New Year's Resolution

OK, I need to loose weight. Now that we are past that, is it biblicaly a good idea to have New Year's resolutions? I believe that anytime you take an assessment of your life, and find areas where improvement is necessary, that it's a good thing. Here is a list of resolutions that I am going to pray that God would enable me to do this year, and every year after.

1. To know them which labour among me, and And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake.
2. warn them that are unruly
3. comfort the feebleminded
4. support the weak
5. be patient toward all men
6. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
7. Rejoice evermore.
8. Pray without ceasing.
9. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
10. Quench not the Spirit.
11. Despise not prophesying.
12. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
13. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
(1 Thessalonians 5:12-24)


The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Wise Men

Anyone know where I can find the passage where the wise men were with Jesus when He was born? Also, anyone know the passage that says there were THREE wise men?

Thanks.

Talking to Myself

I heard a comedian once say "Writing a blog that no one reads is like talking to yourself in the car." I agree.

My New Bible

I have my new bible today, and I love it. After almost a year of diligent searching, I finally found a company that was able to convert my bible into an interleaved bible (a blank page between every page of scripture). I could have purchased an interleaved, but I am so familiar to my current bible, that often when I can't remember the chapter or verse, I know what side of the page it's on, and I didn't want to start that process over with an new bible.






Now, I am looking forward to filling it up with study notes. I think that it will be a profitable tool, especially for someone with a poor memory such as myself. I know many times I regretted not having the ability to put more detailed notes in the small margins, but that problem has been solved.

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

“How poor, how rich, how abject, how august;
How complicate, how wonderful is man!
How passing wonder he who made him such,
Who mingled in our make such strange extremes
Of different natures, marvellously mixed!
Helpless immortal, insect infinite,
A worm, a god - I tremble at myself!”

Oh, my soul, tremble at thyself! Tremble at the fearfulness of thy situation; and commit thine immortal all into his hands “who is able to keep thee from falling, and to present thee faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.” - Andrew Fuller.

ROMANS 5:12

ROMANS 5:12
So death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned-

A difficult saying. Not that it is difficult to understand, but a hard pill to swallow, we are born guilty. The ancient heresy of Pelagianism teaches that man has the tendency to commit evil, and this passage means that man simply does commit sin, but has the free will to do good and is able to live without sin or guilt. While it is true that we do have a sinful nature, our state is much worse than a tendency to sin. Our whole being, all of mankind, was thrust into complete and total guilt in Adam. We not only inherited a sinful nature, but we are born guilty sinners. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation. Modern day evangelist, in so-called churches are closer to Pelagius than they are Arminian, that works are possible, and that you can live without guilt and sin. This passage should forever be the death nail of Pelagianism, and the semi-pelagiansim of giving God a helping hand in salvation, that we have the ability to do something (make decisions etc.). Charles Hodge, in his comentary on Romans says of this passage. "The words “have sinned” does not mean “do sin” or “have sinned” but it is in the historical tense, expressing momentary action in past time. All sinned, i.e., sinned in Adam, sinned through or by one man."

Rom 5:8-11 But God commendeth (He proved, He showed or exhibited) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified (Not simply forgiven, but stand as if innocent) by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Psalm 119:14

I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
Oh the joy of being a Christian! There are trials and temptations, but who would trade the joy for anything at all? The way of Christ is a way of peace, joy, loving kindness, God’s graciousness and tender mercy. The way of forgiveness. The way of obedience is not grievous, but what could be more joyful than walking in the light as He is in the light? Will riches every satisfy, or only pacify? Consider a young infant, when they are wanting mothers milk, they will cry out until they are satisfied. Take a pacifier and put it in their mouth. Are they content? Is the heart of the child now quiet, or are they pacified. Take away the pacifier, and they will surly cry again. All the riches in the world will not bring true, lasting joy, only pacify our hearts.

They let her down?

FROM FOX NEWS:

A mother who decided to abort her son because he may have inherited a life-threatening kidney condition is overjoyed that he survived the procedure.
Jodie Percival of Nottinghamshire, England, said she and her fiancee made the decision to abort baby Finley when she was eight weeks pregnant.
Percival's first son Thane died of multicystic dysplastic kidneys — which causes cysts to grow on the kidneys of an unborn baby — and her second child Lewis was born with serious kidney damage and currently has just one kidney, the Daily Mail reported.
Click here for a photo of baby Finley.
"I was on the (birth control pill) when I became pregnant," Percival, 25, said. "Deciding to terminate at eight weeks was just utterly horrible but I couldn't cope with the anguish of losing another baby."
A short time after the abortion, Percival felt a fluttering in her stomach. She went to the doctor for a scan and discovered she was 19 weeks pregnant.
/**/

"I couldn't believe it,' Percival said. "This was the baby I thought I'd terminated. At first I was angry that this was happening to us, that the procedure had failed. I wrote to the hospital, I couldn't believe that they had let me down like this.
"They wrote back and apologized and said it was very rare," she added.
Dr. Manny Alvarez, managing health editor for FOXNews.com, said Percival's situation is actually quite common.
"Women that have early terminations in weeks six, seven and eight, many times the pregnancy is so small that doctors miss removing the baby," Alvarez said. "The danger is that the failed attempt can damage the baby. That is why these patients who get early terminations need follow-ups."
Another scan a week later confirmed the baby also had kidney problems, but doctors told the couple the baby was likely to survive, so they decided he deserved another chance at life.
In November, Finley was born three weeks premature. He had minor kidney damage but is expected to lead a normal life.

Did you notice her reaction? "I couldn't believe it,' Percival said. "This was the baby I thought I'd terminated. At first I was angry that this was happening to us, that the procedure had failed. I wrote to the hospital, I couldn't believe that they had let me down like this.

Pray for our country.