What is Your Testimony?

My husband's Testimony -July13th, 2013

I used to think I had one of those “regular ordinary salvation stories.”  I was 10, at church camp, and the preacher said to everyone, “If you don’t want to go to hell when you die, you must be saved.  Come on up to the front and we’ll show you how to do it!”  So with some hesitation…I did.  I went to the front where some man took me and a few other kids to the side and asked us if we “believed Jesus was the Son of God?”…yes.   “Did Jesus get crucified on the cross for our sins?”…yes, “die?”…yes, and “was three days later raised from the grave?”…yes.  “Do you want to go to hell?”…ye…err…no.  “Great, repeat this prayer after me and ask Jesus into your heart”.  Whew, I was saved.  I didn’t feel any different except I was glad I had stamped my ticket to heaven.   Now all that was left was to live a good Christian life and be good…I can do that, right? I mean, after all everyone is a sinner, so if I sin it’s ok.  I’ve got Jesus in my heart …he’ll forgive me…right?  Time to get baptized! 

Fast forward 24 years later.  I’ve married a beautiful Godly woman who was saved a few years back, we have an incredible daughter.  I have a job that pays the bills which allows my wife to stay home.  I try to be a good husband and good father.  I try to be a good manager at work, a good server at church and still working on trying to be a good Christian.  All the things I’m supposed to be doing.  Everything was going smooth until one day my wife asked me what my testimony was.  I told her, “I may or may not have been saved back when I was 10 at church camp.”  She refused to accept that answer and persisted until I gave her… “In case I wasn’t, I’ve repeated the process about 400 times in the last 24 years just to make sure.”  To which she again refused to accept that answer and persisted until I gave her…  “I think it truly happened sometime about a year and a half ago when I prayed again and asked God to give me comfort if I were truly saved.  I was comforted.”  She finally responded with, “So when did you get saved?”  “I don’t know…but I know I’m saved.  I believe everything I’m supposed to, I’ve asked Jesus into my heart, I’ve even repented.”  I’m going to stop right now to tell you a little about my wife.  I love her more than anything.  She has the spiritual gift of prophecy.  That doesn’t mean she can tell the future.  Although sometimes I think she can.  A prophet’s basic motivational drive is to apply the Word of God to a situation so that sin is exposed, which basically means she can (and has) call me out over every bit of BS I’ve ever tried to lay at her feet since we’ve met.  It’s been surprisingly good for our marriage.  So my wife asked me, “What does repent mean to you?”  That’s easy, bible 101 easy, “to turn away from sin!”  Her response, “I’ll pray for you.”  What does that mean?  She doesn’t think I’m saved?  I mean my wife is usually right about everything…maybe this is the one exception to that…it can’t be.  I know I’m saved.  I’ll prove it to her.  I prayed that God would show me how to show someone I’m saved.  This is where I’ll caution you to be careful what you pray for, you just might get it.

I started researching what the steps are to get saved.  I wanted to show her I’ve got a check mark in each box.  So I searched in the bible…no check-list, on google…no check-list, I listened to sermons…no check-list.  Somebody’s got to have a check-list so I can prove that I’m saved.    During this time we repeated the above conversation another five or six times.  Each time I was more determined to prove that I got saved. 

