Baptist history search engine

Today I entered into a experiment concerning something I discovered on Google -- creating a customized search engine. I have created Baptist History Search Engine and invite you to visit, try a search, and give me your comments on it. I don't know how good this will be, but can see some possibilities. Your comments might help me improve it.

Godliness and contentment

“But godliness with contentment is great gain,” 1 Timothy 6:7

By definition, ‘godliness’, means ‘God-fearing’ or revering. The problem with our generation is that ‘there is no fear of God before their eyes,’ Romans 2:18. True God fearing begins with the revelation of His character and attributes as revealed by the Spirit of God in the Word -- Proverbs 9:10. It continues with the revelation of God’s mercy and justice being met together in Christ Jesus (typified by the mercy seat with the blood) -- Psalm 32:6. David pleads not his innocence before God, but the forgiveness of God based on the non-imputing of sin to his account, as grievous as it was -- v. 2. Romans 3:25 uses the term --‘the forbearance of God,’ toward sin yet to be remitted. In Psalm 32:6, the word ‘godly’ has a Hebrew root meaning of ‘mercy.’ Therefore, true godliness is not out of any walk, character, or conduct obligating God to bless, but rather an acknowledgement in humility of one’s constant need for mercy, based on a just satisfaction by the Substitute, Jesus Christ -- e.g. the publican -- Luke 18:13.

The contentment that comes from this revelation of God’s mercy in Christ Jesus is the satisfaction of needing or wanting nothing else than Jesus blood and righteousness as ALL our salvation, redemption, justification, and sanctification. Ye are complete in Him -- Colossians 2:10. -- Ken Wimer, Shreveport Grace Church bulletin, February 11, 2007

The song you sing

"The song that YOU sing does you the most good" -- credited to Frank Stamps at Southern Gospel Music Conventions

Praise and honour

Psalm 71:8

Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.

5/4 time signature

Well, I'm at home today -- didn't get to attend our State Sacred Harp Singing Convention -- and so I'm mulling over music just a little bit. Since I knew I wouldn't be going to College Station, I went to a seven-shape singing convention in Jacksonville, Texas.

As we (really, they) were breezing through one song in 4/4 time, we ran up against 3 or 4 measures labeled 5/4?? Most everyone seemed to be familiar with it, or else didn't care.

Whoever heard of a 5/4 time signature?

Just when you think you know....

Just when you think you know all about Baptist history, you learn something new!

The only distilled beverage native to the United States is bourbon. A Baptist preacher from Kentucky, Elijah Craig (1738–1808), is credited with the invention of bourbon whiskey. He and his brother Lewis and the “Traveling Church” came from Virginia and arrived in central Kentucky circa 1781. Apparently, a number of Kentucky churches trace their lineage to this beginning.

According to Wikipedia, “He was ordained a Baptist minister in 1771, and was imprisoned briefly in South Carolina, apparently for disturbing the peace with his sermons. He then moved to what was then Bourbon County, Kentucky and settled in the area of Frankfort, Kentucky in 1785. In 1777, he became pastor of Blue Run Church.”

The first Baptist college founded west of the Allegheny mountains – Georgetown College (in Georgetown, KY) – has a connection back to Elijah Craig. He founded the Rittenhouse Academy in 1798. Silas Noel, a Frankfort, KY lawyer and minister, helped persuade the Kentucky legislature to charter the Kentucky Baptist Education Society in 1829. Citizens of Georgetown offered to raise $20,000 and donate the assets of Rittenhouse Academy for a new college. Therefore, Georgetown’s roots are fed from Craig’s school.

I ran across the bourbon info in “The excommunication of wine” in the Searcy, Arkansas Daily Citizen (Thursday, February 8, 2007 6:38 PM CST) That article carried this interesting paragraph:

“It took less than one hundred years for the majority of American Churches to end eighteen centuries of the virtually universal use of wine and begin serving grape juice at communion services. This swift change in public perception is akin to the drop in sales of orange juice and bread caused by the recent Atkin’s Diet brouhaha. In this sense, Prohibition can be viewed as one of history’s most successful marketing campaigns.”

Two hymns I hadn't heard

A couple of interesting hymns from an old Mormon hymn book (which probably explains why I hadn't heard them). What do you think of them?

