How Obama Earned My Doctorate

Dear President Obama:

 

I’m still reeling from your recent remarks about small business owners in America. With one sweeping generalization, you stated that those of us who have had successful businesses did not earn that success. Instead, you insist that someone else made it happen for us. I’ve written to tell you my story in the hopes that you will see the foolishness of your unproven assertions.

 

Back in 1989, I decided to pursue a PhD in Criminology. I was nearing the end of my Master’s program in Psychology. I had a teaching assistantship that paid a mere $345 per month. I knew that I could not live on $345 per month for the minimum of three years I would need to finish my doctorate. I also knew that my parents would not be able to extend the same financial support they had so graciously extended while I was working on my Master’s degree. So I devised a plan to start a new business with just $1000 of initial investment.

 

My grandfather had passed away in December of 1988. In the late spring of 1989, my grandmother mailed me a check for $1000 that had been part of a life insurance policy payout issued upon my grandfather’s death. In the late summer of 1989, I met a graduate student by the name of Shannon Ruscoe. He had been playing tennis with my roommate Harry Wilson the day I met him. I was sitting in my living room playing a song by James Taylor when Shannon started singing along. After just a few minutes of listening to Shannon sing, I knew my life would never be the same again.

 

I called Shannon later that fall and asked if he wanted to get together and rehearse a few songs. We did. Within a few weeks we were hanging out at keg parties in places like Starkville’s College Station apartment complex. After a few beers, I would go to my car and get my 12-string. As our repertoire increased, so did Shannon’s confidence as a singer.

 

After a few months of getting to know Shannon, I laid out a plan. I found a beautiful Alvarez six-string with a cedar top and black jacaranda back and sides. I realized I could buy the guitar and install a Martin thin-line pickup under the bridge for just $700. With the remaining $300, I told Shannon that, for just $30 per night, we could rent a PA system from our friend Jim Beaty, the owner of Backstage Music in Starkville. The idea was that after playing free ten times we could start to earn a living as musicians.

 

First, we had to find a place to play. Fortunately, a Kappa Sigma named Mike worked as a manager at J.C. Garcia’s – a Mexican restaurant/bar that featured acoustic acts including the legendary Jeff Cummings and Jeffrey Rupp. We went to see him with an offer, telling Mike we would play at J.C’s free of charge on a Tuesday night, but only on one condition: if they sold $2000 worth of liquor, they would have to hire us the next week for 10% of the liquor sales, or $200.

 

Mike laughed. J.C.s had never sold $2000 worth of liquor on a Tuesday night, which was generally their slowest night of the week. Naturally, he felt he had nothing to lose. So we book our first gig at a real restaurant in a real college town.

 

I called all of my old friends at the Sigma Chi house and told them to show up at J.C’s the following Tuesday night. Shannon told all the girls at the Chi Omega house where he worked as a “house boy” in his spare time. As a result of our marketing, we packed the place out. J.C’s sold over $2000 in liquor that night and we were invited to come back the next week.

 

Playing free at keg parties also paid off. Later, by May of 1990, we were getting hired to play private parties. At one of those parties, we met the manager of the Bully III, a restaurant/bar near downtown Starkville. His name was David Lee Odom. He upped our salary to $250 per night plus free dinner and free beer. By the time I graduated, I would play in that bar over 100 times. It was there that I met other musicians and eventually had a chance to play all over the state and region. As a businessman and friend, Dave Odom changed our lives forever.

 

After Shannon moved to Nashville in 1991, I decided it was time to rely on the government for financial support. I’m just kidding. I simply went out and found another great singer named Anne Ford. We would play together until 1993. Our act was so successful that in April of 1993, my last full month of college, we played a whopping 22 gigs in just 30 days.

 

As the result of my business venture I was able to graduate with a PhD without taking out a single student loan. And it was a business venture. I was not just a guitarist. I booked most of our gigs, handled equipment purchases, and did a modest bit of accounting.

