Host a Home Bible Study? Pay Up!

Oh, I wish I were joking. When I read the article, I was hoping that World Net Daily was just playing a practical joke. But no. It's no joke. The County of San Diego is wanting to force a couple who holds a home Bible study to spend thousands of dollars to obtain a Major Use Permit. As anyone who has ever lived in California (land of tolerance and diversity) can attest, nothing comes easy or cheap, when the government is involved. For example, in the mid 1980's the La Mesa Family Fun Center was torn down to make way for a new freeway, specifically the 125. I graduated high school in 1998, and they were STILL working on 125. Why? Because of lawsuits and the legal red tape required to build anything in the state.

According to the article,

a Major Use Permit is one that often involves traffic and environmental studies, compliance with parking and sidewalk regulations and costs that top tens of thousands of dollars.

Seriously? For a home Bible study? Even worse, if the couple does not obtain the permit, they'll be fined.

When government oversteps their bounds, it's time for new government. That's all I have to say on that.

This hits me particularly hard, as I grew up in San Diego County. But this is just the beginning. Once Congress gets around to passing the Hate Crimes bill, we're going to be hit with fines, jail, or (as commenter Olivia suggests here) re-education camps.

Make no mistake my fellow believers, they are targeting us. Am I worried? No. Am I annoyed? Absolutely.

A Brilliant Post and Some Thoughts

My good friend Jessica wrote this amazing blog post. I have linked to it, but I'm going to post the text in its entirety, and put some additional thoughts underneath. Thank you for this inspirational post Jessica!

I Want to Be THAT Christian!
More and more, I have been convicted in the way I think and act. I am seeing so many people crying out for change and have finally realized that I passionately desire change in our world!
I have been a Christian all my life, and never before have I seen what we are facing now. I have felt that burning in my heart for God’s will to be done, for His kingdom to reign here on earth and inside me, but I have never felt it as strong as I do now. I have this fiery, passionate, vehement desire…burning through the depths of my soul, crying out for God in a way I have never experienced before.
Yet, I do not know what to do with it. I do not know how to be THAT Christian. I do not know what it is to be passionately seeking God, no matter what trial falls upon me. I do not have the experience to know what to do with this fervor inside me.
I mean, I have had major experiences with God in my life. I have seen miracles; I have experienced mighty blessings… God has never let me get further than my fingertips could reach out and touch His.
However, THIS is different. This is not an experience. This is not the “mundane”, fire-insurance having, Christian do-gooder slide through life. THIS IS DEEP. This is a groaning, a deep stirring in the deep dark recesses of my soul, and I am MOVED. I am crying out for change. Not our current political leader’s definition of change, but Godly change. A change toward revival.

I read my friend’s blogs and talk to them about their lives. I read the news; I see the way the world is around me. People’s lives are broken. The economy is shaking, marriages are crumbling, and businesses are going under. People are struggling with things that they never thought they’d struggle with. The world is changing, and not for the better.

I believe that this is not solely because people are breaking the “Big Ten” as they are written. I believe it is the gray-area sin of compromise. I know this is my biggest problem! Making many many teeny tiny little changes in the way you view things will end up getting you so skewed from where you should be! I see it my own life all the time. Uttering a curse word when I am angry, watching a TV show I know I shouldn’t watch because it is funny, even staying up late when I know I have an appointment in the morning I can’t be late for and might be if I am too tired to get up….and for that matter BEING LATE to things. All of this compromise gradually changes our worldview, and makes us more open to making (and accepting) larger changes later.
Accepting abominable sins as human rights and allowing people to do heinous things in the name of self-expression and such… CHRISTIANS are accepting these changes, and not even batting an eyelash! We have people like this who are passionately spreading feel-good "Christianity" (as this blog discusses) around as truth and we aren’t recognizing that it is happening until it is too late! It is time for us to wake up. We have to, or it will be our ruin.

A good friend of mine put this quote in his blog.

