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 - Endorsed - Indifferent - Contested
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| The Nashville Statement
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Name:Daniel
Home: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
About Me: I used to believe that evolution was reasonable, that homosexuality was genetic, and that people became Christians because they couldn't deal with the 'reality' that this life was all there was. I used to believe, that if there was a heaven - I could get there by being good - and I used to think I was more or less a good person. I was wrong on all counts. One day I finally had my eyes opened and I saw that I was not going to go to heaven, but that I was certainly going to suffer the wrath of God for all my sin. I saw myself as a treasonous rebel at heart - I hated God for creating me just to send me to Hell - and I was wretched beyond my own comprehension. Into this spiritual vacuum Jesus Christ came and he opened my understanding - delivering me from God's wrath into God's grace. I was "saved" as an adult, and now my life is hid in Christ. I am by no means sinless, but by God's grace I am a repenting believer - a born again Christian.
My complete profile...
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Daniel's posts are almost always pastoral and God centered. I appreciate and am challenged by them frequently. He has a great sense of humor as well.
- Marc Heinrich
His posts are either funny or challenging. He is very friendly and nice.
- Rose Cole
[He has] good posts, both the serious like this one, and the humorous like yesterday. [He is] the reason that I have restrained myself from making Canadian jokes in my posts.
- C-Train
This post contains nothing that is of any use to me. What were you thinking? Anyway, it's probably the best I've read all day.
- David Kjos
Daniel, nicely done and much more original than Frank the Turk.
- Jonathan Moorhead
There are some people who are smart, deep, or funny. There are not very many people that are all 3. Daniel is one of those people. His opinion, insight and humor have kept me coming back to his blog since I first visited earlier this year.
- Carla Rolfe
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email
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| Vague Faith.... |
 "A Vague Faith never saved anyone from anything... ever."
No one has ever been, or ever will be, justified by a nebulous, ambiguous faith - and to go one step further, when scripture talks about how we are cleansed by faith - that cleansing is not based upon some vague and unspecific hope, as though resting on the idea that God is a nice guy and generally "good" is the way we overcome sin in our walk. We overcome sin by putting to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit - and when I say "by the Spirit" I mean by trusting that God, in the person of the Holy Spirit (whom Christ sent to be our helper and comforter) is going to see to it that every single promise God has ever made to us is kept. The faith that overcomes sin is not vague it is very specific.
First, Trust that God, in the person of the Holy Spirit, is with you and in you. Don't let that be some vague hope - ground it in the scripture that teaches it - we worship in Spirit and in Truth, get the truth in you, and use it, for doing so is an act of worship. If you are not a "memorizer" become one - you don't want to be in this battle without your sword. God is with you in the capacity of a Helper, a Comforter, and a Teacher. Do not doubt that.
Second, learn what is true with regards to your relationship with Christ, and who you are in Christ - learn it so that you can remember it at any given moment - to call upon these truths in a time of need is an act of worship. This too is achieved by memorizing the scriptures that speak to the truths of who you are.
Third, learn what God has said He would do if you do something. I listed this separately from truths, because while a truth is true right now whether you understand it or not, there are some things that God has said he would do -if- you do something to warrant it. I hesitate to call these outright promises only because I think too many people call things promises that are not really promises, and I want to keep some distance between what I am saying and how that word is tossed around. Suffice it to say that God has said in many places that he will do this if you will do that. Find out what the conditions are for these truths, and trust them.
Forth, Hold God to His word.
That might sound like a flea shaking His fist at God, but listen, we worship God in truth - if God has said he is going to do it, he will do it, and you can hold God to that. Don't demand that God works at your pace, but let your faith go beyond hoping that God might just do what he said, all the way up to, but just shy of outright demanding that God do what He said. Listen, God loves to be shown faithful. Don't get all soft and think God is pleased by your softness in not expecting anything from him. The violent take the kingdom by force. Get in the fray. God is your supply sergeant, don't be all wishy-washy when you ask for ammunition, you are His soldier, in His fight, and you are promised support from Him personally - go and get it!
Remember, you are a son or daughter of the Lord God Most High - you have a throne of grace open to you - use it... but don't go through your walk all wishy-washy, hoping on blurred hopes, and half-trusting on the unspecific goodness of God. God put 7487 promises in his word so that you wouldn't have to be vague. Learn what God has said he will do, and then take that sword out of its sheath and slay within you that would hinder the reign of Christ.
God is glorified by a Christian who grows up into a soldier.Labels: encouragement, faith |
posted by Daniel @
9:05 AM
 
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Achilles...