How did I get saved?  How did I get saved?  I was sitting in my office at work on June 26^th 2013 asking myself this question.  All those years in the church listening to sermons, all the books I’ve read all the head knowledge I have and I couldn’t come up with the answer to the most important question each person has to ask themself.  I was broken.  The weight of everything I had been working on crashed down on me.  I wasn’t being a good husband, father, boss, server and definitely not a good Christian.  I was confused.  I was a hypocrite.  I couldn’t do it anymore.  I just couldn’t do it.  Then I felt the answer.  I was right.  I couldn’t do it.  I can’t get saved, I can’t make myself a good husband or father or anything else for that matter.  I was done.  I quit.  I can’t save myself.  Only God can.  Right there I cried out to God for help.  He needed to do a work in me, because I couldn’t.  I gave up 34 years of pride that I could do it myself.  I asked for forgiveness and God gave it to me.  Then I waited.  I sought after God and I waited.   Matthew 7:7 says, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:”  I asked, I sought and I knocked, waiting for God to open up salvation for me.  Over the next week and a half God kept hitting me with His word.  Right between the eyes, everyone I spoke to, every sermon I heard, ever bit of scripture I read was a knock up side my head and a tug at my heart.  “Continue to seek me it said…have faith.”  What is faith?  I’ve spent my whole life hearing the verse in Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not that of yourselves:” but I’ve always missed the last six words, “it is the gift of God.”  It is a gift of God that saves me, by grace through faith.  Ok, so how do you get faith?  Romans 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  What exactly is faith?  It took a work of God for me to get a meeting with John (our pastor’s son, pastor himself and missionary whom God has called him, his wife and their 8 children to Zambia, Africa) in his one free hour during the last 5 months.  As we sat in the front pew of the church between services I told John everything I’ve just previously said.  Then he asked what faith was to me.  If you are saved by grace through faith…what is faith?  I answered, “It’s a feeling inside.”  Then he smiled, stood up and explained this to me.  “Imagine your child is a few steps above you.  She looks at your with a big smile and her arms stretched out wide.  You tell her to jump, you’ll catch her.  So she does…and you do.”  She has to have faith that you will catch her.  It’s nothing magical, it’s not this strange little feeling she gets inside.  It’s her believing 100%, not just in her head (she knows logically I will catch her) but in her heart (she has to trust it too) that I will catch her…It’s me not just believing in my head…but also trusting in my heart that everything I hear in the Word of God is true.  Peter describes it best in 2Peter 1:16-19 where he talks about not only walking with, talking to and touching a living breathing real Jesus, but also twice hearing the voice of the almighty God Himself.  First at the baptism of Jesus and then on the holy mount during the transfiguration, that we “have a more sure word of prophecy”.  More than Peter relying on his eyes, his ears or some gut feeling…He’s telling us that faith, belief and trust, comes through hearing the Word of God... the Bible.  Half way through John’s explanation of faith, the moment I understood it, everything fell into place.  I had the overwhelming feeling of peace and comfort.  All of my head knowledge, 24 years of studying and listening and learning… moved to my heart.  It was a work of the Holy Spirit filling me.  I was saved.

That old church camp preacher was half right.  “If you don’t want to go to hell when you die, you must be saved!”  But the problem is he was half wrong as well.  Satan has no problem using a half-truth to get to you…because he knows that a half-truth is still a whole lie.  There is no check-list to get saved…no special formula.  Just turn away from your flesh, repent and turn to God.  It sounds easy enough…so easy I can’t count the number of times I’ve done it.  It really is easy, though…you just have to want it.  Really, really want it.  You have to want it so bad that you throw yourself at the feet of God your face to the ground and beg Him to do it.  And the awesome part is; if you do…He will be faithful.

That’s my testimony.  The reality is that I thought I had an ordinary story, but there is no ordinary story…God’s power is in each redemption and a supernatural rebirth can never be ordinary. After all…it’s all for His glory.  I am so grateful for God’s patience and His omniscient ability to know just what everyone needs at the exact right time.  Now, it’s time to get baptized!


Are you sure you're saved?
How sure?
What's your testimony?

 

What The Cross of Christ Really Means

 

As I new believer I desired to know all there was to know about this good news I had just discovered and become the beneficiary of...this gospel...this cross...this salvation.  Paul Washer brings a depth of understanding to the subject like I have never heard.  I am grateful for the clarity God has given through these sermons. I pray they are a blessing to you as well:

Understanding the Curse

 

Understanding the Gospel

Betrothal: A Better Way

I wish I had a copy of this documentary to share with every young person I know!  It is the story of a couple who did it right. Who found a different way...a better way.  They followed the biblical model of marriage and took their covenant seriously as it was designed to be honored.  What a beautiful example of Christ's love and commitment to His Bride, the church. 
 You are going to want a copy of this to share with your sons and daughters - BEFORE they get lost in the dating game. 
Just click on the photo for a link to the website to purchase a copy!!

A Challenge for Truth - A Search For Reverence

 

I have watched 3 episodes of The Bible (on the History channel) and one scene stands apart from the rest:  A yielded man kneeling before his god, head bowed.  A reverent prayer spoken in faith. Who is this old testament hero – a picture of reverence and devotion?  Not Moses, Abraham, or David.  It is a Philistine praying to Dagon, a pagan idol.  And according to the script, his god delivers.

