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…trying to become more like Jesus.
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According to one personality test,
I am an ENTHUSIAST
(The Busy, Fun-Loving Type: Spontaneous, Versatile, Acquisitive, and Scattered)
I know that some people are especially interested in the bigger details of faith, so I decided to post here my full “Doctrinal Statement.” This is the first post in this series, and it reflects the “short form” of my Doctrinal Statement. If you wish to download my entire Doctrinal Statement in either short form or its more detailed version, I will have those links posted soon.
If you like to talk to tomatoes. If a squash can make you smile. If you like to waltz with potatoes up and down the produce aisle, then you need to talk to my son.
My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.—Psalm 62:7
I was reading Psalm 62 this morning for my quiet time, and this verse popped out to me. Reading it sparked a little “wow” moment somewhere inside me.
In the living room of my in-laws’ home I watched an episode of Law and Order that I haven’t seen before, and it bothered me quite a bit.
The victim was a young man who had tried unsuccessfully to “recover” from homosexuality through the counseling and support of a religious group called Regenesis. One of the supporters of the organization was a local doctor who had been promoting research that homosexuality was a reversible condition.
As I have spoken with people about the Bible, I find more and more that people aren’t really familiar with the “plot” or the overall story of the Bible. Therefore, I’m going to try to go through the entire story of the Bible in a very brief overview fashion. The challenge is that I don’t want to leave anything out, but I want to make sure I’m not spending too much time on less essential things.
This week at my Life Group, we looked at the clearest teaching in the Bible regarding the rapture, and I’ve become even more convicted about one particular position. This post is intended to guide you through the same study we considered this week and to give an inside track on what I’m currently thinking about the matter.
What is the Rapture?
Before I talk about anything else, I should probably define what I mean by the rapture and why I want to talk about it now.
James 1:2-3 gives the standard Christian answer to this question:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance…
Of course, knowing the Sunday school answer and being okay with it are two different things entirely, but this week, I have gained a new perspective on the question that I thought I would share with you. Here are some significant verses from my devotional reading this week:
Judges 2:20-3:4 (New International Version)
20 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and said, “Because this nation has violated the covenant that I laid down for their forefathers and has not listened to me, 21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. 22 I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the LORD and walk in it as their forefathers did.
It seems so capricious and uncaring that a God would allow his own son to suffer, until you get the bigger picture that God loved the sinful world so much that he sacrificed one son, for three days, to gain billions of children for a sinless eternity.
We look at all pain and suffering from the human side of the cross, from the perspective of the disciples on Friday. From that angle, the crucifixion is the most terrifying work of evil ever done.
In the church I pastor, ReCOMMITMENT is something we do once a year in terms of church services, but it certainly shouldn’t be so in terms of our spiritual lives. The Bible is clear that the spiritual life is not one that can be lived on the basis of one commitment made many years in the past. Of course, the Bible teaches that once a person has come to faith in Jesus, that person will be forever in the grip of the saving grace of God regardless of future behavior.
This last Sunday, a lady in my church gave me a blue card with some questions on it regarding tithing. Since my email to her was rather long-winded, I thought I would share some of those thoughts here.
Deuteronomy 26:2-15 Verse 2 says to take “some” of the firstfruits.
We bought a mattress and boxsprings from Ashley Home Furniture in Greenwood, IN. Originally, the salesperson said we were purchasing the floor sample which was why it was on sale. When I went to pay for the item, I was told it would be delivered in two weeks although we live literally two miles from the store. Three weeks later, I contacted the store to find out why we hadn't received the promised call about delivery and was given a specific delivery date one week later. I took off from work, never received that delivery call, and when I contacted the store, the manager told me the set was not on the truck from the factory as it was supposed to be. What? I thought we had purchased the floor model that was in the store. Long story short: we did receive the mattress and boxsprings approximately two months later, and although we like the bed itself, we will not shop at Ashley Home Furniture again.
Wow, Scott!
I agree that your solution appears at first to be extreme, but Jesus would seem to support removing a body part if it would give relief from temptation. Your solution, though extreme, sounds like it has brought you exactly that kind of peace and relief. I would love to know more about your journey. Please send me a link to your book.
I am a pre-trib Calvinist. I don't understand why you think God couldn't rapture only those of his elect he had already saved. Matthew 24 does not say if all the elect or just some will be raptured. You imply that God doesn't favor some of his elect over others but this doesn't make sense; if God favors the elect over the non-elect, then why can't he favor some of the elect over others. Also if God doesn't favor some of the elect over others then why do some of the elect have to suffer so much in this life, while others are relatively comfortable.

"Our biochemistry is about 97% the same as a mouse.
Our biochemistry is about 50% the same as a banana.
Human Cytochrom 'C' is closest to that of a sunflower.
Human eyes are closest to the eyes of an octopus.
Human skin is closest to that of a pig."
Explain to me, how this fits in with primates??? With all due respect, i think his aim with "god set it up that way" was meant to be an insult of some kind. He sounds very passionate about this subject and with passion comes biases. While i'm not researched in anyway on this specific argument, generally speaking i'm convinced these people only look at their "evidence" with one prospective; 1st proves evolution or doesn't.. They don't even consider any other possibility of what it could mean..Taken at face value because i don't know anything about the human gnome and could be missing key things due to pure ignorance. Start of video; You had plenty of time to research and form a "theory" on something then proceed to drop this well researched project on someone and expect them to refute you on the drop of dime?? I dont think you need a PHD to say; you should allow someone to try refute your findings within a respectable time frame. That seems like the most objective thing to do. Although i think this would show insecurity on "Ken's" part. (To have holes punched in something your just presenting would be kind embarrassing. or was it arrogance?) Rest of video: Sounds like its not an exact match, "within 15 bases", and something about Telomeres not belonging? The choice of "correspond with" instead of something like is "exactly like", implicates some differences as well?.. But i could be completely wrong.. "no reason, no rhyme" sounds like he is insulting the bible as well. Would be very interested in hearing a completely objective view on these findings..