Salt and Light Blog

Yesterday Kermit Gosnell was found guilty on three of the four charges of baby murder. Much rejoicing was seen on social media and some not so Christlike comments followed on. While I understand the desire for vengeance, no one fights this urge greater than me, we must remember that we have a God of justice even when injustice seems to rule the land. Solomon reminds us:

“Moreover I saw under the sun: in the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, iniquity was there. I said in my heart, ‘God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.’” (Ecclesiastes 3:16-17)

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Technorati Tags: hope

This year I finally bit the bullet and joined a fantasy baseball league. Those who know me know how big of a San Francisco Giants fan I am. I love baseball and I’ve heard all the horror stories of baseball fans getting involved in fantasy leagues to the point of ridiculousness. Some even go as far as lose contact with reality and start neglecting all other things for the sake of their “team.”

I can almost see how that can happen. My fantasy baseball team is not doing so well; in fact it’s the worse team in the league. Now the majority of my team is made up of San Francisco Giants players so one would naturally think that the actual Giants team is probably in last place too. While they are not playing up to their potential, especially their pitching staff, they are still 13-7 and one game out of first place in the National League West Division.

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I was at a Men’s Prayer Breakfast about 11 years ago and the speaker asked all of us to come up with one word to describe Jesus. The word that immediately came to mind for me was Redeemer. For me to love Jesus with all my heart, mind, and soul I need to always remember that He is my Redeemer.

I should always have an attitude of gratitude when it comes to Christ. imagine someone coming to you and telling you that they want to write you a check that will make you debt free. No car payment, no mortgage, no medical bills, no outlandish credit card balances. Totally debt free. No doubt that person would be at least very appreciated by you if not esteemed.

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Technorati Tags: heaven, redemption

The Prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of Christ in a way that surpasses human understanding:

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)

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How do we deal with the horrors wrought about the people of Newtown, Connecticut and our nation as a whole? Where do we turn to in such dark times? The ever-present punditry are spewing out their normal tripe, be it right or left-leaning, like an unstoppable sewer. Neither side has it right because each is looking to man.

It is my natural inclination to look to my own wisdom and opinion to determine the right course in such dark times but I am trying to learn to no longer rely solely upon myself. I am untrustworthy; at best I am a depraved man saved by grace and molded by the Holy Word of God. So that’s where I’ve turned these last few days; to prayer and my Bible.

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Technorati Tags: Connecticut, Newtown

So here we go starting a new work week. What are your goals for this week? To make so much profit? To make so many sales? To land that one elusive client you’ve been after for months? To finally get the courage to ask your boss for a raise? To finally find a job? None of these in and of themselves are wicked. Goals are not wicked, only hearts are. Goals are, however, fleeting, just as the treasures these goals can bring are fleeting. So what’s the answer?

“Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death. The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish, but He casts away the desire of the wicked.” (Proverbs 10:2-3)

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The wonderful outpouring of support for Dan Cathy’s stand on traditional marriage resulting in world record single-day retail sales for Chick-fil-A was and still is all the talk of the blogosphere and social media. As for the mainstream media’s coverage of it I have no idea as I do not watch any news most of the time. I would suspect it was scant and slanted if covered at all.

But I think we need to get to the root of the issue that caused the supposed firestorm and that is the blatant, evil hatred of the Left who support the homosexual agenda. Steve Deace commented yesterday on his show and website that gay activists cleverly used victimhood as a ploy to gain sympathy to their cause painting those who oppose their lifestyle as intolerant and bigoted. In fact they are still using this ploy but it is now backfiring on them. The reason is they have become intolerant and bigoted. And they should; they are lost people swimming in a pool of debauchery guided by a reprobate mind:

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Technorati Tags: chick-fil-a, gay agenda

I often use the following illustration when trying to explain grace: if I was to gather a few of you and your children, and my wife Karen and I began handing each of you an elegantly wrapped present, and told you to please open them, what would the reactions be? How would the children react? That’s right, they would tear into their presents with great delight and expectation.

But what about the adults? What would the most probable reaction be, mentally and/or verbally? “What’s this for?”

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Technorati Tags: salvation

Do all faiths lead to heaven? Do we all worship the same God? When asked that question, our 43rd President George W. Bush said, “Yes, I think so.” Beloved, that is not a Christian belief, it is a universalist belief. It may be politically correct for the President of the United States to make that statement, but it is theologically incorrect.

Do I have to rely on a human mediator to get me into Heaven? Questions such as the ones I’m posing are tough ones to answer because we do not want to appear intolerant for fear of being ridiculed. Let me help you out. Always, as in all the time, turn to the Bible for the answers to these question. In his first letter to his beloved spiritual son Timothy, the Apostle Paul wrote:

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Technorati Tags: Jesus, salvation

Most of us will not witness to our lost friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors (think FRANgelism) because we are fearful of their response. This is understandable and natural. The problem is it is unacceptable; we do not have a have a choice whether or not we share the gospel. We are all called to give our testimony and tell the lost world of the One True Savior Jesus Christ. As has already been written, our only choice is to obey or disobey.

