Life is Short .....

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My apologies for not posting here a bit more regularly.  I will attempt to do better - one posting per week?

The Titus study is moving along nicely - albeit slowly. See http://mikesullivanblog.blogspot.com/
if you'd like to follow along.

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***Today marks the 33rd anniversary of the Beirut Bombing.  Those of you who know me know that I was a 20 year Marine.  C 1/10 was in country supporting the peacemaking efforts.  Click the link below if you'd like to read about it.

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Beirut_barracks_bombings

Life is short.  We've heard the expression many times. Today, reading the local paper, I received another reminder, besides the Beirut Anniversary.  The sister of someone I dated in high school and later a neighbor, someone whose daughter played with my daughter, passed away recently at age 58.

Do not wait to tell someone you love them.  Don't wait in your attempts to set right a wrong.  Have you let personal pride get in the way of obedience to our Father in Heaven?

Romans 10:9-13King James Version (KJV)

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

King James Version (KJV)

Public Domain

Verse of the day:  Proverbs 23:23---buy the truth and sell it not;  also wisdom, and instruction and understanding. KJV

---The word definitions are clear.  However, I invite you to look at H4148 - instruction.  (Properly chastisement, reproof, warning, restraint, correction, doctrine, rebuke)  See appl remarks below...  

Application:  There is no such thing as an equipping phase in the Christian life.  Many spend years and years in the comfort of a Bible study or discipleship classes.  That's about as worthless as raising a child and never giving them an age/experience/ability related chore until they are out of college.  It's not scriptural...

***Be accountable to someone.  May your day be blessed.  Mike

  

Church Danger Signs.....

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We are starting a verse by verse study of Titus tomorrow...Lord willing. See http://mikesullivanblog.blogspot.com/
if you'd like to follow along.

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Verse of the day:  I started off  with Proverbs 30:5-6 and took a rabbit trail.  First of all, the word of God is tested.  The second part that caught my attention is we are not to add too His words or He will reprove you.

What is the cost of these improper changes we make to God's Word?  Usually we consider them "minor doctrine" and we've room and flexibility to do as we with.  Is that really true?  Consider these warning signs:  it's a long list, in no particular order and probably could be added to.

Prosperity Gospel, purpose driven issues, charismatic teaching and practices such as healing, speaking in tongues, etc, liberal theology, the Bible is considered a guide, gender neutral bible/hymnal, gossip is practiced by many including church leaders, internal focus where evangelism and community outreach is lacking, members are content with warming pews, church growth is stagnant, no one brings guests, lack of service volunteers, lack of prayer meeting, unwillingness to participate in Bible studies, popular Christian books are used vice books of the Bible, tithing sermons are frequent, conflict and problems are not dealt with, fellowship is very shallow, difficulty connecting, women are permitted leadership roles, people depart immediately after the service, volunteers are always lacking, church life revolves around the pastor, men of the church disagree with doctrine and practice but are afraid to speak, yes-men are elevated to church leadership positions, unbiblical titles are used, favoritism is practiced, authoritarian leadership and stifling bureaucracy, public sin is tolerated, worship is lethargic, lukewarm and predictable, lack of authenticity, low community impact, leadership view church members as inferior, someone is paid to come in and preach if the pastor takes a vacation, church employees remain on the payroll even though they are a budget burden, poor performance by paid employees is not dealt with, unbiblical church organization, leadership discourages questions about doctrine and practice.  If it feels like the pharisees are in charge, watch carefully and be cautious.  If you do choose to blog about church/theology issues, be prepared to be thrown under the bus.  They will claim it's not biblical to ask questions or write about practices....hogwash. It's leadership by intimidation and stranglehold and they are engaging in coverup and damage control.  It even happened to Spurgeon...see writings on the down-grade controversy.  Spurgeon's magazine had critical articles written...he was probably thrown under a horse carriage - no buses in his day.

Application:  

If your gut tells you there's a problem, there might very well be issues. Pray.  Check with scripture. Consult with other godly men not a part of that particular denomination.  Do your homework. Confront.  Blow the whistle if necessary. Be prepared to depart before you're lynched by a kangaroo court for having the temerity to disagree and confront.

Do you have a fear of God or man?

***Be accountable to someone.  May your day be blessed.  Mike

  

Slander - the accepted sin.....

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We are starting a verse by verse study of Titus tomorrow...Lord willing. See http://mikesullivanblog.blogspot.com/
if you'd like to follow along.

