneth Copeland, The Power of the Tongue (Fort Worth: KCP Publications, 1980), 4.
First, stop and think about this! Do you realize that God is the Giver and Author of faith (Hebrews 12:1-2), not One who puts His faith in something or someone? There is something fundamentally wrong with the idea that Omnipotence would have any reason to have faith, for the very definition of faith requires a sense of dependence on a power outside yourself.
When God speaks, things happen; not because of His faith, but because He’s God!
Secondly, ask yourself: “If God had faith in His Word, then would that make Him the first Christian?” How silly does that sound? But in reality, if we are to believe that God had faith in His words, which brought about creation, then would it not stand to reason, – if John 1:1 is correct – that God the Father put His faith in Jesus? Was not Jesus the Word by which all things were created?
Crazy, right?
Then, there is the worst part…
Words of the Serpent
Do you remember how Satan tempted eve in the garden of Eden? Remember how he tried to convince her that by eating the fruit, she could “be as gods?” How similar, then, is the promise, “If you have faith in your words, as God had faith in His words, you can create like God did?”
If you think I’m making this stuff up, my friends, consider the following statements by one of the foremost teachers of this false doctrine (and you can find more on YouTube):
“You have the same creative faith and ability on the inside of you that God used when he created the heavens and the earth.”
Kenneth Copeland, ‘Inner Image of the Covenant,’ side 2.“On the cross, Jesus won the right for believers to be born again back into the god-class. Adam was created, not subordinate to God, but as a god; he lost it, and in Christ we are taken back to the god-class.” ~ Kenneth Copeland (AZQuotes.com)
“I say this with all respect so that it don’t upset you too bad, but I say it anyway. When I read in the Bible where he [Jesus] says, ‘I Am,’ I just smile and say, ‘Yes, I Am, too!'” ~ Kenneth Copeland (AZQuotes.com)
It may anger some of you, my readers, but please don’t be offended. Do as Paul told Timothy, “take heed unto thyself, and to [thy] doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:16).
Please understand, to claim one has the power to create, as God created, is heresy! Faith in our words, outside of faith in God, especially in order to bring about our will, as opposed to, or in spite of God’s will, is nothing less than witchcraft.
Even more, it is the doctrine of Eden reborn: “you shall be as gods.”
Filed under Christian Maturity, cults, God, ministry, Theology
Jesus Is More than a Crutch!
Last night I was sifting through boxes of stuff in my office and I came across several notebooks in which I’d maintained somewhat of a diary.
I’ll be honest with you, it’s been a pretty difficult time around here, lately. Not only has my faith been tested on an hourly basis, but my own brokenness has been made clear over and over again. When I took a few minutes to flip through the pages of those old notebooks, all from over a decade ago, the truth that my broken condition is chronic became obvious.
But there was one page I found where I had written some encouraging words. However, they weren’t words of affirmation meant to build up my ego or make me feel better about myself; they were attestations to the fact that Jesus is more, so much more, than a crutch to me.
Below is a copy of the text…
You say you don’t need Jesus because you don’t need a crutch. If you don’t think you need him, then maybe you’re crippled to high for crutches.
Jesus is more than a crutch!
Throw away Jesus and take the Devil, but I choose Jesus.
Just think about it:
The Devil tries to burden me down
-Jesus says, “Cast your cares on me.”“Forgiven” by Thomas Blackshear
The Devil wants me to sin.
-Jesus bore my sin.Satan will try to weaken me.
-Jesus is my strength.When Satan fires his arrows at me,
-Jesus is my Shield.In the midst of the storm
-Jesus hides me in his hand.Satan would see me defeated.
-Jesus fights my battles.Satan would have me fall into despair.
-Jesus lifts me from the pit.Satan would harm me.
-Jesus will heal me.When darkness is all around and Satan would blind me,
-Jesus is my Light.When Satan says, “There is no way,”
-Jesus says, “I AM THE WAY”When Satan says I’m guilty,
-Jesus paid my debt.When the Devil would lead me astray,
-Jesus is my Shepherd.When the Devil would watch me fall,
-Jesus carries me.
“Precious Lord, take my hand. Lead me on, help me stand. I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.
