O Say Can You Deal

I saw there above the car dealership, floating in the air from the poles of the parking lights, the flag, all spread out like a billboard come-on. It had its desired effect. The passions of my soul were ignited and I needed to buy something. I went to investigate. Although the day had long faded and the natural light was gone, the manmade glare of halide dawn dazzled my eyes, and I could see the stars of a hundred lamps  reflected a thousand times by the clear-coat acrylic shine of the brave new road lords, war-striped and ready for delivery. As I maneuvered into the asphalt arena, I could hear Muzak plumbing the depths of the air, the flag still rippling there. Together they intoned: 

"Buy now... buy, before it’s too late!"

Before me lay row after row of SUV’s, pickups, sedans and more, the pinnacle of oil-induced triumph, lined up like a war machine. They were painted beasts and beauties of brilliant polymerized luster, metallic rainbows in consumer formation. We, the consumers, formed in perfect union of purchasing power, began to move into action. Trying to look knowledgeable, I and the others went up and down the ranks of the metal-flaked paramours, fending off pimply young men in ties. Trying to look disinterested, we drooled as we shivered, our desires tempered by icy price tags. The sweat ran down my brow as I fought the good fight of supply and demand, need and desire, pocketbook and credit card. My adversary, the salesman, finally cornered me. He was merciless. He showed me the wondrous cross-linked synthetics and pounded me with engine talk. My head reeled at the sticker shock.

"O say, can you deal!" I sang, and his insolence flagged; he would talk to the manager.

He returned from the manager's office. I listened as the asking price began bursting in the air and gave proof that the trade was still there. It was then that I remembered all the recent tragedies that had brought on this new flurry of national concern and sales gimmicks. Not only had millions of flags been sold lately, but when attached to other objects, they increased their desirability and, therefore, value. The flag seemed to represent all that was cherished, all that was worthy, all that was for sale. In that moment of anxious undertaking, my eyes swam in tears as I remembered my endangered countrymen abroad, and as I remember my all-time low credit rating.

However, my war-torn wallet was of no use here. I mustered up the reserve courage that these times of sacrifice can engender and told the salesman I could always go down the street and buy on next-to-nothing credit. But now, I saw clearly that the salesman was going to talk to the manager again. Could I overcome and get the Utopia for $37,289 (plus taxes, licenses and fees)? With no down? Would our nation’s economic strength provide me victory in the closing deal? Would I make it to Heaven Burger in time for the two-for-one with purchase of Coke?

Each purchase we make in four-by-four market holds major significance to what we defend. We must drive out the terrorists and press on the pedal in order to live, to consume and to spend. Modern technology, give us your cars, your trucks, your Hummers and vans. May the highways of home bless you and keep you, may cost at the pump not spoil your plans. Crude oil the spoils, and commuting the goal, may your horsepower be high, may your tank remain full. Oh, the glory of buying a new vehicle!

We need to search out destroy those who would interfere with peace, love and the bottom line. It certainly can’t be the Muslims. They own the car dealership, for crying out loud. Nor could it be the Catholic Church (they own the land the dealership is on). No, it is those subversives who dare speak against the lovely idolic life that our forefathers gave up their forefathers for. There are like mean-spirited Luddites out there trying to rob us of our God-given right to enjoy our fair share of technology’s bounty. We won’t sell out for promises of pie-in-the-sky when we can have our cake and file chapter 11 too.

Hold on! The salesman is back. Praise Ford! He’s even going to throw in a personalized license plate that says ILUVGOD. Boy, when I pull up in the church parking lot this Sunday, my fellow Lukewarmericans will be jealous with a godly jealousy. It will no doubt spark some of that wonderful purchasing spirit so needed in our free enterprise theocracy. Well, I have to throw a dollar in the patriotism box on the way out of the parking lot. It’s to help the families of those who lost their jobs in the Great Terrorism. Oh, and they tell me that 10 cents of every dollar will go into hunting down subversive elements within our culture...

