Jeff Rutland's Blog

Are We Creating a Generation of Wimps?

nospam@example.com (Jeff Rutland) — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:20:55 -0400

Are We Creating a Generation of Wimps?

I loved a recent email from a friend, describing the trauma that you may have experienced if you were born between 1930-1970. I inserted some of my comments. Here it is:
• First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing and tuna from a can and didn’t get tested for diabetes.
 • Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.
• We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, nor locks on  doors or cabinets
 • When we rode our bikes, we had baseball caps not helmets on our heads.
 • As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car  seats, no booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags and bald tires.
 • Riding in the back of a pick-up truck on a warm day was always  a special treat. 
• We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long  as we were back for supper.
 • If Mom wanted us, she called other Moms. Out of the house at  nine, home at six, no problem. And, we were O.K. 
• We would spend hours building our no-engine go-carts out of  scraps and then ride them down the hill, only to find out we forgot  the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to  solve the problem.
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Priorities, Plans & Pursuits - Facing Final Judgment

nospam@example.com (Jeff Rutland) — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 17:30:32 -0400

For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
-2 Corinthians 5:10

Believers get so caught up in daily living that we forget that one day we will give an account to God for our works. All “saved” people will face judgment for the works God called them to do. At the final judgment our salvation will not be judged. Whether we faithfully obeyed God in life after our salvation will be. Did we live as unto the Lord, or did we live for our own glory?
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Are We Sinners or Saints?

nospam@example.com (Jeff Rutland) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 14:58:22 -0500

Are We Sinners or Saints?

Call Yourself What God Calls You:

1 Corinthians 1:2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours.

We are spiritually equipped to believe words said over us. Any child brought up under an abusive parent can tell you that being called “loser,” “never amount to anything,” or “you’ll be in prison by 21 and never live to see your 30th birthday” believed much of what that abusive parent said. They hated them for it, but words do go down into the soul and work on a person’s self-regard. Some overcome it by faith and apply God’s Word against their inner doubts. Sadly, other kids believe it and fulfill the negative prophecies. This Scripture describes how dangerous words will seep into the soul.

Proverbs 18:8 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.

Christians make the same mistake with respect to their self-image as a person. We speak words over ourselves that disagree with God’s Own Word over us.

This is Big ------ God’s Word helps us locate our identity in Christ. If God’s Word says you are a saint then you’re a saint. It doesn’t matter what your feelings say, God’s Word is the truth.
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Crushing Devils

nospam@example.com (Jeff Rutland) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:29:51 -0500

Luke 10:19 (NLT) Jesus said: “Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.”

We have two dogs. John Milton (don’t ask) and Scamp. John Milton is a big, reddish Golden Retriever. Scamp is a cranky little Cairn Terrier. Scamp always seemed to rule the roost. She’d fuss and bark while big ole John Milton would go along to get along. It was painful to watch. I’d tell John Milton to stand up for himself and not let the little dog get away with it. Then the change happened. I was home alone with the dogs. They were just outside the patio door. I heard a ferocious gravelly snarly loud bark, then immediately a howling whimpering surrender. From the sound of it, I knew that John Milton had let out a dominant wild-dog anger that he’d never let out before. I was not familiar with that sound. The little dog loudly responded with a mighty surrender. I dashed outside knowing something was wrong. This wasn’t a snippy spat. Something snapped in John Milton. He’d had enough of Scamp’s yappy annoying rulership over him. He had Scamp in his mouth but hadn’t harmed her. He released after I got there. Then he stood over her in a “you better never mess with me” again attitude. He stiffened in that posture until I coaxed him away. I had to stand between him and Scamp for two minutes. I thought, “Wow,” what happened to the passive John Milton. Now a change is permanent at our house. The little dog no longer annoys the big dog. She grooms him and fetches his pipe and slippers.

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Transforming America Obama Style

nospam@example.com (Jeff Rutland) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:23:19 -0500

2 Corinthians 3:17
Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

If by transforming America, President Obama means to direct churches to violate the Word and their consciences then it looks like a battle is brewing. What’s at stake is nothing short of religious freedom, the original purpose for the founding of America.

Due to the passage of the Health Care Act, the Obama administration is forcing Catholic hospitals and universities to pay for health care services that are in direct opposition to Church teachings such as sterilization and birth control. Whether you’re Catholic or not, this represents a fundamental attack on religious freedom.

