CERTAINSOUNDS

"Let us eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die..." (I Cor. 15:32) Although this may be what a lot of people will be thinking and doing tonight, most will not die. Instead they will be faced with another year, a year that promises to have a great deal of the "Samo-Samo". It will be back to everyday life with the same co-worker, fellow students, family members, etc. No doubt there will be a number of surprises as well.

So after the booze wears off and the hangover is over, what will it take to have a "happy" 2006?
Well, as you know, for most happiness, as they know it, is dependent upon the happenings around them. But, what does the Bible say about happiness?

Pro. 3:13 & 18 says; "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding;" "She (wisdom) is a tree of life to those who lay hold upon her, and happy is everyone that retaineth her." You want real happiness in 2006, get wisdom and understanding.
How you ask? Pro. 9:10 says; "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding. I other words, if you want to be really happy, have a reverentcial trust in the LORD (trust Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord) and know Him by experiencing Him by faith. This is something that takes place in your soul and spirit, from the inside out.

In fact, real happiness is opposite of the worlds happiness or happenings. I Pet. 3:14 states; "But and if ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye; and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled." and I Pet. 4:14 says; "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you; on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your par he is glorified." So according to these verses, we as believer find our real happiness in the opposite end of where the world finds it.

Sad to say, most of us Christians in the USA don't know the reality of this kind of happiness, however, it is just this that our culture needs to see, to see Christ in us. I trust that each of us who know Christ personally by Faith will be able to demonstrate real happiness in 2006.
In light of what I have just said, I wonder if we really want a truly biblical happy new year?

Well, that's the way it looks from here,

In the above link it warns of a new Trojan horse affecting certain Windows PC users.
I am not one of the them because I don't have that new of a version yet.
However, it was of interest to me as I read of a "hole" in the system that allows an initial invasion that then makes it possible for the larger and more disruptive stuff to download spyware and adware. Then it uses the infected computer to contaminate others as well. I am sure most of us PC users have experienced this in some form.

I was reminded of the "hole" in each of our lives (the sinful nature) that can allow for an initial infiltration of sin into our lives, which we might not think is such a big deal. But, this then makes it possible for much larger sinful contamination to take place as we yield to temptation. Then this is used by the enemy (Satan and his demons) to adversely affect us and other around us.

Most sinful habit patterns started with just a so called "little" sin which often ends up in a life dominating addiction to some substance or behavior.

The good news is that God has given us a way to recognize the initial infiltration and neutralize it so that the big stuff never gets in. 2 Cor. 10:3,4,5 speak is this; 3 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ:"

Because of our spiritual sensitivity, because of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we are empowered to take the initial temptation while still in the thought stage and capture it and put it to death Col. 3:3&5. Having done this through the power of the Spirit it now cannot move from the thought stage to the action stage which then would affect us negatively and those around us. 1 Cor. 10:13, assures us that this is possible.

Well, that's the way it looks from here,

If I heard right, I heard recently that since that announcement 2000 yrs ago there has only been 30 years of peace on earth.

And what about the words of Jesus Himself in; Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Just what is going on here? Well, consider these comments.
What the Word of God says is true and non-contradictory.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Ish. 9:6), however, He was rejected 2000 yrs ago and for the most
part is being rejected today. The Bible says there is no peace saith my God to the wicked. (Ish. 57:21)
Thus the sword aspect and all that goes with it.

Jesus said right before His ascension: Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (Jn. 14:27

Yes, we can personally experience personal peace by receiving Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour and Lord. Our homes can be peaceful. Society can be peaceful to the extent that it is under the Lordship of Christ.

I pray that today you are experiencing this peace.

I trust this Christmas Season that you Know the reason for the season.
I trust that you Know Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour and that you
are experiencing His Peace.

Rom. 5:1; "Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God."
Phil. 4:6;7; "Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thankgiving let your request be known to God, and the peace of God shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Merry Christmas,

http://www.sermonaudio.com/new_details.asp?ID=20803
Refer to above link for the article

First, let me say that I don't think I am going. NO! I KNOW that I am going to Heaven, and it is because I am saved by Grace Alone, through Faith Alone, in Christ Alone.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

1Jo 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Now regarding that 85%. I don't know how many of them are going because I am not Omniscient, but yet I do know how many of them are going. Beginning to wonder about me, are you? Well, what I mean is I know each one of them that has been saved according to the above verses is surely going to heaven, but I don't know individually which ones they are.
I trust you are one of them.

http://www.crosswalk.com/news/religiontoday/1369166.html

Isn't this ironic? My post yesterday dealth with a researcher saying the opposite of these finding.
It is interesting to me that if we were to use the thinking of yesterdays researcher we would probably conclude that societal ills would be even worse in prison because of the concentration of so many violent inmates, plus the existence of many really good solid Bible teaching programs.
When, in fact, the opposite it true.