Chris Simonson - 11/29/2007

Eat, Drink and Be Merry... For Tomorrow We Be Raptured

The modern churchgoer is exposed to a screaming contradiction and it drives him mad. At least from my perspective, most people in America appear to be kidding themselves. This is why everyone’s faith is weak, is compromised, is practically useless. The contradiction is this: We are to be good little boys and girls so we can go to be with God - counterpoised with: We should pursue the things of this earth so we can be raptured and then brought back to earth for a thousand years.

This leads to a constant compromise with the world. The gospel is not preached because this would lead to persecution in the form of lost income, which in turn is a bad example for Christ because he wants us to show how successful we are, etc. It is rank covetousness disguised with rapture or dispensational theology. The Seventh Day Adventists, who do not believe in a pre-millennial rapture, and are complete teetotalers and food ascetics, are nonetheless a good example of this kind of hypocrisy. Everything they do is calculated to bring more money into their hands, and they look down on those who do not desire their form of religion. So, they think to themselves, "we do not eat, drink and be merry; therefore we are justified in being covetous" nonetheless. They have placed their faith in an earthly kingdom, same as the rapture crowd. They constantly go around begging for money and would make the Pope proud if they were working for him.

The Calvary Chapelites are another good example of this sort of hypocrisy. These hippies-turned-square watered-down-Pentecostals fit right in to the modern scenery. You can’t tell them from the happy little trees painted by corporate artists on the landscape of treachery and deceit. They love everybody and this is how they preach the gospel: not with words but with capped teeth, nose jobs and Gucci accouterments. People wonder at this love and ask how it is these Christians fit in so comfortably with the madness around them, and they preach their 1960's Jesus, minus the hippie hatred against "materialism." Asked why he is so happy and well-adjusted, the Chapelite smiles and says that Jesus is coming for him and the rapture is right around the corner.

The Catholic Church and her imitators (Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons for example) are here to take over the earth and have a lot of vested interests, so they’re quite open about their covetousness. Don’t get in the way of their business ventures or you may find yourself blacklisted or bottom feeding.

Against this insane backdrop of confused religion, is there any way to exist as a true Christian? The question begs the question: Are their any true Christians? Of course there are. Take a look around and find those who are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who are not well-liked by the world, who are honest in their business dealings, who do not masquerade as altar boys and who are grieved and speak out against the iniquities done in the church. They may not be pretty, but they’re the genuine article.

Of course, the devil isn’t just going to sit there staring walleyed while the true Christian takes up the sword of the Spirit. There is going to be trouble. Lots of it. The enemy will be your closest friend many of the times. You will become a partaker of the sufferings of Christ, in other words. The other Christians will mock you as you sigh and groan, telling you to take a vacation and join the crowd of happy churchgoers who have found that magic compromise with the world whereby their conscience is stilled and their guilt whitewashed.

Now for some Bible proof:

He went in and stood before his master, and Elisha said to him, "Where have you been, Gehazi?"

And he said, "Your servant went nowhere."

But he said to him, "Did I not go with you in spirit when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Was it a time to accept money and garments, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, menservants and maidservants? Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cleave to you, and to your descendants for ever."

So he went out from his presence a leper, as white as snow. 2 Kings 5:25-27

This passage shows that the heart of the man is not necessarily with God even though he spend many hours in "service" to God. In the end, his covetousness takes him away and he receives the very plague from which the enemy has been delivered. The reader is admonished to study about leprosy, prophets, Gentile kings, and the tenth commandment. The connection between "let us eat, drink and be merry" is apparent, but in case it is not: Gehazi lusted after the things of this world, things that would bring him food, drink and pleasure. Elisha named them: Money, clothes, orchards, vineyards, sheep, oxen, and servants.

If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, of what advantage is it to me, if the dead rise not? Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die. 1 Corinthians 15:32

This is almost always quoted out of context. Paul is quoting, among other sources, Ecclesiastes. We must distinguish between the two authors. The meaning is the same, but the use is different. In Ecclesiastes, the Preacher is saying how commendable it is to eat, drink and be merry (Eccl. 2:24, 3:13, 5:18, 8:15, 9:7). Paul, on his part, is trying to show the uselessness of Christianity if Christians do not go to heaven as a reward for their faith. The Preacher shows how vain it is to live life without hope (even though we live a good life of eating, drinking and merriment), while Paul shows that we have this very hope in Christ, and it is vain to live otherwise. Paul does not condemn eating, drinking and merriment; he condemns a life lived without hope of eternal life, to be in heaven with our Lord and Savior as He promised. Without this hope, we may as well live our lives like animals (Eccl. 3:19).