 

The irony is that, back in those days, I was a Democrat with socialist leanings. I voted for Dukakis and Clinton as the “lesser of two evils” – all the while complaining about the lack of a far-left alternative. Shortly thereafter, I would get involved in a two-year relationship with the daughter of the head of the Socialist Party of Ecuador. I simply failed to reconcile the discrepancies between my theoretical view of the world and my real world experiences. Eventually, I grew out of my childish socialist mindset and realized that capitalism had allowed me to utilize my God-given talents to earn a living government could never provide.

 

Someday, Mr. President, you’ll grow out of it, too.

 

Sincerely,

 

Dr. Mike S. Adams

Mike Adams

Mike Adams is a criminology professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and author of Feminists Say the Darndest Things: A Politically Incorrect Professor Confronts “Womyn” On Campus.

http://townhall.com/columnists/mikeadams/2012/07/23/how_obama_earned_my_doctorate/page/full/

Phoenix Pastor Jailed Over Home Bible Study to Serve 3 Years? By Michelle A. Vu

The Arizona pastor who is currently imprisoned for hosting regular Bible  studies at his home may have to serve up to three years for violating his  probation.

Michael Salman, an ordained pastor of Church of God in Christ and the founder  of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Phoenix, appeared in court Monday on charges  that he violated his probation by continuing to hold Bible studies on his 4.6  acre property with more than 12 people, and for failing to pay over $12,000 in  fines. The Phoenix Municipal Court had earlier ruled that Salman was not to have  more than 12 people at his home until he met the city’s building codes, fire  codes and other safety codes.

“He was found guilty of violating that (12 people limit) today. So in two to  four weeks supposedly the court will decide what they are going to do in terms  of his violation,” said John Whitehead, Salman’s attorney and founding president  of the legal group The Rutherford Institute, to The Christian Post after the  Monday court hearing. “The prosecutor is arguing for more jail time.”

READ  FACT SHEET FROM THE RUTHERFORD INSTITUTE

Whitehead noted that 15 to 20 people were meeting in Salman’s home for Bible  study after the court’s order of a 12-persons limit. “[They brought him to  court] to see if they are going to extend the 60 days in jail,” he said. “He is  on three year probation, which means that he could get up to three years in  jail.”

Last Monday, Salman began his 60-day jail sentence at Maricopa County Jail  for hosting Bible studies twice a week in his home. A Phoenix court found him  guilty of 67 code violations in connection to failing to comply to the city’s  building, fire, safety, and zoning codes.

The city of Phoenix argues that Salman’s case is not about religious freedom  but about public safety. In an interview with CP, the city prosecutor – or chief  prosecutor – for Phoenix, Aaron J. Carreon-Ainsa, noted that five judges have  looked at Salman’s case, including two U.S. district judges and an appellate  judge, and have affirmed the conviction.

“We are interested in ensuring that people are provided a safe place in which  they can worship,” said Carreon-Ainsa. “We don’t want a tragedy that we  sometimes read about in third world countries where people are gathered for  whatever purpose and they perish because of a fire or some other situation that  they are not able to protect themselves [from]…”

READ  FACT SHEET FROM THE CITY OF PHOENIX

Salman, who is a father of six, has been hosting Bible studies on his  property for the past 7 years. The city of Phoenix began interacting with Salman  about zoning concerns starting in 2006, when the Zoning Administrator informed  him that his property was analogous to a church and therefore he should adjust  his home to comply with the Zoning Ordinance. According to the City of Phoenix  Prosecutor’s Office, the city has repeatedly asked Salman to comply with the  safety codes and “he chose to ignore these requests for voluntary compliance  prior to the commencement of any proceedings.”

But Brad Dacus, founding president of the Pacific Justice Institute – which  has defended several home Bible study cases – weighed in and disagreed with the  city’s argument.

“The city is dealing with a 5-acre parcel of land. Based on the information  we have received, there are no bona fide health or safety concerns that have  been brought to light,” said Dacus to CP on Tuesday. “There have been no  injuries incurred by any individuals that have come to gather for this purpose.  There are no imminent risks of injuries for anyone gathered for this religious  purpose. And there are no bona fide nuisances that have arisen since its  usage.

“This attempt by the city of Phoenix is an overbearing usage of their  authority in a manner that is clearly not warranted.”

