Waiting

 "But you will receive power when The Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

Amen! Our daily focus for all in Christ. Note that Jesus said this in context to the disciples asking about the times and dates God has set for establishing His kingdom. As we know from Matthew 24:36, no man knows the day or hour of Christ's return. And Jesus says here in Acts again that it's not for us to know that. Instead, what we are to do is to be His witnesses everywhere we go throughout the earth. And while we are faithful in doing that, we can certainly look forward to the day of His glorious return as we pray with John, "Come quickly, Lord Jesus!" :-)

    If I'm honest, sometimes I still have a mixture of anticipation on some days and trepidation on others. I think that's due to my own struggles I've had over the years with assurance of salvation, as well as a desire to see more goals accomplished in life here before that Day comes. And there is also the weight of knowing that so many still need to hear The Gospel and are still separated from God's love and bound to an eternity in Hell.

    As a coworker reminded me though, when Jesus comes and His kingdom is fully established on earth as it is in Heaven, those of us in Christ will experience life better than we could ever imagine! To think of a life free from sin, death, illness, violence, crime, pain and suffering- that's amazing! And that was a hopeful and helpful reminder to me. I know by my confession of faith in Jesus' death and Resurrection to pay for all my sins and my confession of Jesus Christ as Lord of all, I know my life is in Him and He is in my heart. 

And I trust by that faith that I will be with Him forever and His kingdom is so much infinitely better than any Earthly one. Heaven is infinitely better than Earth!

And Jesus is infinitely better than anything else I desire. Whether my earthly dreams and desires are fulfilled or not, God's thoughts and plans for me are infinitely higher and better than my own and I trust Him!

   So as I pray that He will find me to be the wise servant living in anticipation of His arrival, I strive to live each day for His glory in acknowledgement of the surety of His coming in His time. I want to want Jesus and nothing else. Lord, dispel my fears and bind my wandering heart to Thee! May I live each day for Your glory and do all You've called me to do. Thank You for Your promise to return and set everything right. I look forward to the day when everything sad will be made untrue. Help me to find all my joy and fulfillment in You and to do the good works You made to do for Your glory, that many others may come to know You and Your love for them in the time that is left. Whether Your second coming is in my lifetime or not, I join the earth in groaning for the renewal You will bring and I look to be used as an agent of change today to show the world what the kingdom of love and light looks like. Lord Jesus, shine through me and use me however You see fit. Forgive and cleanse me of all my sins and help me to keep living with eternity in mind each day. Please find me faithful when You come. :-)

Biblical Sexual Purity Culture

 (Note: This is in response to a critique of what is referred to as "purity culture", posted on this blog.  

I can appreciate the points made and I do think the church needs to consider how best to Biblically address the issue of sexuality, especially with youth groups.)

Interesting blog post. I think the main problem there is that so much of what Is described as "purity culture" is not Biblical. If a church is teaching these things, then it needs to repent and correct its teaching.

To address them one by one:

1. Women are responsible for their sexual sin and men are responsible for their sexual sin.

It is worth noting that Romans 14 does warn about being a stumbling block for others and thus, it is worth considering that factor in the way we dress, along with everything else. 1 Peter 3 speaks to this point for women. Both men and women should be cognizant of how our dress- and everything else we say or do- can either turn someone towards Christ or repel them.

2. Neither women nor men should feel shame about their bodies. We both cover up appropriately according to the Spirit's leading out of love, both for our own bodies and for other people. It should not be a shame-based thing.

3. Both men and women have sexual desire (for the most part- I recognize that some identify as asexual and honestly have no libido). Both men and women are sinners. This is why both fail to control their sexual urges at times. Men are equally prone to be deceived as are women. Sexual desire is not the sin- lust is, along with sexual abuse, and sexual relations outside of the marriage of one man to one woman for life.

We all struggle with sin- and that's why we all need Christ.

4. Every single girl, boy, man and woman Is eternally valuable and loved by God because we are all made in His image. Women are more than just their sexuality, as are men. Our worth is found in Christ, not in our virginity. If a man or woman has fallen into sin with pre- or extra- marital sex, that value has not changed one iota. They are not damaged goods. They are sinners who are still eternally valuable. And Christ restores us when we come to Him in repentance. We must find our value and worth in Him. And because we love Him, we will obey His commands.

5. I'm not sure what this has to do with anything. I am pretty sure I can safely say, for the most part, men and women both enjoy sex equally. I am pretty sure most people find sex to be fun. I am also bewildered that women are evidently not familiar with their anatomy. It would seem to be a failing on the part of biology instruction in schools. Both men and women should have a basic understanding of human anatomy.