Which is the way many men today live, although they mouth great philosophical phrases about love and how to live. Their religion consists mostly of disguising the fact that they are covetous. If they have only hope in this life, then they are to be commended for acquiring as much wealth and ease as possible before they go to hell. For surely they will pay for it all one day (Eccl. 11:9). Men used to die, and after that the judgment; but today we have the rapture.

The rapture gets us out of here before we have to face the music. Before we pay the piper. The Seventh Day Adventists don’t buy into any of this, but they are legalists and sectarian so they practice their own vanity. There is a profound warning in the Bible against being consumed by the cares of this world. Whether one worries about having sex with this or that partner or whether one worries about getting this or that bishopric is no matter to God: He will judge them both for their covetousness. Their deeds will come before God on that day when He separates the sheep from the goats. Their theories about raptures or restorations will be useless on that day. He will show them how they neglected him when he needed help. They will be amazed that God needed their help and they refused to render him the barest of necessities. O, the manifold wisdom of God who hides these things from the wise and reveals them to babes!

"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth." Matthew 24:45-51.

Here we have the true context of the sudden return of the Lord. It is not a secret rapture, but an accounting day, a punishment day. A wicked servant is a wicked servant, not a person who is saved. He will go to the place reserved for hypocrites. He beat his fellow servants, the faithful ones who preached the everlasting gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. The drunken with whom he drinks are those who are dissipated with the cares of this life.

"As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man." Matthew 24:37-39

They were eating and drinking and marrying. There is nothing wrong with eating, drinking and marrying. If it were so, then why would the Bible commend all of these? But men become obsessed with these things, and think their service to God consists of such. They eat only the right Seventh-Day-Adventist-approved veggie meat substitutes, or kosher pickles, and they think they are keeping God’s commandments. They marry and remarry and go to marriage counseling. They tell the young men and women to marry and count the single, attractive man or woman as unstable or queer (to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are corrupted. Titus 1:15). But the time is short, and whether we are married or unmarried, we will stand before God and give an account (1 Cor. 7:29). He will base his judgment on the truth, not on how perfect a marriage someone had, or what kinds of health foods they ate (Matthew 25:31-46).

Have we not power to eat and to drink? 1 Corinthians 9:4

Paul is telling the church he does not burden them with caring for his necessities so that he can provide a gospel unhindered by charges of selfish gain (unlike those who preach the rapture so they can make a profit off the lazy and fearful).

Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.

Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 1 Cor. 8:8-9

So whether we eat or drink, we should do all for the glory of God, that is, for the building up of the brethren in the most holy faith. We should not be consumed with theories about the future, but we should be occupied with finding the Lord in situations where we can minister to Him. There are going to be many surprises when the Lord returns, but there is no reason for that day to take us unawares.

 "Then two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left. Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect." Matthew 24:40-44.

Chris Simonson - 11/28/2007

Religion is all about behavioral modification. This is how it has always been. Even secular "non-religious" regimens use the same methods used so successfully in religious ceremonies and organizations. In the past centuries, men have used threats, torture and other forms of coercion, as well as flattery and promises, to modify other men’s behavior. Crude, but effective. However, since the turn of the twentieth century, the underlying principles of behavioral modification have been so refined and codified that even the novice psychologist has access to as subtle arts the devil himself might envy. What used to be limited to a few, crude, methods is now a supermarket full of, and an industry devoted to, pseudoscientific methods for behavioral modification.

Why such widespread interest in a subject usually reserved for tyrants and con-artists? The Bible has an answer. It states that once someone has been given the chance to know the truth and rejects it, then he pursues delusional paths until he meets his death. The Greeks were content to waste their time in frivolous pursuit of philosophy; but the moderns demand results. The Greeks did not have the truth until Christ came along and God opened the way to the Gentiles. The moderns have had the truth all these thousands of years and have rejected it in favor of Nietzsche or Marx, who look for a race of supermen. But men have inherent weaknesses that must be bred out of them. So comes to the rescue behavior modification in the form of sly psychological techniques learned from Christian principles and tainted with devilish ambitions.