In a YouTube video,  the Salmans give a tour of their large property, emphasizing that the dozens of  cars that come to their home for the Bible study are parked behind their private  gate on their property and not on the streets. A notable discrepancy is that  while Salman says around 30 to 40 people usually gather at his home, the city  says that up to 80 people with seating for a hundred is common. Salman and his  attorney decry the city’s harsh punishments meted out over a home Bible study to  be in violation of the defendant’s religious freedom.

Dacus also commented on the most recent court hearing, “To the extent to  which the city of Phoenix has placed this limitation of only 12 people being  able to meet in this home, such a narrow limitation is suspect as necessary and  it seems arbitrary in terms of the number selected and as well as who they chose  to enforce it.”

PJI recently successfully defended a local Christian Bible group meeting in  San Juan Capistrano, Calif., that was vulnerable to a controversial city code  that required all religious, fraternal or nonprofit organizations of three  people or more to obtain a conditional-use permit for hosting meetings,  including Bible studies. The couple hosting the Bible group faced a $300 fine  for violating this code. PJI successfully convinced the city of San Juan  Capistrano to adopt a new policy that now allows up to 40 people to meet in a  private residence without a permit.

But the news is not as positive for Salman, who still faces a $12,180 fine  and may have his 60-day jail sentence extended in a few weeks by the court.

Clarification:  July 17, 2012:  

An article on July 17, 2012, about an Arizona pastor who is currently  serving a prison sentence for hosting a weekly Bible study held in a building  that violated the city’s building safety codes originally reported that five  judges found Michael Salman guilty.  Aaron J. Carreon-Ainsa of the City  Prosecutor’s Office in Phoenix clarified that there was only one trial and the  other judges reviewed the case and affirmed the conviction.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/phoenix-pastor-jailed-for-home-bible-study-to-serve-3-years-78414/#D9js30yb5FF7DbhS.99

Ryan Reynolds to Play God’s ‘First Son’ on ‘Family Guy’ By Audrey Barrick

Ryan Reynolds is set to play God’s son in the upcoming season of  “Family Guy.” But producers of the TV show are not creating a Jesus character  for the actor.

Rather, Reynolds will be portrayed as “God’s previous attempt at an  immaculate conception – his first son that didn’t quite work out,” said  Executive Producer Mark Hentemann, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Reynolds will be guest-voicing as himself in the show’s Christmas  episode.

Christmas is when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of  God.

“Family Guy” has drawn criticism for its indecency. The Parents Television  Council warns that virtually every episode is “awash in lewd sexual references  or taboo topics such as incest, bestiality and pedophilia.” It also uses profane  language and features other “vile, offensive content.”

(Read ‘Family  Guy’ Actor’s Mom Objects to Son’s Show)

Last year, the Fox show was blasted for its insensitive depiction of domestic  violence.

The season premiere of “Family Guy” will air Sept. 30. According to the  show’s actors and producers, viewers can expect to see episodes where Quagmire  accidentally marries a hooker and where the Griffins buy a farm and Peter ends  up becoming a meth dealer.

As described by Fox, the show follows the adventures of an endearingly  ignorant dad, Peter Griffin (Seth MacFarlane), and his hilariously odd family of  middle-class New Englanders in Quahog, RI. Lois (Alex Borstein) is Peter’s wife,  a stay at home mom with no patience for her family’s antics. Then there are  their kids: 17-year-old Meg (Mila Kunis) is a social outcast and the Griffin  family punching bag; 13-year-old Chris (Seth Green) is a socially awkward teen  who doesn’t have a clue about the opposite sex; and 1-year-old Stewie  (MacFarlane) is a diabolically clever baby whose burgeoning sexuality is very  much a work in progress. Rounding out the Griffin household is Brian  (MacFarlane), the family dog, a member of Mensa with a penchant for dry martinis  and dumb blondes.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/ryan-reynolds-to-play-gods-first-son-on-family-guy-78600/#01ADXGGm2dMg5DU5.99

Whatever Happened to Hell? By Jerry Newcombe

Many years ago, when cartoonist Johnny Hart was alive, he had a  comic panel that was misunderstood. One of his caveman characters in BC was  standing behind a rock (like a store counter) with the slogan saying in effect,  “Gospel available here.” The next panel showed another caveman asking, “What’s  the Gospel?” And the final frame showed the first caveman saying, “beats the  Hell out of me.”

