Thanks Mike for giving permission to use your comics on Baa Baa Blog. Make sure to visit Mike's website at www.joyfultoons.com
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Global Warming Scam
John Coleman is the founder of the Weather Channel and he recently wrote an article about global warming. You can read the article here. Believe it or not Mr. Coleman writes this scam is part of trying to make a "One World Goverment."
"Back in the 1960s, this global warming research came to the attention of a Canadian born United Nation’s bureaucrat named Maurice Strong. He was looking for issues he could use to fulfill his dream of one-world government."
Hopefully all this nonsense about global warming will wear off. It seems now the earth is in a cooling state, which all the global warming wacko's are saying, "See the earth was warming and now it's cooling, and soon it will warm again, and then maybe cool again. We humans are causing it." Like I said nonsense.
"Global Warming. It is the hoax. It is bad science. It is a high jacking of public policy. It is no joke. It is the greatest scam in history."
John Coleman 1-29-09
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
A Little History about Free Will
Church of England, the Thirty - nine Articles of Religion 1563
The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith and calling upon God. Wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us that we may have a good will, and working with us when we have that good will.
Westminster Confession of Faith (1647)
The assembly's Confession of Faith, completed in December, 1646, is the last of the classic Reformed confessions and by far the most influential in the English-speaking world. Though it governed the Church of England only briefly, it has been widely adopted (sometimes with amendments) by British and American Presbyterian bodies as well as by many Congregational and Baptist churches.
Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation: so as, a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.
Philadelphia Confession of Faith
A Confession of FaithPut Forth by the Elders and BrethrenOf Many Congregations of Christians (Baptized upon Profession of their Faith)In London and the Country
Adopted by the Baptist Association Met at PhiladelphiaSeptember 25, 1742
Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation; so as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able by his own strength to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.
The Lambeth Articles. A.D. 1595
from Philip Schaff's Creeds of Christendom, Vol. III. pp. 523-524.
8. No man can come unto Christ unless it shall be given unto him, and unless the Father shall draw him; and all men are not drawn by the Father, that they may come to the Son.
9. It is not in the will or power of every one to be saved.
The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith and calling upon God. Wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us that we may have a good will, and working with us when we have that good will.
Westminster Confession of Faith (1647)
The assembly's Confession of Faith, completed in December, 1646, is the last of the classic Reformed confessions and by far the most influential in the English-speaking world. Though it governed the Church of England only briefly, it has been widely adopted (sometimes with amendments) by British and American Presbyterian bodies as well as by many Congregational and Baptist churches.
Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation: so as, a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able, by his own strength, to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.
Philadelphia Confession of Faith
A Confession of FaithPut Forth by the Elders and BrethrenOf Many Congregations of Christians (Baptized upon Profession of their Faith)In London and the Country
Adopted by the Baptist Association Met at PhiladelphiaSeptember 25, 1742
Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying salvation; so as a natural man, being altogether averse from that good, and dead in sin, is not able by his own strength to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto.
The Lambeth Articles. A.D. 1595
from Philip Schaff's Creeds of Christendom, Vol. III. pp. 523-524.
8. No man can come unto Christ unless it shall be given unto him, and unless the Father shall draw him; and all men are not drawn by the Father, that they may come to the Son.
9. It is not in the will or power of every one to be saved.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The True Gospel
This is Paul Washer from early 2008.
May God move more of His men to preach this way, so they may bring the full force and power of the only Gospel.
Monday, January 26, 2009
God's Will vs. Humans Will
I’m studying God’s Will and humans will right now. I believe humans do not have “Absolute Free Will”, that is humans are not “free” to choose life in their natural state. Let me see if I can explain with this analogy:
The human will is like gravity. What happens when you drop a book? Gravity pulls it down to the floor. The only way to pull the book up is for something outside the nature of gravity to do so (i.e. someone or something picks the book up). The book is stuck inside it’s nature and subject to the law of gravity.
The human will is in a total depraved state, fallen beyond all natural repair (if you believe man has good in him you will differ here) and left alone (without God restraining it) would continue to get worse and worse (sin, sin, sin). The human will can no way pull itself up against its natural depraved state anymore than a book can pull itself up against gravity. It is bound by its nature (fallen state) and cannot change its nature in and of itself. There has to be something outside (God) that does something. Something that pulls it upward.
Let me on a side note say God does not cause man to sin. Man is subject to his nature and sins naturally. God withholding His saving power should not be considered pushing man into sin. Like the book that is dropped, the nature of gravity is what pulls it down, not something else.