Through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light:
Take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.” – Thomas A. Dorsey
He leads; He goes before; He walks beside; He holds me; He carries me; He helps me to stand; He gives me a race to run: He’s so much more than a “crutch” to me.
Filed under Christian Living, Christian Maturity, Depression, Faith, Jesus, worship, writing
I’m Going to Offend Somebody
Offended Anyone?
Have you ever offended anyone? I bet you have. Sooner or later, all of us will. We may say something we don’t mean, act carelessly, or speak the truth without love. Offenses happen.
However, there are times when simple words and phrases will set people off. For example, if you want to rile people up into a tizzy, just get on Facebook or Twitter and post any of the following words (your opinion doesn’t matter):
-
Yes, that’s me in the center kneeling. My dad beside me. We raced Fords. (1987)
Grits, okra, and turnip greens
- Roll Tide! / Go Vols!
- “Only two genders”
- “It’s only a translation.”
- Rapture
- First On Race Day (Ford)
- Second Amendment
- “My kids will never do that.”
- “only between a man and a woman”
- Donald Trump
Seriously, use any of those words and it won’t take 10 minutes before people are arguing and fighting, calling each other names, questioning each other’s religion, and saying things like, “DON’T JUDGE ME!”
Nevertheless, we should do our best to “live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18). It should never be our intent to hurt feelings or make people angry. The apostle Paul instructed us to “follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another” (Romans 14:19). So, as much as is possible, we should watch what we say, choose our words carefully, and do our best not to offend.
And, when necessary, we should apologize.
The Rock of Offense
On the other hand, there are times when we MUST offend. Sometimes speaking the truth is the only loving thing to do; anything less is an offense to God.
For example, the following words will not make many friends but are guaranteed to generate hate-filled comments from around the troll-dwelling universe. Yet, they must be said!
- Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man can come unto the Father but by Him (John 14:6).
As a blogger, my words are read all over the world by people who hate the name of Jesus, and when I mention Him they go ballistic. I hate it for them, but how can I remain silent?
Jesus told the followers of John the Baptist,
“…Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.“ – Luke 7:22-23
I don’t like offending people, but here’s the thing: if we let the fear of offending silence the Truth, how then can we “follow after the things which make for peace?” There can be no real peace without the Prince of Peace.
So, I guess I’m going to offend somebody.
A Daddy’s Prayer
Dear Lord,
She’s no longer the baby I could hold in my arms. If I hold her these days, it’s a quick hug, a slight embrace. Gone are the days when she would put her head on my chest and fall to sleep, completely trusting in me to protect and provide.
But now I pray she’d seek your embrace, your protection, provision, and peace in Your rest.
An evil lurks around each corner, in the valley where death hides in the shadows. No longer there, I can’t be her guide. If You are not her Shepherd, the shadows will prevail.
Watch over her as only You can do. Guide her, with pain, if necessary, to the prize at the end of her race. I’ll be in the stands cheering.
Amen
You’re Following a Follower
I Have Followers
The number of followers and subscribers this blog has just amazes me. I mean, no, it’s not a huge number, but still. At least it’s more than the 100 I was trying to reach my first year doing this! And to be sure, I appreciate every one!
But besides the number of people following, the type of people who follow this blog amazes me. For example, it doesn’t shock me to see fellow believers subscribe to my blog, but why all the Muslim, pagan, and atheist followers? What have I done to cause them to click here?
Seriously, I would love to hear from you. Why did you subscribe? Was it just to get me to visit your website, or are you legitimately interested in what this crazy Baptist preacher has to say?
Was it Mr. Monkey that brought you here? A sermon? A friend who sent you a link? I really want to know.
But I Will Follow
Regardless, I would like to make one thing absolutely clear – I am a follower of Jesus Christ, and for that, I make no apology. I hope everything I write ultimately reflects that fact.
Many times people in the public eye are hesitant to take a stand or draw a line in the sand for fear of public opinion. And, if the truth is known, thanks to my critics, sometimes I have cowered. But this should not be. I should always speak with love and respect to all who may disagree with me, but I should never shy away from biblical truths, even if they are currently politically incorrect.
So, I am glad to have a few followers, and I would love to have more, but I would gladly see them all go away before I deny my Lord and Savior. Jesus said (Mt 16:24; Mk 8:34; Lk 9:23) that anyone who would be his servant must “take up his cross” and follow.