And so I think, If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom than The Bible Mini-series on the History channel is the beginning of foolishness.   There is something drastically absent from this wicked collection of fables: truth.  It is a story turned and twisted...and told without the main character.   An omission of God's presence, His power, and any scrap of reverence for His existence. 

Reverence toward God is essential in building a foundational understanding of His nature.  Satan knows this.  Without proper reverence (and a healthy fear) we cannot truly understand our position against a Holy God.  Now, we know that reverence in any form reveals an esteem that is foreign (and mostly offensive) to this lawless generation...especially toward an unseen authority.   This $22 million dollar compromise is evidence of that.   And for most, (sadly) it will be enough to see a godless tale of broken heroes and powerless victories.   But, for those interested in the truth, here is a challenge:

  This (incomplete) list from the first 3 episodes of The Bible mini-series catalogs missed opportunities to reveal reverence toward God.  In some cases it was removed all together and in others, replaced with arrogant, human-centered banter.  Please click the links beside each point and read God’s Holy Word for yourself.  Compare notes and make the judgement: was this an intentional attack on an ignorant audience, or a few minor errors by well-meaning tv producers?  Either way, don't be another victim of the devil's devices. 

Were “wrong choices and wrong decisions." really the reason for the flood? (FIND OUT HERE)

Did Abraham really feel guilty for “convincing Lot to come” on his random excursion? (FIND OUT HERE)

When Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son, did he really yell, “haven’t I shown you enough faith?!” (FIND OUT HERE)

Did Abraham arrogantly confront Jesus about Sodom and demand justice? (FIND OUT HERE)

Did Isaac really fight his father, hold a grudge against him, and run to Mommy for protection? (FIND OUT HERE)

Did Moses really stare into the burning bush and asks the mysterious voice, “you’re real?” (FIND OUT HERE)

Did Moses really approach the pharaoh on his own authority and demand, “Let MY people go” (FIND OUT HERE)

Did the Pharaoh really blame Moses for the plagues and make no appeal about God’s involvement? (FIND OUT HERE)

Did Moses really lead the people across the desert with no protection or guidance? (FIND OUT HERE)

Did the 10 commandments really shake loose from a mountain side? (FIND OUT HERE)

Did Joshua really pray to the The Ark of the Covenant, while sitting in the shade under a small awning? (FIND OUT HERE)

Did Joshua chat casually with the visitor with the sword? (FIND OUT HERE)

Did Saul really believe that he "served faithfully and yet is seems it is not enough." Did he demand a response, shouting, "God! Do you hear your servant?” (FIND OUT HERE)

Did Nathan tell David “God will take your son.” And did David really reply,“We shall see!” ? (FIND OUT HERE)

Did Daniel’s friends really chant in a meditative stance while being lit on fire by Nebachenezzer? (FIND OUT HERE)

Did Daniel really pray standing in a meditative stance? (FIND OUT HERE)

Did John the Baptist  really arrive on the scene without a formal introduction? (FIND OUT HERE)

Was Jesus really baptized without the arrival of the Holy spirit or the approval of the Father? (FIND OUT HERE)

Did Jesus really answer Satan with off-the-cuff remarks when tempted in the desert? (FIND OUT HERE)

 

I am still compiling a list for episodes 4 and 5. If you have any contributions to this one, please let me know, so I can add them in!

Choosing a Side: The Hollywood Bible or the Holy Bible

I know what some of you were thinking when you saw The Bible mini-series on the History Channel: “Our God…and His Holy Word are being presented to an eager audience (of millions).  What an amazing opportunity to spread the gospel. Surely, eyes will see, ears will hear, and hearts will turn!”   And yet, I see no cause to rejoice.  This series is not the great revival we are all praying for.  It is a ravenous wolf cloaked in wool. 