"It's a tragedy for anybody to go to hell. But it seems to me, that the tragedy of all tragedies, is the oft-repeated Judas tragedy. Where you hang around Jesus, but end up belonging to Satan. That's the real tragedy." -John MacArthur

I do NOT want this to happen to me, my children… anyone!

I had a dream last night. The short of it is, my enemy was waging battle against me, and in the end decided that the best way to hurt me would be to take my child rather than to kill me. This was devastating. So much so that I woke up shaking, sweating, and crying. As was I was recounting the dream to my husband, I realized that this is true. I realized that Satan has it out for us and he wants to take our children. This is the time for us to step up - WAKE UP- and get ourselves straight! The devil is coming for our CHILDREN! I for one am deciding to wage WAR on Satan. He will not get me, and he WILL NOT get my children! I don’t know how to be THAT Christian, but I have a feeling this is a good way to start.

I don’t know how to change. I don’t know where to start, but I am figuring that if it took small changes to get to where we are, we can make small changes to get back to where we should be. I started today with getting rid of the cable we just don’t need. TV is an idol in this house and I am sick of it. It’s probably an idol in yours too. We turn it on all the time and it has taken so much away from ourselves, God, our family as a whole… it’s terrible, and it’s gone. I have to admit I kept the limited basic so that we can watch a few shows we like, but in two weeks the current season is over and then the TV is staying off, even for prime time. Maybe we’ll even fully cancel it.

I just realized another part of my problem. It happens every time I begin to make changes in my life. People around me. Not that they are doing anything wrong, it’s just that if they aren’t feeling the same way as me, it makes it hard to remember sometimes. I’m not sure if that’s clear. It is like when you are on a diet and everyone around you is eating cake. It is REALLY hard to stay on the bandwagon at first.

I pray that I will get over that hump and keep my fire no matter what people around me are doing. I ask God to give me people around me with the same heart, so that we can grow together and incite change together. But when I am alone, Lord, would you give me the strength to do mighty things and be a mighty warrior for you all by myself.
When the fiery darts come, Lord, would you make me strong and courageous and able to withstand the trials the enemy throws at me. Would you cause me to be shaken, to dredge out all of the terrible things in my life and make me clean before you and before the world, Father. Use me for your Kingdom, Lord. Make your will apparent in my life, and cause me to be a changed person. Cause me to be broken before you and to be the woman you want me to be. Please allow me to be a mighty witness for you.
I don’t want to be mediocre. I don’t want to be the Christian who never does anything exceptional. Yes I know I am saved and I am going to heaven when I die, but I want more than that. I want to be passionate. I want to be a strong tower… a shining light for my Lord. Please make me that, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!!

Some verses I’ve been thinking on this week:

Romans 8:36-39
As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

Isaiah 54:17
No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me," declares the LORD.

Psalm 42:3
Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.

Who wants to join me!?

You know what? It is HARD. The burden is just the first step. I want to ACT on it. Even as I sit here thinking of all the ways I compromise, I still have trouble making the decision to say "Ok, I am done with these wordly things and I am going to turn toward righteousness!" Cuz, I'll be honest... I LIKE tv. I LIKE doing stupid things I shouldn't do...we all do. It's our sinful nature. But God is stronger than that, and He has called us to be more than conquerors! Ooo I am FIRED UP! Read Romans 8.

WOW! She hits it right on the head when she mentions "the sin of compromise". Satan is smart. He has to be, in order to have deceived so many people for so long. But he knows that a direct, frontal assault upon us won't work. People in general are hesitant about change or any direct attack upon what they believe. So, he resorts to the play that has worked best..."Has God really said?" He's been using that same play for since The Fall. If there were a football team that ran the exact same play every time they stepped on the field, would we fall for it? No! But because we're fallen people who are genetically predisposed to sin, it's easy.

I recently read "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis. It's a series of letters from a senior demon to his nephew, who has been assigned to lead a man down the path to Hell. But in it, Screwtape advises against a direct assault upon the man, but to gradually chip away at him. An erosion of his faith and ideals. It is the same thing that is happening these days. Everyone would be wise to read Matthew 7:15-29. Jesus warns about false teachers, as well as the eternal consequences of building your spiritual house on sand.

