James 1:1-15 Consider it Pure Joy

1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings.

Trials and Temptations

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

9The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. 10But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. 11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.

12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

13When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Holiness is God's desire for us. Not happiness. God does not care whether we have a huge house, or a small apartment. He cares whether we get on our knees and pray to Him. What good is it if a man gains the whole world and yet forfeits his soul? If you get all that you desire and forget to thank God, you are worse off than if you lose everything, but daily walk in His Word. God's plans for you fall more along the lines of relationship than riches. So, consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face a trial that makes you get on your knees and return to the maker of all things. God will see that He finishes his perfect work in you, even if we can't understand everything right now.

Let your compassion swallow your fear, today. Get out there and tell someone the Good News. If you face trials because of your zeal, consider it pure joy. God is using your situation to develop perserverance in you, which will in turn, mature you into the person God wants you to be.

Psalm 51

Do you see God’s great love for you? Do you see your need for His forgiveness? Do what He commands and “Repent…that your sins may be wiped out and times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” (Acts 3:19) You must turn away from sin and turn to God. Desire to have NOTHING to do with sin, and surrender your life to the One who can save you. Jesus died to set you free, and then he rose from death to be your Lord. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” If you will confess and forsake your sins (repent) and trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, God will forgive you and you’ll pass from death to life.

If you are not sure how to pray, read and make it your prayer.

Psalm 51:1-17

1 Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your loving kindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.

4 Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight--
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.

6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.

9 Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.

14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.

15 O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.

16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart--
These, O God, You will not despise.

Smurf & Chief Raca

Proverbs 20:6

Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

I went today with my father to Hollywood and Highland. He is in town and we prayed about where to go fishing. We found a free parking spot and proceeded to walk through the crowds handing out Million Dollar Bills. Many people we found had already received one the day before. I guess this was a popular fishing spot.

One guy named Troy who takes pictures with snakes for donations was very nice. I asked him if he knew what the million dollar people were talking about yesterday, and he said he didn't. So, I asked him the million dollar question, "Where are you going when you die?" He admitted to being a lying, blasphemous adulterer at heart. And, he knew something about Jesus dying for those sins. But, he didn't know how they connected. I explained to him that the Bible requires us to repent of our sins, that is throw them like a hand grenade one way and run in the other direction. And, we are required to put on the Lord Jesus and stop trusting in our own goodness to merit eternal life, but we need to rely on Jesus alone to pay our fine. We shook hands and parted as he promised to read his bible more often.

Then I came across some break dancers setting up. I thought break dancing was just a fad in the eighties, but Smurf and Cheif Raca set me straight. After they asked what the million dollar bill was for, I said I would tell them if they would let me record our conversation for the podcast. They agreed, and you can listen to what transpired by clicking this link.

This is an example of people not wanting to see themselves as God sees them. They just wouldn't admit that they were guilty in the eyes of a holy God. They said that lying didn't make you a liar, stealing didn't make you a thief, blasphemy was only a sin for people who respect God, and adultery is only for married people. I couldn't get them to see their true state, but I sure told them what the Bible said about them. I didn't cast my pearls before swine and tell them about the cross, which would have been foolishness to them. But, even though they said they don't believe in the Christian God, after today, they sure know what He thinks about their sinful natures.

All in all, it was a great day. I prayed for boldness to be faithful to my commission, to tell people the Biblical Gospel. Even while I spoke to these two, a crowd gathered around and heard what I had to say. I gave everyone tracts as they got close. I'll leave it up to the Holy Spirit to work on all those who came into contact with the Truth today. Please pray for Troy, and Smurf, and Chief Raca. I thank God that I was given the opportunity to speak to them today.

Hosea 7:13-16 (New International Version)

13 Woe to them,
because they have strayed from me!
Destruction to them,
because they have rebelled against me!
I long to redeem them
but they speak lies against me.

14 They do not cry out to me from their hearts
but wail upon their beds.
They gather together for grain and new wine
but turn away from me.

15 I trained them and strengthened them,
but they plot evil against me.

16 They do not turn to the Most High;
they are like a faulty bow.
Their leaders will fall by the sword
because of their insolent words.
For this they will be ridiculed
in the land of Egypt.