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.Though no one join me, still I will follow;
Though no one join me, still I will follow;
Though no one join me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.Sadhu Sundar Singh – Indian Christian missionary
Crosses are not fun, or popular … neither are the ones who carry them.
Filed under Alcohol, Christmas, clothing, Countries, current events, Easter, Faith, Guest Posts, scary new year
Kids Spitting and Truth Telling
To be “clear,” sometimes the truth is “nasty.” The following is adapted from the last chapter of my book, Life Lessons from the School Bus.
“Unexpected Truth”
Every once in a while a bus driver, or anyone for that matter, may find himself saying, “I didn’t see that one coming!” In other words, every once in a while something happens; somebody says something that you would have never imagined. Let me tell you about one of those “once in a while’s.”
Spitting Accusations
Kids are always doing stuff to each other to be aggravating. You have probably witnessed children throwing spit wads, taking items out of another’s book bag, or hiding a child’s shoe right before her stop. No? Well what about spitting on each other?
Oh, yes, children are well-accustomed to spitting on each other, especially boys. Now, they never admit to doing it; they usually blame it on the one kid with no salivary glands. But there was this one time when a boy on my bus accused a girl of spitting on him when she actually didn’t. How do I know that she didn’t? She showed me proof!
So, “Jack” hollered from the back of the bus, “Mr. Baker! ‘Jill’ spit on me!” Before I could rationally respond, another voice came from the back, the voice of the accused, crying, “No I didn’t – he’s lying!” Since I was in the process of driving and there was no place to pull over and deal with the situation, all I could do at the moment was respond with a simple request: “STOP SPITTING!”
A moment passed, then Jill came up to the seat behind me (which is dangerous and against the rules, by the way). “Mr. Baker,” she said in a tone laced with disgust, “I did not spit on Jack; he spit on himself after he spit on the seat.”
“What?” I asked. “He’s spitting on the seat?! That’s gross!” Incidentally, this is one of those times when I find it appropriate to ask: why do people of any age find enjoyment in recreational spitting? Why waist perfectly good saliva when there’s nothing necessarily nasty to expel from one’s mouth?
Anyway, a moment or two later, Jack came up to share his side of the story. “Mr. Baker, Jill did spit on me! See my shirt? See, this is her spit…she spit on me! See?”
I couldn’t argue with what I saw. There, as plain as the marks on a Dalmatian, were wet spots where something liquidy had collided with his shirt. Somebody had spit on him.
“Jill!” I yelled, “Why did you spit on Jack?” From the back of the bus came an insistent reply, “But I didn’t! He spit on himself just to get me in trouble!”
The Truth Comes Out
Where’s Solomon when you need him? Why can’t school buses be equipped with portable DNA equipment? How was I supposed to determine who spit on whom? How could I prove who needed to be punished with a stern warning and a verbal reprimand? The answer came in a way I never would have dreamed, but I will never forget.
“Mr. Baker…” Jill had made her way back up to the seat behind me, again while I was driving. “Jill, you need to sit down!” I told her.
“But Mr. Baker…” Let me just pause here to try to describe Jill’s way of saying my name. Jill spoke with a slightly non-emotional, matter-of-fact, drawn-out southern drawl. It sounded more like “Miiis-turr Buh-ayyy-kurr…”
“Mr. Baker, I didn’t spit on Jack; he spit on the seats and then on himself to make it look like I did it,” she said. “But I didn’t, and I can prove it.”
“Really,” I asked.
“Yessir,” Jill replied. “You see, Jack was eating green candy, and the spit on his shirt was green – mine is not…SEE!”
At that point, just around my right shoulder, came the arm of a little girl. Attached to that arm was a palm, and in that palm was half an ounce of spit – yes, spit! It looked like a blob of clear silicone!
“It wasn’t me that spit, ‘cause my spit is clear, seeeee Mr. Baker?”
I couldn’t argue with her. She proved her point. There was the proof puddled in the palm of her hand, clear as day. I nearly threw up.
Life Lesson
We may not like it, but sometimes the truth is hard to stomach – and nothing like what we expected.