1. Though in the outward church below,
The wheat and tares together grow;
Jesus ere long will weed the crop,
And pluck the tares in anger up.
2. Will it relieve their horrors there,
To recollect their stations here;
How much they heard, how much they knew,
How much among the wheat they grew?
3. No! this will aggravate their case,
They perish'd under means of grace;
To them the word of life and faith
Became an instrument of death.
4. We seem alike when thus we meet,
Strangers might think we all were wheat;
But to the Lord's all-searching eyes,
Each heart appears without disguise,
5. The tares are spared for various ends,
Some for the sake of praying friends;
Others the Lord, against their will,
Employs his counsels to fulfil.
6. But though they grow so tall and strong,
His plan will not require them long;
In harvest, when He saves his own,
The tares shall into hell be thrown.

1. Salem's bright King, Jesus by name,
In ancient times to Jordan came
All righteousness to fill;
'Twas there the ancient prophet stood,
Whose name was John, a man of God,
To do his Master's will.
2. The holy Jesus did demand
His right to be baptized then,
The prophet gave consent;
On Jordan's banks they did appear,
And lo, John and his Master dear,
Then down the bank they went.
3. Down in old Jordan's rolling stream;
The prophet led the holy Lamb,
And there did him baptize:
Jehovah saw his darling Son,
And was well pleas'd in what he'd done,
And own'd him from the skies.
4. The opening heaven now complies,
The Holy Ghost like lightning flies,
Down from the courts above:
And on the holy heavenly Lamb,
The Spirit lights and does remain,
In shape like a fair dove.
5. This is my Son, Jehovah cries,
The echoing voice from glory flies,
O, children, hear ye him;
Hark! 'tis his voice, behold he cries,
Repent, believe, and be baptiz'd,
And wash away your sin.

"Salem's bright king" may have first appeared in the 4th edition (1810) of Smith & Jones' Hymns and Spiritual Songs, for the Use of Christians.
Let Us Sing

State Convention

The 15th Annual Texas State Denson Book Sacred Harp Convention* will be held in College Station, Texas (d.v.) on Saturday & Sunday, February 24-25, 2007.

The location of the convention will be:
Wellborn Community Center
4119 Greens Prairie Rd. W.
College Station, Texas

Time: Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

For more info: Kevin Powell

*Click link above for map

Our Sufficiency

"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God." - 2 Corinthians 3:5

HE is our SUFFICIENCY in the court of heaven. “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” (Rom 5:9-10)

HE is our SUFFICIENCY in the court of our accusers. “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” (Rom 8:33-34)

HE is our SUFFICIENCY in the court of man’s opinion. “As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Rom 8:36-37)

HE is our SUFFICIENCY in any ministry to which we are called. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (2Cor 4:7)

HE is our SUFFICIENCY in faith. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2:20)

HE is our SUFFICIENCY in sanctification. “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” (1Co 1:30)

HE is our SUFFICIENCY in assurance. “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” (2Tim 1:12)

HE is our SUFFICIENCY in life and death. “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.” (Rom 14:7-8)

by Mark McInnis, excerpt from Grace Gazette, Volume V, Issue 6

Presidents Day tomorrow

Tomorrow is "Presidents Day" in the United States, so I got online to look up some of its history. According to Patriotism.org "The original version of the holiday was in commemoration of George Washington's birthday in 1796." "Washington's Birthday was originally implemented by the federal government in 1880 in the District of Columbia and expanded in 1885 to include all federal offices." (Wikipedia). "In 1968, legislation was enacted that changed Washington's Birthday observation to the third Monday in February each year whether or not it fell on the 22nd. This act took effect in 1971."

Here are a few bits of trivia:

"George Washington, according to the calendar that has been used since at least the mid-18th century, was born on February 22, 1732. According to the old style calendar in use in 1732, he was born on February 11."

Abraham Lincoln's birthday was never a federal holiday like Washington's, but it did become a legal holiday in several states.

"The holiday in February is still officially known as Washington's Birthday (at least according to the Office of Personnel Management); it has become popularly (and, perhaps in some cases at the state level, legally) known as 'Presidents Day'."

Situated closely to the time of the birthdays of Washington and Lincoln was the inaguration of Jefferson Davis as President of the Confederate States of America, which happened on this day, February 18th, in 1861.