Most of the modern psychometrics were developed over the centuries by the Church. Once men were educated in the fine arts of manipulation by overzealous priests and popes, then left the fold via new thought, they turned into rabid dogs whose fleas have college degrees. Armed with fatalism, nihilism and materialism, they improved upon manipulation techniques inherited from the church and became the new clergy for the godless masses. Not to be outdone by the secular humanists, and in a cruel twist of fate, the envious church then adapted the new techniques for use in their own religious practice .

Some years ago, a man appeared on the scene who claimed to be able to set people free from sin. His name was Jesus and he claimed to be the Christ, the Messiah, promised in the Jewish religion. He said that behavioral modification consisted of dispensing with the old life and replacing it with a new life. In the sixties and seventies of last century, it became popular to get "born again" through various drugs and dogmas, and this is at the heart of the matter. Men feel that they need to change, but they are so resistant to the truth!

Jesus said something like "Modify your behavior! The kingdom of God is at hand!" Actually, he said "Repent!" To repent is to change one’s ways. But the Bible points out to the Jews that they could turn their skin another color, or remove the spots on leopards, before they could change their evil ways (Jeremiah 13:23). In other words, it was valueless to try.

Then why would God demand it? Then why do men long to modify their behavior so much that they will attend Forum seminars, join cults, spend their life’s earnings on psychiatrists (after the surgeons have modified their bodies)? Why do they fall for so many schemes that rip them off?

Why?

On God’s part, he demands holiness. Men are not holy. Therefore, they have to repent and become holy. On man’s part, he is selfish and knows he is not attractive enough, or smart enough, or rich enough, or healthy enough... or holy enough; hence the need for some adjustment. God offers the required adjustment, but men by and large reject it. It is, as said before, the need for the old life to be done away with and a new life to be given. But, men want their old life and do not want to die and yet their old life is killing them. They refuse the truth and turn to the lie.

"Because," the Bible says, "they refused the simple truth, God sent them a strong delusion so that they would believe a lie, so they could be judged for their wickedness." (2 Thess. 2:11).

God is doing this! Actually, he himself does not delude people. He gives them the truth. For instance, he told the first two human beings not to do something or they would die. He told the truth. But there is one who is only too anxious to deceive, and he is the devil. He tells people things they want to hear. God gives the devil permission to delude people (1 Kings 22:22). The amount of delusion is also determined by God. The devil can’t just decide he’s going to go after someone without checking in with God first (Job 2:6). Maybe we don’t like the kind of God who is in control of things, even things like delusion. That’s because we are deluded. As God has given the devil power to snare people, only God has the power to release them (2 Timothy 2:25-26). The Bible says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of it is death."

The reason things seem right, but are very wrong, is because of sin. The mind of man is prone to the lie and not the truth. Generally speaking of the human race as a whole, a way that seems right is actually a way that is condemned by God. That’s why we need behavior modification. Everyone seems to sense this in some way, or else why would people make New Year’s resolutions, or why are they so anxious to tell you about the wonderful results they had attending the latest ripoff scheme like Scientology? Even though a person says he is satisfied with himself and who he is, we can tell right away this is a convenient lie, just so we won’t know the inner anguish. Those that continuously rebel against God have this deep anxiety within their souls and try everything to conceal it, or if they become desperate, they try to rid themselves of it by behavioral modification.

The child abuser, for instance, may be very actively involved in youth programs and well-liked by the kiddies and the parents. He may be a priest and have the best credentials. Not only does this prove to himself that he is better than the average man around children, but it affords those opportunities he so desperately needs to satisfy his lusts. He tries to modify his behavior, but down deep he is a wicked sinner and his path goes to hell. Or maybe he is a Sunday school teacher (of children, of course). He coaches football (children’s, of course). He is trying real hard to be a pillar of the community. Sometimes, he tries to break free of the child-molestation thing by devoting himself to more adult activities, but in the end, he falls. Maybe the subject of child abuse is repugnant to you and you don’t even want to think about it.

