Finally A Bible I WIll Not Be Buying!

I found this advertised in Christianity Today yesterday. I hear St. Al Gore appears in this version here!

The definitive green movement Bible that shows God is "green" and helps us see how we can care for and protect God's creation. The Green Bible equips and encourages you to see God's vision for creation and helps you engage in the work of healing and sustaining it. With over 1,000 references to the earth in the Bible, compared to 490 references to heaven and 530 references to love, the Bible carries a powerful message for the earth. This Green-Letter edition of the Bible highlights scriptures in green ink that teach about God's care for creation and how God interacts with creation, in an effort to bring greater awareness to how this message is woven throughout the Old and New Testaments. Essays from leading conservationists and theologians on how to read the Bible through a "green lens" as well as a green topical index and Green Bible Trail Guide for personal study will be paired with teachings throughout the ages to show people how caring for God's creation is not only a calling, but a lifestyle.

Features include:

• Green-Letter Edition - verses that speak to God's care for creation will be highlighted in green ink
• Inspirational poems from St. Francis of Assisi and Wendell Berry
• Essays from key leaders and thinkers on various aspects of scripture and its mandate for creation care
• Quotes from Christian teachings throughout the ages from St. Augustine to C.S. Lewis
• A green topical index
• Green Bible Trail study guide
• Appendix to include information on ways to get involved and practical steps to take
• Printed on recycled paper, using soy-based ink, with a cotton/linen cover

Southern Baptist leader Richard Land: "Sure it's important, but when they asked Jesus what was most important, he said, 'Love your God, and love your neighbor as yourself.' He didn't say anything about creation." I agree with Richard! Anybody plan on buying this? What are your thoughts?

Got To Go Hug A Tree, Pastor Phillip

Look At The Little Children That Are Murdered...

This Came From The Stand To Reason Blog

GE, which developed the 4D ultrasound imaging technology, has a website of images that follow the timeline of the unborn's development from six weeks to birth. It's a fantastic window into the womb to see the human being, bring to life the formerly unseen, at stake in abortion. These pictures are worth 1000 words, but use the words as well to explain the value of these children.

Click Here To See These Amazing Images


Amazing beautiful little lives, Phillip

Got To Love Moms

This is really funny. Moms are the best! Phillip

God's Anger In Psalm 78

I love Psalm 78. I just finished reading it in the NLT Study Bible. I love this Bible, very helpful notes. The translation takes some time getting used to, but the notes are just what you want. They explain the scripture, fairly, evenly, and thoroughly. They also add in what they call theme notes. These are extended notes, that look at a theme in one section of Scripture, but then place it in the lager context of Scripture. I like Biblical theology, and these short concise segments are awesome additions to a study Bible. Here is great note on God's anger as seen in Psalm 78.

The psalmists understood Israel’s exodus from Egypt as an object lesson about God’s anger (78:18-64). God expressed his anger against the Egyptians while sparing his people (78:49-50). But Israel became the object of his wrath during the wilderness journey, when the people provoked the Lord to anger through their rebelliousness (78:31; 106:29, 32; see Rom 2:5). God took an oath that that rebellious generation would not enter his place of rest (95:8-11), and they died in the wilderness. But he restrained his wrath (78:38) and did not destroy Israel as it deserved.

The Lord is just and righteous in his judgment (7:11); he is patient and slow to anger (86:15; 103:8; 145:8). The wicked have stirred up God’s wrath and deserve his judgment (see 2:5, 12; 21:9; 56:7; 59:13; 69:24; 79:6; see also Rom 1:18). The purpose of his wrath is to remove evildoers and extend his kingdom. Evil must come to an end, and the wicked must perish for the godly to inherit the earth (Ps 37).

God’s people experience his wrath when they sin. The experience, though painful, is brief in comparison to their joy in God’s mercy and goodness (30:5). He will not be angry forever (103:9). God’s wrath brings death (106:23), but his forgiveness and mercy restore his people (see 85:2-7).

God is love, and he loves people with justice and holiness. In love for us, he poured out his anger on Jesus Christ (Rom 3:25; 5:9). Jesus received the full brunt of God’s wrath so that he could atone for our sins and reconcile us to God. He saves his people (1 Jn 2:2) and rules from heaven at God’s right hand (Heb 2:17). Jesus is now the agent of God’s wrath against the wicked (2:5-9; 110:5-7; Eph 5:6; Rev 6:15-17; 11:18; 19:11-16).

Have a great weekend, read your Bibles. Pastor Phillip

Funny!

Check This Story Out. This man passed gas on a police officer and was changed with "battery of an officer." If Rebecca finds out about this story, there is a good chance she may press changes on me of spousal abuse!

Pastor Phillip

Imagine No Religion And Become A Fool!

Imagine there’s no heaven It’s easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the people Living for today.… Imagine there’s no countries It isn’t hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people Living life in peace.… You may say I’m a dreamer But I’m not the only one I hope someday you’ll join us And the world will be as one….

