Think Bible

Unfair eBay practices

2008-02-18T07:18:00.000-08:00

A lot of people are complaining about the new ebay policies and one complaint is "They are not fair to the little seller."

I ask this.... Since when, has life been fair? I think it unfair that the PowerSeller Status/Rating is based on dollar amount. Why should someone who sells computers at hundreds of dollars per sale have a big advantage over someone who sells used books at a few dollars (or less) per sale?

Is the person who sells 50 computers at $400 each any more of a "power" seller than someone who sells 50 books at $1.00 each? The book seller must sell 400 times the merchandise to keep up with the computer seller! Is this fair?

Shouldn't "PowerSelllers" be determined by item count and not dollar amount?

Maybe I could arrange a boycott?

2008-01-11T06:13:00.000-08:00

Though not without problems (see warning at end) I recommend this book if you are dealing with CCM issues:

Confessions Of A Former Worship Leader: Why I Left the Contemporary Christian Music Movement."
by Lan Lucarini (published by Evangelical Press)
Available at: Think Bible Bookstore

As the "Worship Leader" of a large church, Mr. Lucarini was heavily entrenched in the CCM movement. In this book he tells how his eyes were opened to the truth of CCM.

Of his move into the movement he says, "Some of the singers wanted to use new Vineyard praise and worship music that contained a great deal of repetition and beat. The lyrics reflected a charismatic theology that should have no place in a Baptist church. Our normally humble drummer had an electric drum set that enabled us to control the sound, but even he constantly wanted to add a strong beat to every song we played. The electric guitar player, a lover of classic rock, looked for every chance to play solos or add guitar riffs where they weren't needed. but... To put it bluntly, I was having fun! As I look back on this, I see how hard it was to restrain the rock music beast and prevent it from taking over completely."

He answers all the "pro-CCM" arguments from a first hand perspective which makes his statements very powerful. Chapters include:
1.) Saving butterflies from the storm
2.) My story
3.) The big lie
4.) What is the rue "heart of worship"?
5.) I want my MTV!
6.) Seducing the saints
7.) Splitting churches
8.) Isn't this just a matter of personal preference and taste?
9.) Isn't usic amoral?
10.) But God made music- isn't all music hnherntly good?.
11.) Show me where the Bible says that rock music is evil.
12.) Doesn't the Bible teach we can use all things to reach people?
13.) Should praise music be treated differently?
14.) Didn't Martin Luther and the Wesleys use contemporary music in church?
15.) Isn't CCM easier to sing than traditional hymns?
16.) Isn't God using CCM to save and disciple teens?
17.) Down the slippery slope of blended services.
18.) How then shall we worship together?
19.) How do we choose acceptable music for services?

Warning: This book is not 100% Independent Fundamental Baptist in nature and Scripture Quotes (very few) are from the New King James Bible (a false Bible). However, the anti-CCM message of this book is so strong I believe it would be of benefit to anyone seeking answers about the CCM controversy. Stick a "Use Your KJV Bible" label in it and use it to fight CCM.

Jedd Clampett Wisdom

2007-12-06T06:24:00.000-08:00

Jed Clampett Wisdom

"That girl's so pitiful, if you threw her in the river you could skim "ugly" for two weeks."

Wisdom from D.L. Moody

2007-11-29T12:15:00.000-08:00

The following is from Anecdotes and Illustrations by D.L. Moody.
Available for download from the Resources Section of my resource forum

"Pull for the Shore."
Look at that man in a boat on Niagara River. He is only about a mile from the rapids. A man on the bank shouts to him, "Young man, young man, the rapids are not far away; you'd better pull for the shore." "You attend to your own business; I will take care of myself," he replies. Like a great many people here, and ministers, too, they don't want any evangelist here--don't want any help, however great the danger ahead. On he goes; sitting coolly in his boat. Now he has got a little nearer, and a man from the bank of the river sees his danger, and shouts: "Stranger, you'd better pull for the shore; if you go further, you'll be lost. You can be saved now if you pull in." "Mind your business, and you'll have enough to do; I'll take care of myself." Like a good many men, they are asleep to the danger that's hanging over them while they are in the current. And I say, drinking young man, don't you think you are standing still. You are in the current, and if you don't pull for a rock of safety you will go over the precipice. On he goes. I can see him in the boat laughing at the danger. A man on the bank is looking at him, and he lifts up his voice and cries, "Stranger, stranger, pull for the shore; if you don't you'll lose your life;" and the young man laughs at him--mocks him. That is the way with hundreds in Chicago. If you go to them and point out their danger, they will jest and joke at you. By and by he says: "I think I hear the rapids--yes, I hear them roar;" and he seizes his oars and pulls with all his strength, but the current is too great, and nearer and nearer he is drawn on to that abyss, until he gives one unearthly scream, and over he goes. Ah, my friends, this is the case with hundreds in this city. They are in the current of riches of pleasure, of drink, that will take them to the whirlpool.

