Safe in a Shipwreck

Stay in the Center of God’s Will

One of the most exciting stories in the Bible is in Acts 27. Take a moment to read this amazing story—a story of faith.

We find the Apostle a prisoner of Rome, dispatched to Caesar to appeal his case, as was his right as a Roman citizen. The journey to Rome was most quickly accomplished by ship, usually. A voyage of a few weeks turns into a six-month ordeal.

Even though a prisoner, Paul had access to Julius, the Centurion charged with his delivery to Rome. In verses nine through eleven we read, “Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, and said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.”

Put yourself in the place of the Centurion. On the one hand, you are getting counsel from the ship’s master and owner. On the other hand, the counsel is coming from a prisoner, someone whose incentive might be to delay the journey and therefore delay his judgment for crimes allegedly committed. To whom would you listen?

Paul could be perceived as an annoying guy. When things go poorly, we hear him saying in verse 21, “Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.” I’m quite sure that the sailors were tempted to reenact the story of Jonah by casting Paul into the deep, not caring if a great fish was present or not!

As exciting as this story of danger at sea is to read, that is really just a backdrop for what really thrills my heart. Reading from verse 22, “And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.”

God had ordained for Paul an audience before Caesar, fully confident that Paul would deliver to this ruler of the world the message of God’s supreme authority and an opportunity for salvation. Nothing could stay the movement of God’s hand. As we go through life’s journey in the center of God’s will, we can know that no matter how rough our seas get, God will see that we get to our appointed destination to do the work He before ordained (Ephesians 2:10).

There is no place any safer than the center of God’s will. If that is where you are, then you are safe even in a shipwreck!

A Prisoner of Hope

Everyone knows there is pain in this life.
We've all seen our share of tears,
But I choose to live on the positve side and
I won't be held hostage by fear.

(Chorus) I'm a prisoner of hope,
Bound by my faith, chained to His love,
Locked up in Grace, I'm free to leave, but I'll never go,
I'm wonderfully, willingly, freely a prisoner of hope.

Some people doubt what they don't understand,
But I know what's true in my heart,
Now I can't control what's out of my hands,
But I can lay back in His arms.

I Believe to See

Here is the song that was mentioned a few posts back - Paul Miller sent me the link, and you can even order the sheet music there for a few dollars at http://www.abigailmiller.com/.

Importunate Prayer

Importunate Prayer
Faith Results in the Blessing of the Believer
Article by: Dr. Kevin Folger

Senior Pastor of Cleveland Baptist Church

Without a doubt, one of the greatest blessings of being a born again, child of God is the fact that we have the right to approach the throne room of Heaven with our prayer requests. I am glad there is a God in Heaven who is not too busy to help me with my needs. Too often, though, we do not avail ourselves to the privilege of prayer as we ought; it is easier to worry about our problems and talk to other human beings than to take our needs to the Lord in prayer. Maybe that is because prayer is an exercise of faith.

We cannot see God or see Him work, so we hesitate to pray. We need to learn the discipline of prayer and avail ourselves to the opportunity of fellowship with God. One reason God allows us to face problems is so we can learn to bring our needs and troubles to Him for His touch to fix them.

I have learned that prayer is essential in my life. I have seen God do many wonderful things in direct response to my prayers. Recently, I was facing some trouble and realized that I needed to take definite steps to confront the problem; however, before I responded physically, I needed God to work in the situation. I found myself on my face before Him pleading for His intervention and help. He heard and He did that which only He could do. It was such a blessing, and it was also humbling to watch as God responded to my need.

Luke 18:1 says, “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint.” This parable dealt with a widow who went to see a judge about getting help with a problem she was facing. Her adversary was making her life miserable. We are not told what she was dealing with, but whatever it was necessitated her going to the court of law to get help. The indication is that this judge was not very sympathetic at first; he really was not at all concerned about the problem or doing much to help with the need. This woman, however, was not about to quit asking. I get the impression that every day, when this judge showed up at his place of business, this woman was the first one in line asking for his help. She was obviously not going anywhere until she got what she was after.

