Thursday, March 26, 2009

Diaries

DOG DIARY:

8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm - Milk bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

CAT DIARY:

Day 983 of my captivity. My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets.

Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape.

In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am. Jerks!

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicate with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now...

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Faith Alone

We pick up our study in Galatians 5:13 where it says, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” Paul’s point here is that liberty excludes the mandatory keeping of the Law as a means of salvation. Why does Paul continue to hammer this subject over and over? – Because they had problems with it then and we still have problems with it now. The Law never was a means of salvation. People in the Old Testament where saved through faith just like you and I today. The Bible says of Abraham in Galatians 3:6, “…Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Think about it for a moment – if the Law could save, why did Jesus go to the cross? Do you remember what Jesus prayed in the garden right before his crucifixion? He said, “…O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39). He was saying, “Father, if there is any other way for these people to be saved, please don’t make me go through with this.” The answer of his Father came through the kiss of Judas the Betrayer. There is no other way of salvation accept through faith and faith alone in Christ Jesus. I can assure you that if you are trying to “work for it”, you don’t have it. You’ve believed a lie somewhere.

However, Paul is also making the point that this liberty does not give us the freedom to do anything we want to either. He declared in 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient…Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body…Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication…What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost.”

Sunday, March 15, 2009

The Narrow Way

Today, we pick up our study in Galatians 5:7-9 where it says, “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” In other words, they were doing so well, but now something has went amiss. Of course, that something is that they had allowed these legalizers to saturate them with “their version” of the gospel (Gal. 1:6-10).

Perversion is described in the Bible as leaven. It cannot be allowed to permeate the church. It only takes a pinch. Jesus refers to this in the parable of the leaven in Matthew 13:33 where it says, “Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.”

Notice v.10, “I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.” Paul here expresses his optimism that they will overcome this testing. There is nothing like a few words of affirmation! It’s been said that a pat on the back will take anyone another mile.

Notice also, “…he who troubles you shall bear his judgment…”. Mark 9:42 says, “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.”

Notice v.11, “And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.” The cross is the offense. When Jesus gave Himself as the sacrifice for sinful man he became the only way to God! John 14:6 says, “Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Unfortunately, that’s not the story that you’ll get today. Actually, Christianity is offensive in our culture today. People are bothered by the narrowness of one way to heaven. They prefer to think that there are many ways to the same place. The writer of Proverbs says in Proverbs 16:25, “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Stand Fast

Let’s pick up our study today in Galatians 5:1 where it says, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” In other words, this is the culmination of everything that we have been talking about for the past several week, “Don’t be tempted to go back under the Law.” It will do you no good. Why does Paul spend so much time talking about this? - Because we have a tendency to do it!

Notice vv.2-6, “Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” In other words, if you are keeping the Law to find your justification (salvation), you’re trusting in the wrong thing. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Now, lest any of you should think to himself, “Oh, that’s not describing me.” Let’s think about that for a moment. I can’t judge you in this, but you can judge yourself. Paul encouraged us in 1 Corinthians 11:28 to examine ourselves. He also said in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves…” With that in mind, “Why do you do what you do for God? Do you do it because you think that you will gain or keep your salvation? If so, Paul is talking to you! He is actually giving you a stern warning. Don’t you think for one minute that by keeping one aspect of the Law (I.e. circumcision, baptism, the Sabbath) that it will save you. The Law never could and never will be able to save you. If it could have, Jesus would not have had to come and die on the cross in your place because you could have saved yourself. I don’t think so.