Understandably, some conservative religious leaders thought Johnny was being  sacrilegious and called for a protest against him and his newspaper syndicate.  Thankfully, it never went anywhere because Johnny had been misunderstood.

I know for a fact Johnny was a man of faith, and his point was that the  Gospel was the solution to the problem of Hell, which Johnny took very  seriously.

Hell is not a popular doctrine for obvious reasons. Just this month, we saw  the republishing (into paperback) of a major seller that for all practical  purposes denies Hell (or the import of it). What makes this more difficult to  stomach is that it was written by “an evangelical pastor.”

Sixteen months ago, Rev. Rob Bell published the book, Love Wins,  which denied a critical aspect of Hell. He didn’t deny it exists; he denies  essentially that any people will go there.

Its success was phenomenal in that the book spent twenty weeks on the New  York Times’ bestseller list.

Belief in Hell doesn’t seem to be taken too seriously these days. Millions of  high school students have been taught about Jonathan Edwards’ famous sermon,  “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” as a supposed example of Puritan excess.  For instance, near the very end, he rebuked his own church (which later fired  him): “Therefore, let everyone that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the  wrath to come. The wrath of Almighty God is now undoubtedly hanging over a great  part of this congregation.”

Difficult words. Yet this man’s preaching in Northampton, Massachusetts  helped spark the Great Awakening. George Whitefield helped spread this awakening  up and down the Atlantic seacoast. John Adams said the push for American  Independence was a political move that came a generation or so after the  spiritual revolution that took place in the hearts of many of the  colonists—which we now call the First Great Awakening.

In his 1974 book, The God Bit, the late comedian Joey Adams writes,  “I love the attitude of my good friend Father Bob: ‘Since I believe in the  Bible, I’m sure there is a Hell. But I also believe in God’s mercy—and  therefore I’m sure it’s empty.”

Sounds nice. But is it true? That makes me think of the line from a Simon and  Garfunkel song, “A man he hears what he wants to hear—and disregards the  rest.”

I keep reading these stories of some unhappy person blowing away a bunch of  people—it even happened recently at a Christian college in California. Where’s the fear of God in our  society? I don’t think people would do those sorts of things if they truly  understood the reality of Hell.

In America’s early years, a “future state of rewards and punishment” was an  important concept. For example:

∙In 1786, founding father Benjamin Rush wrote: “Such is my veneration for  every religion that reveals the attributes of the Deity, or a future state  of rewards and punishments…” ∙Noah Webster’s first Dictionary (1828) had  many Bible verses. He said one aspect of “Religion” includes “a belief in a  state of rewards and punishment, and in man’s accountableness to God…” ∙The  Constitution of the State of Maryland, adopted in 1864, required political  officials to hold to a belief “in a future state of rewards and punishments.”  The same held for South Carolina’s 1778 constitution, as did Tennessee’s  constitution of 1796. ∙The Pennsylvania Supreme Court stated in 1817: “Laws  cannot be administered in any civilized government unless the people are  taught to revere the sanctity of an oath, and look to a future state of rewards  and punishments for the deeds of this life.”

In short, Hell is a part of divine accountability.

When Osama bin Laden  was finally killed in May 2011, a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released  shortly after found that 61 percent of the public thought he went to Hell, thus  showing that a lot of Americans still believe in Hell.

CNN’s Polling Director Keating Holland said this: “Not all Americans believe  in Hell—a point of view reflected in the relatively large number of ‘don’t  know’ responses—and many religions don’t include punishment in an afterlife as  part of their teachings. Nonetheless, the six in ten who say bin Laden is in  Hell reflects how strongly many Americans feel that bin Laden was an evil  figure.” And, as I say, it also reflects how many Americans believe Hell  exists.

In short, Hell is the ultimate accountability. By Jesus dying for sins, love  wins—for those who repent and believe on Him. For those who don’t, Hell  awaits. Thus, divine justice wins too. No wonder He said, “What does it profit  if you gain the whole world and lose your soul?”