Happy holidays to some of you "lucky ones" who'll be home taking it easy tomorrow! ;-)

This post refers to Presidents Day as known in the United States. Several other countries also observe a "Presidents Day."

The Gospel in Isaiah

Isaiah 9:6-7 is a great prophecy of Christ. It shows HOW He came into the world, WHO He really is, WHY He came, and WHAT He accomplished--

“For unto us a child is born,”- This speaks of His holy, sinless humanity, conceived in the virgin’s womb by the Holy Spirit. Christ is the ‘seed of woman,’ (Genesis 3:15).
“unto us a son is given:” This speaks of His eternal deity. His godly nature was not created or born. He is the eternal Son of God, Alpha and Omega, having no beginning and no end. He is the great ‘I AM’ (John 8:58).
“and the government shall be upon His shoulder,”- This speaks of WHY He came. It was to fulfill ALL THE CONDITIONS and REQUIREMENTS of the salvation of God’s elect. This is the government of grace, and all grace is in Christ (John 1:17).
“and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” This describes His Person in all the facets of His glory as the Redeemer and the Lord of His people (Colossians 1:19; 2:9; 2 Corinthians 4:6).
"Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom,”- This describes the ASSURED FRUIT AND RESULT OF HIS FINISHED WORK, for “He SHALL save His people from their sins,” (Matthew 1:21). The ‘throne of David’ is the messianic throne of Christ our Redeemer. ‘His kingdom’ is His church whom He redeemed by His own blood.
"to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever." THIS DESCRIBES HIS FINISHED WORK ON THE CROSS. God is both just and justifier as the sins of God’s elect were imputed to Christ and His righteousness was imputed to them (Romans 3:24-26; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
“The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” This shows how ALL of salvation is of the Lord, by His power, and for His glory.

-- Bill Parker, Ashland, KY, from the Bulletin of Shreveport Grace Church, 14 January 2007

Predestination of things?

"God predestinated his people, not things." "Predestination as taught by the true church teaches us that God predetermined the destination of his people, not things." -- Elder Claude Mckee,* Anniston, Alabama

From time to time I hear or read the idea that predestination refers only to people and not things. This "doctrine" is making a distinction where there is no difference (and thereby possibly causes division where there should be none). Consider the following factors.

1. The English meaning of the word "predestinate". It means "to foreordain or predetermine" (our common usage of "destination" is not bound up in the meaning of the word).

2. The Latin root of the word "predestinate". It comes from the Latin root déstinàre, which means "to establish or determine" (see the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © 2006, for example)

3. The meaning of the Greek word proorizo. According to most concordances, Bible dictionaries, etc., it means "to predetermine or decide beforehand", "decreeing from eternity", "to foreordain or appoint beforehand". (IOW, our modern idea of "destination" is not bound up in the word, as usage will show)

4. The use of the Greek word proorizo. It is translated "predestinate", "ordain" and "determine before" in the following verses, and is not restricted from referring to things.

Acts 4:28 - For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel /determined before/ to be done.
Rom 8:29 - For whom he did foreknow, he also did /predestinate/ to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 8:30 - Moreover whom he did /predestinate/, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
1Co 2:7 - But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God /ordained/ before the world unto our glory:
Eph 1:5 - Having /predestinated/ us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:11 - In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being /predestinated/ according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

To define "things" out of what God has determined before is to ignore the totality of Scripture, place too much weight a few verses without due consideration of the whole, and to ignore the meaning of the word. Too much rests on reading back into it one of the meanings of our word "destination" -- "the place to which one is going". This ignores other meanings of the word, such as "an act of appointing or setting aside for a specific purpose". To say that God does not "predestinate" things is to say He does not "predetermine" things.

This is an area in which we need to allow the Bible to interpret itself, rather than to apply our own distinctions. As noted, the Greek word proorizo is translated "predestinate" and "determine before", which is a Biblical way of defining the meaning of predestinate -- it is that which God has determined before. For example, in Acts 4:28 - "For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done." What had God here determined before? That Herod, Pontius Pilate, Gentiles and the people of Israel would crucify Jesus Christ. See verses 24-27 and also Acts 2:22-24.

* Essential Baptist Principles I do not intend to "pick on" or debate Elder Mckee. His site is the first one I found by google search that stated this idea plainly.

