Carl's Words of Inspiration

Veterans Day: Two Freedoms

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 02:48:00 +0000

Sometimes it seems like an old, worn-out cliche', but it's so true: freedom isn't free. We live in a sinful, broken, and fallen world. Throughout history there have been many people who have sought to enslave others based on many factors such as race, religion, nationality, political views, or simply because they lusted for the power that came from oppressing people. Some have even twisted God's Word to try to justify their own hateful ways of suppressing the freedoms of others. The simple fact is that this is an outright rejection of how God says we should love each other. This is the kind of freedom that our brave soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines have valiantly fought to preserve for our nation.

Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you,

whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.

And a slave does not abide in the house forever,

but a son abides forever.

Therefore if the Son makes you free,

you shall be free indeed."

- John 8:34-36

Freedom is more than just the rights of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to vote and such as guaranteed by the Constitution. Even our Declaration of Independence acknowledges that our rights and freedoms are bestowed on us by God, Himself. Often we, ourselves, forfeit our freedom and make ourselves slaves. When we stop putting God first, when we willfully live sinful lives, when we let the desires of our flesh run our lives, we have given up the freedom that can only be found in Christ. Along with freedom comes responsibilities, and all too often we take our freedom for granted. This Veterans Day, take the opportunity to reflect honestly on your life and your choices. Ask yourself the hard questions and see if you truly are free. Ouch! I'm stepping on my own toes already! To all of my fellow veterans (Navy 1986-1994), I thank you for your loyal service to keep us free in the natural world, and I pray that you have found the spiritual freedom that can only come from the Greatest Soldier, who conquered death, the greatest enemy.

Till Death Do Us Part... Literally

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:47:00 +0000

This is such an inspiring story of what love and commitment really mean. This is such a rarity in today's society. In full disclosure, I, myself, am twice divorced, once widowed, and even have a beautiful daughter out of wedlock overseas. Much of my adult life I was not living for the Lord, but I now understand the meaning of those words "till death do us part," that marriage between one man and one woman was instituted by God, and the sanctity of marriage and human life. How fitting it is that God would allow this couple, after 72 years of marriage, to die together holding hands and not have to experience the pain of one losing the other.

Casting Crowns - Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me) with Lyrics

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 01:23:00 +0000

Casting Crowns is one of my favorite Christian bands. Here is one of their many fantastic hit songs, Glorious Day (Living He Love Me) with the lyrics. No commentary necessary from me on it, it speaks for itself. I've just included some scripture I feel is appropriate to each line of the chorus, one each from the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. ENJOY!

Living He loved me,

The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying:

"Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;

Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you."

-Jeremiah 31:3

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come

that He should depart from this world to the Father,

having loved His own who were in the world,

He loved them to the end.

-John 13:1

Dying He saved me

And I will pour on the house of David

and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem

the Spirit of grace and supplication;

then they will look on Me whom they pierced.

Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son,

and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

-Zechariah 12:10

But God demonstrates His own love toward us,

in that while we were still sinners,

Christ died for us.

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood,

we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

-Romans 5:8-9

And buried He carried my sins far away

For He was cut off from the land of the living;

For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

And they made His grave with the wicked—

But with the rich at His death

-Isaiah 53:8b-9a

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death,

that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father,

even so we also should walk in newness of life.

-Romans 6:4

Rising He justified freely forever

I will ransom them from the power of the grave;

I will redeem them from death.

O Death, I will be your plagues!

O Grave, I will be your destruction!

-Hosea 13:14

And therefore “It (Abraham’s faith) was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him,

but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him

who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,

who was delivered up because of our offenses,

and was raised because of our justification.

-Romans 4:22-25

One day He's coming, oh, glorious day,
oh, glorious day

I was watching in the night visions,

And behold, One like the Son of Man,

Coming with the clouds of heaven!

He came to the Ancient of Days,

And they brought Him near before Him.

Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,

That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.

-Daniel 7:13-14a

Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him,

even they who pierced Him.

And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.

Even so, Amen.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,

the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord,

“who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

-Revelation 1:7-8

How Can I Forgive? - Learning How To Let Go Of Pain

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 02:59:00 +0000

In this fallen, sinful and broken world, being wronged by somebody is simply an inescapable fact of life. It’s happened to all of us at one time or another, whether intentional or not, and fact is, it will happen again. Sometimes it’s by strangers, or sometimes by someone in our circle of friends, or the worst of all is being hurt by our loved ones.

“How can I forgive her adultery?”

“How do I forgive him for cheating me on that deal?”

“How can I let go of the pain of being lied to?”

“I don’t know how to let go of the pain of betrayal.”

These are some very real questions you may be asking yourself, or maybe something similar. In our humanity these are very legitimate questions to ask, but let’s put a little perspective on it. What if Jesus, as He hung on the cross being wrongfully executed, had asked, “How can I forgive them for killing me?” He chose, instead, to submit to the will of the Father and asked forgiveness for those who were committing the ultimate wrong that can be committed on this earth against Him.

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them,

for they do not know what they do.”

-Luke 23:34

Forgiveness is a command of Jesus, but we must CHOOSE to follow it. Forgiving is hard because it goes against our sinful flesh nature that wants to get even and be vindicated, but He set the example for us in a big-time way. I guess you could say he “talked the talk and walked the walk.” The sins committed against us by others pale in comparison to the sins we’ve committed against God. That was the point Jesus was making with the parable of the unforgiving servant. The servant was forgiven a huge debt by the king, but then would not forgive a fellow servant of a much smaller debt. As a consequence, when the king heard about it, he had the servant sent to prison. When we choose not to forgive, there are consequences for us, as well.

“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone,

forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

-Mark 11:25-26

Whoa! Wait a minute! I thought Jesus forgave ALL my sin? Well, He did, but these are red letters in my Bible, and it says what it says. Consider verse 26 with this perspective; if your heart is so hard that you won’t forgive, then have you really experienced the love and forgiveness of Jesus? How can you ask God to forgive you if you won’t forgive others? If you have truly experienced the freedom that comes with God's forgiveness, then how could you NOT forgive someone else? Your heart’s desire should be to forgive the specks in others’ eyes, knowing you’ve been forgiven the board in yours. Notice there are no conditions put on forgiving someone, either. It doesn’t mean that what they did was ok, but that you choose not to hold it against them anymore. For instance, if you forgive someone for lying to you, does that mean you will believe everything they say from then on? Not necessarily, but you overlook that lie and use discernment in the future. They don’t have to come apologize or ask for forgiveness, either. Forgiveness is grace- undeserved favor.

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies,

kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another,

and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another;

even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,

to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

-Colossians 3:12-15

Forgiveness is a hallmark of a devoted follower of Christ. It is an expression of love like no other, short of laying down one's life for another. I urge you, my brothers and sisters in the Lord, to let the perfect love of Christ live within you, being full of tender mercies, shining forth kindness and humility by His Spirit, and “pay it forward,” as they say, forgiving others in grace as you also have been forgiven, and may God's perfect peace reign in your heart.

And above all things have fervent love for one another,

for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

-1 Peter 4:8

Have You Had Your TAWG Today?

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 23:48:00 +0000

I have a 17 year old daughter who lives on the island of Guam in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. She doesn’t know it yet, but she inspired this blog post when I was chatting with her the other day on Facebook. Guam is 14 hours ahead of the US East Coast, so it was Friday night here and Saturday morning there. She told me she needed to get off of the computer for a while because she had to do her TAWG. Having never seen that acronym before, I naturally asked what it meant, and she told me, “Time Alone With God.”

My daughter Shadanice

And when thou prayest,

thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are:

for they love to pray standing in the synagogues

and in the corners of the streets,

that they may be seen of men.

Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

But thou, when thou prayest,

enter into thy closet,

and when thou hast shut thy door,

pray to thy Father which is in secret;

and thy Father which seeth in secret

shall reward thee openly.

- Matthew 6:5-6

My friends, have you had your TAWG today? The above Bible passage from Matthew 6 is in red letters in my bible. Jesus, Himself, told us to make time to be alone with God. Some people call it going into their prayer closet. It doesn’t have to be a literal closet, as some people do, which is perfectly fine, but a quiet time and place to be with God. Thank Him for His many blessings, pray for yourself and others, read the Bible, confess what you need to confess, but don’t do all the talking. Take time to listen to the Holy Spirit speaking to you. Seek His guidance, His will for you, how you can bless others, and how you can glorify Him.

A literal prayer closet

Immediately Jesus made His disciples

get into the boat and go before Him

to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.

And when He had sent the multitudes away,

He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.

Now when evening came, He was alone there.

- Matthew 14:22-23

Not only did Jesus tell us to spend time alone with God, He set the example for us, as seen in these Bible verses from Matthew 14. Notice how Jesus is proactive here. He didn’t just wait for things to quiet down, He made the time. He sent His disciples away, and then He sent the crowd away. I want to encourage you today, my brethren, to make time for your TAWG. All of us can come up with reasons not to and give a list of stuff that is keeping us "too busy," myself included, but aren’t they really all just excuses? Sometimes we even become so caught up in ministry work that it becomes an excuse for no time ALONE with God, just like Mikes Sumondong wrote about on his blog, Your Daily Word. Can’t we find at least 20 or 30 minutes a day to make time for God every day? Turn off the TV, get off of the computer, get up a little earlier in the morning, or maybe get ready for bed a little earlier and have your TAWG then. Satan doesn’t like it when we have some TAWG, and he’ll throw anything in our way he can, but stand firm my friends, because we are more than conquerors in Christ!

Extreme Makeover - Heart Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:14:00 +0000

By: Carl Holland
Carl's Words of Inspiration

Heart transplant surgery, though still a very serious operation, seems almost routine with today's medical technology. Many people claim to feel like they have much more energy and can breathe better after receiving a new heart. Sort of a "renewed life" you might say. That's what it's like when we come to God and let the Holy Spirit work inside us. Before a heart transplant is even considered, it must be determined that there is a problem with the heart to begin with. You may be physically healthy without a heart disease, but you still have to contend with "heart deceive." In Jeremiah 17:9 we read:

The heart is deceitful above all things,

And desperately wicked;

who can know it?

And in Proverbs 28:26:

He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,

But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.

So, our own hearts can deceive us and we not know it, and we are fools to trust it. Ouch! Sounds pretty harsh, but that’s what God says about our emotional heart. He certainly knows, and He says so in Jeremiah 17:10:

I, the LORD, search the heart,

I test the mind,

Even to give every man according to his ways,

According to the fruit of his doings.