The simple fact is that truth isn’t always pleasant; more often it is nasty. No woman wants to hear the truth when she asks, “Does this dress make me look fat?” No man wants to hear the truth when he asks, “How did I do with the laundry?” But sometimes the truth has to be told to make a difference. Unfortunately, to play off the words of Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men, many can’t handle the truth.
For example, there is a saying that goes, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Do you know where that saying came from? It comes from Jesus. He said, “If you continue in my word, then you are my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:31-32). The part that is hard for many to stomach is the part where He says, “If you continue in my word…” In other words, in order to know the truth that will set one free, one must be a follower of Jesus Christ.
Some say that truth is relative, that it changes with the circumstances of life. Others have said that there is no truth, only perception (Gustave Flaubert). However, without truth there can be no lie, no wrong, and no remedy for the spit on some kid’s shirt, not to mention the darkness in our hearts. But when we follow Jesus, we can rest assured there is Truth to know, for He said in John 14:6, “I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE…”
Route Suggestions
- When faced with a tough situation, one that demands you make a wise decision, ask God for help. James 1:5 says, “If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God…”
- Don’t ask someone to tell you the truth about how you look, how well you’re doing your job, etc., unless you’re willing to hear the truth.
- Don’t “kill the messenger.” If someone does try to tell the truth, don’t get angry when they say the dress makes you look fat. Just get angry because they weren’t sensitive enough to change the subject.
- Read the book of John in the Bible. Make a list of the claims that Jesus made. Was He telling the truth? For the atheist or agnostic, that may be a truth too hard to handle, but it can set you free.
Oh, one more thing… When preparing to write this, I asked the girl in the story what she thought the moral should be. She said, “Sometimes the truth is nasty.”
Truth.
Filed under book review, Faith, General Observations, Humor, Life Lessons, salvation
“But Some Doubted” What About You?
Doubting George?
Have you ever doubted?
If you have, you’re not alone. Sometimes it might even be the wise thing to do.
Even the most trusting puppy can have his moments. Believe me.
But did the disciples of Jesus ever doubt? Oh, you betcha!
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshiped him: but some doubted. – Matthew 28:16-17
Many people have placed faith in Jesus only to lose that faith later, like when they find out the Jesus they thought they knew was not who he claimed to be.
Are you one of those?
Believe it or not, even some of the disciples of the real Jesus found themselves doubting when they saw Him face to face after His resurrection. In the book of Matthew we read that on one particular occasion, after meeting up with the disciples at a pre-determined location, most worshiped, but “some doubted.”
But wait! How is this possible?! Weren’t these the same guys who saw Jesus appear to them when they were hiding, afraid for their lives (Luke 24:36; John 20:19)? Even doubting Thomas finally believed (John 20:28), so who were the the ones doubting in Matthew 28? Could it have been one of them? Possibly, or maybe even one of those who may have tagged along.
Here’s what I think happened…
The disciples were gathered together, Jesus miraculously appeared, and before He could speak, the crowd began to worship Him. Some, however, were a little skeptical; they had seen things before, including fakes, charlatans, and impostors. Who was to say what they saw was really Jesus Himself?
What might have convinced the doubters? I believe it was when Jesus spoke.
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. – Matthew 28:18-20
It’s not like this was the first time Jesus appeared to the disciples, causing not only doubt, but also stark terror. Remember when He walked on the water?
And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. – Matthew 14:26
It took Jesus speaking to calm down the frightened boatmen…
But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. – Matthew 14:27
Is it possible that some of the disciples present when Jesus met up with them on that mountain had a right to be skeptical? I mean, hey, wasn’t it Jesus himself who earlier warned the disciples that “false Christs” and “false prophets” would arise, deceivers so convincing that, “if it were possible, they [would] deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22)?
Matthew doesn’t exactly say what happened to those who doubted, but I have my suspicions. I believe it was when Jesus spoke that their doubts disappeared.
On the other hand, if they still doubted, maybe they were only there for the bagels and mountain air.
Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. – John 10:25-28
It was never Jesus’ plan to convince the world of who He was by physically appearing to everyone. As a matter of fact, Jesus told Thomas, “because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29).
Are you one of the “blessed”? Do you believe? Are you having doubts?
The Word made flesh (John 1:1) gave us His Word (the Bible).
So, when in doubt, read His voice.
Filed under Apologetics, Christian Maturity, cults, Faith, God, worship
The Recovering Legalist 