As millions of eager viewers keep up with the weekly episodes, eyes will see a god void of his holy character, just nature, and majesty… being depicted as arbitrary, absent, and apathetic toward his people.  Ears will hear of a god that has been reduced to a secondary character in a man-centered plot.  And hearts will be turned to men who have been named heroes, stories that have been twisted to neglect reverence and truth, and so far away from Our God…and His Holy Word. This should grieve the heart of Christ’s church.  This should cause us to stand up for the truth of God.  It should lead us to rebuke those who bear false witness against our Lord with cunningly devised fables and CGI graven images, who take up the Lord’s name (and the title “The Bible”) in vain! This shameless heresy should spark the great revival we are all praying for.

But instead, I have read the promotions from AIG, ChristianPost, and Christianitytoday. I have read the blogs, articles, posts, and comments by “fellow Christians” who have acknowledged the series’ tendency toward “minor discrepancies”, “subtle script variations”, and the “omission of truth” within their curiously glowing reviews. I guess they figure all scripture is given by inspiration of God…except when special effects and colorful add-ins make it better. I guess we shouldn’t expect anything more from Hollywood. I guess it mostly sticks to the story, so it’s okay.  I guess the salt has lost it’s savor. So, let’s just pop some popcorn and enjoy the show. What can it hurt?

I can’t help but wonder:

Who will the Lord hold accountable for the lost souls who will never seek the true unadulterated Word of God after being presented with the fictional one?  Who will the Lord hold accountable for the confusion brought upon children and new believers who watched those “minor discrepancies” with eager eyes?  

Is it those - who claimed they were “called” to write, script, and produce the film?  Who acted out fictitious scenes and spoke the words contrary to scripture, without even a fundamental understanding of the character they portrayed? Who were in charge of sound, lighting, and special effects? Who openly promote the series in their church or business?

Or is it you and I- who know better and say nothing? Who have been redeemed by the mercy of God, but are unwilling to get a splinter by going against the grain?  Who have turned a blind eye to the slander of God?  Who just want to watch the live-action bible in HD with the rest of the world…while the devil applauds our cowardice?

We must remember the breadth of this deception. Satan twisted scripture to temp Christ in the desert, and he has used the same tactic to suit the itching ears of this modern age. Be not ignorant of the devil’s devices.  If we don’t stand against him, we stand with him in this evil work.

The bible is not a fictional tale, open to interpretation. It is not an entertaining novel open to creative license. It is the infallible living word of our Almighty Father.  It is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. It reveals to us God’s character, God’s power, God’s mercy, and God’s plan for us.  It is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. We are to desire it as food, hide it in our hearts, use it as a weapon in warfare, and delight in it. We will, in the end, be judged by it.  Nothing is to be added to or taken from it.  This warning has been blatantly ignored by the creators of The Bible mini-series.  Let us not be so foolish.

The bible was never meant to be entertainment….especially at the expense of truth.

“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” – 2 Peter 1:16-21

If you have watched any or all of the mini-series, think carefully on what your eyes have seen and your ears have heard.

Search the scriptures.

Compare notes.

Choose a side.

 

 

Be Not Ignorant, The Bible Mini-series Review

Episode 1: Beginings An Honest Review

 

Beloved, Be Not Ignorant: The Bible Miniseries Review

 

 

This series is epic….it’s colorful, riveting, fast-paced, full of sex, violence, adventure, and LOTS of CGI….but, something is missing from the story….something big…something fundamental…. Still scratching your head?

It’s God.  I don’t mean the word “god”…that’s in there.  Or the idea of “a god”…that’s in there too.  I mean  THE One True God: Jehovah, Yahweh, Our Creator, The Great I Am...omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent author of the THE BIBLE.

I just watched the first episode of the deceptively titled “The Bible” miniseries.  In the introduction, I found this disclaimer: “This program is an adaptation of Bible stories. It endeavors to stay true to the spirit of the book”.  When I read that, I thought:  That is quite an endeavor considering the “spirit of the book” is God’s very character. His nature is revealed to us through His living word.  So, any failed endeavor twists the perception of who God is and instead reveals a totally different (false) god....bearing false witness to His character.   This is especially dangerous for viewers who passively accept the god presented, having no other reference point for comparison.   We must not forget that the devil prowls like a hungry lion seeking whom he may devour.  Ignorance leaves them vulnerable.  And so does our silence.