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I Like Starbucks Jesus...

nospam@example.com (Jeff Rutland) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:47:27 -0500

That’s the Jesus I Like

John 6:40 For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

It’s funny how the Jesus that some non-followers would follow looks like their ideal self. He values what they value, thinks like they think and talks like they talk. I ran across this from Kevin DeYoung, author of the Restless and Reformed blog. He describes what people say about Jesus today.   

I Like “Starbucks Jesus”
"There's the Republican Jesus—who is against tax increases and activist judges, for family values and owning firearms. “There's Democrat Jesus—who is against Wall Street and Wal-Mart, for reducing our carbon footprint and printing money.  “There's Therapist Jesus—who helps us cope with life’s problems, heals our past, tells us how valuable we are and not to be so hard on ourselves.   "There's Starbucks Jesus—who drinks fair trade coffee, loves spiritual conversations, drives a hybrid, and goes to film festivals. "There's Hippie Jesus—who teaches everyone to give peace a chance, imagines a world without religion, and helps us remember that ‘all you need is love.’ "There's Yuppie Jesus—who encourages us to reach our full potential, reach for the stars, and buy a boat.   "There's Spirituality Jesus—who hates religion, churches, pastors, priests, and doctrine, and would rather have people out in nature, finding ‘the god within’ while listening to ambiguously spiritual music. "There's Revolutionary Jesus—who teaches us to rebel against the status quo, stick it to the man, and blame things on 'the system.' "There's Guru Jesus—a wise, inspirational teacher who believes in you and helps you find your center. "There's Good Example Jesus—who shows you how to help people, change the planet, and become a better you.

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Relationship With the Holy Spirit

nospam@example.com (Jeff Rutland) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 18:23:43 -0500

What’s The Big Deal About The Holy Spirit?
God is experienced as a triune God. The Father sent His Son to incarnate in human flesh in the person of Jesus. In his years on earth, He was the walking, breathing presence of God in actual human flesh. He willingly went to the cross so that the sins of the whole world would be forgiven. Anyone may call on Jesus to be saved.

So what’s the big deal about the Holy Spirit? He is the person of the Godhead abiding in each believer whose mission it is to fill us with God’s presence to be overcomers in this life. That is, the Holy Spirit is in there to continuously strengthen you with heavenly power in the inner man, and to minister the love of God to and through us.
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Get Your Own Dirt

nospam@example.com (Jeff Rutland) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:02:51 -0500

John 1:1-5
1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
John 1:14 So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son.

Get Your Own Dirt
There was a group of scientists who got together one day and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one scientist to go and tell God that they were done with Him.  The scientist walked up to God and said, “God, we’ve decided that we no longer need you. We’re to the point we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so we just don’t need you anymore.”  God listened very patiently and kindly to the man and after the scientist was done talking, God said, “Very well, how about this, let’s say we have a ‘man-making’ contest.” To which the scientist replied, “OK, great!”  God added, “Now, we’re going to do this just like I did in the old days with Adam.” The scientist said, “Sure, no problem” and bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt.  God just looked at him and said, “No…you get and make your own dirt.”
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Relationship With the Holy Spirit

nospam@example.com (Jeff Rutland) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 10:44:56 -0500

Relationship With the Holy Spirit

Romans 5:5 For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. (New Living Translation)

What’s The Big Deal About The Holy Spirit?
God is experienced as a triune God. The Father sent His Son to incarnate in human flesh in the person of Jesus. In his years on earth, He was the walking, breathing presence of God in actual human flesh. He willingly went to the cross so that the sins of the whole world would be forgiven. Anyone may call on Jesus to be saved.

So what’s the big deal about the Holy Spirit? He is the person of the Godhead abiding in each believer whose mission it is to fill us with God’s presence to be overcomers in this life. That is, the Holy Spirit is in there to continuously strengthen you with heavenly power in the inner man, and to minister the love of God to and through us.

For example, when the New Testament commands husbands:

Ephesians 5:25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up His life for her. (New Living Translation)

Honestly, look at us men. Are we capable of loving “just as” Christ loved the church? No way. Only by the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit can we love our wife “just as” Christ loved the church. There is no record in any courthouse in America in which the marriage failed when the husband and wife loved one another with God’s love. That is only done by the “presence of the Holy Spirit” in the relationship.
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What People Really Think About Jesus and Christians

nospam@example.com (Jeff Rutland) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 14:10:06 -0400

It is amazing how some Americans view Christians. Should the Church make any changes?