Featured Post

Keith Green - Oh Lord, You're Beautiful

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

PROVING THE BIBLE IS TRUE.

It's not a matter of outside evidence, rather, it's a matter of letting the Bible speak for itself!

I have a friend....we have get together's quite regularly and on one of these, we had been in conversation for quite some time, discussing just about everything!
I suppose you could call me stubborn, but I had managed to press a "Biblical point of view" on every subject that had come up and it had become too much for my friend.

Well," she said, "You are determined to bring everything back to the Bible, but, can you prove to me that the Bible is true...?"

"Well, no, I don't think so..." I replied, "but that is mainly, because you and I have different ideas as to..."what" is proof, and "what" is evidence..I mean, what kind of "proof" would convince you?
Do you want "historical" proof....or "moral" proof?

or maybe you want "consistency" as proof"?

You can get all that...you know!

It is remarkable, when you consider all the different people who wrote the books of the Bible, at different times, over 100's of years.

Or, maybe you want scientific proof? If so, which scientific system do you want to follow? Maybe Maths?...or chemistry?...or Physics....or biology? logic?

Would logic evidence do? If so...which system of logic should we follow?

Aristotle? Hegelian? or some other?"

I will admit I did not wait long for her to give me an answer, although I did hear her mutter every now and then...so....I went on......

" I suppose you probably want evidence from all these areas, and probably also some from those I have not mentioned, but....even then......would you really be convinced?
So.....before I start,.....tell me what kind of "evidence" you are willing to accept, then, to avoid confusion, ( and to make sure we are talking the same language) tell me what
"philosophical system" you are using to "evaluate" the evidence I give you?"

I was really going good now!
She was drawing a deeeep breath, getting ready to answer, but, before she could......
I interrupted her with, " Before you answer....if I can convince you on the Bible's historical truths, will you.."on that" accept it's scientific truths as well?"

"Certainly not..." she managed to say. "You can't "assume" that, because a book is reliable on one kind of information, it is reliable on another kind as well!"

"Of course..." I agreed, "So, may I then assume that...if, on the basis of the scientific knowledge you already have, I can convince you of the Bible's accuracy, you would still not accept it's moral authority over your life?"

"That's correct..." she agreed, "it would be quite illogical to do so..."

"Be patient with me just a little longer..." I said, "If on the basis of your knowledge of
morals I am able to convince you of the Bible's 'ethical' reliability, would you then accept it's "religious" authority?"

She looked at me.......shaking her head...."NO....for the same reason..." she said.

"So....." I said, " If I am to convince you about the Bible's Historic, Scientific and Moral accuracies, I have to do it on the basis of your knowledge and you will "not" trust it's "Moral" commandments even if I prove it's scientific and historic accuracy?"

"yes..." she said, "That's about how I see it..."

"Well then," I said, "All I can say about any of the Bible's qualities, will not in any way convince you to accept what it says about God.
You will only believe, what it says about God, if it agrees with what you know about God.
So.....tell me......where did you get your knowledge about GOD?

Have you seen God?

Did you get it from other books?

Did you learn it as a child?

How do you know that what you know about God is enough to make a judgment on the Bible with?"
I paused.......she stayed silent......
"So, you see..." I went on, " You are making it quite complicated. You assume you are
wise enough to evaluate the reasons I give you to prove the Bible.

Now, the thing is, if you say, NO, I am not wise enough, how then do I prove it to you, when you admit you are not wise enough?
Then again, if you say YES, I am wise enough, you are telling me you already know everything, so you can test for yourself if the Bible is true or not!
So, maybe we should ask first "are you perfect in the eyes of God or are you a sinner who needs forgiveness"
If you leave God out of it.....do you have a moral problem?

If you say NO... that clearly means you do have one and if you can't see that for yourself, that is serious....you are not honest... in that case how could you make an honest inquiry about the Bible?
Let us go and have a look at what the Bible says about you and your moral problem, before we begin to ask about the Bible and it's trustworthiness.

I say....Let the Bible judge us before we judge the Bible"

Blessings

Yaddy

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Mrs Thompson

Her name was Mrs Thompson. As she stood in front of her fifth grade class, that first day of school, she told the children a lie!

Like most teachers, she told the children that "she loved them.....all"
But, she told a lie, because....there....sitting in the front row was Teddy Stoddard.

She had watched him, and noticed that he did not play much, his clothes were messy and he needed a bath. And, he could be unpleasant!