I watched this series with a very discerning eye, hoping to find a few points of error to reprove.   What unfolded in the first few minutes of the Scotsman’s (Noah) narrative was very revealing.

“The Bible” - miniseries:  Genesis 1-9
God made light, moon, stars, plants, animals… God made “us” (apparently it rained that day, because Adam was made from mud, rather than the dust of the earth). Adam and Eve ate the fruit (while Darth Sidious watched in the garden). Cain killed Abel. God saw too much evil in the human hearts, so he cleansed the earth. But, first he warned Noah and told him to build a boat (which he apparently built by himself, because the other family members on the little cruise were young children and his sheepish wife).  When Noah felt the waves stop rocking, he climbed up to the deck of the boat to check things out. There was a rainbow in the sky….and on we go to Abraham.

Overall, a little shallow. No mention of the consequences of sin on mankind (curse, separation, and death),  Satan’s deception, Cain’s arrogance, the perfection of Noah’s generations,  or the fallen state of man (meaning us).  Where was God?  But, overall…no worse than most children’s Bible Stories (unfortunately).

But, as the miniseries moves to Genesis, chapter 12 (The call of Abraham), something very grave begins to surface.   The plot is no longer a diluted version of the truth, but something else all together.   I was bewildered by the initial discrepancies: Why are they already named Abraham and Sarah (who look like they’re in their late 40’s)? Why does Lot’s wife have so much say in the decision making process?   I started to realize how serious the trailer was when it boasted “The story everyone knows…told like never before…”   Lot under his wife’s thumb, rebelling against Abram? Abram begging Lot to stay close to his camp so they can “stick together”? Abram depressed because of his nephew’s abandonment?  Abram using guilt to coerce Lot back to his camp? Sarai’s indignant refusal to help Lot because he chose his own way? Lot’s wife’s beckoning to Sodom because “the future is in the city”? Jesus “testing” the citizens of Sodom through deception to determine its fate?  No mention of homosexuality? Not even with the citizens at Lot's door? A ninja angel killing spree?  A narrow escape from the perils of CGI brimstone? No refuge in the city of Zoar? Abram’s witnessing the destruction of Sodom?  Isaac trotting off with Dad for his sacrifice at age 11? Sarah running after Abraham to save Isaac? Abraham asking his son for forgiveness?  Jesus on a mountain top in a little red riding hood cloak? This was CERTAINLY a story that had NEVER been told before…because IT’S NOT IN THE BIBLE!!

These “script variations” are not subtle, harmless, or accidental.  The makers (and editors, consultants, producers, set directors, actors…) of this series have taken on the stewardship of God’s Holy Word and have foolishly presented us with a work of fiction.   All that time, talent, and money and they have created nothing more than a $22 million dollar wolf in sheep’s clothes.  Changing the Word of God to deny Adam’s accountability, Abraham’s dignity, Moses’ heritage, and God’s sovereignty, and then presenting it to the world as entertainment is a wicked work of the devil.  We cannot ignore this, chalk it up to Hollywood, or just “glean from the truthful parts”.  Not only are we not to have any fellowship with these unfruitful works of darkness, we are to reprove them.  That is, expose them! Question them. Demand an account for them:

So...........

“Why is there a lamb next to a tree (instead of a ram caught in the thicket by its horns)?

Why is Abraham depicted as emotional and weak (rather than a wise, wealthy patriarch)?
Why are Sarah and Abraham dressed in rags (rather than depicting the wealth and beauty they were known for)?

Why do the three visitors look like druids (and what happened to the three measures of meal)?

Why does Abraham ask the visitors if they travelled far (what’s a couple of angels like you doing in a place like this)?

Why wasn’t Lot at the city gate (or greeting the angels with a bow, or sharing a meal with them in his home)?

Why was Abraham angry and impatient with God when he was asked to sacrifice Isaac (rather than understanding the symbolism and trusting God by telling the men that he AND HIS SON will return after worshipping)?
How did 100+ year old Sarah catch up to her husband and son (a three day journey) by sprinting up a mountain side (which never actually happened, by the way)?

Why did Isaac reject his father's extended hand and instead run down to the safety of his mother's arms (who wasn't actually there in the true account)?

