HT: Stand to Reason

So here it goes: Check this out…I found this helpful—

http://www.puritansermons.com/baxter/baxter2.htm

I can get sucked into “Christian Tips” as well. “Five Ways to Dive Deep In Prayer”, “Three Ways To Get Your Holiness on In 2K9″, etc. Some of these articles really are valuable. Some are fluff.

But here’s the thing: my spiritual growth in 2009 isn’t going to be the result of finding the right tip list. Growth is the result of prayerfully wielding the word of God.

Read the full post here:

The Problem With Spiritual Tips | The Blazing Center.

We got a questions asking about the “save one baby or save five embryos from a burning laboratory” dilemma.  Assuming a pro-lifer saves the baby, it’s supposed to “prove” that we don’t really think that the embryos are fully human beings.  But it doesn’t do that at all.  Here’s why.  

Read more of her answer here:

A Dilemma that Doesn’t Prove Anything.

Update:  Another post on the subject- Burning Research Lab, Part 4,999,999 [SK]

During this time of year many of us are thinking about the New Year and the changes we want to see happen in our life.These resolutions range from weight loss/exercise, spending more time with family and friends, serving in the church,getting out of debt, etc.   I would like to propose a resolution that, for the believer and unbeliever alike, trumps all the above resolutions in eternal value and life-changing power–studying through the word of God in 2009.  

Sheila, my wife, and I are really excited about doing it again this year. In 2006, we were living in Oklahoma City attending a Church that had small groups called Flocks.  Our group leader, Aaron Ferguson, challenged us, not only in word, but through his hard work and dedication to go through the scripture chronoligically.  As a result, he developed a bible-in-a- year (BIAY) program to facilitate and encourage our study and understanding.  The material is free to download and can be placed in a 3-ring binder.  

Here is Aaron’s challenge for 2009:

It is that time of the year to begin thinking about Christmas gift ideas and/or New Years goals. I cannot think of a better idea or goal than the Chronological Bible. Tyndale Publishers has made it in two easy-to-read translations (NIV and NLT). My study guide was developed for the NLT, to help readers understand the Bible as they go…

Her is Aaron’s website:

The One-Year Chronological Bible Study Guide.

I invite you to please pray about reading through God’s word this year and utilizing this wonderful material to assist you.  If you have any questions or need any assistance please email me at mhuggi@gmail.com.

2 Tim 2:15

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, [1] a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. [ESV]

The headlining verse of this blog follows the thought of bringing glory to God in our purity, sexual purity in particular here. 

As believers, we are now united to Christ in much the same way we are united to our wives.  The Holy Spirit tells us in Genesis 2:24 that the man and his wife become “one flesh,” and similarly we are are united to Christ.  We are told in Ephesians 5:32 that this mystery refers to Christ and the church.  How do we apply this?

The passage from 1 Corinthians 6 speaks directly to the issue of sexual purity:

1Corinthians 6:15-20 (ESV) Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! (16) Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” (17) But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. (18) Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. (19) Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, (20) for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.  

As we can see we are now united to the Spirit of Christ like we are united to the body of our spouse.  And every sin that we commit in terms of sexual purity is not just a sin against Christ or our wives, but it is a sin against our own bodies as well.  Most of the time when we consider the impact of sin, we look at the consequences to our relationship to the Lord in terms of our devotion to Him and our worship of Him.  This is of course of great importance and I am certainly not saying that this is wrong, but the Holy Spirit is showing us more, that we are making an offense against our own selves, which is a temple of the Holy Spirit.  And let us never forget that simply being physically faithful to our spouses is all that is intended here.  Jesus said “I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  (Matthew 5:28)  So in the eyes of the Lord Jesus there is not difference between the act and the thought.

When we choose sin we are under the deception that it’s reward is greater than our obedience.  This, of course, is far from the truth.  Rather than enjoy fellowship with the God of the universe, our Savior and loving Master, we are turning back to our old master that only intended to keep us in painful bondage and ultimately bring us to death.  When we choose sin we are making ourselves friends of the world and its desires, and that in turn makes us act like enemies of God (James 4:4).  Is that a greater reward?  I think not!

I hear many today say, “It is my life to do as I please”, or similary, especially among those who support abortion, “It is my body.”  But if we are Christs, we are not our own.  Jesus bought us from our evil master to free us from that which damaged us and condemned us to death.  We now belong to Jesus, and what a wonderful truth this is! 

This passage ends with a command.  “Glorify God in your body.”  We give God glory in our joyful obedience.  We give God glory as we depend on His grace and the power of His Holy Spirit, whom he has given us, to resist sin.  We give God glory as we seek to honor His name, rather than carry it in vain.  We give God glory when we find all of our desires fulfilled in Him.

Brothers, let us honor Christ and bring glory to His name with our devotion to purity, our devotion to Him, and our unhindered worship of Him.

Abortion Number One Cause of Death in Spain

 It’s a internet radio broadcast, aka Unchained Radio, featuring Pastor Gene Cook.  I really        enjoy the subject matter discussion and guests.  Here is a sample show below discussing the  differences between Arminianism, Classic Calvinism, High Calvinism, and Hyper-Calvinsism.

 Here is the chart they are using in their discussion.