So how do we get this extreme heart makeover? Simple… we just ask the Master Surgeon for it, and we humbly allow Him to do it. As we seek to do His will and set our own desires aside, He renews our heart, both inwardly in how we look at things such as ourselves and situations we face, and outwardly in how we respond to and treat others around us. Is your heart made of stone, and maybe you don't even realize it? Have you stopped to honestly consider whether your own heart is deceiving you and you're operating based on feelings rather than God's Spirit within you? Humbly submit to His authority, His ways, and His will for you today, setting your sights on the things above, and let Him do some radical, life-changing heart surgery in you to make you more like Him! Jesus is the cure for any heart condition!

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

- Ephesians 3:14-19

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;

I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh

and give you a heart of flesh.

-Ezekiel 36:26

I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is Mine

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 10:10:00 +0000

So then, they are no longer two but one flesh.

Therefore what God has joined together,

let not man separate.

- Matthew 19:6

It was two years ago today that my lovely wife decided she could put up with me and we tied the knot. We chartered a passenger ferry boat for a couple of hours and got married just off of Cumberland Island, GA near the south end of the Island where the Atlantic Ocean comes into Cumberland Sound at the FL/GA state line. The minister was a very dear friend of mine, Scotty Langford, who is like a brother to me, and has been my discipler for several years. Fort Clinch in Fernandina Beach, FL served as a backdrop behind us.

My wife loves to dress up our dogs, and sometimes we take them to the nursing home where she works and let them visit the residents. Our wedding day was no exception. She found a doggie tux for our male Chihuahua, Kasey, to be a groomsman. We made dresses for our female Miniature Dachshunds, in our wedding colors, of course. Prissy was a bridesmaid and Tilly was the ring bearer.

Of course I can't talk about our wedding day with mentioning me fishing at my own wedding! I had been teasing my wife that since we were going to be on a boat I had to bring my fishing pole, since the whole purpose of a boat was to get to more fish. I snuck a small collapsible pole onto the boat and started "fishing" on the way out. Don't worry, I didn't even have a hook on it, but just a small weight to cast it with a few times. Her jaw about hit the deck and my dad leaned over to her and said, "I brought him into this world, I can take him out for you."

One of the things Cumberland Island is known for is its herd of wild horses. I had been out in the Sound fishing in my own boat quite a few times and never saw a horse. My wife had it in her mind that the horses were going to come out that day. Sure enough, just as we said our “I do’s,” as if on cue, some horses came out to graze. They were not going to deny my bride her wish on our special day. Well, God didn’t deny it, at least.

Jesus said to him,

“You shall love the LORD your God

with all your heart,

with all your soul,

and with all your mind.”

- Matthew 22:37

To my beloved wife, I wish I could say I love you with all my heart, but that is how Jesus told us to love God. Sorry, honey, but you come second here. I do, however, love you as Christ loved the church. I give myself for you. I will nurture you in the Word, that you may be washed by the blood of Jesus, presented before God without blemish.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church

and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her

with the washing of water by the word,

that He might present her to Himself a glorious church,

not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing,

but that she should be holy and without blemish.

So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies;

he who loves his wife loves himself.

- Ephesians 5:25-28

We haven't always lived our lives for Christ as we do now. This isn't the first marriage for either of us, but it will be the last, and it is "till death do us part." I am yours, and you are mine. Happy Anniversary my love!

I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine.

- Song of Solomon 6:3

God's Economy- It's Never in Recession

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 22:08:00 +0000

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth,

where moth and rust destroy

and where thieves break in and steal;

but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

where neither moth nor rust destroys

and where thieves do not break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

- Matthew 6:19-21

The Egyptian Pyramids of Giza are certainly one of the true wonders of the ancient world. A great deal of archaeological study has been done on them. Essentially they were huge tombstones for the Pharaohs buried in them. Included in their burial chambers were large amounts of valuable earthly treasures of gold and silver and such, which, it was believed, the Pharaoh needed in the afterlife. Well, if grave robbers or archaeologists were able to find it still there many years later, obviously they didn’t take their treasures to the afterlife with them.

It is recorded in the Bible that the Egyptians were using the ancient Hebrews as slaves for construction work before God called Moses to deliver them. Today’s researchers are trying to remove that part of history by preferring more politically correct terms such as “laborers” or “workmen” instead of slaves, some even flat-out denying that slaves were used. Some so-called “researchers” even go so far as to say the pyramids were built by space aliens with super-advanced technology. Somehow, they find that easier to believe than the biblical account of the Egyptian Pharaohs using slave labor to build monuments to their own over-inflated egos that believed themselves to be gods.

Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare,

and into many foolish and harmful lusts

which drown men in destruction and perdition.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,

for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness,

and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

- 1 Timothy 6:6-10

But this isn’t about the Pyramids, or who built them and how. It’s an example of self-glorification and putting trust in the riches of this world. You can’t take any wealth of this Earth with you when you die. That’s why we have wills to distribute our possessions to those we want to receive it. Where are you storing up your treasure? Where are you investing your heart? Investing in mutual funds or the stock market may produce riches of this Earth, which is here today and gone tomorrow, but it has no eternal significance. Is that where your heart is? Or is your heart set on Jesus and the things above, obeying His Word and doing good deeds in His Name, which stores treasures and crowns in Heaven that you will so thankfully give back to Him one day? Salvation is a free gift of God, paid for by Jesus because we couldn’t pay what was required, nor could we earn it. Treasures we store in Heaven are rewards for our good works we do in His name, for HIS glory, and not our own while we are on this Earth. They are fruits of our Salvation, but do not produce salvation. Trust that God will provide what you need in this earthly realm, and be content with what He has provided. Invest your heart in God’s economy- it’s never in recession, and the returns are out of this world!

Seven Places Christ Bled

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 04:51:00 +0000

If this video doesn't touch you and give you a better appreciation for just what Jesus did for you, maybe you should try walking on water. Betcha get wet!

What is Worship? - Beyond the Music

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 02:27:00 +0000

A very dear friend of mine shared this funny worship video with me. It’s funny, but at the same time, sad. Isn’t the twist of these worship lyrics true of many in the Church, or if we’re honest, ALL of us at some time or another?

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

- John 4:24

I’ll admit I’ve had times when I’ve been in a worship service and really didn’t feel like being there and just sort of “going through the motions.” I’m sure we all have. Are we getting all dressed up in our “Sunday best” to be seen “going to church” so we can look all spiritual? Are we busy looking at what so-and-so is wearing? Do we really “surrender all” to Jesus, or do we just “surrender some?” Are there things in our lives that we want to keep control of in the flesh? Do we have things deep inside us that we don’t dare let out because we’re afraid of what others will think? “If they knew this about me, would they think I’m not Christian enough?” Or do we deny the truth even to ourselves because we’ve been taught to believe that Christians aren’t supposed to have this or that issue they struggle with? Of all places, the Church (the body of believers, not the building) should be where we can let our guard down, open up to our brethren, be real, confess to each other our problems without being judged so we can lift each other up and encourage one another. We shouldn’t be made to feel like we have to fake it and act like we have it all together. I’ll be the first to admit… I don’t. It is Christ alone that holds me together. (link to Louie Giglio- Laminin post) Nothing is hidden from Him. God searches the heart and knows us better than we know ourselves.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,

that you present your bodies a living sacrifice,

holy, acceptable to God,

which is your reasonable service.

And do not be conformed to this world,

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,

that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

- Romans 12:1-2

This begs the question then, “what is worship?” It is certainly not the music. Sure, the music can produce an emotional reaction, but we can be fooled by our own emotions. Worship is summed up very well in Romans 12:1-2. I’m not trying to “rewrite Scripture,” but I believe you can think of worship by considering this passage something like this: when you realize God’s mercy on you in giving Himself to save you, it should make you want to live your life for Him in all ways, giving yourself fully to Him, setting yourself apart for His purposes for you, obeying what He has commanded you to do, and seeking to please Him alone. Don’t be how the world says you should be, but seek to be what God says you can be in Him, by letting His Word transform your thinking into what He desires for you, and put that thinking into actions where people see Christ in you, and not yourself. Worship music is great and can help us get/keep our mind set on Christ, but true worship goes far beyond the music. We have to keep the focus on Christ as we seek Him with all our hearts, and seek to live out the Gospel according to His will for us, that others are drawn to Him and not ourselves. Ask yourself, “Am I exalting Christ? Or me…”

9/11/01- Remembering America's New Day of Infamy

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 04:09:00 +0000

September 11, 2001… a day that will forever be burned into the memory of everyone old enough to have understood what happened that day. It stands out in history as one of those days that shook the world and everyone remembers where they were when they heard the news; like Pearl Harbor day, the day John F. Kennedy was shot, or the day the Space Shuttle Challenger blew up. Many eyes were awakened that day. Many began to ask, who these people are that are attacking us, and why do they hate us so much? Radical Islamic terrorism had previously been just a news blurb about something that happened “over there,” but it was now brought to America’s shores in a big way. America’s security policies were changed in a hurry in an effort to keep us safe from another such attack. It didn’t take long, though, for some start complaining about civil liberty violations and profiling. While I would agree that some of the policy changes may have gone too far, it’s ridiculous to be pulling aside 85 year-old grandmothers or 2 year-old toddlers for “enhanced screening” while allowing obviously young Muslim males, which ALL 19 highjackers were, to pass through to avoid any appearance of profiling or Islamaphobia. Americans flocked to churches in droves right after the attacks. Many feared the end of the world was beginning. Just being in the church building is not what God wants. He wants to have a personal, loving relationship with you through His Son Jesus. Sadly, for some it is easier to believe that Nostradamus predicted the fall of the Twin Towers than it is for them to believe the hundreds of prophecies Jesus fulfilled to show He is the Son of God. It’s now 10 years gone. The churches aren’t packed anymore. It’s not politically correct to question anything about Islam. Standing for Christ can end your career. I am afraid that political correctness is going to allow radical Islam to infiltrate America and slowly creep into our justice system in the form of Sharia Law, begin indoctrinating our children in school about the Great Satan America, and eventually overcome Christianity as the predominant faith in America. It is already happening in Europe, though the politically correct want to deny it. A phobia is a fear of something, so in that sense, I guess I would be Islamaphobic. Islamic terrorists have been telling us and showing us for many years that they were coming here; it just took them a while to make it across the ocean. How long have we seen them in mass demonstrations chanting “death to America” and burning the American Flag or the US President in effigy? Did we think maybe they were just “going through a phase” and they’ll get over it? America, we woke up that fateful day 10 years ago… don’t go back to sleep! Pray for the safety of America, the peace of Jerusalem, and for the salvation of those without Christ, including, but not limited to, the Muslims.