 

What happened to Isaac?
 And Jacob?
And Joseph?
Why doesn’t Moses know his heritage or remember his nursemaid (his mother) or siblings?

Why is their a rivalry between Moses and the Pharaoh’s heir (which is not mentioned in scripture)?
Why did the victim bury the body of the Egyptian (rather than Moses)?

Why was Moses pitching a tent in the dark (rather than tending to Jethro’s sheep on the backside of the desert near Mt. Horeb)?

Why didn’t God command Moses to take his shoes off when he stood on Holy ground?
Why did Moses ask God if he was real?
Why didn’t Moses show any hesitation about returning to Egypt?
Why didn’t God mention Aaron?
Why didn’t the people accept or believe him when he returned and called him “demented?”

Why did Moses demand that Pharaoh let Moses’ people go (rather than “Thus saith the Lord…”)?

Why is this whole interaction focused on the vengeful competitive temperaments of Moses and the Pharaoh (rather than God redeeming His people)?

Why does Moses go to see Pharaoh without Aaron (his appointed speaker)?

Why do they slit the throat of a lamb and allow the blood to spill out on to the street as people run up with wooden bowls to catch their share? (What about the basin? What about each household selecting a lamb and preparing it for meat)?

Why don’t the Israelites participate in the Passover meal?
Why do they act fearful and unprepared as the death angel passes through (rather than faithful and obedient)?
Why doesn’t Pharaoh summon Moses and Aaron until the next morning? Why do they hail Moses the hero (rather than giving glory to God)?

Why were they unprepared to travel (instead of having their shoes on and the bags packed)?
Why were their only about 100 of them (instead of 2-3 million)?

Where is the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night? (WHERE IS GOD)?

Why does Moses smash his rod into the sea forming an instantaneous path (rather than allowing God to divide the waters by an eastern wind blowing all night long)?

Why was the Egyptian army charging a few paces behind Moses with no intervention from God (like making the chariot’s wheels fall off or a pillar of cloud)?

Why was there seemingly NO attempt to present biblical accuracy in a series entitled “The Bible”?

Why have 13 million viewers tuned in to a captivating fictional depiction of a story that was NEVER meant to be entertainment?

Christians, If you watched this and enjoyed it…If you did not find fault, error, or offense in the heresy showcased…if you can accept a 2^nd hand, lukewarm, or false version of God along with the world….you are in a dangerous place.  Don’t be fooled. READ YOUR BIBLE. FIND THE TRUTH. Reprove these unfruitful works of darkness.  

Read my review for answers about Episode 1: Beginings

Creation – Genesis 1    The Fall– Genesis 3   Cain& Abel – Genesis 1:4   God spares Noah– Genesis 6

For a brief, but very thorough study:  The Bible in 24 Hours

For a stiring sermon on the infallibility of God's Holy Word: Why I Choose to Believe the Bible

Train Up a Child - Bible Stories - *FREE* Audio Files

Desperate to surround my children with truth, I am constantly hunting for books or stories that are Biblically sound, or at least not grossly contradictory.  I am so grateful for the discoveries the Lord continues to lead me to. Sometimes a worn book on a shelf at Goodwill for 99 cents. Sometimes a whole series of books to add to my wishlist (the Lamplighter Books) worth their weight in gold. And sometimes overviews of the books of the Bible for children in Audio form....for FREE!!


Originally recorded by a Grandmother (and experienced Bible teacher) for her grandchildren in an effort to help them understand the chronology of the Bible, they are now available to download - for FREE!  Jolee Chamberlin  is a charming narrarator and careful to accurately approach each book of the Bible with reverance and thrill.  She engages the listener with passionate inflections and rhetorical questions like, "The people of Isreal walked through the Red Sea... on dry ground. Now, what do you think of that?"  She speaks boldly, willing to say: "Not only was that a silly thing to do (worshipping idols), it was also a very wicked thing to do."  An honesty I long for when searching through children's liturature.  Biblically accurate....straight-forward truth. Priceless! 

They are officially reccommended for children ages 5-10, but my 3 year old ADORES them and practically has them memorized. I have burned them all to CD's and play them at rest time. She wakes from her nap time to tell me about Elijah, Saul, David, Moses....etc. with a genuine understanding of the history, characters, and lessons of each book. 


