HIS.... NOT MINE

 

His... Not Mine;

Oh...the joy of love Divine

Such peace and assurance...

To be His... not mine.

Twas wretched and poor,

Once enslaved to sin;

Til His light shone all about me,

And His grace reeled me in.

Now a slave to righteousness...

Oh what joy to be;

In the service of my Lord,

The One whose blood bought me.

From the day to day horror

Of a lost and helpless soul;

To adoption... a child of God,

The One from whom all things flow.

Unmerited favor(?)... now I understand;

I am born again.... Not of myself....

But by the touch of the Master's Hand!

                          Touched...                      

                                    The DOGpreacher                                

MALNUTRITION...IN A LAND OF PLENTY .... PART 2

                                             So....What's In Your Pantry ?

   
It might be that you have already performed this exercise, however... once is not enough for what we are doing here. This must be something you eventually do continually. You will, in time, progress to a point where this exercise will become a 'preventative maintenance' type of work, instead of a 'spring cleaning'. Okay, let's all do this together. In keeping with the analogous theme of this series, let's open our pantrys for inspection. No... I won't be looking, just you...& Him. Just so we all are on the same page...the PANTRY I am referring to is the variety of places you frequent (home [library, T.V. room, computers, etc.) work, recreational area/locales, church,...etc.) in which you are fed mentally/spiritually. This should include (for example) what you READ, what you VIEW, what (& who) you LISTEN to. At this point, some of you have already felt that old familiar rebellion rising up within you (yes, that is rebellion), that brings forth from your lips your favorite battle cry, "Judge not lest you be judged.."! If that isn't the first cry, it will only be because you have first sounded off about 'legalism'. But, that's alright, stay with us here and see that this is applicable to you just as it is to all of us. I could make this long and draw it out to be a long post, but I will not. I will get directly to the point.
     How many of you would be appalled if you answered the knock at your door, and found a few people who said, "Hi, I hope you don't mind if we come in. We would like to curse and swear, make blatant inuendos of a sexual nature, show you some graphic violence and murders via this slide show. Don't worry, we brought our own projector. Now, for a little mood music, could you play some Eminem, Beastie Boys, Brittany Spears, Korn, Nicky Minaj, AC/DC, Michael Jackson, Blake Shelton, Reba, Garth, Carrie Underwood, Pit Bull, Rhiannon, Beyonce, Led Zeppelin, Eagles, Pink, Pink Floyd, etc....basically  anything that glorifies illicit sex, violence and death, rebellion, you know, anything opposite of what God would approve of you consuming. Oh, c'mon, even if YOU don't have anything like that in the house, we know your children do. Speaking of them, have you seen the commercials for the sadistic (...ratings like M for mature, and WORSE...) games for their PlayStation or whatever that is that YOU bought them for Christmas, and then allowed it to be in their room w/their own TV?!  WELL....it's been nice entertaining you for the evening...now, pay up! You surely didn't think this kind of entertainment would be free, did you?"
   
Where Did This Junk Food Come From ?
     Just the thought of someone barging in your home with this filth and degradation is appalling to consider, isn't it? We might react, saying, "I wouldn't stand for that in my house, I would throw them out. NO, YOU WOULDN'T.....instead, YOU call THEM up and INVITE them over, and PAY them to come into your home. Is it local cable you have, or is it satellite, transmitting all of this "junk food" into your home. No, I am not saying that the TV is Satan in a box. The TV is neither righteous nor evil. It is you & I...the humans. WE are the ones who choose the sexually suggestive programs we watch, the vanity promoting magazines we read, the suggestive (violence, sex, rebellion) lyrics we listen to, and repeatedly pound into our heads. Have you caught yourself laughing at the sexual inuendos (all outside of Gods intentions for sex) of your favorite sit-com, de-sensitized to the multitudes of brutal crimes (Assault, rape, murder, etc.) that we watch on the hour-long dramas, OR, the complete assault on your mind with the pooling together of these with the Names of our Saviour and God being continuously & flippantly taken in vain, in the Movies we watch?
 
Feast On These Things
     Philippians 4:8-9....."(8) Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things (are) honest, whatsoever things (are) just, whatsoever things (are) pure, whatsoever things (are) lovely, whatsoever things (are) of good report, if (there be) any virtue, and if (there be) any praise, think on these things. (9) These things which you have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. One must be very selective in their consumption of the various media outlets of this world, if they intend on keeping their mind on the things we are urged to keep them on in Philippians. Personal Holiness is not a real popular thing today....but, it should be. It amazes me how Christians today lament the fact that they are worried (finances, children, job, etc.) so much, and seem to have 'no peace of mind'.  As the aforementioned scripture stated, "...the God of peace shall be with you."  WHEN you put your mind on the things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, & praiseworthy...THEN the God of peace WILL be with you, and 'peace of mind' will be yours. We all know what GIGO stands for, right? Yeah, that's right, garbage in.....garbage out. That's right, what we feed on (whether physically, or spiritually/mentally WILL make up who we are. THEN, what is inside us, will come from us...in our actions. YES...unfortunately, when we feed on such trash, we will be a huge witness...but not for Christ! I urge you (for Christ's sake) to think on these things. I am.....