Finally, the judge realized that he might as well do what she asked or he was not going to get any rest. He dealt with her problem and the application is clear in verses 6-8, “And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”

The central truth of this parable is that God will help His people, and He does it in direct response to their willingness to pray. God may not answer your prayer immediately. Sometimes it may be a long time in praying. You must keep coming to Him. But mark it down; if the need is legitimate and your heart is burdened, God is at work as you pray. Sooner or later, God will answer that prayer so that you know it is He who has done it.

My thoughts on the King James Bible.

I don’t claim to be a scholar when it comes to the Word of God – but I believe every Word of it. I can’t speak Greek or Hebrew or Aramaic (or any other foreign language for that matter), but I can speak English. I can’t read any language except for English. I’ve never taken any classes or sat through any discipleship courses about the Bible – so I guess technically I am unqualified and ignorant in the scholastic sense of this topic.

I’ve never studied the original texts. I’ve never seen the ancient scrolls. But I’ve read history. I’ve talked to hundreds of people. I’ve heard countless sermons. I’ve prayed many earnest prayers. I’ve asked many, many questions – and I’ve received many, many answers supporting both sides of the issue.

I’ve read about Christian martyrs – both in history and in our present day – people who gave their lives defending and hiding the Bible so that we could have it today. In essence, God used the willing and acceptable sacrifice of their lives to preserve His Word down through the ages.

Who am I to place the King James above the original texts – the inspired, perfect Word of God? Without those texts, we would not have the Bible in the English language at all. God breathed the original Scriptures to men who did not speak English – in fact, they spoke several other languages. One cannot honestly place the King James above the original texts – whether we can find them or not.

Do I condemn or look down on people who use other translations of the Bible? No. It is their choice what they read, study, and meditate on. I prefer a Bible that is complete in doctrine. Do I believe that people can be saved if they use other translations than the KJV? Of course; to say otherwise would be very foolish. Salvation is a faith and grace thing (free gift); not a read and do thing (works-based).

Let me take this opportunity to admit that I have struggled with my position on the Word of God. I have wondered if perhaps I am mistaken for believing that one English translation of God’s Word is superior to all the rest. “Surely, the translators had good intentions…”

But good intentions aren’t enough.

I didn’t understand how one group of people could get it “so right” and another group of people get it “so wrong.” I didn’t understand why one set of translators understood it to mean one thing, while another group got something similar, yet so different out of the same job. I didn’t understand how people could take the ancient texts and derive the NIV, NASB, ESB, the Message, NKJV, the Living Bible, the NLT, and a host of others from it. All containing a similar message, but making seemingly slight changes resulting in changed doctrine. I began to question which one got it right…

That’s when I realized that I was going about this the completely wrong way. I’m not going to understand it all. I’m not going to be able to “reason” it into my mind. It’s a faith issue. By faith, I accept and believe the Bible is God’s inspired, holy, perfect, and preserved Word.

I believe the King James Bible is the preserved Word of God for the English-speaking people. Not for the Spanish; not for the Swedish; not for the Jews… but for the English. I believe my God is big enough to do that for His people. Again, I’m not at all fluent in any language other than English, but even I know that things cannot be translated word-for-word from English to another language. There are going to be differences.

Based on my above statement, many people will label me as one of two things: closed-minded or open-minded. I’ll leave that for you to decide. I’m still figuring it out for myself. So be gentle, I’m still learning… and I have a long way to go.

I’m not brain-washed. I’m not compromising my stand by any means. But I want to know more. I want to be able to give an answer for myself, instead of going about it in the “he said, she said” way. That’s why I continuously study this topic; that’s why I’ll keep reading and learning – because I want to dig deeper and know more than I already do. I know I’ve overlooked several points in this post about the matter – it was intentional. This article was not meant to be an exclusive commentary on the Word of God. This is just scratching the surface – my personal and preliminary thoughts and wonders on the matter.

If you have any articles, books, or links that you could share – feel free to do so over at Grow UP! under the home post. The same goes for any questions or thoughts you wish to share.

