Berean Mind

So today marks eight years that my wife and I have been together. We have seen struggles in our personal relationships and we have been at odds many times over. But if I had to do it all over again, marriage that is, I would not trade the experiences that I have had with my wife. She has been a blessing in my life ever since I've met her. We were blessed to go at a resort in Pennsylvania and the picture attached it the view from our balcony. I'm have no clue what the next eight years hold but I thank God for the eight years that I've seen with her.

Happy anniversary honey, I love you.

Posted in: Anniversary, Thought on Saturday, July 12, 2008 at at 8:28 AM 0 comments  

Solomon had a lot of women. The bible says:

Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, (1 Kings 11:1)

from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, "You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods." Solomon clung to these in love. (1 Kings 11:2)

He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. (1 Kings 11:3)

Now if I'm reading this correctly, and I pray that I am, Solomon literally had 1700 women in total.

• 700 wives
• 700 princesses
• 300 concubines

If Solomon wanted to, he could have gone 4 years and 240 days without ever seeing the same woman twice.

• 4 * 365 = 1460
• 1700 - 1460 = 240

There are 365 days in a year and according to these calculations, if I'm reading the scripture correctly, he didn't have see the first women for 4 years plus. These women had no interest at all to serve the true and living God and the bible mentions quite a few times in the context of 1 kings 11 that "their gods" were abominations (vs. 5,7). An abomination is a vile, shameful, or detestable action, condition, habit.

• It's vile because it doesn't glorify the true and living God and breaks one of His commandments
• It's shameful because it dishonors the true and living God
• It's a detestable action, not only for the women involved but do we doubt completely that these women didn't know who Solomon's God was or is? Rebellion is a form of witchcraft.
  
• Their condition was hopeless because they didn't know the true and living God for the pardon of their sins nor did they care.
  
• The habit is hard to break and we as humans are enslaved to sin and hate God by nature; thanks to Adam's disobedience to God. Unless God saves us, we will continue to remain in that state. We thank God for the Holy Spirit for He is the one who helps & convicts us to be conformed more and more in the image of the Son; namely Jesus Christ.
  

Indeed, Solomon had a lot of women, and these women cost him. The kingdom was torn from him and yet again we see God's grace because the kingdom was not torn during his days in the land of the living. This account is yet another example of the God that we serve. He is not all merciful when we understand that the mercy that we desire is contingent upon the repentance and trust in His Son. The "all merciful" comments that we tend to hear from individuals who claim to understand God's mercy need to wake up and realize that God's mercy is contingent upon certain things. The scripture is very clear that it was the will of the Father to crush His Son for the redemption of those that would come to Him (Is 53:10). A loving God makes provisions so His people wont suffer and God did just that in the atoning work (life & death) of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Posted in: God, Kingdom, Solomon, Women on Monday, April 28, 2008 at at 8:59 AM 0 comments  

Take me as I am
This unsaved soul of mine
In need of my Maker

I need your Holy Spirit
So desperately I do
So I can glorify your Name

There was You, There was me
Far apart as could ever be
Jesus please take a hold of me

Refrain: Just say you love me for the rest of my life
I've got a lot of sins that I don't want to let go
Will you still love me for the rest of my life?
Cause I can't go on
No I can't go on
No I can't go on if I'm left alone

Take me as I am
A child of wrath you know!
In need a of Savior

I need the blood of Jesus
So desperately I do
So I can glorify your Name

There was You, There was me
Far apart as could ever be
Jesus please take a hold of me

Refrain: Just say you love me for the rest of my life
I've got a lot of sins that I don't want to let go
Will you still love me for the rest of my life?
Cause I can't go on
No I can't go on
No I can't go on if I'm left alone

Take me as I am
A sinner saved by grace
awaiting your splendor

I need to see your face Lord
So desperately I do
So I can glorify your name

There was You, You and me
Far apart as could ever be
Yes, He truly saved a wretch like me

Refrain: Just say you love me for the rest of my life
I've got a lot of sins that I don't want to let go
Will you still love me for the rest of my life?
Cause I can't go on
No I can't go on
No I can't go on if I'm left alone

Originally written by David Foster, Tom Keane and Richard Baskin for the group "Chicago"(1986).