Charles Spurgeon

Oh, what would I give if one of my hearers should be blessed by God to go home and repent! If I had worlds to buy one of your souls, I would readily give them if I might but bring one of you to Christ.

Oh, If one such should be here this morning! Where are you, you chief of sinners, you vilest of the vile? My dear Hearer, you have never been in the house of God, perhaps these last twenty years, but here you are, covered with your sins, the blackest and vilest of all! Hear God’s Word—“Come, now, let us reason together, though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as wool and though they be red like crimson, they shall be whiter than snow.”

And all this for Jesus’ sake! All this for His blood’s sake! “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved,” for His Word and mandate is, “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; he that believes not shall be damned.”

SINNER! TURN OR BURN!

A New Heart

1. Has prayer ceased to be a vital part of a your life?

2. Has the quest for biblical truth ceased and have you grown content with the knowledge of eternal things already acquired?

3. Is the biblical knowledge possessed or acquired treated as external fact and not applied inwardly?

4. Have earnest thoughts about eternal things ceased to be regular and gripping?

5. Have the services of the church lost their delights?

6. Are pointed spiritual discussions are an embarrassment?

7. Are sports, recreation, and entertainment a large and necessary part of your lifestyle?

8. Can sins of the body and of the mind be indulged in without an uproar in your conscience?

9. Have aspirations of Christlike holiness ceased to be dominant in your life and thinking?

10. Has the acquisition of money and goods become a dominant part of your thinking?

11. Can you mouth religious songs and words without heart?

12. Can you hear the Lord's name taken in vain, spiritual concerns mocked, and eternal issues flippantly treated, and not be moved to indignation and action?

13. Can you watch degrading movies and television and read morally debilitating literature?

14. Are breaches of peace in the brotherhood of no concern to you?

15. Does the slightest excuse seem sufficient to keep you from spiritual duty and opportunity?

16. Have you become content with your lack of spiritual power and no longer seek repeated enduements of power from on high?

17. Do you pardon your own sin and sloth by saying the Lord understands and remembers that we are dust?

18. Is there is no music in your soul and no song in your heart?

19. Have you adjusted happily to the world's lifestyle?

20. Do injustice and human misery exist around you and you do little or nothing to relieve the suffering?

21. When your church has fallen into spiritual declension and the Word of God is no longer preached there with power, are you still content?

22. As the spiritual condition of the world declines around you, can you not perceive it?

23. Are you are willing to cheat your employer?

24. When you find yourself rich in grace and mercy, do you marvel at your own godlikeness?

25. Have your tears dried up and the hard, cold spiritual facts of your existence cannot unleash them?

See this as an awful testimony to both the hardness of your heart and the depth of your backsliding.

Ezekiel 18:30-32

Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!

Ezekiel 36:25-27

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

No tourists here.

Happy Easter. He is Risen, and life is good. See if you can guess the location of my favorite beach.

Today was a blur. We got my mom to church and then back to her home safely. It is like having another kid, and the three we have are enough.

After that, we made it to Easter dinner. A little witnessing around the table. The cousin I was speaking with brought up some very good questions that led to some great discussion. As usual, the people who listened the most were the quiet ones at the periphery.

Plant those seeds, plant those seeds. This generation trusts in their own goodness, and not in Jesus.

Hebrews 9:27

Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment

We don't get a second chance. If all you have to do is be sorry after you die to get into heaven, then answer this one question...

Why did Jesus have to die?

Psalm 31:19

How great is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you,
which you bestow in the sight of men
on those who take refuge in you.

Open Air - Huntington Beach

Today we took the family down to see Ray Comfort and the group put on some open air preaching. When we got there, we found out that they didn't have the right permits. To speak in America, you do not have to have a special permit, but apparantly, to have a 7 foot gorilla next to you while you are speaking requires letting the city know before hand.

Fortunately, there was a church group already setting up for their sunrise service tomorrow and allowed Ray to use their permit to briefly speak. I recorded it. A great basic proof for God's existence. He didn't really do the stirring up the crowd bit, but got a few good words in before the rest of us took off for some one to one witnessing.