6. If men and women have sex before marriage, yes- many things can go wrong. Thankfully, God is still willing to forgive us when we come to Him in repentance. This sexual sin does not ruin one's entire life forever. God can still bring restoration and forgiveness. The lives of those who fall to this sin are still infinitely important and valuable.

7. There is no difference between sexual abuse and sex before marriage in the sense that both are sins. That aside, of course there's a difference between these acts. Consent should certainly be in place before any sex act and it should come in the form of a two word phrase that both man and woman repeat before man and God- "I do". (And yes, even within the context of marriage, the husband and wife should have each other's consent before engaging in coitus. Your spouse is not your sex toy.)

If a woman is raped, then the man is guilty of rape. The woman is not guilty of pre-marital sex here. The Bible speaks to this point in Deuteronomy 22.

I agree that these teachings can and have been used to marginalize and subjugate women. This is not right.

The church needs to teach Biblical teachings on sexual purity and encourage love and respect for all people. There is no male or female in Christ- we are all one in Him. (Galatians 3:26)

From Heaven in Prophetic Dreams (song)

 It's funny how we attach people with certain things in our minds. We do this with a lot of things too. There are some one-hit wonder bands out there that are always known for that one main song. They may actually have had other hits too but they will never be bigger than their one huge, worldwide hit. (For example, try to name a song by Rick Dees and his Cast of Idiots besides "Disco Duck".) The same happens with actors and actresses who get associated with a major role. No matter what else they do, everyone will always know them for that role. (For example of this- Christopher Reeve as Superman.) This happens sometimes with people we've heard about in The Bible too. We've all heard about Daniel in the lion's den in Sunday School. And we've probably heard about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego facing the fiery furnace too. And maybe we only know Daniel for his special diet and interpreting the writing on the wall and the king being made like a beast for a time before repenting. All those events only make up the first half of the book though! There are a lot of prophetic dreams and visions Daniel gets in the latter half of the book that we don't always hear as much about. Sometimes they can even be a bit hard and scary to read them. We need to read them and understand them though because all of God's Word is important and useful for teaching, instructing and rebuking- and we need to fill up on all of it, okay? This song does mention some of the more famous things Daniel's known for but it focuses in more on the messages he got from Heaven in prophetic dreams.

"From Heaven in Prophetic Dreams" (parody of "Together in Electric Dreams" by Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 7/17/2020)
(the book of Daniel, Jeremiah 25, Matthew 24)

You only know Dan for a diet
Served Nebuchadnezzar's court
Telling his dreams- promoted
Friends won't bow- face flames (Christ preincarnate saves)
Palace to barnyard- king recognized
God rules as the Most High
Angelic tweet
Lions won't eat their prey
Yeshua- The Lord saves! (God always wins)
You ought to read next chapters
However hard it seems (From 7 to end)
Daniel and/or Belteshazzar
From Heaven gets prophetic dreams
Beasts- 4- first vision- that's explained
The Ancient of Days reigns
Shown next there's a ram and goat
Gabriel defines it's about end times
(Time to read Jeremiah)
Humble, confessing Daniel prays
Receives knowledge from Gabe
Then shown shiny guy
Daniel's terrified- he closed his eyes
(Loved one, now stand)
Angel says he's been held up
By Persia prince- Mike's on scene (God's angel's sent)
There's all these kings in days latter
A Southern and a Northern king
They'll align kingdoms together
However, falls- breaking
(Alliance ends)
Abomination desolate there
South and North- both kingdoms left fighting
Michael, rise- angel of Heaven
Now there's trouble, worst seen
(God's peeps delivered)
Well, all names in book written
Forever life or contempting
Daniel, you seal book for now
Knowledge runs far- increased
(How long 'til the end?)
Daniel's 70th. week
Shout out there- Matt. 24:15

All Through Jesus' Rule (song)

 C.S. Lewis said in his classic "The Screwtape Letters" book that there are two errors people fall into about the devils. One is to disbelieve in them and the other is to believe in them with an unhealthy interest and obsession. The devil and his demons are equally pleased with both errors. Thus, it's important to maintain the right balance in our view of the spiritual battle that we are all in as followers of Christ. As Ephesians 6:12 tells us, we wrestle not with flesh and blood but with spirits, forces and powers in the heavenly realms! We don't have to be scared of them though and we don't have to let them push us around. Jesus empowers us to resist the devil and his demons. Through the power of Jesus' Name, we can even command demons to obey in Christ's Name. We need to be aware of the battle going on around us and be brave and bold in standing strong with the full armour of God on us. We only need faith the size of a mustard seed in Jesus to tell a mountain to jump into the sea- and it will be done! Stand strong in faith in Jesus. Do your devo in 1 John 4:4 and you'll find that the One who is in us is greater than the one in the world. He has won the victory!