Now the main issue is if humans have “free will” does it take away from God’s saving work. I think it does because it gives some of the power of salvation to humans.
If humans who have never been converted (born again) continue to reject the Gospel, they are not “free” to change their nature, because they are still dead in their sins, held bondage and still an enemy with God. We should not assume just because someone is convicted of their sin, they have been born again, without which you cannot be saved. The person who is convicted of their sin and does not heed the call of repentance and faith in Christ is still dead in their sins (not born again), will die and perish in hell forever. Their nature of (loving sin) and their (bondage to sin) will not allow them to choose life, but can only choose when something happens from outside of them or their nature (God causing them to be born again).
I believe once this amazing work of God causes a person to be born again, they CANNOT reject it, and saying they CAN reject it is saying there is something more powerful than God’s will for them to be saved, humans will.
If you look at people who appear to have been truly “born again” their stories will all be similar and it will go something like this:
I was a rebel, sinful person and wanting nothing to do with God, and by grace and grace alone God allowed me to be born again. It was nothing of myself, it was all God. I was DEAD in my sins, and God MADE me ALIVE. I contributed nothing to my salvation…
Now let me be clear on something very important. I believe it is possible for a person to be really “born again” and reject some of the Gospel, some of the time. This is true in my life. I cannot honestly say I obey my Lord, all the time and in everything I do, but I know without a doubt God has RIPPED out my old heart of stone and given me (which I could not reject nor would even want to) a heart of flesh. My only goal now in life is to please HIM and to allow HIM to grow me in holiness. I so desperately want to slay my sin and the filth that is still waging war within me, and know outside Christ this is impossible, but all things are possible in Christ.
I do believe the difference between someone being “born again” and someone “not born again” is their relationship with the sin in their life. The truly converted person will continue to “Repent” of their sins as they become aware of them, and the falsely converted will have no problems with their sin. There is no way for man to know who is truly born again or not, but Scripture says, we will know them by their fruits. If you look at the overwhelming fruit of Americans it appears they are NOT born again, but still dead in their sins. God help them!
So to sum up, man is “free” to act within his nature (fallen), but is not “free” to act outside his nature (being born again). A man who hears the Gospel and continues to reject is still in his natural state (fallen), and can only respond once God does something (being born again). A man who thinks they did something in the salvation process is in contradiction to the Scriptures (Esp.2:8-9).
Free Will is an illusion when it comes to making you “Alive” from being “Dead.”
Philippians 2:13
“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
The human will is like gravity. What happens when you drop a book? Gravity pulls it down to the floor. The only way to pull the book up is for something outside the nature of gravity to do so (i.e. someone or something picks the book up). The book is stuck inside it’s nature and subject to the law of gravity.
The human will is in a total depraved state, fallen beyond all natural repair (if you believe man has good in him you will differ here) and left alone (without God restraining it) would continue to get worse and worse (sin, sin, sin). The human will can no way pull itself up against its natural depraved state anymore than a book can pull itself up against gravity. It is bound by its nature (fallen state) and cannot change its nature in and of itself. There has to be something outside (God) that does something. Something that pulls it upward.
Let me on a side note say God does not cause man to sin. Man is subject to his nature and sins naturally. God withholding His saving power should not be considered pushing man into sin. Like the book that is dropped, the nature of gravity is what pulls it down, not something else.
Now the main issue is if humans have “free will” does it take away from God’s saving work. I think it does because it gives some of the power of salvation to humans.
If humans who have never been converted (born again) continue to reject the Gospel, they are not “free” to change their nature, because they are still dead in their sins, held bondage and still an enemy with God. We should not assume just because someone is convicted of their sin, they have been born again, without which you cannot be saved. The person who is convicted of their sin and does not heed the call of repentance and faith in Christ is still dead in their sins (not born again), will die and perish in hell forever. Their nature of (loving sin) and their (bondage to sin) will not allow them to choose life, but can only choose when something happens from outside of them or their nature (God causing them to be born again).
I believe once this amazing work of God causes a person to be born again, they CANNOT reject it, and saying they CAN reject it is saying there is something more powerful than God’s will for them to be saved, humans will.