The Apostles’ Creed says about Jesus that He “suffered under Pontius Pilate;  was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into Hell.” In other words, Jesus  went to Hell for us on the cross, so we don’t have to. That’s why the Johnny  Hart caveman could so cheerfully say that the Gospel “beats the Hell out of  me.”

http://www.christianpost.com/news/whatever-happened-to-hell-78532/#MSuBERt34zzbcivE.99

10 Reasons We Have Not Reached the Unchurched By Thom S. Rainer

I am often amused when I hear myself identified as an expert in  any area. If I am a perceived expert, it is because I have had the wonderful  opportunity to listen to thousands of people over the past few decades. They are  the experts; I am little more than an interested reporter.

Though much of this information could be regarded as dismal, my ultimate  assessment is not that pessimistic. I believe in the God of miracles. If my  conclusions focused on human ability and goodness, I would have little hope. But  my conclusions presume the God of creation is on His throne.

For now, let us focus on what is wrong. Let us look with stark honesty and  candor at the ineffectiveness of most American believers when it comes to  sharing their faith. And let us look at reversing the trend through God’s  power.

1. Spiritual Lethargy – One of the main reasons many  Christians do not share their faith is simply explained by the word  disobedience. Spiritual lethargy takes place when we fail to obey Him. The  problem for many Christians is that they are not growing spiritually, and lack  of spiritual growth inevitably leads to a diminished desire to share Christ with  others.

2. Growing Inclusivism – One of the faster-growing  belief systems today is pluralism (all religions lead to God). A variation of  pluralism called inclusivism is a dangerous doctrine that is gaining momentum in  many American seminaries, Christian colleges, and churches. This view affirms  that Jesus is the only way of salvation, but he can be found in other “good”  religions. There is a subtle but growing belief among many Christians that  somehow “good” followers will make it to heaven outside of a true Christian  conversion. Our message will fall on deaf ears if this belief persists and  grows.

3. Growing Disbelief in Hell- At one time, this was a  view held almost entirely by unbelievers. However recent books by those claiming  to be evangelicals have brought this discussion front and center. Those who  truly have a desire to reach the unchurched have a burden to see people in the  eternity of heaven, but they also desire to see them escape the wrath of an  eternal hell. Denying the existence of hell undermines the urgency of placing  one’s faith in Christ.

4. Busyness – Perhaps one of Satan’s most effective  strategies is to get us so busy that we fail to do that which is such a high  biblical priority. We can be deluded into complacency about the lostness of  humanity around us. The unchurched are waiting for you to tell them about Jesus.  They need to be on your to-do list. What priority do you give to reaching the  lost?

5. Fear of Rejection – In research on this subject, I  found that only one in four unchurched persons we be resistant to faith  discussions. But nearly four out of ten of the unchurched will be receptive to  your concern for their eternity, and more than one out three will simply be  neutral to your attempts. Simply stated, fear of rejection is unfounded. The few  with an antagonistic attitude are not rejecting your personally; their anger is  merely a reflection of something in their past. Fear of rejection is an  often-used excuse by Christians for their failure to witness. And it is just  that: an excuse.

6. A Desire to Be Tolerant – The message of the gospel,  in some senses, is intolerant. The one true God insists there can be no other  gods. He is a jealous God and leaves no room for other gods. In the post-modern culture of 21st century  America, Christians should know the criticisms of intolerance will come. The  great concern is that many Christians are unwilling to take a narrow view  because they do not want to be labeled as intolerant. But Jesus never waivered  in His insistence that He is the only way to the one and only true God.

7. Losing the Habit of Witnessing – Some Christians  have been very active in sharing their faith with the lost and the unchurched.  But, for a myriad of reasons, they get out of the habit, and it no longer  becomes a priority. Witnessing, like prayer and Bible study, is a discipine. It  is a habit to learn, to retain, and, if lost, to regain.

8. Lack of Accountability – Programmatic evangelism in  local churches is sometimes denigrated because it is seen as a “canned” approach  to witnessing. But one of the strengths of many of these programs is that some  inherent system of accoutnability is built into the program itself.  Accountability is likely to engender more witnessing attempts to the unchurched.  Attempting more evangelistic encounters creates a habit of witnessing that then  increases our zeal for evangelism.

