Abortion and God's Omniscience

        Over the past few weeks I have been reading through Jeremiah. I saw a phrase once and I put a "?" next to it in my Bible because it seemed peculiar to me. Then a few chapters later I saw it again and I thought, "that's odd." But when I saw it a 3rd time I said, "I need to study this one." I cross referenced this phrase throughout the Bible and only found it 3 times - all in Jeremiah. And what is this odd phrase? I'll show you the verses.

Jeremiah 7:31 (New International Version)

³¹ They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire—something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind.

Jeremiah 19:5 (New International Version)

⁵ They have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as offerings to Baal—something I did not command or mention, nor did it enter my mind.

Jeremiah 32:35 (New International Version)

³⁵ They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters ^[a] to Molech, though I never commanded, nor did it enter my mind, that they should do such a detestable thing and so make Judah sin.

                   Do you see the phrase - "nor did it enter My mind". This is God talking and He is saying there is one thing so terrible, so evil, so heinous, so debase that an omniscient, all-knowing God didn't even consider it; and that is the killing of one's own children offering them to another God. Now we don't have Molech today. We don't have Baal today. What gods would we consider killing our kids for? How about Pride - I'm so ashamed, what would the neighbors think?, what would the youth group think? what would the relatives think? How about Comfort - a child would really cramp my style. I'm just a teen, I've got a lot of fun ahead of me. How about Wealth - I need to go to college, I need to get a good career, I've got to make some money. I can't afford to raise a baby. So what people do is offer up their babies to the gods of pride, comfort, and wealth and kill them.
                Obviously, the argument to this is -a fetus isn't a baby and that is an argument for another day. Also, I'm not arguing the traditional view that God knows everything. "Never entering My mind" is probably just a humanizing phrase about God comparable to resting under His wings doesn't mean God has wings. But I still found it intriguing how killing children seems to be the lowest behavior for mankind and how disgusted God is with it.

Kids Devotion - Video Games

 1. Watch the video
 2. Read 1 Timothy 6:17 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20tim%206:17&version=NIV. Is God against us having fun or enjoyment? Is God against video games?
 3. Read 1 Corinthians 6:12 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%206:12&version=NLT. What is the danger of video games? Are there other areas in life that aren't "bad" but can cause us to get mastered by them.
 4. Read Psalms 42:1-2 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+42:1-3&version=NIV. What should consume us?
 5. Look up Psalms 101:3 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20101:3&version=NLT Discuss what "vile" and "vulgar" mean and how it might pertain to the entertainment areas of your kid's lives and the video games they play.
         If you have extra time watch this video on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVlod4SdLD8&ob=av2e and discuss it along with question 4.

Kids Devotion - Finders Keepers

1. Watch the video - what did Davey find?
2. Have you ever found anything? What did you do with it?
3. What was the quote Davey used about finding things?  _______s ________s, _______s ________s
4. Read Rom. 12:15. How does this go against the above quote?
5. How did the collar change once they realized whose money it really was?
6. Look up Prov.10:2 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=prov%2010:2&version=NLT) and Prov. 21.6 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=prov%2021:6&version=TNIV) How do these verses explain Davey and Goliath's change of heart about the collar?
7. Develop a policy of what you should do when you find something.

Christian music reviews

Here is going to be my grading scale.
1 - worst album of the year
2 - regretted listening to it once
3 - worth one listen
4 - one good song
5 - two to three good songs
6 - four good songs
7 - five good songs
8 - six good songs
9 - seven good songs
10 - instant classic
I will review the albums I'm interested in. I've also decided not to review EPs as my protest against them. . Just remember, music is all personal taste. My 1 could be your 10 so don't get bent out of shape!

2

6.5

6.5

4

6

7

3.5

7.5

4.5

4

8.5

3

1

3.5

Why Work?