PRAYER: Father God, I thank you so much for protecting us from another attack for the last 10 years. Thank you, God, so much for the firefighters and policemen who risked their lives, some losing it, to rescue and help others on that day. Thank you so much, Lord, for our troops who are serving to protect our nation and the world from the evil that has been brought forth by these terrorists, and for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, or those who have returned home maimed, in the service of their country. May you richly bless them all and their families. I pray, Lord, that those without Christ of whatever religion, or none at all, will be touched and their hearts convicted by Your Word, that they will seek a relationship with you through Christ, and repent of their evil ways. Convict me as well when I fall short and miss the mark. Here the cries of your people, Lord, and forgive our sins, heal our land, and guide our leaders in the paths of Your righteousness. God, bless America. Amen.

Here is a list of some of the major Islamic terrorist attacks against Americans over the years leading up to 9/11. It is certainly not all of them, but certainly enough to get the point across that we’ve had plenty of warning for quite a while.

• 1970 - The first mass aircraft hijackings occurred in 1970, the so-called Dawson's Field hijackings, when the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine seized control of two American planes and one Swiss airliner, all bound from Europe to the United States, to punish the United States for supporting Israel. The Pan Am, TWA and Swissair planes were blown up on the ground in Jordan and Egypt.

• 1979 - United States Embassy in Pakistan attacked by mob mistakenly blaming the US for radical Islamic faction hostage crisis in Mecca.

• 1979 - Nov. 4, Tehran, Iran: Iranian radical students seized the U.S. embassy, taking 66 hostages. 14 were later released. The remaining 52 were freed after 444 days on the day of President Reagan's inauguration.

• 1983 - Bombing at United States Embassy in Beirut, April 18, 1983. 63 people, including 17 Americans, are killed.

• 1983 - Beirut barracks bombing, October 23, 1983. 305 people, including 241 US servicemen, are killed by 2 suicide bombers.

• 1984 - Twenty-two people were killed (two of them American) and seventy were wounded when a van loaded with four hundred pounds of explosives exploded in front of the U.S. Embassy annex in Awkar, Lebanon. Islamic Jihad (code name of Hezbollah) claimed responsibility for the bombing in a call to the media.

• 1985 - TWA Flight 847 hijacked, U.S. Navy diver is killed by Hezbollah.

• 1985 - Achille Lauro hijacking, wheel-chair bound American killed by Palestinian militants.

• 1986 - On April 6, a Berlin discotheque bombing killed a Turkish woman and 2 US servicemen and injured 230 people, including more than 50 American servicemen.

• 1988 - Pan Am Flight 103, outbound from London for New York with 259 people aboard, was destroyed by a bomb on December 21, 1988 while over Lockerbie, Scotland. All aboard the aircraft were killed as were eleven persons on the ground.

• 1993 - World Trade Center bombing, February 26: 6 killed, 1,042 injured.

• 1995 - Killing of two US Diplomats in Pakistan, March 8.

• 1996 - Khobar Towers bombing: 19 American servicemen killed.

• 1998 - US embassy bombings: U.S. Kenya Embassy blown up, 214 killed (including 12 Americans); U.S. Tanzania Embassy blown up, 11 killed.

• 2000 - USS Cole attacked, 17 U.S. Navy sailors killed, 39 sailors injured.

America: One Nation Under God's Judgment?

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 01:28:00 +0000

By: Carl Holland
Carls Words of Inspiration

Is it just me, or does anyone else sense something odd is occurring with all the natural disasters that have been taking place in the US in the last year? Stop and think about it for a minute and put it all together. Back in the winter we had record amounts of snow, especially in the Deep South. There was very heavy snowfall in a very large area stretching from Texas to North Carolina and south nearly to the Florida state line. There was even an accumulation of snow in Orlando! I remember this quite well since I live in southeast Georgia. Later on in the spring, we had record breaking flooding all along the Mississippi River. The Army Corps of Engineers was blowing up levies and sacrificing farmland and smaller rural communities to save the more heavily populated areas. We saw similar things happening in Louisiana with floodgates to spillways being opened in an extremely rare move to ease the flooding in other areas. Also in the spring we saw one of the worst tornado outbreaks in history. Entire towns in Missouri, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia were wiped off the map. Hundreds of people were killed. The summer brought on its share of misery, as well. Much of Texas and Oklahoma are experiencing very extreme drought. Record high temperatures have been broken all over the place. Many records for the most consecutive days over 100 degrees have fallen, as well. Entire bodies of water are drying up. The record heat wasn’t confined to just Oklahoma and Texas, either. Record highs were shattered in Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Tennessee, and Louisiana, as well. In fact, I looked at the weather in west Tennessee where my dad lives one day and the current temperature at the time was 109 degrees with a heat index of 134! Many areas of the South are experiencing drought conditions, as well. Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona have also had major wildfire problems. Hundreds of thousands of acres have burned up by the Southwest wildfires. Recently we’ve had a very rare 5.8 earthquake not far from Washington, DC. I’m sure many in California are laughing at the East Coasters, who are freaking out over an earthquake that was “only” 5.8, but the geology is a little different on the Right Coast, and it was a very rare event, indeed. Now we’ve had Hurricane Irene skirt up the Mid-Atlantic and New England coasts, affecting a record number of people, 65 million by one estimate I heard, and causing record-breaking power outages and shattering rainfall records in some areas. Record flash-flooding has occurred in many areas, washing out roads and bridges and leaving some entire towns cut off from the rest of the world. The winds may not have been enough to be labeled a “major hurricane,” but Irene was very large, well-formed, and packed a powerful punch. She may have been a tropical storm when she made a direct hit on New York City, but was just barely shy of hurricane strength after being weakened just enough by skirting the shore of New Jersey. If she had stayed a hurricane, it would have been the first one to directly hit NYC since 1893. Just the first half of 2011 made this year the costliest on record for natural disasters. On top of it all, we’re in the midst of the worst economic meltdown most of us can remember, with no signs of it getting better any time soon. Obviously, it’s been a pretty tough year so far for the US.

But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled;

for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

And there will be earthquakes in various places,
and there will be famines and troubles.

These are the beginnings of sorrows.

- Mark 13:7-8

Let’s look a little farther in America’s recent past, and outside the US, too. On March 11, 2011 Japan experienced a massive 9.0 magnitude earthquake, with a resulting tsunami that inundated a large swath of the coast of Japan, killing some 15,000 people and causing extensive damage on top of what the earthquake had already done, and even caused damage to ports all the way across the Pacific Ocean in Washington, Oregon, and California. This double whammy of a natural disaster also resulted in Japan's worst nuclear disaster in history at its Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, nearly on a par with the Chernobyl accident in Russia in 1986. Radioactive contamination was released into the air and actually reached American soil, although at much lower levels, but contamination nonetheless. This earthquake even shifted the main island of Japan by 8 feet, shifted the Earth’s axis by 6-1/2 inches, and shortened the length of the day by 1.8 microseconds. On January 12, 2010 Haiti was hit with a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that caused massive damage, killed over 300,000 people, and left about 1 million homeless. In the aftermath, disease and starvation continues to take its toll on the survivors. Also in 2010, Eyjafjallajokull Volcano in Iceland erupted violently, spewing a massive ash cloud that drifted over Europe, grounding air travel for days. A year later, Iceland’s Grímsvötn Volcano underwent the nation’s largest eruption in 50 years, though it didn’t cause the air travel nightmare that Eyjafjallajokull did. On August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, breaching the levies and flooding the city. A total of 1836 people lost their lives to Katrina, among the top most devastating hurricanes in US history. In 2004, for the first time ever, four hurricanes crisscrossed Florida, leaving massive destruction in their wakes. Also in 2004, on the day after Christmas, a magnitude 9.2 earthquake struck the floor of the Indian Ocean, triggering a massive tsunami throughout the Southeast Asia area which killed over 230,000 people in 14 countries, slamming some coastal areas with waves as much as 100 feet high. The earthquake was so powerful it caused the entire planet to vibrate and also made the Earth’s axis shift a measureable amount. It sure seems to me that worldwide disasters have been steadily increasing in frequency and intensity, as trend charts of natural disasters clearly show.

O LORD, are not Your eyes on the truth?

You have stricken them, but they have not grieved;

You have consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction.

They have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to return.

- Jeremiah 5:3

Al Gore would tell you this is all the effects of global warming he’s been warning us about, even in the wake of the British email scandal that proved scientists were manipulating the data to fit a political agenda. It’s kind of hard to take someone serious about living a “carbon-neutral” lifestyle when they have a $30,000 electric bill for their 10,000 square-foot mansion and fly around in a private jet to spread their message. But this isn’t about global warming or Al Gore. Could it be, I mean, could it just possibly be that God is trying to get our attention and that He is starting to pour out judgment on America? How long can we go on pushing God out of everything? The year 1962 marked the beginning of a downhill slide for America when prayer was taken out of our public schools. Rates of teen pregnancy, abortion, sexually transmitted diseases, and violent crime increased dramatically after that. Student SAT scores plummeted while the divorce rate skyrocketed. Charts of these statistics strikingly bear this out. We live in a culture where it is politically incorrect to mention anything about God or Jesus except in some generic, multi-cultural, all-inclusive sense that diminishes the truth, but bashing Christians and saying things against God or Jesus are considered “free speech,” no matter how vile. The TV show South Park went so far as to air an episode where Jesus defecated on President George W. Bush and the American flag, but showed Mohammed behind a censor bar and in a bear suit so that his image would not be seen, offending Muslims. Military chaplains are being limited on what they can say, and we are now well on the way to allowing homosexuals to openly serve in the military. There are many people who have the twisted idea that it’s ok to kill a baby because the mother doesn’t want it, but will put their own life on the line to save a Spotted Owl, or eat a vegan diet because they don't believe animals should be killed for food. Activist judges are overruling the will of the people and forcing gay marriage on America. This issue, in particular, is causing whole Christian denominations to fracture right down the middle. I wonder where those churches that support gay marriage get their theology from, because it’s certainly not the Bible. We’re about to reach the 10-year anniversary of the 9-11 attacks, and Mayor Bloomberg of New York City will not allow any religious leaders to publicly pray at the official memorial service in the name of political correctness and to keep from offending anyone. How can atheists be “offended” by a God they don’t believe in? Of all times and places, this is one where we all need to beg of God to continue to protect us from another such attack. We live in a day and age where the truth is considered relative. Nothing could be farther from the truth! No pun intended… well… maybe. But the fact of the matter is that relative truth is a lie straight from the pit of Hell. There is good and evil. There is an eternal and absolute Truth, and that is the Word of God, personified in the God-man Jesus the Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