9. Failure to Invite – When is the last time you  invited an unchurched person to church? When is the last time you offered to  take a person to church, or, at the very least, meet him or her at church? It’s  a simple gesture, yet so few Christians do it.

10. We Go to Churches That Do Not Reach the  Unchurched – We only reach one person for Christ each year for  every 85 church members in the United States. That is a frightening and terrible  ratio. One of the key reasons we do not reach the unchurched is that most  Christians in America are members of churches that do not reach the  unchurched.

I’ve now covered ten of the most common reasons Christians fail to obey the  Great Commission. This list is not exhaustive though. In God’s power, however,  we can reverse this trend and reach the unchurched in America.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/10-reasons-we-have-not-reached-the-unchurched-78530/#SffroSo5QlofA00z.99

Look What He Found in Grandpa’s Attic By Dan Delzell

Karl Kissner was digging around recently in his grandfather’s  attic when surprise, surprise…..Karl came across a cardboard box of old  baseball cards. I mean really old cards….like 100 years old. Experts say the  cards could be worth up to $3 million. Not bad for a trip into grandpa’s  attic.

The money from the cards will be divided evenly among the 20 cousins named in  their aunt’s will. Sounds like a awfully good payday for those who happen to be  cousins. Just sit back and collect your inheritance….pretty easy gig if you  ask me.

Now imagine this scenario instead. Imagine Karl Kissner finding a personal  journal in the attic written by his grandfather….one in which his grandpa  describes his spiritual journey all the way from skeptic to believer. Imagine  his grandpa leaving the family a manual of sorts which describes how each  relative can receive a far greater inheritance than earthly wealth….and one  that will never wear out or lose its value.

Imagine each of those 20 cousins all placing their faith for heaven in the  work that Jesus finished for them on the cross. Rather than money from old  baseball cards, imagine each cousin being born again by the power of the Holy  Spirit….and thereby given an inheritance which literally lasts forever. Which  is better….money from baseball cards, or eternal life in a perfect place? Hmm.  That’s a tough one.

What if you were to consider yourself far more blessed than the 20 cousins  who will each receive a windfall from the old baseball cards? What if you were  to truly live each day….and I mean truly live it….considering yourself far  richer because of the inheritance waiting for you in heaven? Try taking 30  seconds right now just to imagine it. If you would wrap your mind and your heart  around that message….and live in it everyday….and walk on that narrow  road….and meditate on it as you love others with Christ‘s love….your life on  earth would be rich and joyful and beneficial to others….and your eternity  would be paved with the gold of heaven. Our biggest problem oftentimes is that  we don’t think about the right stuff….and we get sidetracked by what we see in  front of us right now.

Jesus invites you to believe what you don’t yet see….and to look forward to  what He promises to give to those who place their trust in Him. One of the many  challenges in our world is that we tend to think the natural way that everyone  else tends to think. We seek happiness in an earthly inheritance….and material  possessions….and money. Jesus said that this approach is all wrong. It will  mess you up….and prevent you from finding true joy….and even keep you from  receiving God‘s eternal inheritance.

You probably don’t have an earthly grandfather with hidden treasures in his  attic….but you do have a heavenly Father who calls you His child if you have  accepted His Son as your Savior and the treasure of your life. If you have not  done that yet, you would be wise to make regular trips into “God’s attic” in  Scripture. It contains treasure that you cannot even imagine.

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has  prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Cor. 2:9) Believe it….receive it….and  one day, you will step into your full inheritance. Until then, God “put His  Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Cor. 1:22)  God is the one who said it is guaranteed to happen in the future. “And if the  Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised  Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His  Spirit, who lives in you.” (Romans 8:11)

Who needs grandpa’s attic when we as believers already have God’s Spirit  living within our hearts? If you would trade God’s presence for any earthly  treasure, you really have no idea what lies hidden up in God’s attic. To live  your life in the basement or even on the main level below that attic is the most  tragic mistake you could ever make.

What if Karl had not gone into his grandfather’s attic? What if you don’t  enter God’s attic seeking hidden treasure? Don’t settle for less than what  Christ died to give you. If you shrug your shoulders and just blow it off, you  will have no one to blame but yourself.