One definition of pantheism is the “readiness to worship all or a large number of gods.” This belief system is very prevalent and very politically correct. It is also from the pit of hell. We have to bring the truth of the One True God to a deceived world. Oh but Bro Dave that can be so hard; actually it can be impossible outside of the Word of God. The Prophet Isaiah wrote:

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If you must take a stand for God, you must expect persecution to come. You cannot stand on the truth of God’s Word and all around you accept it peacefully, unless you are doing so in a “Christian ghetto” and even there pure aletheia truth is not always welcomed. And yet we do not have a choice of where we will stand for God; we can only choose to obey or disobey. David understood this calling very clearly.

“I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness in the great assembly; indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O Lord, You Yourself know. I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great assembly.” (Psalm 40:9-10)

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Technorati Tags: Romney

So I awoke with another song in my head. Last night my sweet wife had a song pop into her head and she said, “I just love how the Holy Spirit puts songs on our hearts.” Amen! It is the Holy Spirit reminding us to worship the King. The name of the song running through my mind this morning is Matt Maher’s “Shout of the King” and this song speaks of Jesus’ presence with us and challenges “all you people rise to the shout of the King.” It continues speaking of the sound of praise all in a name, Jesus Christ, the One who saves. And this is the chorus my mind has camped upon:

It’s the sound that breaks down strongholds
It’s the sound that makes a sinner whole
It’s the sound of freedom falling on the earth
The sound of victory

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Can you think of anyone more annoying that the ungrateful person? This person takes everything for granted. He or she assumes everything in life is cast upon him or her simply because they exist. The bounty of our nation, the liberty as a people, and for Christians, our salvation in Jesus Christ.

How does ingratitude happen? We turn our hearts from God and turn our eyes upon ourselves. Very simply it means we love ourselves more than we love God. Having a Holy God means we have to live holy lives, and too many of us simply are unwilling to surrender our lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

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Technorati Tags: ingratitude

This weekend studying for my Sunday School lesson, the Lord put it on my heart to write a series on the Stewardship of the Gospel. In Ephesians 3 we see a mystery revealed to the Apostle Paul of which he shares with the Ephesian church initially and eventually the whole world. The mystery of the church, the body of Christ and its membership being open to all peoples, is the greatest news on earth. It is the greatest story ever told. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ. And with this news we have an expectation of stewardship. It is our duty to share it. And this expectation was of Old Testament saints too:

“So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me. When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die!’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.” (Ezekiel 33:7-9)

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Technorati Tags: gospel, stewardship

Are you a self-described Christian? In other words, do you consider yourself a Christian? Do you believe in an actual being known as Satan, or is he just a symbol of evil? A 2008 Barna Group survey revealed that 59% of self-described Christians either strongly agree or agree somewhat that Satan “is not a living being but is a symbol of evil.” Twenty-six percent disagreed strongly and 9% disagreed somewhat with Satan being merely a symbol of evil. Eight percent weren’t sure what they believed (those would be the politically-moderate no doubt!).

Born-again Christians, those who say they’ve made a personal commitment to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, are twice as likely to disagree strongly with the notion that Satan is a mere symbol of evil. That means barely half of born again Christians believe that Satan is an actual being as described in the bible.

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Technorati Tags: demons, devil, Satan

The Lord Jesus Christ teaches us how powerful love can be. We have all heard of the cases where a child lifts up the back of an automobile to rescue his father who has knocked the car of its jack. This kind of power is supernatural; it is not something of which man is normally capable. Another amazing display of love is the power it can bring out in us when it comes to laying down our lives for those we love. That love drove my son to face a fierce enemy, both physical and spiritual. Jesus said:

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

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Technorati Tags: Jesus Christ

You’ve probably heard this old adage before: “When the times get tough, the tough go shopping.”

Okay, so it may not be an old adage, but too many people live by it. And why do some of us go shopping when times get tough? To make ourselves feel better, to have a sense that we are still in control. The problem is we are not in control of our lives. The outcome is in God’s hands.

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Technorati Tags: Happy New Year

So should we use apologetics, that is the defense of Christianity, with an atheist? Well let me ask you this question, similar to what our new friend Mrs. J asks in the book Unexpected Journey by Thom Rainer. Did you learn about apologetics before you acquired faith and was it apologetics that caused you to have faith?

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So how can we actually reach out to someone who is intent on destroying Christianity? Or how do we reach out to someone who is apathetic towards God? Like we do with any person we first meet, we build a relationship.

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Yesterday I said we would take a look at how we confront atheism.

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