Category Archives: Faith

Faith

God cut off the head of Dagon

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For reasons unexplained I watch the show Ancient Aliens. This week’s episode was mostly about a fake god that is mentioned in the Bible called Dagon.

In this story, told in 1 Samuel, the Israelites had taken the ark into battle against the Philistines. But, God was not with them. They thought that if they had the ark it would guarantee them the win. Alas, Israel was again in a state of sinful rebellion against God and He was about to teach them a hard lesson. They lost the battle and the ark.

The Philistines too will learn a lesson as God shows them that the ark is not merely another fake god.

Much the same today, the symbols and artifacts once representing our holy God have been taken and dishonored.

They have been used to prop up false doctrine and cults.

Just like the Israelites failed to understand that the ark was not God, and its presence was not going to produce victory in their battle without God, the “in name only” Christians of this day will fail.

My God is powerful and will bring glory to His name. To you and me His timing may be slow, but be assured that God will not be mocked or defamed without bringing a judgement against those who dishonor Him.

Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. When the Ashdodites arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord . So they took Dagon and set him in his place again. But when they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord . And the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor all who enter Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
1 SAMUEL 5:2‭-‬5 NASB

Faith, Fitness

Keep On Keepin’ On

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Trudging or striding, struggling or thriving, blindly or purposeful.

However you get there, make sure you are headed in the direction that the one true God has told you to go. As we know the path that leads to destruction is wide and there is no speed limit.

Stride, thrive and be purposeful. Trudging blindly through life and struggling aimlessly without purpose is not in God’s plan for you. You were made for a purpose, and in that purpose you will find rest that surpasses understanding.

I’m not talking about “rest” like you won’t have to do anything. I mean like the rest you feel when God gives you strength, and you learn that contentment and hope are not bad words.

Like the apostle Paul, we press on toward a future hope and a future reward. We live blessed lives, though maybe not in the same standard as the world. Our final destination is not death and a grave. Jesus lived, died and rose from the dead and He will do the same for us when He returns if we believe in Him. But before we die we have a purpose.

And when we think we don’t know what God’s purpose is for our life, well, then we plug in wherever a need is found while we wait on that big flashing sign. Lord, help us by sending a big flashing sign and please don’t let us miss it.

Our life purpose should bring glory to God. We should always strive to bring fame only to His name in whatever we do. And we should use every part of our being for His glory. Jesus told us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30). So, let’s use our whole being for His glory.

As we work, we work for His glory. As we exercise, we exercise for His glory. As we study, we study for HIs glory. As we speak, we speak for and to His Glory. This is our ultimate purpose.

“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.”
PHILIPPIANS 3:13‭-‬16 NASB

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Faith

That time when your friend went all wild eyed

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Jesus is man and is God. He is the incarnate Word. He has all authority given to Him as judge and executioner. He is Love, merciful, full of grace, and just.

Don’t mess with His children. Vengeance is His.

In my mind when Jesus starts saying “but whoever”, His tone gets real serious and deep and His eyes show a strong resolve.

Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.
MATTHEW 18:4‭-‬6 NASB

Apologetics, Children, Faith, Family, Life

Your Faith Does Not Cover Your Child (Train them up)

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Your Faith and Salvation are personal. My faith doesn’t cover my children and their sin doesn’t condemn me. Although it seems like many parents try and make both of those things a reality in their home.

As parents we need to take time to train our children on the reasons behind our faith. And then live out that faith. That doesn’t mean we can be sinless examples to our children. It means we admit when we have sinned and repent in an open and observable way.

Many times while we are worried about getting our children to school and taking them to multiple sports practices and games, we forget to prepare them for the spiritual battles they will face in high school, college and life. Which is unfortunate, because their eternal soul is much more valuable that their athletic or scholastic prowess and earning potential.

What do we as parents do? I won’t pretend to know exactly. But here is what I am going to do based on the Biblical directive; “Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Prov. 22:6)

  1. Commit to understanding why I believe. My experiential faith may not work for others.
  2. Continue to read, learn and share the doctrine, life examples and Word of God as given to us in the Bible. “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17
  3. Prepare for the tough questions about why I believe and be ready to give a defense. We should research and formulate our answers and practice them. (Plenty of online videos and books)
  4. Put myself in situations that require me to practice my evidentiary and researched defense of my faith.
  5. Schedule time to train my children and equip them with the knowledge they need to answer the big questions that they will be asked from non-believers and false teachers.
  6. Put my children in controlled situations to experience atheistic and/or false doctrine. And then debrief and examine the proper defense and theology.
  7. Prepare my children to know that even if a teacher or authority figure makes a good case or puts on a good presentation against the existence of God, it does not mean it is true. (This happens in college all the time)

Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die. The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself. “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,” declares the Lord God . “Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you. Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God . “Therefore, repent and live.”
EZEKIEL 18:4‭, ‬20‭-‬20‭, ‬30‭-‬32 NASB