God Bless,
Heather Joy
www.growup318.com

No Good Thing

"For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee." Psalm 84:11-12

Are you discouraged? Have you desires and supposed needs that God is not meeting? Are you feeling poor and needy? This verse gives comfort when we think the Lord has abandoned us. We may know he will never leave us, but doubt and sadness can settle into our lives when we feel our needs are not being met. We may see others complaining of what little they have and think to ourselves, "I have half of that!"

Take comfort in Psalms 84. God is good and light - in Him there is no darkness at all. For some reason, He is not giving you what you think you need; but know that the reason is a good reason. Perhaps it would allow something worse to come into your life. Perhaps you need something else more. Perhaps if your unanswered prayer were granted, it would bring some hurt or destruction in the lives of those around you.

The important thing is to just close your eyes, and put your life in His loving, kind and capable hands. Do what you can, and then trust Him to take care of all that you can not change. Be sure you are walking uprightly. Judge yourself of anything in your life that God would be displeased with, and remove it from you. Rebuke your depression, discouragement and faithlessness for what they are. Say the verse out loud, and trust God with your life, as you trusted Him with your eternal soul. "...the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." Amen!

Proud To Be A Fundamentalist Christian

Lately we hear the word ' fundamentalist' being spoken of in a negative light. These days, a fundamentalist Christian is spoken of in almost the same light as a fundamentalist Muslim. In both cases, the adjective is steeped in negativity, suspicion and hatred. We Christians are lumped beside fundamentalists such as the Taliban and nothing could be further from the truth in what we so passionately believe and stand for! So what is a fundamentalist Christian?

To my mind, a fundamentalist Christian is one who believes in the fundamental premise of Christianity: that the Word of God is THE WORD OF GOD. He or she bases all relevant experiences and lifes' walk based on the fundamental belief that if God said it, then that is how it is... or how it came to pass.

I believe in creationism, the seven day creation of the world, the Flood, the virgin birth, the deity and sinlessness of Christ, His atoning and sacrificial death, His resurrection, the supernatural life in the Spirit, and the need for regeneration of our sinful life through repentance and Gods' grace and the Blood of Christ. Fundamentally there is no other way to be saved except through Christ.

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12

I believe that God has given us His Word to show us how to live righteously and well in this present day and that He Who began a good work in us will complete it in the day of Christ Jesus. I believe it is fundamentally essential to being a Christian. My whole life is based on fundamental ideas which are far removed from the fundamentalism spoken of with fear and hatred.

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform [it] until the day of Jesus Christ: Philippians 1:6

The fundamentals of Christian fundamentalism are based on the fruits of the Spirit against which there is no Law. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Because God said that He is Love and the Life and the Truth and the Way, and because I believe that with all my heart, mind and soul, I am proud to be a fundamentalist Christian!

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

Christians are a peculiar people because we are set apart from the world, and we will evoke a certain amount of fear and suspicion in some of the unsaved. This is because they don't understand the fundamentals of our faith. If they did, they could only hasten to become our brethren in Christ and pray that there were more fundamental believers...

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:14

But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 1 Peter 2:9

by Glenys Robyn Hicks of Morning Cuppas With Glenys

Stand Still and See

Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord." --Exodus 14:13

INTRODUCTION:
1. These words contain God's command to the believer when he is reduced to great straits and brought into extraordinary difficulties. He cannot retreat; he cannot go forward; he is shut up on the right hand and on the left; what is he now to do? The Master's word to him is, "Stand still." It will be well for him if at such times he listens only to his Master's word, for other and evil advisers come with their suggestions.

2. DESPAIR whispers, "Lie down and die; give it all up." But God would have us put on a cheerful courage, and even in our worst times, rejoice in His love and faithfulness.

3. COWARDICE says, "Retreat; go back to the worldling's way of action; you cannot play the Christian's part, it is too difficult. Relinquish your principles." But, however much Satan may urge this course upon you, you cannot follow it if you are a child of God. His divine fiat has bid thee go from strength to strength, and so thou shalt, and neither death nor hell shall turn thee from thy course. What, if for a while thou art called to stand still, yet this is but to renew thy strength for some greater advance in due time.