O.K., then what’s your "phobia"? Or how have you been abused? Did someone you trust steal the company’s money and leave you in debt? Or did you do that to someone else? Did you commit adultery against your spouse? Or did your spouse do this to you? How about divorce? Murder? Did you murder someone? How about covetousness? Are you an average Christian American? Then you are probably covetous, and this is idolatry. Instead of modifying your behavior by getting rid of your stuff like Jesus said, you are actively in pursuit of the things of this world and cannot get enough. Your Christian friends invite you to their houses and you are envious of their stuff. You invite them to your house and you are proud of your stuff (or you are ashamed because you can’t keep up with the Joneses). You need some real behavior modification, my friend, because you need to be saved.

The Pharisees were repugnant to Christ because they made the outside of their lives very white, very pure-looking. They were like today’s churchgoer who prides himself in being a cut above the others. More often than not, he is a pastor or a bishop or a deacon or some such authority figure. He is practiced in the things of his religion. Depending on what sect of Christianity he belongs to, he is very adept at fooling others regarding his spiritual position. He surrounds himself with yes-men and they protect him from the truth. They in turn are led astray. They are the blind leading the blind, Jesus said. They are always offended by the truth. These do not need behavior modification; they need to be pointed out as examples of hypocrisy and then they need to be rejected. Paul had to fight these behavior modification experts. See what he had to say in Galatians 6:12 and Colossians 2:23.

If we continue to follow these men (and women), we will certainly have our behaviors modified, but not for the good. These are expert at manipulation. They hold very controlled meetings in which all of the results can be predicted. They isolate troublemakers when necessary and play them videos or give them how-to manuals with lots of paid-for testimonials. As we become convinced of their unproven theories, we fall into the type of behavior so well-loved and well-hated by most men: hypocrisy. We believe that our faith or our love or our meds are accomplishing something. There is a shallow outward effect of conforming to a set of expectations, but there is no experience of God himself. The more we pursue this hypocrisy, the more our friends pat us on the back. We become the Rock Hudson’s of the church actor’s guild. Outwardly we appear the man of God, the gentleman and the attractive role model. Women love us (and men). However, we hate the gospel and we refuse to repent, even though we go endlessly to Christian therapy called "counseling."

Pop religion cannot modify our behavior enough to qualify us for eternal life. There may be some instantaneous results, but they are short-lived (Luke 8:13). In order for us to really modify our behavior, as Christ demands, we must believe him and not the false prophets. We must not follow our own inclinations and think this is the Spirit of God. If we read our Scriptures, then we find that the danger is all around us and nothing to be trifled with (1 Peter 5:8). Our righteousness must surpass the righteousness of the religious hypocrites (Matthew 5:20). If we read the so-called Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5,6,7), we see the behavior modification spelled out.

Stay away from vain psychobabble and futile abstinence schemes, because although they appear to have results, they do not deliver from the bondage of the flesh (Colossians 2:23, 1 Timothy 4:1, Ephesians 4:17, Titus 3:9, 2 Timothy 2:16, 1 Timothy 6:20, etc.).

Peter recommended Paul’s teachings thus: "Consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation - as also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, beware lest you be carried away with the error of lawless men and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." 2 Peter 2:15-18.

Chris Simonson - 11/27/2007

Thanksgiving Day is celebrated by giving thanks for our blessings.

Our national holiday was proclaimed by President Lincoln, whom said,

"They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit ...to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens."

The Pilgrims came over on the Mayflower because they suffered persecutions. Then they suffered hardships in the New World.  They were willing to endure this, because the Church of England had persecuted them back home. They gave thanks to God very well, therefore, not only because He provided food for them, but also had answered their prayers to establish a new government and "a kingdom for Christ" as William Bradford put it.

In America today, we have very little persecution or hardship.  The church can give thanks that they are not persecuted, but this seems a distant problem. We don't even think that God deals with us in anger for our sins. It seems like a distant problem. As Lincoln did, may we praise our beneficent Father who dwells in the heavens, and may we acknowledge our sins before Him.

Chris Simonson - 11/22/2007

Ambiguity & Ambivalence Towards God

The two words, ambiguity and ambivalence, are not far apart in the dictionary.   In fact, an obsolete use of the word `ambiguity´ was to be intellectually uncertain, which is parallel to one use of the word `ambivalence´ (uncertainty of approach, attitude, or action).  I think the two are much related when it comes to the subject of belief in God.