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Verse of the day:  Prov 25:23

The north wind brings forth rain, and a backbiting tongue, an angry countenance.  NASB

There is a bit of confusion over this verse.  See the KJV.  At issue is the backbiting tongue.  How can we live in an age where this is now accepted sport in the local church?  Yet God condemns this behavior.  Pr 6:19, 10:18, 11:13, 16:28, 17:9. 18:8, 20:19, 26:20-22, Lev 19:16, Ps 50:20 and more.  Also see the King James Concordance.

If you attend Slander Church and this is going on, you must speak out against it.  If church leadership, employees, trustees are involved, you have a serious problem.  

Confront this malignancy.  Depending on their reaction, be prepared to depart.  They may deny it, claim they will have to investigate and downplay the problem.  Be persistent.

Application:  This is always a painful situation.  Is God first or the church folks who claim to be your friend?  If God is first, it must be confronted for the place you're attending tolerates and practices public sin.

Follow the blogs - we can help.

***Be accountable to someone.  May your day be blessed.  Mike

  

Lukewarm faith-----is it sinful?

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We are starting a verse by verse study of Titus tomorrow...Lord willing. See http://mikesullivanblog.blogspot.com/
if you'd like to follow along.

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Verse of the day:  Prov 23:12

Proverbs 23:12King James Version (KJV)

12 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

King James Version (KJV)

Public Domain

Must we really follow this example?  Is biblical illiteracy and ignorance really a problem?  Is a lukewarm faith really sinful?  See Rev 3:16.

Why do churches put up with this behavior? Someone once mentioned that I should be more patient with the broken.  I'm sorry, laziness has nothing to do with being broken.

Application:  There is no easy fix here.  Bible competence in three easy lessons doesn't exist.  You must apply yourself.

Follow the blogs - we can help.

***Be accountable to someone.  May your day be blessed.  Mike

  

He who oppresses the poor...

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Verse of the day:  Prov 14:31

Proverbs 14:31King James Version (KJV)

31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.

King James Version (KJV)

Public Domain

Oppression - H6231:  extort, wrong, crush, defraud, rob, get deceitfully.

---Does teaching the unscriptural tithe oppress the poor of your church?
---Does a signed pledge/oath to support a building project or annual budget violate scripture?
---If church leadership refers to its church members as having a blue collar welfare mentality and calls them God robbers, might there be a leadership problem?

***tithing is not New Testament doctrine and is false teaching.  Yes, we are to be happy givers.

Application:  Do you know your Bible well enough to question false doctrine and practice?  If not, today is a good day to start.

Get out in nature and enjoy the beauty of God's creation.  

***Be accountable to someone.  May your day be blessed.  Mike

  

The diligent and the hasty...

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Verse of the day:  Prov 21:5

Darby - the thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of everyone that is hasty, only to want.

Application to weight loss:  If you are diligent you will make progress.  Hasty decisions lead to failure.

There is a reason the pounds are or are not coming off. Is there someone to blame besides you?

Be sure to consult with your medical professional first before starting a weight loss and exercise program.    

Get out in nature and enjoy the beauty of God's creation.  If you are in Fargo ND, the NDSU Gardens

https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/plantsciences/research/gardens/map

***Be accountable to someone.  May your day be blessed.  Mike

  

A witness of Belial...

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Verse of the day:  Prov 19:28

Darby - A witness of Belial scorneth judgement, and the mouth of the wicked swalloweth down iniquity.

Honesty is the standard - the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  These people are described as the worst of sinners.  Lies and gossip are now acceptable sins in the church?  Sadly, that seems the practice.

Application:  Warn these sinners of their wickedness. Confront the sins.  If it continues and leadership will do nothing because they too are filthy gossips, you'll have little choice but to leave.

Weight loss and exercise:  Until recently, I'd never counted a calorie in my life.  These last couple of weeks have been quite an education.

It takes 3500 calories to burn 1 pound of fat.
Another interesting tidbit is your body burns a certain amount of calories at rest.  So, you can easily determine your Basal Metabolic Rate and then use a Harris Benedict Equation to determine number of calories you can ingest and maintain your current weight.  From this you determine caloric intake and daily deficit.  And you will have a reasonable predictor of how quickly the fat will come off.

For example, my BMR is 1804.  Using the Harris Benedict Equation (1.2) I can eat 2165 calories and maintain present weight.  My current goal is 1500 healthy calories.  That creates a daily deficit of 665 calories as long as I don't go over the goal.  Multiply times 6 = 3990 calories.  In theory, two pounds per week will come off.

Yes, exercise will help.  Figure on burning 100 calories per briskly walked mile.

Be sure to consult with your medical professional first.    

Get out in nature and enjoy the beauty of God's creation.  If you are in Fargo ND, the NDSU Gardens

https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/plantsciences/research/gardens/map

***Be accountable to someone.  May your day be blessed.  Mike