True Love

I CORINTHIANS 13

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

This day in England -- 1542

Queen Catherine of England (Catherine Howard) died on this day -- February 13 -- in 1542. She was beheaded on the grounds of treason. Catherine was the fifth queen/consort of Henry VIII. This bit of "this day" trivia reminds me that last fall in Austin, while at the Southwest Texas Sacred Harp Singing Convention, Sonny Erwin taught me a mnemonic for remembering the fates of Henry's wives -- "divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived". Now most of you probably already knew that, but it was new to me.

Christ and the cross

The rationalist says: "Give me Christ without the cross."
The ritualist says, "Give me the cross without the Christ!"
However, the redeemed sinner says:
"A crossless Christ, my Savior could not be;
"A Christless cross is no refuge for me;
"But Oh, CHRIST CRUCIFIED, I rest in Thee!"

-- Copied from the Shreveport Grace Church bulletin, February 11, 2007

Mount Carmel history book

I have agreed to let Carolyn Ericson and Ericson Books print and sell my book, Minutes of the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church Rusk County, Texas October 1867--November 1871. This should make them more widely accessible. I don't have the time to print and put together very many of them, and they are set up to do so. If you are interested in ordering a copy, visit their web site, which is linked above. Click on the "catalog" and then "new items". You may also type in "Carmel" on the Search by any Keyword function at the bottom of the "catalog" page and it will find it.

The cost is $7.50, plus postage (and tax if you are a Texas resident).

Unbelief in an Elder's Children by Taylor

“May a man have children who are unbelievers and yet be appointed or continue as an elder? First Timothy 3:4-5 and Titus 1:6 provoke the question....all of the requirements for eldership that are listed in this passage (being married once, being temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, a good teacher, not a drunkard, not a lover of money, and not a recent convert) are actions of personal responsibility. We would expect the requirement regarding his children to be in the same category. Requiring that his children have genuine saving faith is to require personal responsibility for the salvation of another, something I don’t see taught in Scripture.” – From Unbelief in an Elder’s Children by Justin Taylor (click link to read the entire article)

Baylor singing tomorrow

Saturday before Second Sunday in February (February 10th)
6th Annual—Baylor Sacred Harp Singing

This will be held in the Great Hall at Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University, Waco, Texas.

Time: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

More info: David Music, (254) 710-2360. The 1991 Denson Revision will be used.

HoBgoBlinS

"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed -- and hence clamorous to be led to safety -- by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary." I'm not a big fan of Henry Louis Mencken (1880-1956), but he seems to have gotten that right. Viewing with cynicism in 1920, how would he view politics in the 21st century? If politicians can't find a problem to save us from, they'll create one.

I also like this quote of his: "The ideal Government of all reflective men, from Aristotle onward, is one which lets the individual alone—one which barely escapes being no government at all." Oh, for less government!

Jack the Huckster

I was first introduced to this story three or four years ago by Elder Jimmy Hamrick of Lindale. This version copied and presented below is from Charles H. Spurgeon, who told it a number of times in his sermons.

This Huckster Jack was a poor, wicked fellow, who had gone about from village to village, swearing, drinking, huckstering and perhaps pilfering. Some thought him half-witted, but the story would show his mind to be sound enough. He heard a poor woman sing somewhere— "I'm a poor sinner, and nothing at all; But Jesus Christ is my all in all."

He remembered the words, and what was better, he felt their sense; and he kept on humming them to himself till God's good Spirit engraved them on his heart. There they were recorded, and Jack was a new man and a saved man. So he assayed to join himself unto the church, but the brethren looked suspiciously at him and enquired, "What is your experience?" He said he had no experience but this— "I'm a poor sinner, and nothing at all; But Jesus Christ is my all in all."

The good elders very properly asked, "Are you converted? Have you been born again?" and Jack replied, "I do not know much about these things; but this I do know and am sure of— "I'm a poor sinner, and nothing at all; But Jesus Christ is my all in all."

They put him back for awhile, to try if he would grow in his knowledge, but he never went an inch beyond the first standard. He knew what he did know, and to that he held fast— "I'm a poor sinner, and nothing at all; But Jesus Christ is my all in all."

