Open Christianity vs. Open Handed Gospel

I was struggling with the problem of Open Christianity and the need of Scriptural Discipline when I received my April issue of Christianity Today. There in black and white was a short article by Richard Mouw about the Open Handed Gospel. And I thought, well, here’s some answers. But as I read the article, I soon realized that they are not the same.

I found that that what I see in the Gospel is the open handed approach to Scripture and not an openness to outside teachings. We must always defer to the Word in matters of Faith and life, but we must be Serving our LORD with the same openness of Jesus.

I wish that those of the Dogmatic Faiths would realize this and relax the legalistic attitudes to embrace life as Jesus did and be open handed in the spreading of His compassionate Salvation.

Scriptures teach me that Love and Mercy were the Gifts given by the Sacrifice of Jesus otherwise He has changed nothing in the hearts of Man. Give Mercy and Love as you have received.

I need a laugh!-update

After I meditate on the Lord, pray a lot, eat my breakfast and have my morning java, each Monday I go the icanhascheezburger.com for my weekly laugh. I really recommend this therapy to those who really hate Monday mornings.

For the rest of the week I sneak a peak at this web site and also go to ihasahotdog.com for dog photos. Life is so much better because pets can make us laugh. That is what seperates us from the beasts, we can laugh. We can go to the LORD with a joyful heart.

Regarding TIME Mag.

I find that TIME mag was once considered the most liberal magazine around for many years but I have found that is the most open regarding Religion of any of the secular publications today. The March 24, 2008 issue is no exception. It is well worth your while to read it, in particular, the cover article.

Heaven

(sumitted by archshrk)

A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, “Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.”

Very quietly, the doctor said, “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?”

The doctor was holding the handle of the door; on the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. Turning to the patient, the doctor said, “Did you notice my dog? He’s never been in this room before. He didn’t know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing…

I know my Master is there and that is enough.”

Psalm 119:49-56/ Zayin

Remember the word to Thy servant,
In which Thou hast made me hope.
This is my comfort in my affliction,
That Thy word has revived me.
The arrogant utterly deride me,
Yet I do not turn aside from Thy Law.
Thy statutes are my songs
In the house of my pilgrimage.
O LORD, I remember Thy Name in the night,
And keep Thy Law.
This has become mine,

When in the course of our Christian walk, we are harassed by the worldly and selfish enemies of righteousness, we are to come to God in prayer for His strength. Don’t be afraid to plead with God in times of attack. Living in today’s world has it’s pitfalls and even though we may feel safe in our homes, remember those who are suffering percussions elsewhere. God’s promise is a permanent promise. He does not go back on what He has told us. His Hope is an eternal Hope, given through the end of time.

As followers of the Salvation of Jesus, we are equipped not only to withstand the trials of evil men, we are to teach and uplift others how to rely on God. Just look at Job, He was harassed even by His wife to forsake God. Job was told to curse God but did he do so? No! Job may have been angry with God for letting bad things happen, but he did not reject Him. So, we also must stay in the path of righteousness even though the world seems to turn against us. We are not to be persuaded by sad and regretful events to turn from God. Instead these are the times that we are to draw closer to Christ, to seek comfort in our sorrow and grief.

Call to Pray with Scriptures

This is nothing new, Churches have used Scriptures for centuries as a means to pray. It has fallen away in many churches because it is “not personal” and said without a heartfelt rendering. But for many years I have called upon the Word of God and His Faithfulness to open my heart so that I can say what I need to say. Scripture Prayer is the beginning of understanding, praise and openness in talking with God. I will add Scriptures frequently for your use when you are called to pray and don’t know where to start. Not all scriptures are direct quotes, some will be rephrased to be used as prayer.

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing Love. Because of your great compassion , blot out the stain of my sins. Psalm 51:1

My house stands firm with God: He has made an everlasting covenant with me,
all is in order, well assured; does He not bring to flower all that saves me, all I desire?
2 Sam. 23:5.