Sierra (my 7 year old) was excited to meet Ray and we got a picture of the two together. She wanted to make sure to give Ray a penny with the Ten Commandments on it. He thanked her and showed her some magic tricks.

After Ray spoke, I met a guy named Steve from Redondo Beach who also had two daughters. We paired up and walked to the end of the pier having a contest to see who could pass out more million dollar bills. He won. Seriously, the guy is a million dollar giving maniac. It was a lot of fun.

We stopped a couple of times and walked a few people through the Ten Commandments. The first guy didn't even know what they were, and didn't think it was fair that God would judge him by a standard he hadn't heard of. We reminded him that the Law is actually written on his heart in the form of his conscience.

The second one was more interesting, as the man in the couple was really just fooling around with us and didn't take anything seriously. But, his girlfriend was the one listening and about halfway through, she told him to quit playing around as she had some serious questions for us. She really thought of herself as a good person, and if God was going to use the standard of the Ten Commandments to condemn people to Hell, then 99.9% of people would end up there. I corrected her. 100% of people should end up there. I told her what God did so that she didn't have to end up where she deserved to. I asked her to read her Bible daily and really think about our conversation today.

All in all, I didn't have people running down the aisle to get baptized, but I was faithful with my mission to tell people the truth of the gospel. I'll leave the conversion up to the Holy Spirit.

Christian Podder

OK, I think I found it. A site that will host the audio files for free. Check out Christianpodder.com if you need that service for yourself. Now, I'll see if I can get it to automatically get into iTunes.


This button should take you to my page on their site. I have to go through the approval process before they put up the actual file. I hope Law and Grace meets their criteria for Christian audio files. ;)

Snapshirts

audioblog???

Any thoughts on this service???
http://www.audioblog.com/tour/tour.htm

Audio Down

Limit has been exceeded on domain 'liveon80.com' owned by client
'heaven77' (Contact name 'Dru Morgan'):
Disk space usage: 26.57 M
Disk space limit: 100.00 M
Traffic: 130.30 M
Traffic limit: 100.00 M

Um, I guess I'll have to find another solution for hosting the audio files. Any suggestions?

Home » FAQ

27. Can I use your song on my web page?

That depends, songs or master recordings that are owned or administered by EMI Christian Music Group and Word Music, LLC cannot be used on the Internet in any form. Vineyard Music Group recordings are licensed by EMI Christian Music Group; therefore, they cannot be used on the Internet. All other requests are handled on a case-by-case basis.

Re: Step up the Microphone

Dru,

Thanks for your email. The band cannot agree to allow you to use this song, as their Publisher only has that right. If you wish, you may contact www.emicmg.com for more info on how to contact them. I am sorry, it is out of our hands, but God bless you in your future endeavors.

Thanks!
-----------------------

Dave Wagner
Director of Operations
First Company Management

www.newsboys.com
www.matkearney.com

Make a million with Donald Trump

I went to visit today and thought, "What better place to pass out million dollar bills than Donald Trump's Wealth Expo?" The place was packed and I gave out a million dollar bill to everyone whose eyes caught my shirt pocket. I know what it must feel like to be a busty woman, and have everyone try to sneak a look at your chest. When I caught their wandering eyes I just handed them a bill.

As I was leaving I saw a couple of ladies outside. One was getting signatures for some upcoming ballots, and the other lady was signing them. I prayed for courage and then approached with my voice recorder in hand. It turned out to be a really nice witness encounter. As I signed her petitions, I asked her permission to record her for my podcast.

I'm trying some theme music for the files. It is a song called "Step up the Microphone" by The Newsboys.

This is the first one I have had the courage to record and I'm putting it up here for all to see how I did. One thing, though, as I switched off the recorder, I remembered the 'repentance' and 'faith' part, so I did actually share that at the end.

Other than that, let me know how I did. And I hope this encourages you to get out there and try it yourself. I have talked with several people and it always terrifies me to start. But, once I get into a conversation, things get really comfortable. Having to ask to record someone added a level of fear that I had not experienced before.