John Lennon wrote this hippie garbage and I ignorantly sung it when I was in high school. But, this stuff is wrong, bad theology, and not worth much. Our friends over ar FFRF.Org think this is a Lennon's world is a great world? They believe that

The history of Western civilization shows us that most social and moral progress has been brought about by persons free from religions.

This sounds nice until you look at the facts? Atheism kills! In the name of creating a version of a religion-free utopia, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Mao Zedong collectively these atheist tyrants murdered more than 100 million people? Sure, we had the Crusades, the Inquisition, and the Salem Witch trials. The most-cited atrocities are either overblown or misrepresented. We don’t actually know how many people died in the crusades, record keeping not great. You can find estimates of 1 million to 9 million. This number is both Christians and Muslims. But, these was not a solely religious fight, the Christians were fighting to reclaim land that was stolen from by the invading Muslim hordes. They were very much nationalistic and political. But, they were overboard and are not a bright spot in Christian History. The Inquisition claimed 2,000 to 10,000 lives over three and a half centuries. The Salem witch trials produced fewer than 25 executions. So, there is more at stake than numbers. But, with no objective criteria or right and wrong atheism degenerates into “might make right”. Check out some great resources here Stand To Reason. Remember what Ps 14:1 says "A Fool Says In Heart There Is No God"

Glad God's Grace Has Kept Me From Being A Fool, Pastor Phillip

The Forgotten Tenth...

Do not covet your neighbor's house. Do not covet your neighbor's wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Ex 20:17

This morning I started reading "True Spirituality" by Francis Schaeffer. I bought his complete works a while back and enjoy his writing, but it requires full mental engagement. Rather deep stuff, but good for a dumb guy life to think. My usually thoughts are about food, my good looking wife, and how tough my son is. But, anyway he made the point about the importance and the power of the 10th commandment. I got to be honest of all the "Big Ten" I forget about the 10th commandment not to covet the most. It is the only internal command; all the others are external in nature. He argues that we break it before we break any of the other.

This comes back to contentedness. When we are not content with God, we find a new to God to worship and we break number #1. When we are not content to worship God in Spirit and in truth (Jn 4:24), we make image and statues of the appearance of the God we want, and we break #2. When we are not content with situation we can curse God, or we pray selfish materialistic prayers in "Jesus Name" and we take the Lord's name in vain and break #3. When we are not content with six days wages and fail to honor the Sabbath and work instead of rest and worship, we break #4. When we become mad that God did not give us the parents (like those of our friends) we wanted or we fail to love and serve them because it takes too much time on our part, we break the 5th. We kill and break the 6th when we are not content to let God bring about justice and exact his vengeance. We commit adultery and break the 7th when are not content with the spouse God gave us. We break the 8th and steal, when we want and do not have and do not think God can provide what we need. We lie when we think that it is more advantageous for us and we are not content to tell the truth and break the 9th.

And so, we come back to the forgotten 10th. Ephesians 5:1-4 says "Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. (2) And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. (3) But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints. (4) And coarse and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks." Notice, Paul views giving thanks as the corrective to the above vices mentioned. We certainly believe Romans 8:28 "We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God." So if we believe that, then whatever we have, don't have, good, bad, ugly, God is using to help us be "conformed to the image of His son" (Rom 8:29). This means not coveting and being content is of the utmost importance to the Christian walk.

Listen to Scripture further...

But godliness with contentment is a great gain. (7) For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. (8) But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. (9) But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. (10) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. (11) Now you, man of God, run from these things; but pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:6-11

I don't say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. (12) I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content--whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. (13) I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.Philippians 4:11-13

Proverbs 30:8-9 Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need. (9) Otherwise, I might have too much and deny You, saying, "Who is the LORD?" or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God.

So, how can you be content today? What things do you need to stop coveting? The writer of Hebrews says in 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." He links all our covetousness to us not appreciating, valuing, or caring about Jesus never leaving us of forsaking which is the precious promise of God in Scripture. What do you want more that God? If there is anything there, you can’t develop the deep relationship with God that He and hopefully you want. Remember Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

Seeking not to covet today, Pastor Phillip Howle

Getting Going...

Say a prayer for me! I can't get going. I had a busy weekend with a funeral, teaching, and a bike crash. But, it is Tuesday and it feels like 4 a.m. on a Monday Morning. I try not to complain on my blog, but say a prayer for me.

Paul asked the church at Ephesus to pray in Eph 6:19 "Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel."

Pray that I will be like Jeremiah who said in Jer 20:9 "If I say: I won't mention Him or speak any longer in His name, His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, shut up in my bones. I become tired of holding it in, and I cannot prevail"

Also, I am going to try and heed the words of Ephesians 5:14 "Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you."

Needing the awakening and illuminating light of Christ to shine on me this morning, Pastor Phillip

By the way the video below pretty much shows how I am feeling this morning!