If you look at people who appear to have been truly “born again” their stories will all be similar and it will go something like this:
I was a rebel, sinful person and wanting nothing to do with God, and by grace and grace alone God allowed me to be born again. It was nothing of myself, it was all God. I was DEAD in my sins, and God MADE me ALIVE. I contributed nothing to my salvation…
Now let me be clear on something very important. I believe it is possible for a person to be really “born again” and reject some of the Gospel, some of the time. This is true in my life. I cannot honestly say I obey my Lord, all the time and in everything I do, but I know without a doubt God has RIPPED out my old heart of stone and given me (which I could not reject nor would even want to) a heart of flesh. My only goal now in life is to please HIM and to allow HIM to grow me in holiness. I so desperately want to slay my sin and the filth that is still waging war within me, and know outside Christ this is impossible, but all things are possible in Christ.
I do believe the difference between someone being “born again” and someone “not born again” is their relationship with the sin in their life. The truly converted person will continue to “Repent” of their sins as they become aware of them, and the falsely converted will have no problems with their sin. There is no way for man to know who is truly born again or not, but Scripture says, we will know them by their fruits. If you look at the overwhelming fruit of Americans it appears they are NOT born again, but still dead in their sins. God help them!
So to sum up, man is “free” to act within his nature (fallen), but is not “free” to act outside his nature (being born again). A man who hears the Gospel and continues to reject is still in his natural state (fallen), and can only respond once God does something (being born again). A man who thinks they did something in the salvation process is in contradiction to the Scriptures (Esp.2:8-9).
Free Will is an illusion when it comes to making you “Alive” from being “Dead.”
Philippians 2:13
“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Scripture for the Day
Psalm 107:9
For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.
God did It
I borrowed this from Pulpit Magazine because I found it amusing. Hope you enjoy.
For many years, this town had been “dry” in that no alcohol was ever sold or served there. But one day a businessman in the area decided to build a tavern. In response to this new tavern, a group of Christians from a local church became concerned and planned an all-night prayer meeting to ask God to intervene. Shortly after the prayer meeting that night, lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground.
In the aftermath of the fire, the owner of the tavern sued the church, claiming that the prayers of the congregation were responsible for his loss. But the church hired a lawyer to argue in court that they were not responsible. After his initial review of the case the presiding judge began the trial with an official statement. He said: “No matter how this case comes out, one thing is clear: the tavern owner believes in prayer, and the Christians do not.”
Monday, January 19, 2009
Scripture for the Day
Psalm 104:1
Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
Friday, January 16, 2009
Scripture for the Day
Psalm 103:13
Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Scripture for the Day
Proverbs 22:17
Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your mind to my knowledge;
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Scripture for the Day
Proverbs 21:2
Every man's way is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Scripture for the Day
Psalm 100:3
Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Monday, January 12, 2009
New American Christian
Here is a current comment from the Barna Group about American Christian’s.
“Millions also contend that they will experience eternal salvation because they confessed their sins and accepted Christ as their savior, but also believe that a person can do enough good works to earn eternal salvation.”
Anyone who thinks we don’t have a problem is sleeping with their head in the sand. Dare I say that people are getting (saved) without any help from the Holy Spirit, which by Christ’s words mean there is no salvation, and they cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 3:3
3Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again (from above or by the Spirit) he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Titus 3:5
5He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
“Millions also contend that they will experience eternal salvation because they confessed their sins and accepted Christ as their savior, but also believe that a person can do enough good works to earn eternal salvation.”
Anyone who thinks we don’t have a problem is sleeping with their head in the sand. Dare I say that people are getting (saved) without any help from the Holy Spirit, which by Christ’s words mean there is no salvation, and they cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 3:3
3Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again (from above or by the Spirit) he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Titus 3:5
5He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
Scripture for the Day
Psalm 99:9
Exalt the LORD our God And worship at His holy hill, For holy is the LORD our God.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Scripture for the Day
Psalm 98:7-9 Let the sea roar and all it contains, the world and those who dwell in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy. Before the LORD, for He is coming to judge the earth; He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Slay Sin
Sometimes in my prayer time I feel like I can not get out of the confession stage. I get stuck in the reality I am still flesh, and pleading with God to slay my flesh. I believe self cannot slay self, so slaying self has to be a work from the Lord. To die to self and become truly humble should be the goal of all Christians. Pride and lust seem to attack on a regular basis. These two sins are on the surface of my life, oozing from my pores, but they also grow deep within to the pits of my heart. Oh that God would completely free me. Becoming free is something that will not happen here on this earth, but I know the sword of the Lord can tame any sin.
Coming clean and humility before God is the key to becoming free; and knowing that anything outside of Christ is dead is the key that unlocks life. Until self completely lets go of all control and dies, there is no hope of mastering whatever sin ales you.