                         .....gr8ful 4 grace,
                                            Gregg

NEXT..... Pt.3,  Manna From Heaven !

MALNUTRITION...IN A LAND OF PLENTY ! ....PART 1

                                             

                             Those Who Have, & Those Who Have Not

 

        
     You have all seen the pictures I am sure. A Child...with swollen belly and frail appendages. How can this happen, we ask. The answer is Malnutrition. Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary/10th Edition defines malnutrition as "faulty or inadequate nutrition". BOTH of these defining points play a part in these children we see in the aforementioned condition. An inadequate supply of food combined with the fact that there is not the right kinds of foods for balanced nutrition, and the contamination factor (water & food), ALL contribute to the malnutrition we see in these commercials...where they are asking us to help.....to help get the right foods for a balanced nutrition. We must get the PURE (uncontaminated) water & bread to these little ones, or.... they have NO HOPE !! Now...take the time to look around you. We live in a land of plenty. For most, there is an adequate supply of food here. For most it is clean & contamination free food & water. We have in this Country (for the most part) exactly what is needed for balanced nutrition. And yet, this Country is one of the most obese and out of shape in the world, not to mention the most wasteful. This is to our great shame.

 From The Physical To The Spiritual  
      NOW.... this country does have its malnourished. In this country (for the most part) there are no excuses. In a land where we have an abundance of food & water that is uncontaminated and is perfect for supplying the body with the needed nutrition for good health.....look at us. One has the accessability to the proper diet, but prefers to ingest the things that will slowly lead their body...their health, to physical ruin. Is this an example of insanity ? That IS a fair question. Those of you reading this who watch what you eat very closely, and have probably been in agreement with all I have said so far.....what's your excuse ? Yes, YOU! When it comes to physical food you have been wise, and have taken care of your body by regulating what your dietary intake will be. How much more should you regulate your spiritual/mental intake ? There are many types & brand names of food in the grocery store competing for your loyalty as a consumer. Yet, you resist an urge to buy 6 Twinkies & 3 Turtle Fudge Cheesecakes by the reasoning that this would not be good for your body. This is much the same as it is in the field of Religion/Theology. There are new marketing strategies every day it seems, to entice you to be a loyal consumer of their brand. However..... I will comment on this later.

So.....You Think You're Sane Do You ? 
     Didn't someone once say that the definition of insanity was to do the same thing over and over, the exact same way.....and expect different results ? Oh, dear God, let us be transformed by the renewing of our minds, help us to put on the mind of the Christ. Then, we will be of sound mind &  can get down to the issue at hand.
1 John 2: 15-17 says, "(15) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (17) And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of God abides forever."  OK...I will pause for those who wish to repent & clean house now... ;-)
     What kind of mental/spiritual "food" are you feeding on daily ? Have you 'counted the cost' of grazing at the feeding troughs of this world ? As you 'sip the wine of the wrath of her fornications' you are desensitized and deceived as to your spiritual state. Alright, let's get down to the crux of the matter. I believe that the majority of the "churches" these days are disobedient to God's Word & thus.....a stench in His nostrils. Oh, I know...not you & yours...it's those "others". My advice unto you (as unto myself) is to "examine yourself", and all that entails. Humble yourself before the Almighty, and ask Him to point out any wicked way in you (me). Do this (searching prayer) right after you have read 1 John 2: 15-17, and then read it again. No one that He loves will be exempt at this point from the chastising conviction of the Holy Spirit of God upon your heart/mind. Will you be found guilty of loving this present world more than the One who redeemed you ? Or will you be righteous in your own eyes ? Be careful Mr. Pride, & think this through. When you "feed" on the things of this world instead of His 'manna' from heaven, you will be the baby christian who is... so pitiful...& sad. With a bloated spiritual belly from the worlds contaminated food & drink that you are ingesting, you have no strength to stand when needed. You are weak in all areas, especially the mind. The church is full of this because THE CHURCH IS FULL  OF THE WORLD!!! Remember, the passage says, "...if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

Accounting/Inventory Department   
     Do you love this One who died that you might have life ? It is time to take inventory. It is time for an accounting. When you rationalize the few sex scenes, and the nudity as a MUST for making a good movie (huh?), and the MANY times God's name is taken in vain (not just the times it is linked up with damn.), as well as the barrage of sexual innuendos, ask yourself, "Am I even remotely pleasing to God BY these actions, or is He displeased with my choice of entertainment ?" I assure you He will NEVER approve of your preference for the world over Him as a way to spend your time. That would be contradictory to His Word. Oh, you may hear a still small voice say, "it's okay, c'mon....it's not THAT bad". Guess what ? That wasn't God!! That was your wicked and deceitful heart/mind (Jer. 17:9 ) trying to justify the sin you love so much. Well....THIS is the "Accounting/Inventory Department"....excuses and self righteous 'feelings' carry NO weight around here.