It got so, she actually enjoyed marking his papers with a big "F" at the top of his papers.

At the school where she taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she got a surprise when she saw Teddy's.
His first grade teacher wrote, " Teddy is a joy to have and he's a bright child with a ready laugh..."

His second grade teacher wrote..." Teddy is an excellent student, well liked, but he's worried about his mother's sickness, life at home must be a struggle for him..."

His third grade teacher wrote..." His mother's death has been so hard for him, he tries his best, but his father doesn't take much interest. His home life will be affected if steps are not taken...."

His fourth grade teacher wrote..." Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school, he doesn't have many friends and sometimes falls asleep in class..."

By now, Mrs Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse, when her students brought her Christmas presents, beautifully wrapped in paper and ribbons, except for Teddy's. His present was in brown paper.

She made a point of opening it, in the middle of opening all the other presents, but some of the children started to laugh, when she found a rhinestone bracelet, some stones missing, and a half empty bottle of perfume.

But, she stopped the children from laughing and wore the bracelet and dabbed the perfume on!

Teddy stayed after school just long enough to tell her, "Today....you smell just like my mum used to..."

When the children all left, she cried for at least an hour.

From then on, she stopped teaching the three "R's" and started teaching "children" instead.

She paid special attention to Teddy!
As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive! The more she encouraged him.....the more he responded! By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie...(that she would love all the children the same) Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets"

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, Telling her, she was still the best teacher he had ever had in his whole life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that, while things had been tough, at times....he'd stayed at school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest honours.

He assured her she was still the best teacher he had ever had in his whole life!

Then four more years passed and another letter came. He explained that, after he got his degree, he decided to go a little further and the letter explained that she was still the best teacher he had ever had.

By now, his name was a little longer, the letter was signed.. Theodore F Stoddard. M.D.

It does not end there......... There was yet another letter that spring.

Teddy said that he had met a girl and he was going to be married!
He said his dad had died the year before and would Mrs Thompson maybe sit in the place usually reserved for the mother of the groom?

Of course Mrs Thompson agreed.....and guess what?
She wore the bracelet he'd given her and made sure she was wearing the perfume he'd given her as well.
They hugged each other and Dr Stoddard whispered to her..."Thank you for believing in me....thank you so much, for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference..."

Mrs Thompson with tears in her eyes whispered back..." Teddy...you have it all wrong....You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference....I did not know how to teach....until I met you!"


Bless you

Yaddy

Sunday, March 22, 2009

WHEN SOMEONE YIELDS....

When some one yields to temptation and breaks a conventional law.....

We look for "no good" in his make up, and Oh, how we look for a flaw!

No one will ask, "How tempted?" Nor allow for the battle he fought.

His name becomes food for the jackals, for us....who have never been caught!

We shout from the roof tops....(we forget the good he has done) we center on one lost battle...
and forget the many he's won!

"I'm a sinner oh Lord, and I know it, I'm weak, I blunder I fail!

I'm tossed on life's stormy ocean, like ships embroiled in a gale!

I'm willing to trust in Your mercy, to keep the commandments You taught,

but deliver me Lord from the judgements, of saints....who have never been caught!"

MY DREAM!

I dreamed death came, the other night, and heaven's gate swung open!
An angel with a halo bright ushered me inside.

And there, to my astonishment, were folk I judged and labeled as quite unfit,
of little worth and spiritually disabled.

Indignant words rose to my lips.....but never were set free.....

For every face showed stunned surprise....no one expected me!

God bless you...

Yaddy

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

DOES GOD CRY?

Imagine if you will, a round table, up in heaven.

God the father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit are sitting.......talking.

God speaks. He says,
"I am going to make a world.....I will surround it with a universe and I will put humans on this world, they'll be made in our image....what do you think?"

Both Jesus and the Holy Spirit nod in approval.

Then God says, "I know, these humans we'll make, will make lots of mistakes and We will call that "sin" Jesus nods.....God continues, " Someone will need to stand in for them....
to "redeem them" they cannot do that themselves..."

Jesus puts up His hand, "I'll go..." He says, "I'll go and stand in for them..."

God looks at Him, His precious, adorable, loving Son.

DOES GOD CRY.....NOW?

The Holy Spirit nods in agreement, then speaks, " Yes....and I'll join You, at the right time... when the appointed time comes...."

AND SO IT HAPPENED....AT THE APPOINTED TIME....

The big giant doors of heaven open......wide......

the angels hold their breath......

Jesus goes walking down the large hall way of heaven..... He reaches the doors.....