Rewritten and inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Posted in: Jesus Christ, Song on Monday, April 7, 2008 at at 5:31 AM 0 comments  

Would this article stop you from eating at the most famous fast food place around?
It just might.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

"We could not be more delighted with the addition of Richard to the Board," said NGLCC co-founder Justin Nelson. "Richard brings his extensive experience in communications and public affairs to a dynamic team of leaders." Said Ellis: "I'm thrilled to join the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce team and ready to get to work. I share the NGLCC's passion for business growth and development within the LGBT community and I look forward to playing a role in moving these important initiatives forward."

The article can be found here.

Posted in: Mcdonald's, NGLCC on Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at at 7:45 AM 0 comments  

The more I read about Jesus the more I realize that he is not a lunatic. I'll be honest, Jesus said a lot of things that made you go "hmm". It's what you do after the "hmm" phenomena that matters. For example, that worm verse:

‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ (Mark 9:48)

Now, fire not going out is a sight in it of itself but on this side of time, the fire will eventually go out. What does the worm have to do with anything?

One a side note, some have argued that this verse is only figurative and it does not mean what it means but that would not make any sense and here's why:

1. Revelation 14:9-11 speaks of the smoke of their torment going up forever and ever.

Now this worm thing, why didn't Jesus say something else? I cant really answer that one but we can look at the worms and what is so cool or not so cool about them. There are different kinds of worm, these in particular are the parasitic ones:

1. Tapeworms (cestodes)
   
2. Roundworms (nematodes)
   
3. Digenean flukes (trematodes)
   

These three particular groups have members within them that use man as their host. When a man or pet is said to have a worm, it is typically known as a parasitic infection and if left untreated can cause detrimental damages to the human body or pet. But Jesus is not talking about pets in the text, He is talking about Hell and man. Its one thing to say something once with conviction but Jesus repeated this worm sentence 3 times (vs. 44,46,48). an infection can be defined as an agent or a contaminated substance responsible for one's becoming infected and in this case they are parasitic worms. The bible doesn't stop there if you are flipping through it because if you spent any time in book of Luke you would be well aware that this is a conscious torment and not an unconscious one (Luke 16:23). What does this mean? Well to put it simply, we (those who are unbelievers that is) don't just die and it is over. Those who do not repent and trust in Christ will be fully aware of what's going on while being tormented.

Here's what I don't get and I pray that you can help me with this. Someone commits an horrific crime and the judicial system gives them life. Let's just say they are 21. Life for us is as long as they can live humanly right? Now if God is eternal and He gives the sentence of life for a crime(s) committed against Him, then what is life sentence in God's eyes being eternally existing from everlasting to everlasting? Are we actually in a state that we can dictate to God what kind of punishment He should give those who remain rebellious against Him? God forbid.

If we are honest, we do not understand the magnitude of what we are doing when we sin. We only begin to understand it when we look at God's word to see how He sees us and we should refrain on boasting about how we see ourselves. If the fire unquenched is clear in scripture to those who remain rebellious, what would make us believe that what is mentioned about the worm is any different?

Some final thoughts to consider:

• Things that are not baked fully or boiled fully may have potential for worms
• Worms are typically looked upon as the lowest of the low
• Worms devour things or flesh when they get a hold of it
• Worms also feed sweetly till they are no longer remembered
• Worms are despised by people because of their nature
• Some worms, depending on the class love to eat plants
• Feeling towards a worm are typically these: repugnance or aversion; utter loathing and abomination.
  

Posted in: Digenean flukes (trematodes), Hell, Jesus Christ, Roundworms (nematodes), Tapeworms (cestodes), Worm on at at 5:27 AM 0 comments  

When I visit a church, the first thing that I look for is the way the sheep communicates and interact with their shepherd. On some occasions, I will look to see if there are any bibles in the pews and then I proceed to check out the way the congregation members interacts with one another; these are the Christians. It is quite amazing to me what I can conclude with just these two areas of analysis. It also answers quite a bit of questions for me. Do they respect and honor their leadership? Do they appreciate the leadership that God has given them? Are they really in their word like they profess and so on. Some congregations have passed these tests with flying colors (Glory to God) and some are struggling with it even to this day and that troubles me very deeply.