Final Thoughts On Part 1 
     So.....how are we doing out there ? There's only two types (and that is.... INSIDE the Christian camp) that are reading this. One says (with bowed head), " search me dear God, and reveal to me my wrong ways, and help me to know you more, and my ways to be pleasing to you." Then there's the other type. I know him well. I used to be him. He already had a hundred thoughts of self-justification for his ways before half-way finishing the post. He is angry at such [legalistic] nonsense. I am free he says. I have Christian liberty. My friend, look around you...right now, in your own home/room/desk/bookshelves/magazine racks/cd-dvd changer ..... your mind.....ooh....see. THAT isn't freedom. THAT is displeasing to Almighty God.....It's sin!

Stay tuned for Part 2:   SO.....WHAT'S IN YOUR PANTRY ?

My Conversion ..... and Yours!

GRACE

I was born in sin, a curse of "the fall"  

Not I alone, but humanity...all.

My trajectory was downward, 

As only it could be;   

Til His hand caught my falling soul, 

Graciously revealing Himself to me.

I saw my sin, my state, my plight,  

Turning from darkness, I ran to light

By grace, through faith,  

I have been set free;  

No longer a slave to sin,

But to the One Who's blood bought me. 

Before the foundation of the world, 

He chose me, in Him to abide; 

Then with irresistible grace, 

Did draw me to His side.  

And so...fearing not, I now stand; 

Safely cupped, In those nail-scarred hands. 

With God for me, whom shall I fear; 

As He preserves me, I persevere! 

                                                                                       In His Hand, 

                                                                          The DOGpreacher.  

P.S.  Yes, this is my conversion I wrote about, but it easily could have been yours also. 

     Notice that there is nothing personal about this testimony to God's saving grace 

              that links it only to me (or anybody else). Quite frankly...this is simply what happens 

to every one who has ever been born from above (born again).

GODS WORD ..... Part 1

                                                           

  Knowledge & Obedience

     If you want mass appeal, attaboys & applause.....tell them...you are a diligent searcher of   truth! However...if you really want to see people annoyed, upset, & downright riled up ..... tell them ... you have found it! WHAT... What do you mean you found it ? You can't say that...who do you think you are? YOU...You HAVE found TRUTH? Then ..... only then do you reveal to them that it is the Bible...the innerrant Word of God...that you hold here in your hands, right here in front of them! Then ..... watch them go mad/crazy/berserk right in front of you! You see, to them what is more appalling than your claim to have found truth ... is that you attribute it to GOD!

     One of the hardest things to do in this pursuit of truth is when yet another facet of it is revealed and you recognize right away that you know not one person who sees this as you do. Then after much research....& more research, there it is...the Truth of the matter. And you think, "Oh no...what am I going to do?"...because you know this will not be a popular understanding of this doctrine. In the same moment, you know what you must do.

     Obedience is sometimes... easier said than done. It's now that time we call the "rubber meets the road time"! It's the time where we have to answer the question what will you do
with this truth? HIS Truth! Of course it's really simple when you get right down to it. When God gives you understanding concerning a teaching/doctrine, you don't then look for what you should do with it & when. It was revealed to you to ...obey...now!  Though it might seem like the hardest thing to go straight from believing to immediate obedience.... don't sweat it, for it was in His timing that He showed it to you, and He is faithful to give us of His strength to perform it (Philippians 2:13)
     Disobedience to Gods word is sin. So... think about it, if someone says God revealed a truth to them but does not require obedience for 6 days/6 weeks/6months, then ... that would be the equivalent of saying ... 2 things ... that God approves of sin (not an option), and/or that His grace is not enough for you (remember...Paul?) to endure it! When we stop & think about it we understand that God showed/shows us these things for several reasons. The first reason is ... for His glory! When God reveals His truth to us, it is (at the same time) to draw us closer to Him, while also using us to be a part of His revealing it to someone else. Then there is also the modeling of obedience to Him as we submit to His word! In other words, we may teach this to others by spoken word, or by observed obedience!
     In some ways it can be a very tough & lonely road to stand on His word. Some will be defensive (when... there's been no attack) and feel indicted by simply being in your presence. Some will be angry, not because you have done anything in particular, but because your obedience reminds them of their lack of it. As you grow stronger in His service,  you feel His presence more & more, and only want to serve Him more! When you feel lonely...wrap yourself in His word... the softest, warmest, most comforting blanket I've ever known!
     The fact is..... GOD is not silent... He has spoken, and according to scripture (2 Tim. 3:16-17) ALL of His word is inspired by Him for doctrine/correction/&instruction in righteousness, so that the man of God be thoroughly furnished unto all good works. None of scripture is to be passed over, wrongly handled, or disobeyed.
     In summation ... when the man who has been widely heralded as the greatest evangelist of the 20th century begins to teach that Jesus is NOT the only avenue to the Father, and that their will be people from all kinds of different world religions that will live eternally with God, even if they never so much had heard of Jesus.....what do you do with that?! Well...obviously... you continue to revere him as much as ever.....for that is what has been done with Billy Graham. He has done/said these things on national television in interviews with Dr. Robert Schuler (Hour of Power/Crystal Cathedral) and Larry King (Larry King Live.) Where are the men of God that He has given local or even national platforms to speak from? The word of God says quite clearly that we are to rebuke and reprove such false teaching. In these days that we live in, tolerance is the cry instead of obedience.
     I do not want to stand before Him and be asked, "why did you disobey and despise my word? DO YOU ? Now...THAT... IS THE QUESTION! What will your answer be?
   