4. PRECIPITANCY cries, "do something. Stir yourself; to stand still and wait, is sheer idleness." We must be doing something at once--we must do it so we think--instead of looking to the Lord, who will not only do something but will do everything.

6. PRESUMPTION boasts, "If the sea be before you, march into it and expect a miracle."

CONCLUSION:
But FAITH listens neither to Presumption, nor to Despair, nor to Cowardice, nor to Precipitancy, but it hears God say, "Stand still," and immovable as a rock it stands. "Stand still";--keep the posture of an upright man, ready for action, expecting further orders, cheerfully and patiently awaiting the directing voice; and it will not be long ere God shall say to you, as distinctly as Moses said it to the people of Israel, "Go forward."

Proverbs 3:5-7 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. - Cesar E. Rodriguez

A Letter To Mothers Of Prodigals

Chris commented on my ability to talk about my son being a prodigal- he said he wouldn't tell anyone if his son was. But I just told him that I only tell people I know will pray and can accept that we all are sinners in need of God's grace.

Yes, sometimes I feel ashamed of the things my son does, but I still love him and I am not ashamed to ask for prayer. I know that Christ died for him as well as me and there is no condemnation for him or me as the mother of a prodigal, because I am in Christ and He knows how hard I tried to bring him up unto the LORD.

So, dear hurting mother, don’t let shame get in the way of the LORD continuing a good work in your life, but learn to trust in Him and be comforted by Him during your trials. Continue your own walk in the faith. By so doing, you will not give the Evil One another advantage: you losing your faith and witness as well as your child.... however temporary or permanent that may turn out to be.

I don't mean to sound like I "have it all" or "have arrived"- the LORD knows, I don't- and I don't know it all either..I am just sharing some thoughts that have helped me in the difficult times in my life as the mother of a prodigal.

Also, just as a by the by... I don't run up to the cashier at Safeway and tell her my life story either. It's a personal matter best kept amongst Christian family who will pray.. so let’s pray for each other as we wait on the LORD to bring our prodigals back home!

[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:1 (posted with permission from Morning Cuppas with Glenys)

Added a New Music Player to IFB KJV

I have had this player on my personal blog for a while, and I don't like to put music on the main page of a blog for a number of reasons. Some ppl are trying to get the babies to sleep and suddenly without warning, click on a blog and music starts! Some ppl are listening to their own music already, or listening to an online Christian radio station. And some ppl (me!) have very old computers and music just about causes a crash - especially if you somehow get two players started!

However, now I figured out how to add different pages to Blogger! It took me long enough, yes? So, those are the links at the top of the page just below the heading...now you can enjoy the music if you want....or ignore it if you want. These songs have all meant so much to me. My family has gone through a rough battle this past year, and while we are starting to emerge from it, there are still skirmishes to fight. Every time I have this player going though, it helps my faith and keeps me focused on God as we all heal. Some of the songs relate to certain battles we have fought, and listening to them reminds me of what God has done there. I hope you find some enjoyment in them as well.

God turned the curse into a blessing unto you

http://billthereasoner.blogspot.com/2009/08/god-turned-curse-into-blessing-unto-you.html

So says Deuteronomy 23:5 (later quoted in Nehemiah 13:2). The fact is, we desperately need to know somebody is on our team. I have watched those who "sorrow as though there is no hope", and I must tell you that I am glad to be one of His.

Gainsayers and critics abound. "Has beens" and "would've beens" are not content to forsake their past apathies and move on...they must also believe that you will not be blessed. They may even whisper words of cheer when they watch you fall. Those of your own household; those of another; they may all watch with anticipation to see if their doubts and "curses" of you will come true.

"What shall we then say to these things?" Shall we despair? Shall we think for even a nanosecond that our God has turned His back upon those that are His? Nay! For He did this once upon my Substitute. There is not a reason for His back to be towards me. Should we expect His hand of blessing to turn into a hand of chastisement. Again, the penitent man or woman finds no reason for a grudging Father.