ALL OF HEAVEN HOLDS IT'S BREATH......

as He reaches the doors.....in the blink of an eye.....one minute he's there....
the next....He's gone......

BACK ON EARTH.....

A baby is born....His mother cuddles him in her arms.

I see mothers loving and caressing their babies as they sleep in their arms....
They glow, with love for their little one! I watch their faces....God looks down on them!

If one of these mums knew, before hand what would happen to their infant in the future..(did Mary know?) would their heart sob and weep in agony at the prospect awaiting their infant?

DOE GOD CRY....NOW?

God's heart must have been breaking.....when Jesus hung there....on that cross and he cried out...

"MY GOD....MY GOD....WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME...?"

DID GOD CRY?

Jesus hung there......for you and for me!

I can say, "I don't really believe that happened you know"

But Jesus hung there, between heaven and earth....
history says he hung there.....

Regardless of what I believe....or what you believe...

HE HUNG THERE....FOR YOU AND FOR ME!

DID GOD CRY?

Bless you...

Yaddy

Sunday, March 15, 2009

A Chinese farmer's rule!

Stand with your arm outstretched....turn slowly around in a circle, and pray for everything you see through your fingers!

That is what farmer LO did....every evening while standing on the dam, near his rice field. He stretched out one arm, spread his fingers......and slowly turned on the spot!

He looked rather strange doing this and his neighbours assumed he was doing some kind of Tay-quong exercises.

But, a group of the neighbouring boys crept up to him and they heard him praying!
He prayed for everything he saw...."Lord, bless my neighbour, give him a bountiful harvest.."
He saw his friends water buffalo and prayed, " Lord, please keep the animal healthy and strong..."
Lo was the only Christian in the area and the neighbours thought he was a little crazy!

LO died of a heart attack, when he was 51.

One by one, accidents started to happen.

The buffalo ran amuck......then there was a drought, no harvest...

The villagers came together and realized that because LO was no longer praying, that, that was why things were happening!

So, they searched all through LO's house, to try and find out "which" god he was praying to! They were sorry they had not taken more notice!
In order to find out, they threw Joss-sticks on the altar, but the statue of the warrior there fell over....every night.....finally they had had an idea!
The statue "fell" the same way each night, so they checked "which way" it was pointing! They followed this through and came back to LO's house, where they found a small book which they put on the altar, then waited.

Later that day, a young man came to the village. He started to say..."Let me tell you about Jesus..."
They grabbed him and chased him out, telling him they did not want his idolatry!

As they chased him past the altar, the statue had fallen again, and as he looked, he saw the little book they had put there, in front of the statue!

He stopped....picked it up and said, "This is a Bible.....where did you get it?"
They stared at him and asked, " Do you know what that book is?"

"Of course, " he said, "It's the book about Jesus Christ, He answers prayers like no other..."
They told him that the book belonged to a local farmer, and that they actually thought he was a bit "silly in the head" "but we can see now, that his prayers worked, please tell us about this God?"
As he started to tell them, he had his thumb inside the Bible and when he looked it was the story of the Phillistine's god.."Dagon" falling before the Ark of God.

The villagers are now Christians and every evening you can see them....

Arms out stretched!

Bless you...

Yaddy

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Friends.....

Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends
will leave footprints in your heart!

To handle yourself....use your head....
To handle others....use your heart!

ANGER is only one letter short of DANGER, if someone betrays you once....
It's his fault, if he betrays you twice, it's your fault.

Great minds, discuss ideas.....
Average minds discuss events.....
Small minds, discuss people!

He who loses money, loses much, he who loses a friend, loses much more......
He who loses faith....loses all!

Learn from the mistakes of others....
you can't live long enough to make them all yourself!

Friends, you and me.....you brought another friend and then there were three...
We started our group, our circle of friends...there is no beginning or end...

Yesterday is history....tomorrow is a mystery....today is a gift!

God bless and keep you..

Yaddy

Monday, March 9, 2009

have you ever had people that really grate on your nerves?

Are there people in your life, who, as soon as they are in your vicinity they become a different person, it seems, just to upset you?

And then, do you feel that, because you are a Christian, you have to put up with it?

They might even challenge you and demand that, "Well you say you are a Christian, you should be able to handle it..."
because of our Christian teaching on humility, self sacrifice and kindness?

We then give ourselves the impression that, "to set boundaries of any kind for these kind of people is wrong, and that we must take, whatever they dish out!"