Well, they must take him into the church; they could not well refuse a man with such a confession of faith; and when he was in the church, walking with the brethren, he was happier than the rest of them, at which they greatly marvelled, and one said to him, "Brother Jack, don't you sometimes feel doubts and fears?" "Doubts," he said, "what do you mean? I never doubt that 'I'm a poor sinner, and nothing at all;' for I have daily proofs of it, and why should I doubt that 'Jesus Christ is my all in all'? for he says he is, and I must believe him."

"Ah, well," said one, "sometimes I enjoy good frames and feelings, and feel very happy, and then I lose them, and sink in spirit." Jack answered, "I never get lower than I am, for I am down at the bottom— 'A poor sinner, and nothing at all.' I cannot get lower than that, can I? But I am also at the top, 'for Jesus Christ is my all in all,' and I cannot get higher than that, can I?"

They tried him many ways with their blessed experience, of which you and I have got cart-loads, perhaps wagon-loads; but he could not be drawn out of his one firm position. They tried him with their various attainments, depressions, anxieties, quibbles, and questions; but still the huckster would not budge. He had bought the truth and would not sell it, and so he stuck to— "I'm a poor sinner, and nothing at all; But Jesus Christ is my all in all."

Jesus freely gives us all

Jesus is the chiefest good;
He has saved us by His blood;
Let us value naught but him;
No one else deserves esteem.

Jesus, when stern Justice said,
"Man his life has forfeited,
"Vengeance follows by decree,"
Cried, "Inflict it all on me."

Jesus gives us life and peace,
Faith, and love, and holiness;
Every blessing, great or small,
Jesus freely gives us all.

-- From today's Shreveport Grace Church bulletin (but without attribution; anyone know who wrote this?)

Three hopeless cases

In the Gospel of Mark, chapter 5, we find three hopeless cases.

1. A man who could be neither tamed nor bound -- no man could bind him, no, not with chains...neither could any man tame him.

2. A woman who could not be healed -- a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse...

3. A girl who died "while help was on the way" -- Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?

Hopeless. Yes! "With men this is impossible..."

Hopeless? I think not! "...with God all things are possible."

Out of his head, crazy, hopeless: "And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind..."

Money gone, health gone, hopeless: "...she had heard of Jesus...and touched his garment...And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague."

Life gone, hopeless: "And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked..."

No head. No health. No breath. No hope. NO PROBLEM!!

An holy kiss

Romans 16:16 -- Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

It was a kiss; a form of greeting (salute).

It was holy and chaste; not lascivious as the woman in harlot's attire (Prov. 7:13ff. So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him...).

It was sincere and open; not false and treacherous as Judas (Luke 22:48 Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?).

It was mutual; salute one another (Rom. 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another).

Unlike the Dead Sea, which is constantly receiving but never giving, a mutual expression flows in both directions. This mutual expression was one of love -- By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Of respect -- Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another. Of familial bonds -- Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee...for we be brethren. And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

John 15:12 -- This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

At ease in Zion

Amos 6:1 - "Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria..." In Israel and Judah existed a false security and complacency. Because of this the truth of matters were not clearly seen. This is often true of us in our own situations

At ease, complacent, secure, careless, asleep -- all describe well much of 21st century American Christianity. Two complimentary and parallel truths expose the error of complacency.

1. Christ's Kingdom is not of this world. John 18:36 - "My kingdom is not of this world." His Kingdom is not earthly, but heavenly; not fleshly, but spiritual.

2. God's children are temporary residents of this world. Hebrew 11:9,10 - Descriptive terms that the Bible uses for Christians emphasize this fact. We are foreigners, aliens, wanderers, sojourners, strangers, pilgrims. Our citizenship is in heaven. Citizenship here on earth is usually determined by birth -- where and to whom. Citizenship in the kingdom of God is also determined by birth -- by whom -- a second, spiritual birth (John 1:12,13; 3:7; Col.1:13). As citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, we are ambassabors OF heaven TO earth.

From these two truths we conclude:
Be not entangled in (caught up in) the affairs of this life; II Tim. 2:4ff.
Lay up treasures in heaven; Matt. 6:19-21, Col. 3:2
Love not the world; I John 2:15-16, Jas. 4:9
Our weapons must be chosen carefully; II Cor. 10:4

What Kingdom do you stand for, invest in, love and fight for?