       I was reading where 10 people split a $150 million Jackpot and they interviewed each one and asked what they were going to do now. Every one of them said "quit my job". I found that fascinating. Would you quit your job if you won the lottery? If the only reason we work is because WORK = $$$ then if you get enough $$$ you might as well quit work. What I want to address is that there is so much more to work than money and try to give you a 7 point Biblical view of "Why Work?". Women, points 1 and 3 may not apply but the rest certainly does.
        1. Work is part of our nature - When everything was right in the universe what did we do - work (Gen. 2:15) When everything will be right in the universe what will we do - work. (Rev. 22:3,5) Work gives us joy and fulfillment. (Ecc. 2:24, 3:22, 8:15) Have you seen an unemployed guy or a Mr. Mom? Sure they like it for a while but eventually they are miserable, unfulfilled, and feel unrespected as a man. It is "in us" to work. That is how we are "wired".
        2. It is sinful to be lazy - Proverbs 6:5-10, 15:19, 21:25,26 and Ecc. 10:15 all refer to the sluggard as being unrighteous, not upright, and a fool. God is pleased when we work (He did- Genesis 1 and still does John 5:17)  because it is His character, too.Also, when we don't work and are idle, we tend to gravitate toward sinful behavior. (2 Thes.3:11,12) It is important to stay busy.
        3. To meet our NEEDS and our family's NEEDS - This is the whole WORK=$$$ argument. We need to work to eat and if we don't work we don't deserve to eat (2Thes. 3:7-11). If we aren't meeting our family's needs we are worse than an unbeliever. (1Tim. 5:7-9). The question is what about our WANTS? That question is much more individual and beyond the scope of this blog but use 1Timothy 6:6-10 as a warning. Could it be that your wants are the impetus for your dual income living?
       4. To serve - God is continually sanctifying us in the "serving" area because this is so contrary to who we are. The 2 greatest commands are to Love God and Love your neighbor. We learn in 1Cor. 13 "the greatest of these is love". God is Love. What is "Love"? Andrew Murray says "Love is the deep desire to give itself up for the beloved." It is all about considering others above ourselves. The opposite of love is not hate it is selfishness. So as God changes us through the Holy Spirit indwelling us, His biggest job is getting us to die to ourselves. 3 areas he uses in us as men are marriage (I'm convinced all fights stem from selfishness), fathering (are you going to give up doing what you want to do to do what your child wants and needs to do?), and work.
              Col. 3:22-24 talks about when we serve our boss we are actually serving Christ. How often do we hear people complain, "I am making minimum wage while this company is making millions off of me. Its not fair." Brothers, this is the goal of work, to make those who hired us rich. We should be thrilled that our serving them has blessed them! That is our goal but it is SO contrary to our nature. And if you happen to be a boss your goal should be to advance those "below" you. You are responsible for meeting their needs, getting their kids an education, their health, retirement, and even career advancement to the point they outgrow you, even. You are serving them. Thats Biblical.
          5. To witness - People are always asking me, "When are you going to retire?" Do I look that old? I guess I am 55 so most people work 7 - 10 more years. The problem is my work enables me to have at least 50 witnessing contacts per day. Where would I get that if I retired? There are multiple ways to witness at work but Titus 2:9,10 talks about what a great witness our integrity can be. Do you see work as your missionfield? Do I see myself as a doctor who happens to be a Christian or a Christian who happens to be a doctor? That is what makes all the difference.
                        Also, according to 1Thes. 4:11,12, if we aren't working and are dependent on other people, it is hard to win the "outsiders'" respect. In other words, it is tough to witness to your unsaved neighbors (or be a witness) and be at home not working while they are. It just doesn't give the gospel the platform it deserves. They won't hear it because they will be stumbling over you.
          6. To provide for the poor - Eph. 4:28 is as clear as can be. Do you ever think, "I hope I get a good bonus so I can give it to the Rescue Ministry"? Every day I read my One Year Bible, the "poor" jump off the page at me. Yesterday it was Isa. 58:6,7,10 today it is Isa. 61:1-3, Ps.72:12-14. It's in there!
         7. To provide for ministries sacrificially - Acts 4:32,33. You are the reason pastors can pastor, missionaries can mission, ministries can minister. That is why we work. Note to ministries; points 1-7 also apply to you.
   Work is not our punishment from the "Fall". It is God's character and if we want to follow God and experience life as He has planned for us, rethink WORK.
     

Kids devotion - Who I am when noone is looking

Parents, watch this 6 minute cartoon with your kids and then discuss with your own questions or these thoughts
1. When Johnny figured out time was standing still, what did he decide to do?
2. What would you do if you could do whatever you wanted to do and noone was looking?
3. Read Genesis 6:5,6. Why do you think Johnny decided to do bad things? How does God feel about that according to that verse?
4. Read Eph. 6:6,7. How should you behave when your parents, teachers, coaches, etc. aren't watching? Who is watching all the time?