Well, I do not believe that. When we allow abusive people to continually abuse us,
verbally or mentally or physically,we give them, as it were, permission to sin.
The best thing we can do for them is to leave them! When we do this,

we then stop this person from sinning!

Obviously when it happens in our home, by say, a rebellious teenager, it makes it much more difficult.

But to let him/her get away with it is much worse....

(If you had a puppy, and it was constantly barking, you'd do something about it wouldn't you? You would teach it, that by ignoring it when it barked, and making a fuss when it didn't, he would quickly learn not to bark, if it wanted attention, you would maybe even give it a treat for not barking....)
it would work something like that with a rebelious teenager too...

Ask yourself the question..."Why is this teenager so rebelious?"
Love must be tough enough too, to do hard things for the best interest of your child.

No one, teenager or adult, has the right to turn the family home into a war zone.

And, if there is no change in behaviour, we have to be tough and send them on their way! If not, these teenagers will bring the same kind of attitude into their relationships.
I am not saying here to, "look after #1" What I am saying is that when we are told that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, we are obliged to look after it, and make sure it is not destroyed by others who seem to be only too happy to do so!

When someone deliberately goes out of their way, so it seems, to cause distress for others, they are being used as a tool for the devil, and we are allowed to do whatever it takes, to protect ourselves to stop the enemy from getting to our heart and mind. God did provide an armour for us and we are obliged to use it every day, for protection, even if that sometimes means saying "No" to a relationship that can be harmfull.

That goes for any relationship....be it....a son...a daughter.....an inlaw.....friend.....

And, whether we like it or not, it can also mean looking for alternative living arrangements for a rebellious young teenager. Love is tough!

It also sometimes means telling some one you can't be there for them...no matter how difficult that might be!
The good news is that God can change these people,but, it does not, despite our most sincere prayers, always happen.
But,,,we do not have to put up with it!

Bless you....

Yaddy

Sunday, March 8, 2009

EVER WISHED YOU COULD START OVER?

Probably, lots of us have longed for another chance in some area of our lives.

Maybe not done things differently, but.....just.... well....more..perhaps? Or less?

Or, maybe said something, when we should have.....

THE TRUTH IS...WE CAN'T GO BACK...ONLY FORWARD......

Into unchartered territory!

To sit in our sorrow would lead to misery...although regret that leads to change...

is a dear friend!

Regret that leads to shame....is a treacherous enemy!

So, how do we live....without allowing regret to rob us of our joy?
How about this insight to prompt us on?

"Lean not on your own understanding...." ( Proverbs 3 v 5)

Sometimes we are so sure we know something...when we don't really!

You know what I mean?

There is no guarantee that "IF" we had done things differently, things would have ended up any different!

We have to trust the GOD of the universe who directs the outcome of all things....

That He will do that which ultimately needs to be done...

IN SPITE OF US!

bless you...

Yaddy

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

THIS IS A STORY OF A LADY...

who climbed a mountain, she should have avoided. No one would have blamed her, had she stayed behind at 12 degrees below zero.

Even frosty the snowman would have prefered a nice open log fire.

Hardly a day for skiing, but......her husband insisted.....so she went.

While waiting for the ski lift, she realized she had to go to the bathroom.....urgently.......but

assured that there would be one at the top of the lift,she, and her bladder endured the bouncy ride to the top, (only to discover that there was none...).she began to panic.

Her husband had an idea....Why not go over into the woods....(since she was all in white....no one would notice.....) So she went!

WHAT CHOICE DID SHE HAVE?

She arranged her ski suit at half mast and fortunately, no one could see her!

Unfortunately, no one had told her to first remove her skis, and before you could say..."Shine on harvest moon..."
she was streaking....... backwards.......down the slope.....revealing more about herself than she had ever intended. With arms flailing and skis sailing, she sped under the lift she'd just left.....and collided with a tree.

As she scrambled to cover her essentials, she discovered she had a broken arm.
Her husband had rushed over to her with the ski-patrol and they took her into the hospital.

While being treated in the emergency room, they brought in a man with a broken leg and he was placed next to her.

She asked him...."How did you break your leg?"

"It was the darndest thing..." He replied. "I was riding on the ski lift, and I couldn't believe my eyes, there was this crazy woman, skiing backwards....at top speed...I leaned forward to get a better look and I guess I didn't realize how far I'd moved....
I fell out of the lift..."

Then he turned to her and asked...."So....how did you break your arm?"

Bless you,

Yaddy