The Secret Sin of Christians Today

What's the number one problem the church faces today (and doesn't even really know it)? Pornography. Recent studies indicate that 1 out of every 2 people sitting in the pews at a Christian church on any given Sunday are involved to some degree with pornography. That percentage stays the same even when we talk about our pastors, elders and leaders of our churches. Imagine, your pastor giving a great sermon on Sunday and 30 minutes later he goes home to surf internet porn. It's happening. To some degree or another, it's happening in your church and it's happening in my church and for the most part, the church isn't doing anything about it. What's the biggest problem facing the existence of the church today? Is it the attacks on our religious freedoms? Is it athiests, cults, militant homosexual activists...who or what is it? Pornography. Porn will bring down the church before any of those other groups or ideologies will. We'll self destruct from within. What a great mission field... our churches!

Read an open letter to the church from Chuck Swindoll here regarding this issue. Then pray and ask God how you might get involved and "fight the good fight."

True Measure of Successful Ministry

Great article here by Dr. Holland. Thanks to Pulpit Magazine.

Are Christians "Picking On" Gays?

I've heard this from gays myself, it goes something like this..."you Christians sure are preoccupied with homosexuals...what about wife beaters, or child molesters or rapists, shouldn't you be more worried about them?" Oh we're worried about that stuff too. But gay activists are increasingly and often militantly creating or trying to create new laws that affect the public at large, therefore, everyone's opinion matters when it affects everyone. Homosexuality was an issue 25 years ago but it wasn't front and center of the cultural debate as it is now. That's why Christians are stepping up to voice their opinions in a reciprocal fashion. Hey, this affects us too and like it or not, our opinions matter and should be heard just like anyone elses.

Better said here from Stand to Reason.

Tips for Having Civil Discussions

This article addresses civility in discussing politics, primarily with someone whom you disagree with. Having briefly reviewed the article, I would say these suggestions aptly apply to religious discussions as well. Remember, "without charity, we're a clanging symbol." Read the article here.

(HT: Hugh Hewitt)

Life Is Hard Out Here For A Wimp

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. ~Phil. 1:6



Be confident in this friend, that good work that God started and is doing in your life, will be completed someday soon. That's my paraphrase. God IS doing a work in each of our lives. Quite often it's not really the way I would have mapped it out but He's God, I'm not. Even when things aren't going along as I planned, I can be confident because it's God's plan and He is working things out His way in my life and that my friend is the BEST way for us. You see, I could go listen to all the best Bible teachers every day all day long and be blessed no doubt. But I can't learn the things God wants to work out in my life sitting on my duff in a seminary or at a Bible study somewhere. The best place to learn the things God wants to work out in my life is in the trenches. In daily service to Him running up against adversity, problems, enemies, trials, tribulations and frankly the day to day grind of life. Those events in life that happen to us that make for good testimonies is exactly the place where God does that "good work." So don't be afraid to jump all in. Man up. Is God leading you to go deeper with Him and asking you to step out of your comfort zone? Do "trials" and "problems" got you asking "Why God?" Be CONFIDENT God is working out that good work in you that He began when you first got saved.

I'm Back!

All I needed was a mens retreat in the mountains to clear out the cobwebs, get alone with God and address some "issues of the heart." Great food, great fellowship, great Bible teaching. Better yet was the time alone with the Lord asking Him to search my heart and to "clean house." Clean house He did. I didn't like the looks of the stuff He was throwing out the door of my heart. I was starting to regret asking Him to do some house cleaning! Still, I was tempted to pick up some of the "trash" and stow it back away in the hidden chambers of my heart. It was only by His grace I was able to overcome the urge to keep some of that junk. See, I made the decision to be "set free" of my pet sins. He set me free for sure! It's all about your heart folks. Where is your heart? Where your heart is there is your treasure. I had a fools gold of a treasure in my heart. A "treasure" He quickly got rid of. I repented. I now have a treasure stowed away in my heart of heavenly proportions. My first love. It's been a while my Friend. I'm looking forward to walking with You for the unforeseen future! My Your grace is sufficient!

THE FUTURE OF PEANUT SIZZLER

I'll be doing more blogging about theology, apologetics, ministry and the church in general. I'll leave the political stuff to Hugh Hewitt and the like. In the future I would like to do some book reviews and interviews with folks like Chuck Smith, Sr., Jon Courson, Greg Koukl, etc. At some point soon, I'll start sharing what God is showing me in His word. And I'm curious about the "emergent" church fad. I'll do some research and study and report my opinions herein. I won't blog often, maybe twice a week. I'm co-teaching an apologetics class at my church home, so I'll share that stuff here too. And I'm teaching once a month at our Saturday Mens Bible Study, I'll share those messages as well.

Come fall, it's football time! And that means NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS baby! I'll slip some Husker juice up in here too!

Hey, thanks for stopping by. Hope you'll be back. THANKS A-TEAM for the link! I read you guys every day!