- 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

When Christians try to point out how these things run contrary to God’s Word, many people, believers and non-believers alike, will point the finger and quote “judge not, lest ye be judged.” This is where a little Scripture, taken out of context, can be dangerous, and many believers are deceived when it is twisted in this manner to fit an agenda and don’t know how to respond. What we are not to judge is someone’s salvation. That power belongs to God alone. To do so would be putting ourselves in the place of God, which is idolatry. We are, however, supposed to exercise a righteous judgment in accordance with God’s Word and proclaim the Truth, always in love and with a goal of drawing people into a closer walk with God and away from self-destruction. There are many things that God is very clear about being wrong, some even an “abomination” to Him. That is not to say that we are to make Christianity about a list of right and wrong, do and don’t do. That’s not it at all. It’s all about having a true personal relationship with the Living God, who gave His own life in substitution for us to pay the debt for our sin that we couldn’t pay ourselves, and that He didn’t deserve to have to pay. When you are growing in that relationship, and the Holy Spirit is living in you, there becomes an increasing desire to move away from things God detests and toward those things that please Him out of your love for Him. We are to be the salt and light of the Earth, and sometimes that means a little tough love, calling out sin for what it is; rebellion against God.

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts,

to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
who exchanged the truth of God for the lie,

and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator,
who is blessed forever.

- Romans 1:24-25

We live in a broken and dying world, and America is no exception to that. As it was in the days of Noah, we live in a society where blatant sin is rampant and openly tolerated. All norms of morality seem to have been thrown out the window. This flat-out rejection of God leads to a lifestyle of fulfilling the desires of the flesh, trying to fill an emptiness that only God can fill, but pride of self won’t allow them to admit it, leading to their own destruction. After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, one of their priorities was getting the French Quarter ready in time that Mardi Gras could still go on. That’s like sticking their collective finger in God’s eye and saying, “the open sin and debauchery must go on because we make a ton of money off of it.” Did they ever stop to consider that maybe God was trying to get their attention? We now have a Commander-in-Chief, who, I have no doubt, would throw Israel under the bus. Woe to us when he does! Israel has tried the “land for peace” route before, and it doesn’t work. Her enemies don’t want a “peaceful coexistence.” They want all or nothing and continually call for the complete destruction of Israel. Iran’s President Ahmadinejad recently said that there would be no room for Israel in the Middle East after the formation of a Palestinian state. In 2005 he openly called for Israel to be “wiped off the map,” and this is a country pursuing nuclear weapons. Yet Israel is called the bad guy by the world when she defends herself and retaliates against indiscriminate rocket fire by Hamas coming out of the Gaza Strip, or Hezbollah in Lebanon. God will not allow His Holy Land to be carved up. God has stated that He will bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel. Honestly, does the current US Administration show any signs of being friendly to Israel, or are they distancing our nation from Israel and joining the rest of the world in condemning Israel? Could it just be that the recent earthquake to the west of Washington, DC, followed by a hurricane just to the east, is God trying to get our attention before the upcoming vote on Palestinian statehood in the UN; located, by the way, in New York City where Irene hit; which would try to force Israel to give up land and return to her pre-1967 borders? Would Americans stand for the UN trying to force us to give the Southwest back to Mexico? Three of the four hurricanes that hit Florida in 2004 directly hit Orlando. Is it a coincidence that Orlando is the home to Disney World which is famous for its "gay days," and the Walt Disney Company was one of the first large companies to offer benefits for same-sex domestic partners? America was clearly founded on Judeo-Christian principles. Our Founding Fathers cited 27 violations of Biblical principles by the King of England in writing the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration even states that all men are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” In other words, our rights are given by God, not the government. We, as a nation, have rejected God and pushed Him out of everything, as though we don’t need Him anymore. Our politicians will give speeches and end them with “God bless America,” trying to cater to the "Christian vote," while their actions are rejecting God and pushing him farther and farther out of the picture, giving Him no reason to bless us. Are Americans so arrogant to think there’s no way God will bring judgment on us? That He’ll continue to “shed His grace on thee?” Or perhaps it is even far bigger than America. Could it just be that all of Creation is groaning in birth pangs, crying out for Messiah to return to cleanse the Earth of evil forever? Then there are those who say there is no judgment because there is no God. One day they will find themselves standing before the Throne of God only to find out they were wrong, but then it will be too late. America was birthed as an exceptional nation, with freedom to worship God in spirit and in truth and pursue what is right, but we have strayed way off course, and we are not immune to God’s judgment to try to steer us back on course.

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves,

and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways,

then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

- 2 Chronicles 7:14

It is not too late, however, for our great nation. God’s word is full of promises, and He is holy and righteous and always keeps his promises. Sometimes those promises involve judgment, and He would not be righteous if He did not dole out judgment on the wicked. His desire is that none should suffer judgment, but leaves it up to us to choose. If we reject Him, we are choosing judgment and condemnation. He made it so simple to choose by offering His Only Son in our place and simply desiring that we trust Him, that He did enough. He has made promises to nations, as well; perhaps the most often quoted being 2 Chronicles 7:14. If we, as a nation, will humble ourselves and submit to God’s authority and call on Him for forgiveness, then He promises He will come and heal our land. Could it just be that God is using these things to try to get our attention and say “Hey, remember Me?” “Turn back to me while you still can.” Open acceptance of sin and rejection of God is the problem. Embracing God and rejecting sin is the solution. Only when we turn to God in obedience to Him, and seek to do His will and stand for what is right in HIS eyes, can we rightfully proclaim, “God bless America.”

At What Price, Freedom?

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 21:39:00 +0000

Artist's depiction of Abraham Lincoln witnessing a slave auction.
- Courtesy of Time-Life

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word,

you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth,

and the truth shall make you free.”

They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been

in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”

Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you,

whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.

And a slave does not abide in the house forever,

but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free,

you shall be free indeed.” – John 8:31-36

There is a tale told of Abraham Lincoln about 30 years before he was elected president that says he saw a slave girl on the auction block one day and proceeded to bid on her purchase. He would continually raise the bid one dollar above the previous bidder until he finally won the auction and purchased the girl. She asked him what he was going to do with her, and he replied that he was setting her free. She was puzzled and asked what he meant. He then said that it meant she could go anywhere she wanted to because she was a free person. She replied that she would go with him, then, because she wanted to stay with the one who purchased her freedom. Though this is a tale that has become part of American folklore, along the lines of George Washington chopping down the cherry tree, isn’t it an amazing picture of what Christ has done for us?

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. – Romans 3:23

The bible tells us that all of us have sinned, every single one of us without exception. Jesus told us that “whoever commits sin is a slave of sin,” therefore we are all slaves in bondage to sin. Jesus, however, bought us out of that slavery. The price He paid was Himself, spilling His own precious blood in a torturous death, culminating with His voluntary crucifixion on the cross, to pay our death penalty in our place. But on the third day, as He said He would, HALLELUJAH he arose, conquering death to set us free. All He wants is that we fully trust Him, that He did everything necessary to free us from sin and death and reconcile us back to the Father.

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” – John 15:13-14

The slave girl in the story had a choice; go about life on her own, probably ending up being a slave again anyway, or voluntarily follow the one who bought her to set her free. Abraham Lincoln was known as one with a great love for humanity, and he eventually did set the slaves free with the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Jesus, fully man, and fully God, has a great love for humanity as well, as summed up John 3:16. He demonstrated how great His love is for us by paying the ultimate price to buy our freedom. He laid down His life for His friends, who He says are those who do what He commands. Should we not, then, choose to follow Him and do as He commands us to do? Can we really call ourselves a friend of God if we don’t? Choose this day which path you will follow, the wide path of bondage to sin and death, or the narrow path of freedom from sin and everlasting life; a slave to sin, or a servant for Christ.

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate

and broad is the way that leads to destruction,

and there are many who go in by it.

Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way

which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

– Matthew 7:13-14

What's Your Most Memorable Christmas Gift?

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 15:15:00 +0000

Nothing spiritual or theological in this post. God's gift of Jesus is the Greatest Gift of all eternity, but let's just have a discussion of our most memorable material Christmas gifts. I lived in Key West in the late 70s when my dad was stationed there in the navy. We lived in base housing and had a seperate storage unit in a building located elsewhere in the housing area. Christmas morning I emptied my stocking and found the key to the storage unit. I was totally bewildered as to why I had this key in my stocking. My dad drove me over there to have a look. I opened the door and there stood my first 10-speed bicycle. We didn't have all these mountain bikes and 15- and 18-speed bikes like we do now, so a 10-speed was pretty special for a kid back then. I was 10 years old and still remember it quite well all these (cough)%&(cough) some-odd years later. Post a reply and share your most memorable Christmas gift.

Can You Pass Heaven's Entrance Exam?

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:26:00 +0000

“Why do you call Me good? No one is

good but One, that is, God.”

- Matthew 19:17, Mark 10:18, Luke 18:19

There are many people who hope they’ll be good enough to get into heaven when they die. It should scare them to death (no pun intended) to have to go through life “hoping” they’ll go to heaven instead of “knowing,” considering what the alternative is. But, then again, many who “hope” to go to heaven don’t believe there is a hell, so it doesn’t really bother them. Well, seems to me that, if you “hope” to go to heaven, then you must believe you have an eternal soul that goes somewhere after you die. “Hoping” to go to heaven, then, must also mean there is an alternative place you’ll go if you don’t get into heaven. “But I’ve never missed church!” “I’ve put lots of money in the offering plate!” “I’ve done a lot of charity work!” “But, I’ve been a pretty good person. I mean, I’ve never killed anybody. I kept the 10 commandments!” All of these are reasons people have for thinking they’re going to heaven. Every one of them is wrong and can be refuted with scripture, but I won’t go into that here. That would make this post way too long. All of these things, however, are dependent upon what the person does or doesn’t do. The simple truth is, THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO TO EARN OUR WAY INTO HEAVEN! It’s a heart issue, as I wrote about a few months ago in my post Have You Had a Heart Transplant? In the words of Jesus above, He plainly pointed out that the only one that can be considered “good” is God. Anything less is less than good. How can we possibly think that anything we can do can stand up to God’s goodness?