Indeed You (LORD), love the people; all the holy ones are in Your Hands.
They follow in Your steps and accept your instruction. Deut. 33:3

Let those who are wise understand these thing, let those who are discerning listen carefully; The paths of (You) Lord are true and right, and the righteous people live by walking in them….
Hosea 14:9

March Quotes

Seven Deadly Sins according to Mohandas Gandi:
1. Wealth without work
2. Pleasure without conscience
3. Knowledge without character
4. Politics without principle
5. Commerce without morality
6. Science without humanity
7. WORSHIP WITHOUT SACRIFICE

Love wisdom as a sister; make insight a beloved member of your family. Proverbs 7:5

A Friend is one who multiplies joys, divides grief and whose honesty is invoidable.
-anon

I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess. -Martin Luther

We ought to do good to others as simply and naturally as a horse runs, or a bee makes honey or a vine bears grapes season after season without thinking of the grapes it has borne.
-Marcus Aurelius

Daylight Saving?

Why does man want to play God with daylight savings time? This inane practice only messes up my internal clock, makes people late to church, and confuses my cat. We can’t change the number of hours of daylight. The earth still circles the sun at the same rate. We don’t save any more energy because we are a 24 hour world with all our lights on until who knows how long.

Are we trying to say to God, we can manage time better that You? If you want to get up an hour earlier, go ahead. I’m retired, I don’t have to get up and I won’t just because you say it’s eight o’clock when I say it’s nine. I get up when I feel like it. If God wants me up earlier, He will wake me up.

During WWII there may have been some reason for daylight savings time but as soon as the war was over, we should have stopped it. Now I hear some people want to make daylight saving time YEAR AROUND! How stupid is that? If you want to get up an hour earlier, just do it! We live in an era of “flex-time” where people go to work at staggered hours. I worked for twenty years starting at all kinds of odd hours. Give me a break!

When God said, “Let there be light, He created time. Let’s leave it to Him to set the clocks right and quit playing around with it. I want to live in a world with “real time” and not pretend time. When I get to Heaven, there will be only God time and that is enough for me

Farewell to Melissa

On March 1, 2008 a young lady named Melisa was tragically killed. She was the daughter of a cousin of my wife and a very special person. While we had not seen much of her during her young life, to know her for a moment is to know her your whole life long.

Melissa was one of those rare people that you know from the very first was a Child of God. Every pore of her body radiated the Love of Christ and her passion for life. It was impossible for her to have a bad thought about anything, everything was part of the joy of Jesus. I’m sorry that I did not know her better because I miss her. Even though I had not seen her for several years, I still recall often the fun and excitement that surrounded her as a child. It never left her.

Now that Melissa is with her Lord, I am sure as anything in my life that she is sitting in the bosom of Jesus, making silly faces, telling stupid jokes and tugging on his beard as she did with me, and making him laugh so hard that he is crying.

God has bless us with you life Melissa, and we miss you so much. Watch from heaven and send us the joy you have so that we may always remember that Jesus loved you so much, He called you home.

Holy, Wholly, wHOLY and what 4?

(This is not a new POST but I thought I’d bring it up again for the new readers)

The name of my site, Wholy 4 Christ is a combination of a play on words and the fact that I can’t spell. It is as simple as that. What I sort of want to convey is that: To be holy in Christ, you first must be wholly for Christ.

The four ways I know God are the ways I have striven to become holy and Wholly for Christ.

1. RESPOND WITH REASON AND TO THE REASON OF GOD. I first know God because of the reasoning power he endowed me with. God created us to reason and through that reason we can know of God.

2. ENDEAVOR TO EXPERIENCE GOD. My journey to know God was completed when I finally experienced God’s Love and His Mercy. God wants us to experience Him first hand.

3. SEARCH FOR UNDERSTANDING THROUGH SCRIPTURES. All mankind seeks God, but it is through scriptures that we learn of Him and of His plan for us. It is through scriptures that we know of God’s purpose for man. And….

4. TREAD IN THE TRADITIONS OF CHRISTIAN LIVING. We learn from the way others before us have lived, loved and served the very God we seek. Each generation adds their Godly experience, love and service to our understanding and growth, so cherish them.

So there you have it. that is why the web site is called Wholy4Christ. Bless you all and R.E.S.T. in His Name.