"The Scotch Lassie."
There is a story told of an incident that occurred during the last Indian mutiny. The English were besieged in the city of Lucknow, and were in momentary expectation of perishing at the hands of the fiends that surrounded them. There was a little Scotch lassie in this fort, and, while lying on the ground, she suddenly shouted, her face aglow with joy, "Dinna ye hear them comin'; dinna ye hear them comin'?" "Hear what?" they asked, "Dinna ye hear them comin?" And she sprang to her feet. It was the bagpipes of her native Scotland she heard. It was a native air she heard that was being played by a regiment of her countrymen marching to the relief of those captives, and these deliverers made them free. Oh, my friends, don't you hear Jesus Christ crying to you to-night?

Dr. Arnott's Dog "Rover."
I remember when Dr. Arnott, who has gone to God, was delivering a sermon, he used this illustration. The sermon and text have all gone, but that illustration is fresh upon my mind to-night and brings home the truth. He said: "You have been sometimes out at dinner with a friend, and you have seen the faithful household dog standing watching every mouthful his master takes. All the crumbs that fall on the floor he picks up, and seems eager for them, but when his master takes a plate of beef and puts it on the floor and says, 'Rover, here's something for you,' he comes up and smells of it, looks at his master, and goes away to a corner of the room. He was willing to eat the crumbs, but he wouldn't touch the roast beef--thought it was too good for him." That is the way with a good many Christians. They are willing to eat the crumbs, but not willing to take all God wants. Come boldly to the throne of grace and get the help we need; there is an abundance for every man, woman and child in the assemblage.

more?
Available for download from the Resources Section of my resource forum

Independent Top Sites

2007-11-26T18:09:00.000-08:00

My new Independent Top Sites is up and running. If you are Independent Fundamental Baptist in doctrine and you have a web site please consider adding it to the site. You will have additional traffic to your site as a result.

Preset Google Searches

2007-11-20T08:15:00.000-08:00

Time saving preset links for advanced Google searches. These links will open a new window and return a Google search.

"BAPTIST"
News: Last Hour - Last Day - Past Week
Blogs: Last Hour - Last 12 Hours - Last Day - Past Week

"INDEPENDENT BAPTIST"
News: Last Day - Past Week
Blogs: Last Day - Past Week
Video: All
Images: All

"KING JAMES BIBLE"
News: Last Day - Past Week
Blogs: Last Day - Past Week
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Visit regularly - additional links to be added.

SermonAudio.net mp3's

2007-11-19T19:54:00.000-08:00

Good source of sermon mp3's. SermonAudio.net

God's "Alert" System - Will You Get Caught?

2007-11-17T08:15:00.000-08:00

I was vividly reminded this morning that I need to be careful as to what I "say" on the web. It's easy to get "caught"!

Three days ago I wanted to show my wife Googles' "Alert" feature. I went to my account and setup an "Alert" using her name as the Alert Keyword. This morning, while gulping my morning coffee and checking email, I found that I had a "Paula" Alert waiting for me. Sure enough, someone had mentioned her name on the web. I clicked the link and there it was. A bulletin board post by a church friend that we haven't seen for years. She was discussing her pregancy and she was sharing when she had first felt her baby kick. It just happened to be while sitting in church listening to my wife sing.

This made me think. How many months will it be before the whole computer community has an "Alert" setup watching their name? How many of my "posts" and "blurbs" will be served up to name watchers? Will the context be positive, neutral, or negative? I thought of the following verse: Eph 4:29 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers."

And then it hit me! God has an Alert system too! He knows every word that I say. Friend, be careful what you communicate on the web and in life. People will be watching.... The Creator already knows!

Lu 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

Heavenly Blessings

2007-11-14T20:58:00.000-08:00

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: Eph. 1:3 (KJV)

Oh that we would realize what we have in Christ Jesus. As a young man fervert to serve God, Harry Ironside got caughtup in the holiness movement. The more he strived to "receive the blessing" the further away from God he moved. The harder he tried in his own power the more broken he became. It almost took a total breakdown (both physical and spiritual) to bring him to the realization that if it is God who saves us, it is also God who keeps us. We do indeed have "all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ."

You can read his exciting story online HERE