"All Through Jesus' Rule" (parody of "Through Being Cool" by Devo; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 7/15/2020)
(1 John 4:4, Revelation 20:10, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, 2 Corinthians 10:1-6, Mark 16:14-20, Matthew 12:22-32, Matthew 12:43-45, Matthew 17:14-21, Luke 11:14-26, Luke 10:17-20, Romans 16:20, Ephesians 6:10-20, 2 Timothy 1:7)

We're through being cool
We're through playing cool
Eliminate the lily-livered bits
You wanna barge ahead?
We're gonna need Jesus!
Christ will show those evil spirits He's God
When one leaves from a fallen house
Returns, brings in seven more too
Want these parasites to be cast out?
Matt. 12- it declares- Look through 29
Luke too- 11 find
Plan strong man to bind first- by Jesus!
Time to clean some house!
Indeed plunder the house!
Waste then is laid to a divided house!

Even if you lack big faith
Only factor's in Whom it's found
Faith of mustard seed-sized grain
Throws mountains all around

Even if you lack big faith
Mighty plants form from seeds now
Faith of mustard seed-sized grain
Throws mountains all around

Corinthians, 2
Look to 12:10, dude
Depend of Grace- Power perfected in weakness
Lord, the demons obey!
We can tread on snakes!
Rejoice that Christ picked our souls to be saved

6 Ephesians- as Paul found,
The fight's unseen- in Heavenly realms
Like Alien, chests that burst out
They're there in the air

We're through being fooled
We're through being tools
2 (Two) Timothy 1:7 verse it says
We're not fear-imbued
Accrued Spirit's tools
Power, love, self-driving through Jesus
Trust Him!
Stand firm! Jesus rules!
We're fueled by Him too!

Vine Song (song)

 Confrontations come so often in life and oftentimes they leave us responding in a totally unloving way. We hear someone challenge us on something and we just can't seem to control ourselves. "Them's fighting words!" the refrain goes. We try to flatten the curve of the vicious barbs we let loose, but it's too late after the words are spoken. In James 3, The Bible talks about the vast destruction a small part of the body can bring- the poisonous tongue that sets forests ablaze. Yet the same mouth is praising God one minute and then cursing brothers and sisters the next! That should not be so. What's the cure? Stay in the Vine. He who abides in Jesus and He in them will bear much fruit. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. We have to stay in Christ and lean on Him for strength to have the victory in the battle over not only controlling our tongue but the rest of our bodies as well, so that everything we say and do is for His glory.

"Vine Song" (parody of "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten; copyright by Nathan Ludwick 7/6/2020)
(James 3, John 15:1-17 [particularly verse 5], Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25, Philippians 4:13)

Like a small helm
On the ocean
Sending ships large
Into motion
Like with a single word
Of great things tongue's boasting
Just like (it) only takes one match
To set ablaze forest with poison

Wish all bad things I wouldn't say
Wrecking balls in life- 3 James
God will screen them out if I
Will adhere to His voice through Christ

(Chorus 1)
This is my Vine song
Make branch abide song
Through 15:5 John
Christ's power's turned on
Stay in Christ now 'cause He's strong
I'm weak; my Vine's strong
If He don't see fruit bear, it's to the fire-
(the) rest He leaves
'Cause it thrills God- shows Christ's disciples to be

Pruning buds- God is shaping me
I'm abiding and He abides in me
John 15
Says I'm fruit-bearing (all through Jesus)
There's nothing I do; Jesus my Lord
Does the entire working- I'm anchored
He's in me
Yeah, I'm in Jesus
And all good things I'll get in faith
Seventh verse- abide and pray
In all things, God's glorified
He will steer word choice this time

(Repeat Chorus 1)

And God through Christ strengthens me!
Christ has calmed boats
And His bros, son
When He bid waves,
wind- "Cease motion"
Right now my sinful words
Just break His heart- so then
My might's always badly outmatched
But Christ can make right words flow then

(Chorus 2)
This is Christ's fight, son
Make branch abide, God
Through 15:5 John
Christ's power's turned on
Stay in Christ now 'cause He's strong
I'm weak; my Vine's strong
If He don't see fruit bear, it's to the fire-
(the) rest He leaves
'Cause it thrills God- shows Christ's disciples to be

4:13 Phil.- Go through all when Christ strengthens me.