Today´s preaching methods in the Christian church are ambiguous.  A `good´ sermon is one in which the listener feels like he or she got a dose of religion, but doesn´t really have a specific approach, attitude or action to worry about.  The craft of modern sermon-making is very similar to horoscopes that sound specific, but in reality use generalities that the human mind makes specific to his or her situation.  This technique has been used since man figured out how to fool his neighbor by fair-sounding speeches and empty promises.

The true religion of Jesus Christ does not use ambiguities, whether it be prophecies or teachings on morality.  The ambiguous religions use Christian language, but in such a way that they avoid naming names and specific sins.  To name a particular church, Calvary Chapel has mastered the technique.  They come right out and say that we cannot be specific about particular sins, but that we should offer a broad-spectrum sin killer called `love.´

And that´s when the ambiguity comes into full fogginess.   That´s when all the shipwrecks happen, on nice foggy days.  A particular sin, homosexuality, is particularly devastating to personal holiness.  But the new church is unable to judge these things except to judge those who preach against homosexuality, adultery, fornication and other things done in the name of `love.´ 

And that´s when the ambivalence towards God comes into focus.  Ambivalence is a mental condition in which a hatred and love exists simultaneously towards something or someone.  Eventually, the one wins out.  The finality of ambivalence is when a person who is, for instance, a homosexual, professes to love God.  In his or her mind, the love is there, but in reality, they hate the Holy Spirit.  They love filthiness and greed, they are coveters and idolaters, but they swear they love Jesus. 

When the average churchgoer professes the same sort of love, but they love this world, they are ambivalent.  Jesus said, "You cannot love God and mammon.  You will come to love the one and hate the other, or else hate the one and love the other."  That´s pretty specific.

Chris Simonson - 11/21/2007

Here, in the great State of California, the law mandates that in the Construction Trade if any one job exceeds $500, including labor and materials, you must possess a valid Contractor’s License. In fact, you cannot even advertise as a contractor without a State license.

Recently, I heard about a single mother with three children whom had thumbed through a local advertising paper to find a contractor; two of her children were disabled so she wished remodel the home in order to make some accommodations for them. As this mom perused the myriad of contractor ads, she looked for a workman with integrity, honesty and experience, and that’s when she saw it: the universal symbol of said morals, a fish. It was located in the ad of certain local contractor whom was advertising himself to be Christian & licensed.

According to the news report, she set up an initial meeting with this 'christian' contractor and right away; she felt at ease with his charm, his friendly demeanor and his outward devotion to Christianity; he even quoted a few Scriptures to seal the deal.

The work began quickly and the charm did not cease; the homeowner was quite excited and took many pictures in order to give the contractor a before-and-after scrapbook to memorialize the occasion.

What she did not know was that this particular contractor was un-experienced, un-licensed with the State and had sold her an out-of-code bill of goods. From forgetting to install power to an electrical water heater, to installing a plug right next to a spa (not hard-wired in and in violation of safety codes, endangering anyone nearby of electrocution...), they built the room addition too close to the property line and on and on. The mistakes and violations ended up so numerous that the local news media got wind of it and began to run negative stories on fraudulent "christian" this and "christian" that. The homeowner had to re-finance her house three times to pay for all the work, and the additional work needed to fix the mistakes. Like most stories, this one had no happy ending, as the situation remains unresolved.

So, the big question is: is this how we "let our light shine"? In claiming to be a Christian, do we live lives that are fraudulent and contrary to that claim?

Of course, it would be very easy for us to condemn this contractor, thinking all the while to ourselves how proud we are of our own light that shines, for our love to those whom are *ahem* lower down on the ‘church’ scale than us, for our ministries and talents, our communication skills and intellectual integrity, our good, Christian outward works, et cetera...

But, what if everything is actually reversed? If, perhaps God feels about our works the same way that we view this in-experienced shyster of a contractor, weighing us and finding the result wanting?