Saying you have no sin is calling God a liar. Read the bible and find out where…
Coming clean and humility before God is the key to becoming free; and knowing that anything outside of Christ is dead is the key that unlocks life. Until self completely lets go of all control and dies, there is no hope of mastering whatever sin ales you.
Saying you have no sin is calling God a liar. Read the bible and find out where…
Scripture for the Day
Psalm 97:2
Clouds and thick darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Who is King
"Who is regulating affairs on this earth today – God, or the Devil? What saith the Scriptures? If we believe their plain and positive declarations, no room is left for uncertainty. They affirm, again and again, that God is on the throne of the universe; that the scepter is in His hands; that He is directing all things 'after the counsel of His own will'. They affirm, not only that God is the 'Almighty', that His will is irreversible, that He is absolute sovereign in every realm of all His vast dominions. And surely it must be so. Only two alternatives are possible: God must either rule, or be ruled; sway, or be swayed; accomplish His own will, or be thwarted by His creatures. Accepting the fact that He is the 'Most High', the only Potentate and King of kings, vested with perfect wisdom and illimitable power, and the conclusion is irresistible that He must be God in fact, as well as in name."
~ A.W. Pink
Eph.1:11b: …according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
Psalm 115:3: But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.
~ A.W. Pink
Eph.1:11b: …according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
Psalm 115:3: But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Limited Atonement
http://www.gotquestions.org/limited-atonement.html
Got questions website’s official position is 4-point Calvinism (limited atonement being the one they do not hold to) “Four-point Calvinism (the official position of Got Questions ministries)”. Read the above link and I think you will agree with me that someone on their staff believes in limited atonement or maybe they are closet limited atonement people, who think it’s cool to be in the unlimited atonement group. Anyway, I believe the above article (it’s not that long) makes a strong argument that Christ death is limited to only those God predestined to save.
We have to remember it was a legal transaction that took place at Calvary and Christ said “it’s finished”, which literally means “the debt has been paid in full.” If it was paid in full, but not really in full, because sinners have to do something, then it was not really finished but left unfinished, leaving sinners something they must do. Sinners have to make themselves alive by believing and this is where I have my biggest issue, because dead men cannot make themselves alive.
I guess I need to try and read John Owens book "The Death of Death in the Death of Christ" about Christ' atonement. Maybe I will wait until 2010 in hopes that the Lord's rapture will come before having to start it. I heard it's a very, very tough read...
Got questions website’s official position is 4-point Calvinism (limited atonement being the one they do not hold to) “Four-point Calvinism (the official position of Got Questions ministries)”. Read the above link and I think you will agree with me that someone on their staff believes in limited atonement or maybe they are closet limited atonement people, who think it’s cool to be in the unlimited atonement group. Anyway, I believe the above article (it’s not that long) makes a strong argument that Christ death is limited to only those God predestined to save.
We have to remember it was a legal transaction that took place at Calvary and Christ said “it’s finished”, which literally means “the debt has been paid in full.” If it was paid in full, but not really in full, because sinners have to do something, then it was not really finished but left unfinished, leaving sinners something they must do. Sinners have to make themselves alive by believing and this is where I have my biggest issue, because dead men cannot make themselves alive.
I guess I need to try and read John Owens book "The Death of Death in the Death of Christ" about Christ' atonement. Maybe I will wait until 2010 in hopes that the Lord's rapture will come before having to start it. I heard it's a very, very tough read...
Saturday, January 3, 2009
The Love of God
Many people try and place more weight on God’s love than His other attributes. I believe this to be a major flaw in understanding who God is. His love is not some higher will that all of His other attributes have to obey or come under loves lordship. I personally do not believe we will ever be able to understand “love” in its truest meaning here from earth. God’s love is perfect and we are not perfect, therefore as fallen non-perfect beings we can never know true “love” until we come into glory with God, and are made perfect in holiness with Him. Listen to A.W. Tozer write about “The Love of God.”
“The apostle John, by the Spirit, wrote, ‘God is Love,’ and some have taken his words to be a definitive statement concerning the essential nature of God. This is a great error. John was by those words stating a fact, but he was not offering a definition.”
“Love is something true of God but it is not God.”
Knowledge of the Holy
A.W. Tozer
“The apostle John, by the Spirit, wrote, ‘God is Love,’ and some have taken his words to be a definitive statement concerning the essential nature of God. This is a great error. John was by those words stating a fact, but he was not offering a definition.”
“Love is something true of God but it is not God.”
Knowledge of the Holy
A.W. Tozer
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