By the way, Karl’s grandfather lived in Defiance, Ohio. How ironic. The only  thing that will keep you from placing your faith in Jesus Christ is your own  defiance and bold resistance to God’s one plan of salvation for your soul.

Hey….you knew it was going to come down to this in the end. God’s way, or  your way. Heaven, or hell. God’s inheritance, or punishment for your sins. You  and I didn’t write the script, or leave the will….but we all are participants  in this divine drama whether we like it or not. The only way to actually  appreciate it is to do what Karl did….to go up to the attic and check it out  for yourself. That is when the Christian faith becomes your treasure rather than  something you misunderstand and hold in contempt.

If Karl’s grandpa knew what he was doing by saving all those cards, don’t  underestimate what God can do by choosing to leave an inheritance for His  children. You are probably not wiser than your grandfather….and you are  definitely not wiser than your Creator. Don’t allow your defiance to defeat your  faith. That would be like ignoring what the will states you are entitled to  receive. Or you do just not want to go to heaven when you die? Under those  circumstances, your “will” and stubborn resistance will override what God had  placed in His “will” for you to receive.

That’s one thing about our loving and amazing God….He doesn’t force anyone  who is opposed to this plan to join Him in paradise. Just look at the two  thieves on the cross who died next to Jesus. One wanted paradise….the other  didn’t. One came in….the other wouldn’t. Which one of those two sinners best  describes your heart today as you look upon that scene where Jesus died on the  cross for your sins? If you want paradise, the only way to receive that eternal  inheritance is by going through Jesus.

Jesus said, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the  Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Guess what? Everything you have just read  in the past few minutes has placed you directly in front of the hidden treasure  in God’s attic. Believe it or not, you are standing there right now. You will  soon go back to what you were doing before you stepped into God’s attic. Whether  you go forward from this moment on with the treasure or not is up to you.

Will you believe the good news, or will you reject it as a message unworthy  of your attention, devotion, and faith? Decisions, decisions. Just be sure to  choose wisely. It’s not everyday that you are named in someone’s will to receive  a mind-boggling inheritance.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/look-what-he-found-in-grandpas-attic-78596/#LyaSUigJH1LL1Aev.99

The Secret of Success

The Secret of Success.

Born Free

“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36

I remember one commute when I ended up following a busted-up pickup truck that sported a bumper sticker proudly announcing, BORN FREE. As I thought about the announcement on the bumper, it seemed to me that whoever was sitting behind the wheel was speaking for a lot of us. For some strange reason, we feel that personal freedom is a birthright. As Eric Clapton sings, “I was born with a raging thirst . . . a hunger to be free!” And it’s that hunger that fires up the celebration of our own independence and the crowning of “me” as final authority. But not all hunger is good hunger. Our hunger to be free is why we end up, as Clapton admits, down so many dead-end streets, lonely and disappointed.

Think for a minute about people who are addicted to things like drugs, alcohol, or pornography. If you asked how they ended up in bondage to their desires, they would tell you that it started as a need to be free to do whatever they wanted to do. Don’t miss the point: If all we have is the right to be free, then our thirst for freedom may end up making us slaves. Beware! A life guided by the “I’ll-do-whatever-I-want-to-do” formula inevitably ends up not being free at all. Left to ourselves, we make a lot of lame choices that end up leaving us in the chains of regret, guilt, and brokenness.

But that doesn’t mean we’re not supposed to be free. The great news is that God wants us to be free. It’s just a matter of how and where we can find true freedom.

Becoming free starts with deleting the thought that you and I are born to be free. The reality is that we are born sinners already in the grip of Satan, the cruel master of our souls. David admits, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5). And Paul adds that before we came to Christ we were “slaves to sin” (Romans 6:17). So we need to get it right. We were born slaves of sin. In order to be free, we need someone to overthrow the regime that enslaves us.