Disposition, body language and even facial expressions or lack of expressions of the members says a lot when the God-given leadership of the church is instructing, speaking or preaching to the people (who are the sheep). All I can say here is that "this" is a worship disruptor. If a member of a congregation sees this disruption, I wonder what an unsaved individual sees. I am not saying here that the word of God will not accomplish what it is set out to do (Isaiah 55:11), but what I will say is that if you have an ought with someone, an individual with a penny worth of discernment will notice as have I. There shouldn't be any quarrels among the members (the Christians) if we are all on one accord and have our eyes fixed on the author and finisher of our faith; namely Jesus Christ.

The disruptions have different (I will say grave) affects according to the ministry that God has blessed you to be in. Here are a few:

1. Elders (includes Pastor, ministers and teachers)
2. Deacons (includes Deaconesses)
   
3. Music Ministers (includes choir and instrument players)
4. Laymen (members, visitors etc.)
   

The bible says this:


So if they rule well they deserve 2 times the amount of respect. If you remain unrespectfull and rebellious just realize that challenge is with you and not with the leadership especially if they rule well, teach well, instruct well, preach well and serve well. Repentance is in order!

I pray that these observations have nothing to do with your congregation but it if does, repent and go in Christ and correct your ought or challenge with the individual. God will bless you for it.

Posted in: Honor, Journal Entry on Monday, March 10, 2008 at at 9:45 AM 1 comments  

Justification is the sole act of God declaring or making the sinner righteous before Him. It is by belief or faith that we are justified before God. In the book of Genesis we read:

Then he (Abram) believed in the LORD; and He (God) reckoned it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6)

The bible tells us that through Jesus Christ we are freed from all things; all of the things that the law of Moses could not free us from (Acts 13:39). Freedom from the law can only come from a person who kept the law and that person is Jesus Christ alone.

In this context of scripture Romans 3:19-31, Paul gives us insight on the law and its effect, justification and sin:

1. The law speaks to those who are presently unregenerate
2. The purpose of the law is to stop every mouth to show that they are accountable to God
3. No flesh is justified in His sight through the works of the law
4. Since all have fallen short of the glory of God, it doesn't matter if you were an Old Testament prophet or current evangelist, God's righteousness is granted for all who believe in Christ
5. Justification is a gift and not a right
6. The precious blood of Christ amended our sins; even the sins previously committed
   
7. Christ was perfect in everything: integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking feeling, and acting. This is why He had to be the one to die for us. God the Father crucified his righteous Son for unrighteous people so they can one day we can be righteous in His son and no longer be unrighteous people.
   
8. Because of faith, man's boasting is excluded from justification. It is the faith in Christ God desires for us to have and not faith in ourselves.
9. God is the God of both Jews and gentiles. God isn't confused, He is the same God who justifies the Jews by faith and the Gentiles through faith.
10. We should never attempt to render the law idle or get to a point in our pilgrimage where we believe that the law is no longer efficient or effective.
    

The scriptures also makes it clear that no one can justify themselves. Job asks this question:

"In truth I know that this is so; But how can a man be in the right before God? (Job 9:2)

And right after that Job proceeds to magnify the Lord, His greatness, His majesty and His power. The answer to Job's question is no with a qualifier. The only way that a man can be right before God is by repenting and trusting in His Son Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of their sins. God sees His Son as righteous and He received the due penalty for our error and not His since He had none.

Because of our sinful nature, we have the tendency to justify our wrongdoings:

• Adam with the fruit and blaming the woman Genesis 3:12. The woman was later named Eve at vs. 20
  
• Aaron with the golden calf Exodus 32:24
• King Saul and usurping priestly duties 1 Samuel 13:12
• Human beings and our darling sins
  

Without Christ, we have no way of being justified. We are indeed lost without Him. There is no profession, status, organization, amount of money or group that can justify us before God. God has given us the ability to become sons of God; even those who believe on His name. We are prone to sin and fall, should salvation depend on us and our works?

Posted in: Justification on Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at at 11:58 AM 0 comments