O you have stumbled upon this blog--may you find an ever merciful God Who is not willing that any of His should be lost! Will you seek to be one of His? Will you not trust the once-bleeding hands of the Savior which were nailed to an altar for your sins?

Believer, will you not realize afresh and anew that all of the promises of God are "Yes" and "Amen" in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20)? Will we not rest in His work, His promise, His presence?

There is no better time to bow the knee.

Daniel 3

“He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” (v. 25)

In Daniel three, we have one of the more interesting Bible stories in the entire Bible. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace, they had a unique experience; they had the privilege of walking with Jesus! Had they not went through the fire, they never would have had the experience of meeting Christ face to face. What a wonderful Truth for us to consider. I have found that, until I entered the fire, I too did not really get to know Christ and to meet with him face to face. We need these fiery afflictions in our lives; they give us strength; they afford us victory; they grant us privilege. These three went into the fire as three Jewish servants, and came out as true men of renown, mighty in the faith. They too had gained the respect of the king. That’s the difference the fire made. It turns the mediocre into the outstanding, and the normal into the spectacular.

Another interesting fact that we must not overlook is that, though there were four men, loose and walking around, only three came back out! Christ is still there, in the fire, ready to meet us when we enter into its midst. Are you going through a fiery trail in your life? If so, prepare to meet the Lord there! He’s there, waiting for you, but first you need to enter in, or you will not see Him, as these three didn’t until they entered the fire. Yes, there is fear involved, that is expected, because we are flesh, but oh the joy of knowing that Christ is there with us, and we shall walk together, unharmed. How hardly we enter into the kingdom of God without suffering some sort of affliction or persecution, and how weak and beggarly we are without it. Let us face the trials as these men did, and perhaps, by the grace of God, we too will attain to their level, and become one of God’s mighty men. These men came out unscathed by the fire, and untainted by the smoke, and had gotten the victory because they had trusted in the same God that Daniel trusted in.

Lastly, notice that Nebuchadnezzar recognized the “fourth man” as the Son of God! How could he have known? Only be revelation; only God can make Himself known unto man. It doesn’t matter if it is a king, a pauper, or a slave, God can reveal Himself to anyone. He reveals Himself today to His church, but in a different way. We see Him today in the Bible, and He is revealed as the pages turn and our hearts are awakened to His presence there. Some of the boldest and most acclaimed professions of faith are made in the third chapter of Daniel.

Praying for the Lost

Scripture: Romans 10:1-3, 9-13

1. Pray specifically and with focus

* Burden and desire

* Without ceasing

2. Pray with facts

* Being religious isn’t salvation

* 1,2,3 repeat after me isn’t salvation (don’t miss Heaven by 18 inches)

3. Pray with faith

HE WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT, TODAY IS THE ACCEPTED DAY OF SALVATION

Three Voices

If we listen carefully to those around us, we will learn to distinguish three voices, or influences, which direct the thinking, attitudes and actions of us all. We can hear them at our work, in our homes, and in the quietness of our moments alone.

Fear (the first voice) disguises itself as “being safe,” as “practical,” “conservative,” “cautious,” or “reasonable.” Look for the motive behind the disguise.

Fear is a demanding master, never able to be satisfied. It disdains any voice but its own.

Fantasy (the second voice) disguises itself as “visionary,” as “progressive,” “imaginative,” or “creative.” Look for the motive behind the disguise.

Fantasy is a demanding master, never able to be satisfied. It, too, disdains any voice but its own. Both of these voices claim to be spiritual and wise. But both of these voices reveal an obsession with personal agendas. Both demand that all others see things from their perspective. Both deny that God may have a desirable goal beyond their view.

Faith is the third voice.

Faith reminds us that this is God’s world, that He is always with us, that He works with us and in spite of us, and that He will complete the wonderful work He began in spite of what it may look like to us today!

Faith lives based on what God has done and said.

And Faith lives in trust that God does break into our situations with power and resources and vision and peace beyond what we can presently imagine! All three voices will call to you today.

Only Faith offers life. May we govern our personal decisions through the voice of Faith.