One World Government?

Yesterday I heard two guys and a woman on a religious radio show discussing the dangers of the world uniting together in peace. The United Nations, the European Union, etc. are all tools of Satan in order to wrestle control away from our government and make us subservient to a one world government, and if we aren't careful, we will be sucked into surrendering our sovereignty as a nation.

That part is nothing new. I've heard that before. New to me, though, were the key players in leading America down the road to the very bowels of hell - none other than Rick Warren of the Saddleback Church and Bill Hybels of Willowcreek Community Church. You see, these two "demonic prophets" are promoting world peace in their churches. And if we aren't careful, it will lead us to a one world government............... (well sure) ...................... You see, how it is working is, there is the tree of knowledge of good and evil. There are two sides of this tree - good and evil. What Warren and Hybels are doing is using things from the "good side of the tree", peace, love, etc. in order to lure us into the very pit of hell................. Oh, OK. Now it makes sense.

I must have missed that class in preaching school.

Is this why women live longer than men? 

Free will?

We batted this around in our S.H.A.R.E. group last night. Does God ever predestine unbelief, hard hearts, etc. in order to accomplish something that will promote His kingdom? We considered Judas, Pharaoh, king Saul, Israel. Were they manipulated by God to disobey so that God's power could be made known to the world?

Before you go ballistic, consider this:

Rom 9:10-24 Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. 11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad--in order that God's purpose in election might stand: 12 not by works but by him who calls--she was told, "The older will serve the younger." 13 Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." 14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16 It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. 19 One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?" 20 But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'" 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? 22 What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath--prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory-- 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

Responses from the group:
1. How could God predestine someone to go to hell because of their unbelief?
2. We shouldn't talk about things like this.
3. We can't understand God
4. God sees the future and then plans things out accordingly to match up with it.

I'll stick with Romans 9:20 "Who am I to talk back to God". If God does stuff like that, I'm O.K with letting God be God.

Goliath was about 2 inches taller than this guy! 

Give It Up For Jesus

Our church leadership is getting ready to head up to the mountains for a retreat. Elders, deacons, and ministers are all converging on a couple of small cabins in the woods for one purpose - to seek God's direction for this church. It is not a planning session. We are planned to death. It is not an organizational meeting with pie charts and graphs and chain of command diagrams. We are organized to death. No, we are seeking the Lord, His will, His direction, His priorities. My personal hope is that a booming voice comes down from heaven and says, "O.K. You guys have run things long enough. Now it's my turn." My prayer is that our leaders, me included, will give up their leadership of this church and become vessels through which God leads his people, and that we will have the courage to go where God is directing us. Hey, wait a minute. I've got a great idea. Jesus being in control of His church!!!! That just might work!