"The key to understanding the Bible is to look for Jesus in the Bible. Jesus is the hero of the Bible. If you read the Bible and don't find Jesus, re-read it! The Bible has one hero, His name is Jesus; one villain, that is Satan; one problem, that is sin; one solution, that is salvation. That is what the Bible is all about." -Dr. Adrian Rogers

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Jessy Dixon: March 12, 1938 - September 26, 2011

Yesterday, at the age of seventy-three, the famous Gospel singer Jessy Dixon passed away in his Chicago home. I know very little about Jessy’s personal life. However, that is quite alright. He had a presence on stage that simply could not be faked. When he sang, it was obvious that he loved the Lord and wanted others to know Him too.

Jessy brought an energy and liveliness to the gathering that no one else could. He and Lillie Knauls are the two that stand out in my mind as being the "screamers" of the Homecoming crowd. If you have ever heard Jessy Dixon sing, you know that there is no doubt that he believed the words that he sang.

I hate that I never got the chance to meet this man who has greatly influenced my life with his music. I also highly doubt that I am the only one who feels that way. Even so, I know I will get to meet him one day in Heaven where I am sure I will find him singing God’s praises louder and with more energy than he ever did here on this earth.

I thank God that Jessy Dixon allowed Him to use him to impact countless lives for Jesus Christ through music. He will no doubt be greatly missed.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Watch 180!



I have been knowing about and looking forward to the release of 180 for quite some time now, and now it is finally here! I watched it for the first time last night on YouTube. I am writing this today to suggest that you do the same.

I had seen a few trailers about the movie that talked about how Ray Comfort caused people to change their view on abortion in only a matter of seconds. I wanted know to how he did that. I have always thought that it was near impossible to convince anyone who was pro-choice to become pro-life. After all, people have been using scientific proof to try to chance people’s views for years, and even that has not seemed to work all that well. However, when I finally watched the short documentary, I found that we have been over-thinking it for years.

Ray Comfort’s argument is overly simple, but it works. When you watch the movie you will see that the people he interviewed were actually forced to really think about why they believe what they believe. 180 is a short documentary about the truth about abortion in which Ray Comfort does what Ray Comfort does best—using the biblical principle of bypassing the intellect and speaking straight to the conscience.

Please visit 180movie.com to watch it today. Then after you have watched it yourself, pass it on to everyone you know.

It’s Been Awhile

It has been quite awhile since the last time I posted anything to this blog. To be honest, I have wanted to write something, but I never seemed to be able to settle on one specific topic. So I thought that today I would just share some things that have been on my mind. And I pray that my ramblings will be helpful to you.

Life is…well…not easy, to say the least. Knowing how to use correct discernment in order to live the lives that we have been given in a way that is pleasing to God in the utmost is even harder. It is not hard to live and fail. It really is not that hard live and succeed in the eyes of this world. However, it takes courage, strength, and wisdom to live a life that is pleasing in the sight of God. But it is not our courage, our strength, or our wisdom that we need. In order to live a life that is truly pleasing to Him, we need the courage, strength, and wisdom that God gives.

A few weeks ago, I spent a week reading through the book of Ecclesiastes. I would think that those who do not know the Lord would see the book of Ecclesiastes as being very depressing. After all, Solomon begins the book by saying, “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). In order to fully understand the book of Ecclesiastes, one must first understand the meaning of this word “vanity.” If you do not understand the meaning of that word, you will miss the whole point of the book of Ecclesiastes.

Often times people associate the word “vanity” with one’s outward appearance. We call someone vain when they are constantly looking in a mirror, worrying about the way that they look. However, that is not at all what Solomon meant when he said, “Vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” When used here in the book of Ecclesiastes, the word simply means “worthless,” or as Adrian Rogers put it, “Emptiness. Futility. Confusion. Nothing makes sense.” Remember this as you continue reading.

In Ecclesiastes 1:14, Solomon says, “I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed all is vanity and grasping for the wind.” This is a phrase that he repeats quite frequently. But why? Did Solomon just find it pleasurable to tell people that nothing they ever do will ever matter? That is indeed what he meant, right? Not at all. Take a look at the last two verses of the book of Ecclesiastes: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, emphasis added).

I love that phrase, “For this is man’s all.” Do you know what that means? It means that we were created to fulfill the first part of that sentence: “Fear God and keep His commandments.” If at the end of our life we have fully obeyed that command, we will have lived a successful life in the sight of God.

There are many commandments given by God throughout the Bible; however, Jesus said that there are two that are greater than all others. “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.’” Jesus said that these are the two greatest commandments because, if we will obey them, we will automatically be obeying all of the others.

Adrian Rogers used to say, “You’ll see how rich you are when you add up everything you have that money can’t buy and death can’t take away.” Think about the story of Lazarus and the rich man for a moment. While on earth, the rich man was only concerned about himself and his earthly possessions. However, when he had died and gone to Hell, his only concern was for his family, that they might not end up there too. I also remember hearing Adrian Rogers say in one of his messages, “…but I’m going to take all four of my children to Heaven.”

I know the Bible makes mention of how beautiful and glorious Heaven is and of the rewards that we will be given—which none we will deserve. However, let me ask you this: How many people will you see in Heaven because you stepped out of your comfort zone and selflessly begged them to come to Jesus? Nothing matters but the truth of God’s Word. Do you love God enough to love people enough to share that truth with them?

God’s way is the only right way. There are many who have been deceived into thinking that they are living their lives for God; however, they are really just as lost as they can be. All is vanity if we know not the truth of God’s Word. All is vanity if we share not that truth with others.

Do you know Christ? I mean, do you know Him in a saving way today? If you do not know Jesus as Lord of your life today, please turn completely from all sin and trust in Jesus alone to save you. If you do that, He will save you today and keep you saved forever.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

The Greatest Miracle of All


A couple months ago, I found a YouTube video of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans on a religious television program many years ago. Before Roy joined her on stage, Dale said something like this: “We talk about miracles. And Jesus did many wonderful miracles. But the Holy Spirit coming into your life and borning you again, that is the greatest miracle of all.”

You see, it is good that Jesus made the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and the lame to walk again, but those are just physical things. Those things are worthless once a person departs from this world. The Bible says in Matthew 18:9, “And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.” That is why the greatest miracle of all is indeed salvation.

I am astounded when I think about who I am compared to who God is. The fact that a just and holy God would come to earth in the form of a little baby to live a perfect life and then die on an old, rugged cross for my sins is nothing short of miraculous. I know my heart. I know the things that I have done. I know that I come far from deserving His infinite love. Yet the cross was nothing but love. The greatest love of all was displayed on that cross.

I love the verse from Bill and Gloria Gaither’s song “I Am Loved” that says, “I said if You knew You wouldn’t want me, My scars are hidden by the face I wear, He said My child My scars go deeper, It was love for you that put them there.” He knows, yet He loves. There is no greater miracle than that.

If you have not personally felt the love of Christ, you can. Right now, turn completely from all sin and acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord of your life. If you do that, He will save you today and keep you saved forever.