Come, Read the Bible with Me!

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow!

Thank God for family gatherings...may we speak the truth in love.

Thank God for Thursday Holidays...Planned Parenthood is not killing Children today.

Thank God, for it is He who brings us trials that humble and strengthen us. Give glory to God!

33 Words

I am unable to say something in 33 words or less, so I found a blog some time ago that intrigued me. Just theological thoughts in 33 words. Since then I have had it on my sidebar. However, some time ago, I found that the page could not be found. Occasionally I would check it, and recently, I thought about cleaning up my sidebar, and I got an email from Tim Spong, the owner of 33Words. He let me know that my link was broken, and gave me a new link.

So, check him out.

...in 91 words (including names, but not including numerals) (that's 100!)

Monday, November 17, 2008

Polycarp on the N Train

Once again, from long ago on the Bayly Blog, my favorite story:

Christmas, 1988, N Train

A young woman we know writes: It was the gilt-edged pages that gave him away. Most people who read the Bible on the subway have a small pocket edition and keep it to themselves. This young man looked as if he had come away with the family King James. Otherwise, he was ordinary-looking; gray jacket, plaid scarf, blue jeans, white sneakers, bristly brown hair; a gold wedding band. He waited until the N train had pulled out of the Queensboro Plaza station and was under the East River, and then he read aloud, "In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus…" A groan went out from my fellow-passengers.

Talk about a captive audience. The train was too crowded for people to switch cars. And New Yorkers will put up with all sorts of things rather than give up their seats on the subway. I couldn’t help thinking that the young man was lucky there were no maniacs aboard and no piles of stones at hand. But no matter how you feel about being force-fed the gospel under the East River it holds up better than the Times or the Post or the subway ads for Dr. Zizmor, dermatologist. Anyway, no one moved. No one said, "Oh, shut up." No one wanted to be identified as an irreligious loner at Christmastime.

I found myself criticizing the young man’s intonation. He had a good strong voice, but the words rocked up and back unvaryingly: "…to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child." When he was done, and the shepherds had rejoiced, he changed--thank goodness--his rhythm. He started singing "Joy to the World." He sang two full verses of it, again in a good, strong voice. But no one joined in. I was tempted, partly because I felt sorry for him--singing in the face of so much hostility--and also because I’m a sucker for actual human voices raised in song, as opposed to canned carols such as one hears in Doubleday (pa-rum-pa-pum-pum) and in Barnes & Noble (gloh-o-o-o-o-oh-o-o-o-o-oh-o-o-o-o-oh-ria). But I was sitting next to a man rigid with pain and fury at having his subway meditations interrupted, and I felt sorry for him, too. Especially when the young man finished singing and began to preach, reminding us that we were all God’s creatures on the N train and that for each of us He had a plan. God’s creature next to me was probably thinking that he didn’t take the subway to fall in with God’s plan--he took the subway to get to Fifty-ninth and Lexington.

(“The Talk of the Town” in The New Yorker, Dec. 26, 1988.)



So go out and light yourself on fire! What have you got to lose?

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Stand True's Response to the Election of Barrack Obama

On my side bar, you'll find "Stand True: Christ-Centered Pro-life". I highly recommend this website for information and encouragement in standing in defense of the innocent. After the election, Bryan Kemper wrote this encouragement to keep our focus where it should be. He gave me permission to post it here:

Last night was probably emotionally draining for many people as they saw one of the most rabidly pro-abortion candidates ever get elected as the next president of the United States. Some are even saying that the pro-life movement was set back at least 30 years last night.

Last night I watched the acceptance speech of Barrack Obama. I watched as Jesse Jackson and Oprah Winfrey were trying to hold back the tears of joy and hope. I listened to interviews with pastors and civil rights leaders and my heart broke as they talked about Obama like he was the Messiah. I understand that this is a monumental event in the history of our nation. I also understand that our hope lies in no man.

While some people were ecstatic last night, others were in deep mourning, feeling utterly defeated. It almost seemed as if they thought John McCain and Sarah Palin were our only hope. I can't tell you how many times I heard people trying to convince me that Barrack Obama is the “Anti-Christ”, as they prayed for John McCain to save us from his takeover of the world.

As the results came in last night, the political landscape of this country was changed. Men and women will be either taking new positions of power or stepping down from positions they once held. Laws and policies will change, and we will have to adjust to this new direction our world in heading into.

One thing, however, did not change last night. One position of power was not affected in the least bit. While we will have a new President in the White House, the Throne of God remains sovereign. Our one and only true Hope is still our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Two things I heard last night were “change is coming” and “yes we can”. Change is coming, and I am not going to cower or back down in the face of this change. Change is coming, and the battle for the sanctity of human life will be tougher; my resolve to win this battle is stronger.

If change is what they want, then we shall give them change. We will destroy and deny the apathetic spirit that has had a hold on this generation for too long. We will raise our voices louder than ever before until we see the end of this abortion holocaust. We will share the only true Hope for this world without shame or fear. We will not chant “yes we can” but rather “yes we will”. We will believe what God promises us in Philippians 4:13 - “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me”.

I have often said I do not know why God has chosen me to lead this ministry. I am humbled and honored to be able to serve God in this manner. I know that I have a responsibility to stand up in the darkest times and trust in the Light of Christ to lead us to victory.

I stand before you today and pledge to you that I will not be defeated by this election. I refuse to allow any earthly setbacks discourage or slow me down in this fight for life. I promise you that I will never lie down or quit; I will stand true until my last breath.

Will you stand with me?

For Christ I stand,

Bryan Kemper bryankemper@standtrue.com

And the Two Shall Become One...

It has been a long-standing Piersonism in our house that Glen is me and I am him. This is just our way of recognising and reminding each other of the truth of God's word.

Recently I have been beating myself up for paths I have taken and choices I have made through the years. I again was reminded of the one flesh truth when Glen told me the other day that I have to stop kicking him for that.

It was what I needed to hear.

Thank God for Glen!

Saturday, November 01, 2008

Barak Obama Promises to Sign FOCA Sound Bite

Sorry, for some reason, I could not get that video to load. Click on Barak Obama Promises to sign FOCA for the sound bite version. The video below is something like 24 minutes. This one is less than two.