AUDIO BIBLE STORIES

Please listen to these....download them for your children....and share them freely!

The Impossibility of the Christian Life

An amazing series by speaker Paul Washer.  Very inspiring in this time of lukewarm Christianity.   So much truth...real - hard to hear - truth. 


The Impossibility of the Christian Life - Part 1  (104 min)

The Impossibility of the Christian Life - Part 2  (90 min)

The Impossibility of the Christian Life - Part 3  (66 min)

The Impossibility of the Christian Life - Part 4  (104 min)

Letting Go of Birthdays

 

 

 

"Our object should not be to have scripture on our side but to be on the side of scripture; and however dear any sentiment may have become by being long entertained, so soon as it is seen to be contrary to the Bible, we must be prepared to abandon it without hesitation."
William Symington

 

When the Lord first led us to the truth behind the pagan traditions known as “Christmas”, we abandoned them without hesitation (Letting Go of Christmas).  Shocked that we would forgo participation in this “Christian season”, friends and family honored our stance last year, mostly believing we would “come to our senses” by this year and light up the old Christmas spirit! When that didn’t happen, we were encouraged to honor the season with a birthday party for Jesus by friends and church peers.

Well, we had already half-heartedly abandoned most of the traditions associated with birthdays anyway.  We rejected the idea of the “all about me” day, with “all about me” plates, napkins, and party favors.  We rejected gift giving and the expectations it fostered.  We rejected the world’s ideas of celebration, but we fell somewhere in the midst of a compromise.   We concluded that the best alternative to all the hoopla would be “a nice letter to the birthday person…praising their accomplishments for the year, showing affection and appreciation for your relationship with them, and wishing them well”…..yah, basically a Hallmark card.

This year, after the push to host or attend “birthday parties for Jesus”, we were drawn back to dig deeper on the subject.

Not surprisingly, the honoring of birthdays has its roots in pagan practice.   Birthdays were kept and celebrated surrounding astrology, mythology, and folklores.  So much has already been written about the history of these customs, it wouldn’t be prudent for me to try to rewrite it all.  Instead, I will use the information I have found to answer a few basic questions.  I encourage you to follow the links at the end of each quote to learn more for yourself.  These are some of the questions my husband and I asked in search of truth.

Does the Bible talk about birthdays?

“We find that there are birthday celebrations mentioned in the Bible. The first account is Genesis 40:1-23. Here we read of the Pharaoh’s birthday which resulted in the baker’s death. Another time a birthday is mentioned is Herod’s birthday (Matthew 14:3-11) which resulted in the death of John the Baptist.– Should Christians Celebrate Birthdays?  

 Why/When did man begin to keep birthdays?

The introduction of the Egyptian calendar became linked to astrology and fortune-telling. The keeping of birthdays, then, was important in ancient times, essentially due to the fact that the date of one's birth was directly related to the casting of a person's horoscope (Linton, Ralph and Adelin, The Lore of Birthdays, p. 12).”  – History of the Birthday Celebration  

Why Wasn’t Anyone’s (Even Jesus’) ACTUAL Day of Birth Recorded in the Bible?

 "Our (Roman) calendar is not Christian in origin. It descends directly from the Egyptians, who originated the 12 month year, 365 day system. A pagan Egyptian scientist, Sosigenes, suggested this plan to the pagan Emperor Julius Caesar, who directed that it go into effect throughout the Roman Empire in 45 B.C. As adopted it indicated its pagan orgin by the names of the months-called after Janus, Maia, Juno, etc. The days were not named but numbered on a complicated system involving Ides, Nones, and Calends. It was not until 321 A.D that the seven-day-week feature was added, when the Emperor Constantine (supposedly) adopted Christianity. Oddly enough for his weekdays he chose pagan names which are still used (Sunday, Moonday, Tiwsday, Wodensday, Thorsday, Friggasday, Saturnsday.)" (From "Journal of Calendar Reform," Sept. 1953, footnote p. 128. Italics ours.)

God's sacred Calendar committed to the Jews for preservation to our time has three months that vary in length from 29 to 30 days after a rather complicated pattern.  God 's people certainly knew the date of their birth, but they kept track of their age by calendar years, not birth dates.” – Attached to This World 

What Traditions are Associated with Birthday Celebrations?