But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses

are like filthy rags.

- Isaiah 64:6

Compared to God’s righteousness, all of our good deeds are like filthy rags. Is that what we want to bring Him to get into heaven? And it applies across the board; rich or poor, white or black, Protestant or Catholic, American or Chinese, drug addict or preacher. We are all in the same boat because none of us are “good enough.”

There is none righteous, no, not one.

- Romans 3:10

Did you know there is an entrance exam to get into heaven? Have you studied for it? No, you don’t need to know the bible inside out. You don’t need to be a master of every point of doctrine. You don’t even have to be able to quote scripture like a biblical scholar. The exam is only one question God is concerned with: did you trust my Son? It’s that simple, but so many people miss it because “people” make it complicated. God made it simple, and He did all the work for us. All He wants us to do is trust that Jesus has it all covered for us. He died on the cross as God’s perfect sacrifice to conquer death for us, to pay a debt for sin that He did not owe, because we could never pay the debt ourselves. That was the whole mission of the baby whose birth we celebrate at Christmas, as I wrote about in my post Born to Die.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,

that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

- John 3:16

This is perhaps the most widely quoted scripture of the entire bible. But look what it says. It says that God gave His Son. When you give something, it is a gift to simply be received. If you’ve been trusting in your own ability to get to heaven, won’t you take a moment to consider this and honestly ask yourself if you deserve to get into heaven, or if you’re just bringing Him filthy rags? Be completely honest with yourself, lay aside your pride, and make the decision to simply TRUST Jesus and not yourself to get to heaven. That’s all there is to it, and you too can pass heaven’s entrance exam with flying colors!

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father

except through Me.”

- John 14:6

Walking in Mary's Shoes

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 00:29:00 +0000

Carefully consider the words to Mary Did You Know, and take a moment to put yourself in Mary’s shoes. If you’re a woman, and an angel had told you that you were going to have a son, but you were still a virgin, how much faith and courage do you think it would take to tell your fiancé? If you’re a man, and your betrothed came to you with this, would you believe her? Just the simple act of telling Joseph put her very life at risk because she could have been stoned to death according to the Law. Mary stepped forward on faith that God had given her a special child for a special purpose. Could she have possibly comprehended just what that purpose was? Could she have ever got her head around the concept that her child was fully man, yet fully God? That He was, indeed, God in the flesh? Sure, she saw him growing up, teaching in the temple at a young age, amazing the temple leadership with his knowledge and understanding of the Scripture He Himself spoke into being. She saw the miracles He performed. She saw Him turn water into wine, restore sight to the blind, heal the lame, cure lepers, raise the dead back to life; but did she know her Son would have to give His own life? Did she understand that He was God’s perfect sacrificial Lamb? Many Jews believed the Messiah would be a military ruler that would defeat the Romans and liberate them from their human bondage. Little did they understand that Messiah was coming to deliver them from the spiritual bondage of sin. Can you imagine what must have been going through Mary’s mind as she saw her Son beaten, tortured, humiliated, and finally executed on a cross? Was she waiting for a miracle, like an army of angels or something, to stop this from happening? How could God let this happen to her promised Son? Imagine her anguish as she saw her Son, beaten to a bloody pulp, laid to rest in a borrowed tomb. For three days she grieved, until she saw her Son resurrected from the grave. Was it not until then that she understood that the Son she delivered came to deliver her? Was it then, after enduring unimaginable grief, that she finally knew it was all part of God’s plan? Truly, Mary was blessed among women. Moses got but a glimpse of God, but Mary was entrusted to give birth to His earthly form, raise Him as her child, hold Him, nurse Him, and love on Him. Any mother will kiss her baby, but did she know just how privileged she was to literally kiss the face of God? Unlike any other, God found favor with her, indeed.

Creative Nativity Story with a Modern Twist

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 02:03:00 +0000

This a very creative telling of the Nativity story with a uniquely modern twist. It's too cute and very much worth the viewing. There is no embed code to put it on here with a preview in a player, so please click on the link. It's on a site called GodVine.

http://www.godvine.com/Story-of-the-Nativity-Told-in-a-Very-Unique-Way-112.html

Jesus: Wine-guzzling Vagrant and Socialist?

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 19:58:00 +0000

Was Jesus a “wine-guzzling vagrant and socialist?” That’s the assertion made in a book by Barbara Ehrenreich titled “Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America.” It is about her efforts as an “undercover journalist” to make a living working minimum wage jobs in Minnesota, Maine, and Florida. I never would have heard of this book if I had not read a news article concerning it and the controversy it has caused. It is required reading for a personal finance class at Bedford High School in New Hampshire. The book is supposed to be a supportive argument in favor of a higher minimum wage, but it goes beyond that by using foul language and being offensively critical of Jesus and Christianity. An excerpt from the book, in which the author describes a Christian church service she attended in Maine, reads,

"It would be nice if someone would read this sad-eyed crowd the Sermon on the Mount, accompanied by a rousing commentary on income inequality and the need for a hike in the minimum wage. But Jesus makes his appearance here only as a corpse; the living man, the wine-guzzling vagrant and precocious socialist, is never once mentioned, nor anything he ever had to say. Christ

crucified rules, and it may be that the true business of modern Christianity is

to crucify him again and again so that he can never get a word out of his mouth."

In the book's Frequently Asked Questions section of the author’s website, the question is posed, “Why did you go out of your way to insult Jesus as a “wine-guzzling vagrant?” The author’s reply states:

"I didn’t! In fact, Nickel and Dimed received a Christopher Award, which is given by a Catholic group in recognition of books "which affirm the highest values of the human spirit." In the section at issue, I observed that the social teachings of Jesus went utterly unmentioned at the tent revival I attended. The revival preachers clearly preferred the dead and risen Christ to the living Jesus -- who did indeed drink wine and could even make it out of water. As for the vagrancy charge: that’s what he was, a homeless, itinerant preacher."

Despite what some fundamental legalists might say, I would agree that, yes, Jesus did make actual wine at the wedding feast of Cana, and I’m sure He likely drank some of it, as well, but He was certainly no drunkard as the author seems to imply. Wine was, and still is, a very common part of the culture of the region in which Jesus lived His earthly life. I would compare it to sweet tea in the southern US. As for homeless, I suppose that technically, yes, He was homeless. Jesus Himself said,

“Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man

has nowhere to lay His head.” - Matthew 8:20

However, I fail to see how mention of this is even necessary in a book about the struggles of minimum wage workers. Even so, this could easily have been worded much differently and still make whatever point the author intended. It seems to me that it was purposely worded to sound inflammatory and create controversy, perhaps for the advancement of the author’s recognition and career.

Based on the above excerpt and the authors FAQ response, it seems pretty clear to me that the author is completely lacking in biblical understanding in a few key points. As for the “dead and risen Christ,” absolutely that must be preached! If Jesus had not died, been buried, and arisen to sit at the right hand of the Father, there would be no redemption for mankind. There would be no atonement for our sins. Christianity would be just another “religious morality system,” and Jesus would have been just another great teacher. But the fact that He rose from the dead, just as He said He would, proved who He is and provided the way for us to gain eternal life; by what He did and not by anything we do or don’t do. Yes, His recorded earthly ministry taught us a lot about the character of God and how He would like us to live, but everything hangs on the resurrection.

Nowhere in the Sermon on the Mount does Jesus address “income inequality.” He addressed a lot of other things, such as those seeking to follow Him and living to please God will have great reward in Heaven, sin begins with our thoughts and attitudes, marriage is sacred, keep your word, go the extra mile for people even if they’re doing you wrong, love your enemies and pray for them, don’t pray or do good deeds for public recognition, but to please God, forgive others, do things for the good of God’s kingdom rather than personal material gain, don’t try to serve God and money, trust God to provide what you need to survive, don’t judge others but rather examine yourself first, earnestly seek to reflect the character of God, and keep Christ at the center of your life and He will sustain you. Hmmm… that pretty well sums up the Sermon on the Mount, and I see nothing close to “income inequality” or any other type of social or economic justice. He did, however, teach a lot about not worrying about your economic status but trust that God will provide for your needs.

As for the statement “Christ crucified rules,” I would beg to differ. In the words of Jesus, again from the Sermon on the Mount,

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.

I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you,

till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no

means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” – Matthew 5:17-18

In His own words, He did not do away with “rules.” His sacrificial atonement was because we are unable to “follow the rules” completely enough to match His perfect righteousness. It is by His grace that HIS righteousness is imputed to us that we may stand before a holy and righteous God and be worthy to enter His kingdom. A little later in the Sermon Jesus said,

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust

destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves

treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where

thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is,

there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21

It is by “following these rules” that we lay up our treasures in heaven; seeking to please God, loving and forgiving others, keeping a check on our thoughts and attitudes, and doing good for others by putting them ahead of ourselves out of unselfish love, even our enemies. In no way do I mean to say that we have to earn our salvation by being “good enough.” Eternal life by His work on the cross is an absolutely FREE GIFT that we cannot earn but only receive. There are, however, rewards in heaven that we earn in this earthly life by what we do after we receive His greatest gift that can ever be given. If we are too worried about how much money we have, how big our house is, what our job title is, what kind of car we drive, etc, it gets in the way or our relationship with Jesus and takes our focus off of Him. I’ve been going through some things in my own life lately that have really been driving that point home. Our identity should not be in our material possessions, but in Christ, and Him alone. Again from the Sermon on the Mount,

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we

drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles

seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these

things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,

for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day

is its own trouble.” – Matthew 6:31-34

Jesus did talk a lot about money, but He never said it was wrong for some to not have money and some to have it. An often misused and misquoted passage is from 1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” It is not the money itself, but the love of money and putting it before God that is wrong. Jesus praised the poor widow in the temple who gave what little she had out of a pure heart, but didn’t question why she was poor and didn’t have as much as others. He said it was easier for a rich man to go through the eye of a needle than to enter heaven because, as I said above, it gets in the way of our relationship with Him because we get too concerned with it. He told the rich young ruler to sell all he had, give it to the poor, and follow Him. He didn’t want to give up his money so he didn’t follow Jesus, and Jesus didn’t force him.