That’s exactly why Jesus came. He came to set us—the captives—free! Jesus Himself said, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). He taught us that freedom is not an inherent right of birth after all but rather the result of obeying the truth: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

In one sense, we are born to be free—born again to be free. And that freedom is experienced when we commit our lives to living by God’s truth and following the guidance of Jesus. When we forgive, as He has taught us, we are free from the bondage of bitterness and free to move into the future instead of being stuck in the past. When we manage our relationships according to God’s Word, we are free from the regrets and brokenness that comes from using others instead of serving others. When we let Jesus direct our desires and passions, we are free from the bondage of guilt and addiction. His truth is the path to true freedom.

There is a great hymn that proclaims, “My chains fell off, my heart was free! I rose, went forth, and followed Thee!”

Jesus died to set you free. Those who follow Him are free indeed!

YOUR JOURNEY…

• In what ways do you feel enslaved today? Describe how it feels to be a slave to your sin. Can you identify some specific emotions, fears, or actions that have you in bondage? How do those things keep you from experiencing a life of genuine freedom in Christ?
• Take time this week to read through Romans chapters 6–8. Ask the Lord to use this passage to bring freedom and release from the things that bind you.
• Choose one teaching of Jesus you can apply to your life to help you experience freedom in Him.

http://getmorestrength.org/daily/born-free/

Sanctification (2)

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us . . . sanctification . . . —1 Corinthians 1:30

The Life Side. The mystery of sanctification is that the perfect qualities of Jesus Christ are imparted as a gift to me, not gradually, but instantly once I enter by faith into the realization that He “became for [me] . . . sanctification . . . .” Sanctification means nothing less than the holiness of Jesus becoming mine and being exhibited in my life.

The most wonderful secret of living a holy life does not lie in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfect qualities of Jesus exhibit themselves in my human flesh. Sanctification is “Christ in you . . .” (Colossians 1:27). It is His wonderful life that is imparted to me in sanctification— imparted by faith as a sovereign gift of God’s grace. Am I willing for God to make sanctification as real in me as it is in His Word?

Sanctification means the impartation of the holy qualities of Jesus Christ to me. It is the gift of His patience, love, holiness, faith, purity, and godliness that is exhibited in and through every sanctified soul. Sanctification is not drawing from Jesus the power to be holy— it is drawing from Jesus the very holiness that was exhibited in Him, and that He now exhibits in me. Sanctification is an impartation, not an imitation. Imitation is something altogether different. The perfection of everything is in Jesus Christ, and the mystery of sanctification is that all the perfect qualities of Jesus are at my disposal. Consequently, I slowly but surely begin to live a life of inexpressible order, soundness, and holiness— “. . . kept by the power of God . . .” (1 Peter 1:5).

http://utmost.org/sanctification-2/

On Your Feet

“He said to me, ‘Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.’ As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.” — Ezekiel 2:1–2

One of the more troubling aspects of life is knowing that bad news can strike at any time. Although our daily lives are filled with blessings, both large and small, that allow us to recognize God’s love for us, sometimes bad things happen to us — whether it’s an illness, job loss, or death of a loved one.

The question then becomes how to deal with sorrow. If suffering is part of life, then it’s certainly important for us to think about how to deal with it.

This is where Ezekiel comes in. Before Ezekiel became a prophet, he was just another young man – from a family of Jewish priests – trying to find his way in a complicated world. In those days, serving as a prophet for the Jewish people would not have been easy. They were about to enter into one of the most difficult periods in their history, when they witnessed the destruction of the Temple and experienced exile into a foreign land.

In fact, when God came to Ezekiel and appointed him a prophet to the Jewish people, He warned Ezekiel that dealing with his countrymen would be difficult – nearly impossible:  “And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them . . .” (Ezekiel 2:6).

Ezekiel knew before he even uttered one word of God’s message to his fellow Israelites that this role would change his life, and not necessarily for the better.

And yet, just as God gave Ezekiel such a difficult task, he taught him the proper way to deal with suffering:  “Son of man, stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you” (Ezekiel 2:1). No matter what happens, God told Ezekiel, a person can always keep his or her pride and dignity. As difficult as life may sometimes get, we can meet any challenge standing on our feet – making sure that we always do the best to cope with the situation.

And as we do this, as God promised Ezekiel, He will watch over us and help us.

http://www.holylandmoments.org/devotionals/on-your-feet