Is it not worse to stand before the Holy and Righteous God on That Day, finding that l the works you’ve done have been in violation of His Holy law, His Holy Commandments and His Holy call? To find that your "works" were works of iniquity, done unto yourselves and not unto God... and that in pursuing your own ‘righteous’ works, you have rejected Christ.

Such an oversight of the Gospel will cost you your soul and end in eternal damnation.

Their Sound Went Into All The Earth

Isaiah 53:1 "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?"

Christ in His first advent was not recognized as the Messiah by His own, nor did Israel recognize the mighty, incarnate power of God in Him, the Deliverer. Those whom obediently preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, often see the same things today: many hear the Word of God, which tells of Jesus Christ, but they do not take His words to heart. They become stiff-necked, stubbornly rejecting the only way of Salvation and deliverance from Sin.

Christ stands as a beacon of Light to the world, a stumblingblock for Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. However, for us whom believe, the Gospel has the words of life, but for the wicked. they hear the words of death, knowing the end is near.

As Paul said: "And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?" Romans 10:15-16

When we preach, we preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of it's power.

As the Scriptures say: "So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17
The Gospel has been preached throughout the world, but men have rejected it. Therefore, man has no excuse whatsoever.

"But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world." Romans 10:18

Steven - 11/15/2007

Update from Brother Katta in India

Dear Beloved Steven, greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

I am very much glad in the Lord Jesus to write you, thank you very much for your kind prayers and encouragement towards our poor ministry. By the Grace of God and by your fervent prayers we are doing His work faithfully and sincerely.

I and my team brothers are regularly attending to the ministry and conducting cottage prayers, street Gospel meetings, tracts distribution, street Evangelism, Gospel Crusades, helping the poor providing them food and cloths and praying for the sick etc., our vision and burden is Gospel work and help the poor.

                        MINISTRY NEWS OF OCTOBER MONTH 2007

                            1 – Oct – 07 Monday to 5 – Oct – 07 Friday.

During this week I and my team brothers are worked in 3 villages in our district. These villages were very far away people were worshiping idols and some are Muslims. God has given great opportunity to share Word of God by street Evangelism, tracts distribution and street meetings.

We had distributed 1600 Gospel tracts and conducted 3 street meetings at 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm. And prayed for the sick. The Lord’s work went very well.

                            8 – Oct – 07 Monday to 11 – Oct – 07 Thursday.

During this week we visited 3 villages and worked among the Hindus. In these villages we have find one Christian family and they helped us very much to work there. 99% of people here strong Hindus; very hardly we had worked these villages. Every one of this village’s people not willing to preach the Gospel. But by God’s grace we had distributed 1300 tracts and booklets of Book of John and Luke. Through mega phone we cover every street 19 km we walked 33 km went by bicycles. Please kindly for those people.
 
And in this week on 11th God has saved two brothers lives from great accident.

                          15 – Oct – 07 Monday to 19 – Oct – 07 Saturday.

“I urge then first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanks giving be made for every one, for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our savior who wants all men to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth”. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

during this week we conducted Thanks Giving Prayer at our church. It is 3 days all the church members, I and my team brothers Pastors involved in this.

                          22 – Oct – 07 Monday to 27 – Oct – 07 Saturday.

During this week we had done Gospel Outreach work in Krishna District. Really God has helped to reach rural remote villages where even today there is no Gospel.

Almost all people here strong Hindus and Muslims, when we are working people asked number of questions about Gospel. Hearing the Word of God with much interest and God has given to pray for the sick people. 4800 tracts distributed, 642 km traveled, 43 kms walked distributing the tracts and street Evangelism.

This a great Gospel Outreach work, I hope in future able to see Miracles in many remote villages. 
                            29 – Oct – 07 Monday to 31 – Oct – 07 Wednesday.

During this week of 3 days visited church members’ houses and worked local area.
We have much work to do; your kind prayers and encouragement give us much encouragement to go ahead in His work
Please kindly pray for us, we are praying for you and your kind services. Waiting for your kind reply soon.