When the woman in Bethany used expensive perfume to anoint Jesus’ head, the disciples got upset and said the perfume could have been sold and the money used to feed the poor. Jesus responded with,

“Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always.” – Mark 14:6-7

Jesus acknowledged that there would always be the poor. He never said they were entitled to any certain standard of living. Nor did He say the rich should not have their money. If He said the rich had to give their money to the poor so everyone would be on the same level, then that would be Socialism. He gave us free will and allows us to decide what to do with our money, good or bad, for His glory, or not for His glory, so Jesus was certainly no Socialist. The “social teachings” of Jesus, such as can be seen in the Sermon on the Mount, can largely be summed up with “love your neighbor as yourself.” I don’t know what Christ the author is referring to, but it’s certainly not the Christ of the Gospel.

There are many reasons people are poor. Often it is because of their own actions and decisions. Sometimes they’re just too lazy to work and just want a handout they feel “entitled” to. Sometimes it is because of an illness or some other circumstance beyond their control. The bible says in several places, basically, “you don’t work, you don’t eat.” Those with more should, indeed, help out those less fortunate voluntarily out of love and compassion, and many do, but those of lower economic status should help themselves, as well. People need to take responsibility for themselves and their situation and do what they have to in order to improve their economic status, but it should always be done with an eye toward pleasing God and always trusting that He will provide. America has long been called the “Land of Opportunity,” and there is story after story of people working their way from janitor to CEO, from welfare to millionaire, seizing opportunities and making the most of their situation. I don’t mind giving someone a hand up in a time of need when they are putting forth effort to better themselves and their situation, but I don’t believe it’s right for my tax dollars to be used to give hand outs, sometimes for generation after generation.

I am completely bewildered as to why this book is required reading in any public school in the US. Students get in trouble for having bibles in school. Prayer has been taken out of schools. A student in New York was suspended for wearing a rosary. Yet this book, which contains offensive remarks toward Christianity, is "required reading." This book also contains language that is illegal to use on television, so we'll require our kids to read the words, instead. The parents of 16 year-old Jordan Henderson pulled him out of the school and began home-schooling him over this issue. They voiced their concerns to the principal, but three weeks later, a review committee determined that, despite its issues, "the book provided valuable insight into the circumstances of the working poor and an opportunity for students to demonstrate mastery of the 'Financial Impact' competency," Now, I wonder, what if it was a book that referred to Islam’s prophet Mohammed as a pedophile? Well, he did marry one of his wives, Sahih Bukhari Aisha, when she was 6 and consummated the marriage when she was 9, so technically, yes; he was a pedophile, in the same manner in which the author justifies calling Jesus a vagrant. Would a book with a mention of that be allowed in the school, even if it “provided valuable insight?” Somehow I doubt it.

Extreme Guitar Hero Christmas Lights

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 01:59:00 +0000

I came across this video of a kid combining Guitar Hero with Christmas lights. I thought it was pretty creative and would be something cool to share.

Born to Die

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 00:56:00 +0000

It’s often said that we all have some purpose in life, something we were “born for.” Some seem to find their clear-cut purpose and pursue it’s fulfillment with great vigor and enthusiasm. Many are still searching, and sadly, some seem to go through life floundering about with no sense or purpose whatsoever. There is one thing that each and every one of us was born to do, but all too many don’t, and that is simply to worship God. There are all kinds of excuses thrown around, like “I tried religion and it’s not for me,” or “it’s all a myth,” or just simply choosing not to believe. Even believers make excuses when they backslide, don’t try to live a Godly lifestyle, or take a contrary view on something God is very clear about. I’ve been just as guilty as the next person. We try to rationalize things in our humanness, but worshipping God is a spiritual act, not a humanly one. If we are to fulfill our purpose of worshipping God, then we must surrender our will to God and seek to please Him instead of, or in spite of, ourselves. This is the essence of Romans 12:1-2.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. – Romans 12:1-2

Every December we celebrate the birth of Jesus, but do we stop to reflect on what His purpose was, what He was “born to do?” We’ve fashioned some hallmark-esque feel-good image of the Nativity with a neat little manger bed, shepherds watching in wonder, angels singing, and the Three Wise Men bringing gifts, though they really didn’t show up until Jesus was already two or three years old. The reality is that Jesus was born in a barn, basically. He was born in a nasty, smelly place where the animals were housed and fed. His bed was a manger, which is an animal feeding trough. I’m sure that was a real clean, sterile place to put a newborn baby. The King of Kings left His throne and came to dwell among us, arriving is such a lowly manner, born for one purpose. He was born to die. Jesus, being God With Us, knew this was his mission and told his disciples so.

But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor. “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.” - John 12:23-28

Though Jesus is fully God, He was fully human, as well. Sometimes we may feel overwhelmed by the pressures of work deadlines, meeting our family’s needs, or fulfilling our ministerial commitments. How often do we say something like, “I’m only human and I can only do so much?” Jesus quite literally had the weight of the world on Him. In His humanness He felt every emotion, endured every pain, and dealt with the ups and downs of life just as we do. He was even tempted just as we are, but the difference is that He didn’t sin. Can you even begin to imagine the incredible pressure He was under knowing the physical torture that would be inflicted on Him, the intense public humiliation He would have to endure, and the agonizing death He was destined to suffer? Can you imagine having the spiritual fate of all humanity resting on your shoulders? Yes, Jesus the God-man felt the pressure, as evidenced by the events that transpired in the Garden of Gethsemane before His arrest. He was literally sweating blood as He prayed. He knew it was the Father’s plan from before the foundation of the world. He loves us so much that He gave over His human will to the Father’s will, and endured it all to be our atonement to bring us back into right standing with God, and all He wants us to do is trust Him, that He did everything that was necessary because there is nothing we could ever do ourselves to bridge the gap between man and God.

And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw,

and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will,

take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

- Luke 22:41-42

As we celebrate this Christmas season, let’s not be distracted by all the shopping, decorations, food, family, travel, and all the stuff that comes with this time of year. Be sure to keep Christ in Christmas, as the old cliché goes. Remember that the King came into the world in a very lowly way as a Servant to all, as we should be servants to each other, as well. Remember that this innocent little child whose birth we celebrate, was God’s perfect, innocent lamb, born to die for you.

Time to be a Nike Christian and JUST DO IT!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 23:46:00 +0000

I apologize to all those who follow my blog for my prolonged absence and lack of updates. This post will be a confession of sorts, I suppose; or a testimony, depending on how you look at it, but either way, this will be a long post, and I’m pretty much just pouring my heart out here and laying it all bare. The events of the last couple of months have been a real challenge and have drained me emotionally, spiritually, physically, and financially. Actually, things really started heading south about a year and a half ago. That was when, after six years living with his mother, my son came back to live with me. That, in and of itself, wasn’t necessarily such a bad thing, but some of the baggage that came with that, and some of the events that followed as a result, in addition to a series of unrelated events, were far beyond my expectations, and certainly did not play into the scenario I had envisioned with his change of living situation. He had been on long-term medication for emotional and behavioral issues for many years. The small amount of child support I receive didn’t even cover the costs of his medication, let alone the added every-day expenses of simply having a growing teenager in my home. Suddenly having him back in my home was an expense I never expected to incur again. He has recently been taken off of his meds and is actually showing some improvement. That's one of the few good things I can point to as of late.

He came to live with us at the same time my wife and I were planning our wedding, placing deposits and paying for related expenses. One month before the wedding, my wife hydroplaned and wrecked my truck on her way to work, so we incurred the expense of the $1000 insurance deductible. Praise God she was not injured, but the timing of this unexpected expense couldn’t have been much worse. That started the day off bad enough, but it quickly got a lot worse, as later that very same day I was informed that I was being sued for child support for a 15 year-old child overseas in Guam that I never knew I had from my days in the navy. That caused me to have to come up with the money to retain an attorney at a time when I was already under significant financial pressure. However, it was not the mother suing me, but the welfare department of Guam since the mother is on public assistance. Otherwise I would still be clueless about having fathered this child. A DNA test has proven that it is, in fact, my child. Thankfully my wife has actually been taking this better than I have, but if it were a one or two year-old child, that would be a completely different story. During the time the lawsuit was still pending, I had a few other stressful situations occur. Last fall an uncle I was very close to was called home by the Lord, so I incurred the costs of travel and time off of work without pay to be a pall bearer at his funeral.

My uncle, by the way, was an American hero, being a highly decorated army combat veteran, and is buried in the West Tennessee Veteran’s Cemetery, but most importantly of all, I know he had a heart for Jesus. Another “taxing” situation (pun intended) was having to deal with the IRS. I ended up owing them quite a bit of money because of having too little taxes withheld after losing deductions I was previously able to claim. I had to make a payment arrangement with them, which will last for several years, to get them to clear a levy on my checking account. The IRS levy caused two payments for two bills to bounce, and I’m sure many of you know what a headache that can cause. Perhaps the most emotionally stressful event occurred the day before our wedding when my son did something very thoughtless and stupid, for which the police were called and he was charged. So, in addition to my own legal issues, I had to deal with the juvenile justice system with my son. He was given strict probation and ordered to undergo psychological therapy. The therapy has to go through my medical insurance, and of course, none of the therapists the court system works with are in my network, so I’ve been forced to pay the much higher out-of-network deductibles. Most youths the Juvenile Justice System deals with come from low income families or they have been removed from the home by the state, so they have all their care provided by the state. I, unfortunately, fall into the middle category where I make too much money to receive any kind of assistance, but not enough to where it is not a financial burden on me. Sometimes it feels as though you are penalized in this country for actually working and trying to make a living rather than living on the government dole and getting tax refunds of tax money you never paid to start with, but that can be a different subject altogether. Well, the child support case was finally concluded about two months ago. I have now been ordered to pay child support to the government of Guam, since the mother has signed away any right to receive child support, for a child that I still have not seen so much as a picture of to this day. It simply takes from my children here that I have been raising and gives to the government of Guam. It doesn’t even go to directly support the child! It makes no difference whatsoever in the child’s life, but has a huge negative impact on the lives of my children here. I was financially stressed enough as it was, but this has pushed me over the edge into bankruptcy. Some may say bankruptcy is no big deal, but it is when you hold a security clearance for your job. That means this threatens the very job I’m depending on in order to pay the child support and keep myself out of jail. As if I didn’t have enough to deal with lately, we have been going through some major upheaval and change at my workplace. I have been seeking part-time secondary employment, but with the economy as it is, the pizza joints aren’t even hiring drivers.