I just got out of prison a few hour ago from doing prison ministry so this article really rings my bell. I have seen this first hand.

In the above article(last one on page) this study shows that so called"Faith Based" programs have a positive affect on inmate interpersonal problem.

I meet them on a regular basis, inmates that were violent and causing trouble, now they are model prisoners. Why? Not because of some generic "faith based program", but because they have had their lives transformed by the power of Christ.
Rom 6:4 "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

Well, that's the way it looks from here,

http://www.sermonaudio.com/new_details.asp?ID=20788

In the above link the researcher is said to be saying this very thing. Even thought he denies the claim of using correlation to prove causation, it seems evident that he would like the reader to come to this conclusion.

Paraphrasing some of what he is saying, I would make the following observation for your consideration.

One observation is, he says that he sees a correlation between how religious a prosperous democracy is and how many social ills they have. He sights the USA as the most faithful yet has a high rate of homicide, juvenile and early adult mortality, STD infection rates, teen pregnancy, and abortion than other prosperous democracies.

Instead of correlation I see contrast.

The contrast between those living on the pleasure plain, Rom 8:7 "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject, to the law of God, neither indeed can be." and those living under the Lordship of Christ,
Mat 6:19 "Lay not up, for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:"
Mat 6:20 "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:"

I also see a contrast between "religion" and real "Biblical Christianity".
Pro 14:34 "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." When those that are righteous because they have received the righteousness of Jesus Christ by faith, live righteously, it has the affect of building up a culture not tearing it down.
Jam 1:27 "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

Well, that's the way it looks from here,

http://www.sermonaudio.com/new_details.asp?ID=20775
In the above link this brave brother takes the battle to the "Lion's Den".
Yes, he does guided tours of this Museum of Natural History which drips with
the theory of Macro-Evolution I am sure. Well, he does his tour from a Creationist
viewpoint. Bravo, bravo!

The prophet Daniel (the original Lion Den survivor) said: (Dan 11:32) "... but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits."
Ah, yes, we have been on the defensive long enough. It is time for us to be on the offensive. I realize that some of us are more inclined to being aggressive then the rest of us, but we all need to: " ...be ready always to give an answer, to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:" (I Pet. 3:15)

Well, that's the way it looks from here,

Have you noticed?
It appears that there has been a nationwide
agenda by many to celebrate Christmas without Christ this year.
It has been discussed a lot lately in our Camp.
I know, we have been seeing things move that way
for quite sometime, but it seems like a quantum leap has
been made.
I realize a lot could be said about the whole subject of just how
biblical we believers are in the way we remember our Savior's birth.
It is not my purpose to discuss that matter. I just wanted to express
my observation of the obvious. Has it finally happened? Are we living to
see the almost complete secularization of Christmas.
Ya know, I think of how there has been such move in the Church to be careful not
be offensive, or overbearing. Keep it low key, find a low impact way of telling
a lost and dying world that they are lost and without Christ they will spend eternity
in Hell.
Should we be surprised when they don't take our Savior seriously? Is it because we have
made the gospel so soft and comfortable that they don't even feel lost, so why would they need our Savior. After all, we haven't taken it that seriously ourselves. Someone has said, "They won't care how much we know, until they know how much we care."

(Mat 1:21) And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
(1Jo 2:2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Well, that's the way it looks from here,

OUR CABIN IN THE WOODS

MINISTERING IN RUSSIA

FLYING MISSIONARIES
& DOG IN ALASKA

OUR MISSION PLANE

DAVE PREACHING IN
LESOTHO, AFRICA

INSIDE OUR CABIN

TO THE OTHER EXTREME-NEPA

FROM ONE EXTREME-
GULF OF MEX-SWFL

http://www.sermonaudio.com/new_details.asp?ID=20755

In the above link is the article in which a children's author and rights supporter made some comments on a British radio broadcast. She stated that she believed that allowing children to be adopted by homosexual couples would put children at risk.
Well, someone listening filed a complaint and the lady that made the comments was called by the police and informed that she had been accused of an "homophobic incident". She was told that it wasn't a crime, but that a record would be kept of the incident.