I look at the lives of His disciples, as well as the Apostle Paul and know these men had encountered Him. They were willing to suffer whatever was given, because they HAD to get the Gospel out into the world. There wasn't another option for them.

I want to be THAT kind of Christian as well. A "Jesus freak" or "Bible Thumper". However, I don't want the approval of the world. In fact, I'd rather offend the whole world, and please my Master in Heaven, than be politically correct. What does the life of such a person look like? Well...it's time to dig deep into Scripture, and carve out prayer time so I can find out. Because I'm lost otherwise. Without Jesus, my life is meaningless. Nothing matters more than my relationship with him. I do not want to be one of the Matthew 7:21-23 people, who have the jersey, but aren't on the team.

The Real Tragedy

"It's a tragedy for anybody to go to hell. But it seems to me, that the tragedy of all tragedies, is the oft-repeated Judas tragedy. Where you hang around Jesus, but end up belonging to Satan. That's the real tragedy."

-John MacArthur

A Music Recommendation

Jaime Flor, a good friend of mine, has been playing guitar since I've known him (we were in Junior High school together), and is quite talented, not only as a guitarist, but also songwriter. He has put together a band and they are working on some songs, and will be touring. Give them a listen.

Reminds me quite a bit of The Smashing Pumpkins, which I'm sure Jaime will be thrilled about, as they are one of his influences. He hasn't posted my favorite song of his, titled "Coming To An End". Hopefully this blog post will inspire him to do so.

Jaime...if you ever need a fill-in bass player, let me know!

Click here to hear Jaime Flor and Restless Minds.

What If?

I have contact with people who are at various stages of belief in Jesus. There are those who are fully devoted followers of Christ, as well as those who are atheists.

Nichole Nordeman had a great song called "What If", which came out in 2005 on her album, Brave. I will include the lyrics below. I highly recommend that you head over to Project Playlist so you can listen to it.

What If by Nichole Nordeman

What if you're right?
And he was just another nice guy
What if you're right?
What if it's true?
They say the cross will only make a fool of you
And what if it's true?

What if he takes his place in history
With all the prophets and the kings
Who taught us love and came in peace
But then the story ends
What then?

But what if you're wrong?
What if there's more?
What if there's hope you never dreamed of hoping for?
What if you jump?
And just close your eyes?
What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise?
What if He's more than enough?
What if it's love?

What if you dig
Way down deeper than your simple-minded friends
What if you dig?
What if you find
A thousand more unanswered questions down inside
That's all you find?

What if you pick apart the logic
And begin to poke the holes
What if the crown of thorns is no more
Than folklore that must be told and retold?

You've been running as fast as you can
You've been looking for a place you can land for so long
But what if you're wrong?

A Great Quote

Ken Silva over at Apprising Ministries doesn't pull any punches. In this gem, he makes it clear that today's church is seriously lacking men with (as he calls it) "strong spiritual backbone".

In his post, he includes a quote from A.W. Tozer. The quote is so inspiring to me.

If Christianity is to receive a rejuvenation, it must be by other means than any now being used. If the Church in the second half of this century is to recover from the injuries she suffered in the first half, there must appear a new type of preacher. The proper, ruler-of-the-synagogue type will never do. Neither will the priestly type of man who carries out his duties, takes his pay and asks no questions, nor the smooth-talking pastoral type who knows how to make the Christian religion acceptable to everyone. All these have been tried and found wanting.

Another kind of religious leader must arise among us. He must be of the old prophet type, a man who has seen visions of God and has heard a voice from the Throne. When he comes (and I pray God there will be not one but many), he will stand in flat contradiction to everything our smirking, smooth civilization holds dear. He will contradict, denounce and protest in the name of God and will earn the hatred and opposition of a large segment of Christendom.

Such a man is likely to be lean, rugged, blunt-spoken and a little bit angry with the world. He will love Christ and the souls of men to the point of willingness to die for the glory of the One and the salvation of the other. But he will fear nothing that breathes with mortal breath.

(H/T to Ken Silva, Apprising Ministries)