Four years ago I went through what is perhaps one of the most traumatic experiences a person can go through. At the age of 38 I became a widower when my wife died of a sudden massive cardiac arrest. This occurred at a time in my life when I was heavily involved in ministry. After many years of being a “nominal Christian” at Christmas and Easter, I finally “got it.” I had finally opened myself up to Jesus and was learning what it means to follow him and be Jesus to the world. I was at a point where I was learning to walk humbly in the Spirit, submit myself to Christ, and respond to the call to righteous and holy living IN HIM the best that I could, allowing Him to mold me a little more each day. For a while after my wife died I leaned on Jesus for my strength and held onto my faith the best I could. After a while I began to get angry with God and question why He would allow me to go through this. I began attending church less and less; using the excuse that it “just wasn’t the same without her.” Eventually I quit attending altogether. It didn’t take long for the “old man” to rise up within me again. I went for a season living for myself, conforming to the world, not being transformed by renewing my mind in Christ. It was a time of plenty. I came and went as I pleased with hardly a care in the world. Through it all, Jesus was in the back of my mind, but that’s where I kept Him. I was squandering my inheritance as a child of God by willfully and knowingly living a sinful lifestyle. I even bought a shiny new sports car to chase women. I’m one of those guys who name their cars, and this one I named Mindy. In my pursuit of women, it happened one day that I caught one! When my wife and I first started dating I even made sure she was Christian, lest I become “unequally yoked.” She now drives that sports car after giving it a sex-change and renaming it Mark. Despite all the worldly pleasures I was pursuing, I still had the Holy Spirit working on my desire to get back to a right relationship with Christ. It’s something that’s much easier said than done. We don’t have to try to live a sinful, worldly lifestyle; it comes naturally for us. Burying the “old man” and living for Christ as a “new man” is a real struggle because our spirit is completely at odds with our flesh. Our flesh is corrupt and can never be redeemed. It is indeed, as Joyce Meyer wrote, a battlefield of the mind. We must change our mind to be in agreement with God, which should then drive us to change our will into desiring to seek His will for us, which we must then turn into a change of action, evidenced by seeking to live according to His Word and not according to how the world says we should live. There is a reason we are told to take every thought captive, and to renew our mind, and put on the mind of Christ. When we receive the free gift He offered and call upon His name, He sends the Holy Spirit to live in us. That is why we are called the Temple of the Holy Spirit. God desires that we walk in that Spirit and utilize the power of the name of Jesus that we have been given, but He doesn’t force us. We tend to jump back and forth between the Spirit man and the flesh being. Satan, our adversary, probes for our weaknesses, and when he finds them, exploits them in an effort to keep us operating in the flesh and render us ineffective for the Kingdom. When we walk in the flesh he uses our weaknesses to distract us and draw the old man out more and more. When we allow that to happen we give him legal authority to oppress us. That’s oppress, NOT possess. If we belong to Christ, then Satan or his henchmen cannot possess us because that denotes ownership, but he can oppress, or harass us because we allow him to when we don’t walk in the Spirit and exercise the authority over him that we have been given as the Priesthood of Believers. It doesn’t seem to take long for us to find ourselves in a spiritual desert, feeling lost and disconnected from God, letting our circumstances dictate our attitudes and actions rather than the truth of God’s Word. That, however, is exactly what I have done. I stepped out of the Spirit man and into the flesh and let Satan draw me farther and farther down the wrong path. Nearly a year ago my spiritual mentor, or discipler, of several years called me to the church he is now pastoring to return to ministry and teaching. There were several factors that came together that told me it was absolutely a calling from God, so I decided it was time to answer that calling and return to that relationship I knew my spirit desired so deeply. Once I went about stepping out of the flesh and back into the Spirit to walk with Christ again, the spiritual attacks came on hot and heavy. Matthew 12 and Luke 11 speak of an evil spirit returning to a person who has been "swept clean and put in order" and bringing seven others with it. Well, that seems to be what I'm facing, and I opened the door and let them right on in by my own actions and inactions. The culmination of things over the last couple of months finally got me to the point I was ready to give up and started slacking off, stepping back into the flesh. I’m sure I could be clinically diagnosed as depressed, and probably have been for years, but my God is greater, and it is He that gives me strength to go on when I seek Him with all my heart. This Thanksgiving time has caused me to think on all the things I have to be thankful for. God is still providing my needs, just as He promised, but not necessarily all my wants. Sometimes it is very difficult for us to distinguish between the two, but I’ve done a lot of reflection lately to see what my true needs are and what my wants are that may not necessarily be in agreement with what God wants for me. I’ve come to a revelation that God is allowing me to be broken down so that He can build me back up. I have to turn everything over to Him and simply trust Him that He’s got me covered, which is what I should have continued to do in the first place instead of trying to do it all on my own. There’s a lot of truth to the words Casting Crowns sings, “I will praise Him in the storm.” When Peter took his eyes off Jesus and noticed the storm around him is when he started to sink. I took my eyes off Jesus and let the storms of life around me dictate my responses and attitudes, which were all in the flesh, and I started sinking. I’ve got to let go and let God, because He never lets go. I’m completely dependent on Him because I’ve made such a mess of things trying to do it on my own. It won’t be easy, but it’s time for me to quit hopping back and forth between the Spirit and the flesh. God has put a calling on my life and I’ve allowed the Evil One to win too many battles. I must step into that calling, trusting and walking with Jesus, and I declare this day to buck up, be like Nike, and just do it!

The Bible is like the Health Care Bill

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 03:53:00 +0000

For though by this time you ought to be teachers,

you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God;

and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness,

for he is a babe.

But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is,

those who by reason of use have their senses exercised

to discern both good and evil.

– Hebrews 5:12-14 (NKJV)

The Apostle Paul used the terms “milk” and “solid food” (“strong meat” in the KJV) a few times to describe spiritual growth and the study and understanding of scripture. The phrase “partakes only of milk” is descriptive of how babies only have milk, or formula, for their first few months of life. During this time they are totally dependent on the parents to feed them. Eventually the baby will start eating cereal and baby food, progressively moving to more solid food as they mature and their teeth develop. They eventually reach a point where they are feeding themselves, quite sloppily at first, but better with time. My daughter’s dog’s puppies, which I posted a picture of when they were newborn puppies, have shown me a prime example of this over the last six weeks. They've gone from mama’s milk, to soft, canned food, to canned food mixed with dry puppy food. They are weaned and mama is getting fixed this week, so no more milk!

This is very much like the spiritual journey of a new believer in Christ. How often have you heard someone described as a “babe in Christ?” Paul even alludes to that in this passage. As babes, new believers are dependent on others to point them in the right direction, teaching them and guiding them in the doctrines of the Christian faith. They start with the basic, simple stuff; the “milk.” Often a new believer will get “on fire for the Lord” for a while. Depending on the environment of the church they are attending, that fire may quickly fade, or hopefully, it will be stoked hotter and hotter and be encouraged to grow by others in the church. As the new believer grows in knowledge and understanding, they should have a desire to get deeper in the Word of God, biting off a chunk and chewing on it, savoring the flavor, getting all they can out of it.

Sadly, though, even some long-time Christians are content to keep sucking on milk and being spoon-fed baby food every Sunday morning. If this is something wide-spread, and new believers aren’t being encouraged to grow spiritually, then we are failing as a church body. I encourage you, my brothers and sisters, move beyond the milk. Think of your bible as a thick, juicy, never-ending steak. Every time you take a bite, squeeze all the flavor out of it you can, always seeking to chew your way deeper and deeper. Don’t be afraid of it, rather let the Holy Spirit open your eyes of understanding. You may ask, “Why bother if I’m saved anyway?” I’ll give you two commonly quoted, self-explanatory scriptures to tell you why:

Study to shew thyself approved unto God,

a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,

rightly dividing the word of truth. – 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:

and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you

a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear – 1 Peter 3:15 (KJV)

Oh, about the health care bill thing, that should be obvious by now. Nancy Pelosi said “But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.” Well, if we are to say the bible is the Word of God on which we build our faith, then shouldn’t Christians read it and study it so they know what’s in it?

Real Eyes, to Realize, Where the Real Lies

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 21:11:00 +0000

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,

And prudent in their own sight!

– Isaiah 5:21

Michael McInerney is often quoted as having said, “Jesus gives us real eyes, so we can realize, where the real lies.” Beyond just being a cute little play on words, there is some really profound truth in that statement. We rely so much on our sight to let us know what’s going on around us, what’s in our way, what our perceived “reality” is. How often have you used or heard the phrase, “I’ll believe it when I see it?” In the spiritual realm, seeing isn’t always believing, nor does believing always come from seeing, at least not with our natural eyes. The Pharisees saw with their own eyes the miracles Jesus performed, but yet did not believe. Their spiritual eyes were closed so they were blind to the fact that He was their promised Messiah. Which eyes are you looking through, your own, or the ones Jesus gave you?

that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,

may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,

the eyes of your understanding being enlightened;

that you may know what is the hope of His calling,

what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints

– Ephesians 1:17-18

When we receive the gift of life that Jesus offers and allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, He opens our spiritual eyes to some stark realities about ourselves and the world. This is when we see just what our sin has done to us, what it is doing to the world, how it has separated us all from God, and our need for a Savior to bridge that gap. This is the greatest realization anyone can come to, because it is the only one with eternal consequences. Once our eyes are truly opened to this, we can’t help but look to nowhere else but Jesus.

So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes.

And immediately their eyes received sight,

and they followed Him. – Matthew 20:34

While we’re looking to Jesus for our salvation, are we ignoring the rest of the world, or are we now seeing them as Jesus does? Are we looking to the lost with compassion and a desire to show them the love of God, or are we looking at them with disgust and condemnation for their sin? The reality is that the lost and dying world needs Jesus too, and it is our job to point them toward Him that their eyes may also be opened. Once your eyes have been opened to the real destruction of sin, don’t go back to sleep and pretend the rest of the world doesn’t exist. Use your real eyes, to realize, where the real lies.