Yours in His Services
Katta.Edukondalu Pastor - India

Information Gospel Blog - 11/06/2007

Effective Ministry Part 14: On Faith

Recently, I heard a story (quoted in a 'christian' movie I reluctantly watched); this story contained a particular phrase that struck me as interesting. An older man told a younger man a story about two farmers, whom both were experiencing severe drought. They both decided to pray, knowing that only divine intervention would break the dry spell. After they prayed, one farmer went out and prepared his fields for rain. The question was: which farmer believed God was going to send the rain?

Faith is not that complicated. It is a matter of simply believing that what God promises will come to pass and acting accordingly to that promise, in obedience. As the farmer who prayed for rain fully expected that the rain would be sent, he went and prepared his fields to receive it. Likewise our ministries must be based upon Faith, in obedience to God's Word, knowing we may never see the promise God has said, but that it will come to pass, whether in our lifetime or not. We are commanded to obey God's Word despite what our eyes see. This is true faith, and is accounted to the believer as righteousness.

"...These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Hebrews 11:13

Like Abraham, by faith we look for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Steven Styles - 11/05/2007

I´m Sorry!

A child learns early how to fake being sorry for some wrong committed. There are tears with a face whose mouth is all bent down; oh, such sadness. After a few times of being caught faking it, he knows that just plain saying, "I´m sorry!" doesn´t cut it with anyone, so he includes some show of contrition. By puberty kids are pretty adept at faking their parents out, at least most of them. The rest is downhill from there until repentance before God takes place, if it ever does.

It seems the older we get, we lose the tears and the sad face, which is replaced by a smeary smile and philosophical outlook. As a result, we have lots of guilt-ridden people saying "I´m sorry!" and a popular religion that says not to judge them as false. Marriage counselors make good money off this shallow show of remorse without repentance. Pastors and priests accompany them with shouts of "Peace!" or "Grace to the mountains!" but the wound of offense is not healed. 

So, we hear, over and over again, "I´m sorry, I´m sorry, I´m soooorry!"

Now, if my repetition of this phrase begins to wear thin, it should. It should show us not to say we are sorry unless, of course, we are sorry. What does it mean to be sorry? There is the sorrow incurred when we reap what we sow, but that´s not the sorrow that leads to repentance. The good sorrow means to be convinced that what we did was wrong and we hurt someone else. This is sorrow before God. If we say we are sorry, but we think that what we did was really O.K. and the other person just misunderstood our action or our words, or we are superior and just patronizing them, then we are not really sorry, but possibly conceited and stiff-necked. The phrase "I´m sorry!" is a cover-up and we are probably lying.

If we have fallen into the fashionable use of this phrase as a preamble to self-justification (e.g., "I´m sorry, but I was only..."), let us pay more attention to our words and not destroy the meaning of a good phrase.  If we are truly sorry for an offense committed against our brother, then by all means say, "I´m sorry for..." and fill in the rest to specifically address the offense and why we are sorry for having done it. 

Many times, we are told to say, "I´m sorry, please forgive me," which may sound better, but it puts a burden on the person to whom we have offended. What if they don´t want to forgive you?  Is your sorry still a sorry, or is it conditional? Better to just fess up and not make the other person think he should forgive you. Of course, when someone asks for forgiveness from us, we should always forgive them if they are truly sorry.

Chris Simonson - 11/02/2007

Message From a Brother in India

Please pray for Brother Katta in India; their monsoon season is upon them, flooding their small village and causing damage. Below is his email to us, along with several pictures of the floods. Brother Katta preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ to many surrounding villages in his region, leads a small church congregation as well as caring for nine orphans. If you can help him, his family and his ministry please do so; contact him at the ending email for details. Usually Western Union wire transfer works the best, since the funds go directly to him, minus the fee for the transfer. "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matt. 6:31-33) - Steven Styles

Dear beloved brother Steven
Greetings to you in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank you very much for your kind prayers. we are praying fro you and your family and your kind services and your church members familys. Please kindly pray for us.

Last six days’ heavy rains and intered floods. We are suffering to floods effect. Please kindly pray for us. I am very unhappy present time. Govenment giving small support. Please kindly extend your love.

My family and church members are suffering this floods effect. My house and church members houses are small damages. I am awaiting fro your kind reply soon.

My family and church members, orphan children are greet for all

Yours in Christ

Katta Edukondalu
Pastor
India
katta_inf@yahoo.com

11/01/2007