5. Read Gal. 5:13,14. When we feel like we can do anything we want to do, what should we do?

Al Mohler in Christianity Today - The Good and Bad - Limited Atonement

      My son told me that if you are going to have a blog and call it "Thoughts From the Right Brain" that I should post some original thoughts, not just quote people. Although my media clips and songs and how they relate to the topic were my own thoughts his point is well taken so here are some of my thoughts on a recent article I read in CT on Al Mohler who is the president of Southern Seminary in Louisville,KY which is the flagship seminary of the Southern Baptist Convention.
     Al Mohler is an "impeccably groomed", brilliant, aristocrat with a personal library of 41,000 books and rare artwork, with museum like collectables of Charles Spurgeon and Winston Churchill. He is a frequent contributor to the Washington Post, has appeared on Larry King Live several times and Time Magazine has called him "the reigning intellectual of the evangelical movement in the U.S. Not at all the stereotype you picture when you mention "Southern Baptist". The surprising thing is that this "renaisance man" stands for such fundamentalist views as the inerrancy of scripture, a conservative view of gender roles, conservative politics, creationism , etc. In fact in a matter of 3 years he was able to purge the seminary of liberal professors through means the KGB would have been proud of.
       In my mind this is great! You don't have to check your brain at the door to believe the Bible is the inerrant word of God and I'm thrilled that a person like Al Mohler can be our spokesman. When my oldest son was looking at schools we interviewed at Carson Newman a SBC university in our area. I talked with the head of the religion department about their view of scripture and both he and the president of the school both gave me the same answer, "Well, what do you mean by inerrancy?" It reminded me of when I asked one of my youth group proteges who went off to a liberal school and had a change of heart about his faith if he still believed Jesus is the only way to Heaven. His reply was, "Well, what do you mean by Jesus?" The professor and president also were proud of the fact that they present all views and let the students make an educated decision of what they want to believe. I truly believe this was the direction the SBC was headed and Al Mohler has been instrumental in stemming and reversing that tide of giving in to cultural pressures to appear relevant, thinking that will reach more for the kingdom. Thank God for Al Mohler.
        Now for the bad. Al Mohler is a 5 point calvinist. Now dont get me wrong, if God works that way, who am I to argue. All I would say is thank you Lord for choosing me. I don't know why but I will worship and praise You forever. But the 5th point of Calvinism, limited atonement, I believe is contrary to scripture. It basically say that Christ died only for the elect; the blood spilled on the cross was not for the whole world's sins but only for the people He had chosen ahead of time. Christ therefore on the cross could have looked out over the crowd and said, "I'm dying for you and you, not you, not you, you...". Here are some scriptures that teach otherwise:

Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ²He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1John 2:2

¹⁴And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 1John 4:14

For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. ²²For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 1Cor 15:21,22

¹⁴For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. ¹⁵And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

  ¹⁹that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them.                         2Cor 5:14,15,19

⁵For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.   1 Tim. 2:5,6

 ⁹This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance ¹⁰(and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. 1Tim4:9,10

⁹But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

¹⁷For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people   Heb. 2:9,17
 
¹⁵But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! ¹⁶Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. ¹⁷For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
 ¹⁸Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. ¹⁹For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.    Rom 5:15-19

³²For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.  Rom 11:32

⁷He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. ⁹The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
 ²⁹The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!   John 1:7,9,29

³²But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."   John 12:32

¹¹For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.   Titus 2:11

 ⁸"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. ⁹Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find. Matt 22:8,9

²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.     Col. 1:20

¹⁰But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Luke 2:10

 ²³for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,^[i] through faith in his blood.    Rom 3:23-25

 ⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
       each of us has turned to our own way;
       and the LORD has laid on him
       the iniquity of us all.   Isa. 53:6

    Coming from a background of Reformed theology I've seen several dangers. One is an intellectual elitism that almost borders on cultish. It says "I am right and everyone else is wrong. When you study enough and get intellectual enough you will come to the light." The second is the loss of evangelical thrust. According to the article the number of baptisms are down. Of course they are. If the elect will come to God no matter what, why evangelize? I know, it's the means by which God acts just like prayer is the means by which God acts so we don't say, "Why pray when God is going to do what he wants to do anyway?" Or they will say "the reformers started Evangelism Explosion." Thank you D.James Kennedy for that. But having been in that way of thinking it's a rare church that has an outreach evangelism team that is flourishing. Its rare to see an altar call - in fact many churches believe it is not scriptural.  And it is rare to see people saved; it just anaesthetizes your zeal for evangelism.
      In conclusion I'm thrilled with Al Mohler I just don't get how a guy so right on can adopt Calvinism to it's full extent.

Why is God so narrow minded?

Hey friends. This is my first attempt at a blog. I hope this whole blog sight helps you grow in Christ and also serves as a resource sight to help you help others grow. As Tim Tebow would say, "God bless"

Also I found a link to a song that talks about it. It was my first ever "Jesus Rock" album from Explo 72 which was a Christian "Woodstock". The band was Armageddon Experience and the song was "One Way". Its funny to listen to it. Christian music has improved so much over the years in quality but not in clarity of message. Every song back then was clear and to the point. http://mp3freeplay.com/track-166555/Armageddon+Experience-One+Way

Here is a clip from one of my favorite preachers ,Peter Briscoe, doing a comparison and contrasting of the major religions. Some people say, "Don't all the religions basically teach the same things?" The answer is NO

Here is a clip from Poseiden Adventure saying there is only one way. How unfair. Maybe people balk at that because they don't believe the peril they are in.