My Testimony

C'mon Bud, they're waitin' on the Word! 

My Story

     I was born and raised in the "bible belt" of this great country. My parents were ( and are to this day) two of the finest people you could be blessed to know. Along with my two brothers and one sister we were raised mostly in the country approximately 40 to 50 miles north of Dallas, Texas.

     during our upbringing, my siblings and I were at church it seems whenever the doors were open. Sunday morning and night, along with Wednesday night were a regular thing, while Friday night was a special time for us boys to attend/participate in our churches equivalent of  "Boy Scouts" for Christian boys. I believe there was a (similar) class for the girls also. 

     At approximately 10 to 11 years of age we began attending a different church denomination than I was accustomed to. Having been raised attending the "Assemblies of God" church, we began attending the "Church of God ( 7th Day)". my older brothers were in their teens, while my younger sister was only five or six years of age. With me being in the middle of us 4 children (as far as age goes) I imagine it affected us each differently. However, at my age, although things did change somewhat, life goes on and you adjust.  

     My senior year of high school I attended and graduated from Spring Vale Academy high school in Owosso Michigan. This was the boarding school of the "Church of God (7th Day)" and it was truly a special senior year!

     Most of my adult church life was spent moving from one church/denomination to another trying to find the one that was right for me. Not wanting this to become an autobiography, I'll skip ahead. 

     As each church, one after another, didn't seem to have what I needed, I decided there was no point in being there. From there it was a quick and continuing spiral downward. Suffice it to say that the next 20+ years of my life were spent growing used to and accommodating my sin. I was the King of justification and rationalization. Fast forward to a courtroom where I had been told (even by my own attorney) to expect a 3 to 5 year sentence and to be aware that it could be more. Okay, so you're wondering, hold on...how did we get to here? Well... Alcohol, drugs, and everything that went with that lifestyle is how we got to here. I believe that in a testimony for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we should not spend too much time on the sinful acts that accumulate during a life of disbelief and disobedience. All right, let's move forward. 

     But God..... In the midst of my sins, caught my falling soul, and brought me to his Son. He opened my blinded eyes, unstopped my deaf ears, and showed me the cross where He died. I had heard the gospel message many, many times and yet I was hearing it (spiritually) for the first time! there is a song (written by: Squire Parsons) that I sometimes sing now that says it all. It says: He came to me...yes, He came to me... When I could not come to where He was, He came to me.  Bound by my own sin I could not come to Him. As the Scripture says, "with man this is impossible; but with God all things are possible!" If you are saved (as I am) you should be smiling and saying Amen right about now! If you're not, check yourself!

     Oh yeah, about the courts..... I stood in the courtroom and told "my story" to the judge (who had replaced the judge I was supposed to see) and he looked at me and said I don't believe I'll be seeing you again unless it's in the house of God singing and/or preaching his word! The only time I spent behind bars was back when I was arrested. From the time I was arrested, it took close to a year and a half before I was brought to trial. It was during this time that God "arrested" me!

     He has called me not only as His child, but also to His service, and after a pastorate of close to seven years, I have been blessed to be able to serve God (with the help of my wife) as an evangelist to the body of Christ (the church)! My (our) desire from here forward is to uplift and edify the body of Christ as He wills! As we begin to embark on an evangelistic ministry singing/preaching the words of God, as well as being instruments of giving whatever, whenever, however and to whomever He has ordained!

     OK, you are up to speed now! That/This is who I was, and now am in Christ! I am.....

                                                                       .....Gr8ful 4 Grace, 

                        Greggory Dale Hall 

                                           (A.K.A. the DOGpreacher)

                                        [that's another story]