“Long ago, people believed that on a birthday a person could be helped by good spirits, or hurt by evil spirits. So, when a person had a birthday, friends and relatives gathered to protect him or her. And that's how birthday parties began.

The idea of putting candles on birthday cakes goes back to ancient Greece. Artemis was the goddess of the moon. The Greeks celebrated her birthday once each month by bringing special cakes to her temple. The cakes were round like a full moon. And, because the moon glows with light, the cakes were decorated with lighted candles.

The reason for birthday spanks is to spank away any evil spirits and send them scurrying far into the distance. Punches, thumps, and pinches, the harder the better, are supposed to do the very same thing.

Party snappers, horns, bursting balloons, firecrackers, and other noisemakers are just one more way of trying to scare off any bad-luck spirits that may be hovering about.” -The Surprising Origin of Birthday Celebrations 

 

Does it Matter to God if we Observe Cultural Traditions?

Here is what God commands: “Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the heathen are dismayed by them. For the customs of the people are vain” (Jer. 10:2, 3).

After God freed Israel from slavery, He clearly instructed them, “After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein you dwelt, shall you not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, where I bring you, shall you not do: neither shall you walk in their ordinances” (Lev. 18:3). God commanded that they not defile themselves with the practices and customs of the surrounding nations (vs. 24-29). “Therefore shall you keep My ordinance, that you commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that you defile not yourselves therein: I am the Lord your God” (vs. 30).

This is an emphatic command from God. He does not want His servants dabbling in the customs of this world.”  -Are Birthday Celebrations “Christian”? 

 

How Can Birthday Parties Help or Hurt our Spritual Growth?

 “If our purpose is to build godly and holy offspring and loving, giving, godly children, then we should want to do NOTHING that would hinder this godly purpose – put no temptations in their pathway – do nothing to encourage them to think too highly of themselves in pride and arrogance. Rather, we should teach them to give, to serve, to be humble, to revere God and His Word, and to love others and seek to help, serve, and honor them. “ -The Surprising Origin ofBirthday Celebrations 

IN CONCLUSION:

What About Jesus’ Birthday?

The Bible does not document the day of Jesus’ birth, nor does the Lord command that it be remembered and celebrated annually.  When the angels wondrously announced the Lord’s birth, it was in celebration of his arrival, prophetic fulfillment, and the hope He brought in to the world.  Making cupcakes with little nativity scenes and singing “Happy Birthday to Jesus” hardly evokes the reverence and understanding necessary to fully appreciate His miraculous birth.   The devil (originally assisted by the Catholic church and now by ignorant Christians) wants to keep Jesus as a baby…helpless…wrapped in swaddling cloth…and laying in a manger.  The world puts him there every year and calls it Christmas. They pull Him out of glory, back from victory, and lay him back in the manger – before the blood was shed- helpless and new. And if the nativity scene on a church lawn wasn’t already patronizing to an infinite and awesome God, the world wants us to don party hats and sing to a “baby” in a manger, while our true Lord and Savior watches from His throne.

What About Our Birthday?

Surely, if a day set apart to honor one’s birth was not commanded by scripture for the Lord himself, how could we partake in such self-worship.  The social expectations of gifts and praise, and the participation of left-over pagan customs seem to condemn the practice anyway.  Although, we must track our age and acknowledge the annual passing of time,  a day to “celebrate yourself” for a people called to “deny [yourself] and take up [your] cross daily” seems contradictory and smells suspiciously like the world.  As for our family, our consciences can only be cleared by walking away from birthdays all together. 

Wednesday's Words - Veggie Tales Nativity

Yesterday my husband and I were flipping through a cooking magazine to find some recipes and because it was a December issue, it was filled with "holiday gift ideas" and other novelties.  One of the pages had a picture of the Veggie Tales Nativity Set.  Our three year old daughter looked at the picture and turned to us with her nose scrunched up. With a dissapointed sigh she said, "Daddy....Jesus is NOT a carrot." 

"And said unto him, Hearest thouwhat these say ? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read , Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?" - Matthew 21:16

READ MORE HERE: AN HONEST WORD ON THE VEGGIE TALES