I am reminded of the following verse:
Isa 5:20 "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (KJV)

We are certainly living in a day when we see this becoming the norm in our culture.
May we heed the words of the prophet Amos that he spoke to the Jews.

Amo 5:15 "Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph." (KJV)

Yes, let us love the sinner to Christ, but hate their sin. Besides, according to modern thinking, God is "homophobic", so we are in good company.

Well, that's the way it looks from here,

http://www.sermonaudio.com/new_details.asp?ID=20740

In the above article an appeals court judge overturned a lower court judges decision, and in so doing hurts the gay marriage cause. Congrats to the appeals judge.
The thing that partictularly got my attention was the thinking that the lower court judge used for her decision. In essence, she said that marriage has been evolving over time and a ruling keeping it as one man and one women would be discriminatory.
This is another by product of moral relativistic thinking and the theory of evolution.
All the more reason for the absolute truth of God's word.
Gen. 2:21-24; "And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof, and the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a women, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is no bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto he wife: and they shall be one flesh."(kjv)

Well, that's the way it looks from here,

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1567394,001100010012.htm

The above site tells of the nine different religions meeting at the Washington National Cathedral.
The diversity is being applauded as wonderful world changing exercise.
I would state that the headlines in heaven read I-chabod (I Sam. 4:20 & 21; "...the glory is departed...").
This idolatry is just one more display of the coming one world religion. Ex. 20:3 "...no othe gods before me"
And, yes, those of us who are biblical fundamentalist increasingly look like the
extremist that are holding up ecumenical progress.

At this time of year when the warm and fuzzy is so popular may we biblisist be salt (Mat. 5:13; "Ye are the salt of the earth..."and light. (Mat. 5:14; "Ye are the light of the world." )
Not the kind of salt that just makes the tasteless, tasteful, or the kind of light that makes us feel cozy with those that we have nothing in common with. Instead, may we be salt that stings
in this sin infected society, and a light that penetrates, exposing and dissipating the spiritual darkness.

Well, that is the way it looks from here,

http://www.sermonaudio.com/new_details.asp?ID=20729

In the above link you'll find more info on coke's decision to come out with a coffee infused classic coke.
They have been messing with the original recipe at different times in the past with differing results. Some have been rejected and some accepted and the others in between.
Well, it reminds me of what a lot of churches are trying to do with the Gospel. They are trying to make it more palatable to the tastes of the day.
They are messing with the original.
I am all for new methods of reaching an ever changing culture, but I am also for using the never changing Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ro. 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." (KJV)

Well, that's the way it looks from here,

http://www.sermonaudio.com/new_details.asp?ID=20725

The above link will take you to the whole article if you want, but let me summarize.
They did some testing of quarreling couple and found that their bodies abilities to heal
itself was significantly affected (negatively) in these couples.

I am reminded of Pro. 17:22 "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones." and Pro. 12:18 "There is that speaketh like the peircing of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health."

Is it any wonder that the wounding of the spirit that is inflicted by hurting words is evidenced in our bodies abilities to heal themselves negatively.
May we speak words of healing and health to our spouses.

You see, the more they discover scientifically the more it proves the Bible's accuracy.

Well, that's the way it looks from here.

I was reading a Breaking News article on Sermonaudio.com in which it said that 1 in 3 clergy in Scotland still believe in damnation.
It also said that the concept of hell as a literal place has declined in our secular world.
I have not check recently what the stats are here in the USA, but I want to go on record as being one that does believe in a literal hell. Why, you may ask, because the Bible says so. Lu. 16:23; "And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom." (KJV) Rev. 20:14; And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." (KJV)
This being said, I am so thankful that there is no need to end up in hell. In John 14:6, Jesus said; "...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Again, in John 6:37, Jesus said; "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." (KJV)
Also in John 10:28, Jesus said; "And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." (KJV)

Well, that's the way it looks from here,

Preacher Dave

In God's Word, the Bible, 1 Co 14:8 states; "For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?" In these days of much uncertainty in relation to just what is truth, I want to share my perspective on current issues from a biblical point of view.
Yes, in these days of uncertainty I believe the Bible has the "Certain Sounds" that we need in understanding all that is taking place around us these days.

Well, that's the way it looks from here,

Preacher Dave