Attacking Christians - OK, Burning Bibles - OK, Burning Korans - NO WAY!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 03:55:00 +0000

By now everyone has heard of the cancelled plans of pastor Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida to burn Korans on September 11th. If you haven't heard about it, then I would have to ask, "what rock have you been hiding under?" The pastor of a tiny church of maybe 50 members sparked a worldwide outcry over his protest of Islam because it was deemed offensive to Muslims. As a Christian I would have to say, as I wrote about previously in my blog, that he was going about things the wrong way and surely was not showing the love of Jesus. All of the uproar over this begs the question, though, "why does there seem to be such a huge double standard when if comes to offending a religion?"

All around the world, mostly in majority Muslim countries, Christians are attacked, beaten, hacked to death, burned alive, and have their homes and churches burned to the ground on a daily basis simply because of their faith. Often times these events don't make the mainstream news, but occasionally they do. But, let anybody even just say something anti-Islam and the news media is all over it.

The same kind of double standard is seen in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel is continually heavily criticized simply for defending themselves. How long are they supposed to let Hamas fire rockets into Israel and kill Israeli citizens without doing anything about it? What if it were a Mexican drug cartel firing rockets into Houston or San Antonio? How long would the American people stand for it if our government did nothing about it? Historically, every time Israel has made concessions to the Palestinians for a peace agreement, usually by giving up land, it doesn't last long. It's never enough for the Palestinians. They always want more. Hamas, the PLO, Hezbollah, Iran, and others will not be satisfied with anything short of the complete and total destruction of Israel, and have stated so on numerous occasions. There will not be peace in Israel until Jesus comes to establish His reign on earth.

It was recently reported on Fox News that a Christian worshipper was stabbed in the stomach as he was going to prayers in the field at his church. His pastor was then beaten in the head with a board as she tried to give him assistance. They are praying in the field because the local "extremist" group, the Islamic Defenders Front, convinced authorities to shut down and board up their church. The group is trying to get Sharia law enforced in their area and other parts of Indonesia. They are also known to attack transvestites, destroy bars, and attack anyone else they deem to be "blasphemous." The group's members that commit these crimes are hardly ever questioned by police, let alone even punished for their crimes.

There have been numerous other reports of Christians being attacked, usually by Muslims, such as in Iraq in July of 2009 when there were 7 Iraqi churches bombed within 48 hours. Or how about Bartilla, Iraq, where Muslims attacked the Christian town on Christmas morning of all times! They even started a shootout at St. Mary Church, wounding 4 Christian worshippers. Then there is the case in Ethiopia recently where a prominent church leader was attacked by two Muslim men with a wood club to the head and was beaten and kicked in the chest and stomach. We hear about roadside bombings and suicided bombers in crowded markets from the mainstream media, but all too often we don't hear about this kind of stuff. If they do report on it, it's certainly not front page news. A very good source for Christian persecution news that you won't usually find in the mainstream media is The Voice of the Martyrs.

How about looking a little closer to home? In Dearborn, Michigan, home of the largest mosque in America, four Christians were arrested outside the Dearborn Arab International Festival simply for handing out copies of the Gospel of John which were printed in Arabic and English. They videotaped their activity prior to the arrest which shows no indication of the "disorderly conduct" with which they were charged. They were simply exercising their Constitutionally guaranteed rights of freedom speech and religion. Apparently the Constitution doesn't apply in Dearborn. It makes me wonder though, is Sharia law beginning to be enforced in Dearborn? If so, where does it stop?

Our President and Commander in Chief, Barack Obama, was very much against the plans of pastor Terry Jones to burn the Korans, and I certainly agree with the President in this regard. However, our same Commander in Chief of our Armed Forces, who are sworn to "protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic," (I took that oath myself) is not allowing our troops to freely exercise their own right of freedom of religion, one of the very rights they are sworn to protect! Christian military chaplains are being told they cannot pray "in Jesus' name," and being disciplined for doing so. Our military has chaplains from all major world faiths, so they are supposed to represent their particular faith, and this is restricting them, even punishing them, for not only following their faith, but simply doing their job!

In yet another example of the political correctness that has crept into our military, to the detriment of combat readiness, I might add, the US Army in Afghanistan confiscated and ordered the burning of bibles sent to a US Soldier that were printed in the local Pashto and Dari languages! YES! The Army ordered the bibles to be burned in the trash because they were afraid they would be given to local residents! I wonder, though, if they were Korans printed in English, would they have still been burned with the trash at the end of the day as base regulations required? Where is the outrage? Why were there no world leaders, movie stars, or major religious leaders speaking out against this? There were certainly no Christians protesting in the streets. Could it be that the sociopolitical establishment is literally afraid to admit the truth that Islam is not the religion of peace they want us to believe, for fear of being marked for death as Salmon Rushdie was when he published Satanic Verses?

There was even a case of bible burning in Canton, North Carolina, but this time by Christians at their church. HUH? You read that right! Pastor Marc Grizzard and his congregation at Amazing Grace Baptist Church decided to celebrate Halloween 2009 by burning bibles that weren't the King James Version! (GASP!) They also burned some books, music, and other things that Mr. Grizzard determined to be of satanic influence. This time, however, Christians did respond. A group of about 20 people, mainly seminary students, showed up to protest. Were they rioting in the streets? Were they setting fires? Were they chanting "death to the bible burners?" No. They were peacefully holding signs with positive, timeless truths from the bible that exposed the error of the ways of Mr. Grizzard and his congregants he was leading astray. After the church had finished their "ceremony," the protesters formed a football team-like huddle and prayed. They petitioned God for forgiveness for the bible burners, just as Jesus said, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do" as He was being crucified. They also gave the glory to God and thanked Him for their opportunity to express the truth of God's love in a Christian way in opposition to distorted message being presented that cold, rainy Halloween night.

It's been a full week now since Terry Jones cancelled his plans to burn Korans. Undetered, however, thousands and thousands of Muslims are still holding angry protests in Iran. Why is it that Muslims get so incensed over someone even saying they're going to burn a Koran, or anything else anti-Islam for that matter, but you don't even hear a peep out of Christians when bibles are burned? The media attention is pretty lopsided, too. Well, the thing is, Christians don't worship a book. They worship the Author of the book. Burning a bible does not destroy the truth of God's word. All it does is burn some paper. The Word of God, by the way, is not the bible. Now that you've gone back and read that sentence again to be sure you read it right, here's why I said that. The Word of God is Jesus. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." - John 1:1. Burning a book doesn't change that. Do the Muslims worship a book, the Koran? Do they worship the author of the Koran, Mohammed? Either way it's not God.

Yes, there is a glaring double standard in the world. No, it's not right. Even so, as Christians, we know that we were told these times were coming. The world is turning farther and farther away from God. It certainly seems to be becoming "as in the days of Noah." What is good is being called evil, and what is evil is being called good. Even when the whole world is against us, we still have a calling to be the light of Christ to this dying world. We must continue to pray for those who persecute us and not return an evil for an evil. So yeah, it's OK, bring it on. For those in Christ, to die is gain. Jesus Himself was rejected and killed. Who are we to expect to have it any better than the Master?

Sunday Fishing Lesson

noreply@blogger.com (Carl Holland) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 23:24:00 +0000

Fishermen have always been known to spin a yarn or two about "the big one that got away." I've got a few of them myself. Jesus called four fishermen to follow him and be disciples, Simon, Andrew, James, and John. I'm sure they had their share of fish stories to tell, too. In this picture you see a couple of family heirlooms of mine that my grandfather had hanging on the wall in his house until he sold it to move out of the city to a small town near my dad. They now hang proudly on my wall, and I never pass up the chance to tell about them. The fish on the left is the first crappie (speckled perch) I caught when I was 6 or 7 years old. The fish on the right is a 6-3/4 pound largemouth bass that jumped in the boat with us. YES! Jumped in the boat and landed at my feet! And that, my friend, is no fish story! It's the absolute truth, just like the story I'm about to relate to you here. This true story is a humorous lesson in faith, integrity, and keeping one's word.

As a young child in the early 70's I lived with my grandparents in Tennessee. My dad was a single parent in the navy and had to deploy at sea a few times in a place called Vietnam. Every spring my grandparents would take a week's vacation and go fishing at Ross Barnett Reservoir in Mississippi with another couple with whom they were very dear friends. They would head home on Saturday so they could attend church on Sunday morning. I was with them this one particular time when they decided to stay and fish on Sunday. Now, my grandmother couldn't swim, but as long as she had a life jacket on, and the fish were biting, she'd head out in the boat. It was shortly after we'd eaten lunch, as I recall, when the sky started getting dark in a hurry. We'd been caught in rain showers before, but this day things would be a little different. The wind started picking up very quickly, and the water started getting pretty rough. We tried to head back in to the boat ramp but it was too far, and the weather was worsening too quickly. We saw a highway bridge over a side creek and headed toward it to try to get some shelter from the storm. The other couple was in a little bit smaller and lighter boat than we were, so my grandpa was leading the way, trying to smooth it out for them a little. The swells were so high we kept completely losing sight of them behind us. I remember seeing lightning hit the water maybe 150 to 200 yards from us. It was a very scary ride, for sure. We finally got up under the bridge and tied off to wait it out. My grandma was a very faithful, God-fearing, Christian woman. Her father and grandfather were both Southern Baptist preachers. I owe her a tremendous debt of gratitude for much of the foundation of my faith. In the midst of this storm she prayed to Jesus. She told Him that if He got her out of this alive then she would never go fishing on Sunday again! Well, I'm here telling the story, so we obviously got out of it ok. Now I know God's not in the exactly in the deal-making business, but He does make promises. God always keeps His promises, though we tend not to, no matter how well intentioned. God did make the ultimate deal (promise) though. He sacrificed His only Son on a cross 2000 years ago, that if we only trust Him that He conquered death for us, then we can have eternal life with Him. My grandma kept her focus on Jesus in the middle of the storm, just like Peter did when he walked on the water to Jesus. He didn't sink until he took his focus off of Jesus and let the storm around him overtake him. As for my grandmother, she kept her side of the "deal" she made with God that day, all the way till the day Jesus took her home some 20 years later. There was no way she was going to go fishing on Sunday again. The Bible says to let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no. My grandma was indeed a woman of integrity, and she kept her word to God to the very end.