First, please visit his blog to read the essay, then return to read my comment and share some thoughts of your own.
On the Colorado Killings - It
is early days yet so only tentative commentary can be offered here. But we do
know this much. Last night at a midnight viewing of the latest Batman movie...
My comment:
Dear Bill,
Your essay covered the gamut of feelings and thoughts that developed in my mind after this awful tragedy. I read what you had written at your blog late last night. There weren't any comments yet, and I could not write one at that time. I needed to ponder all that you wrote, think about it all, and then write a comment today.
Back in 2008, I wrote that Heath Ledger was said to have been haunted by the Joker character. Some people agreed, others claimed that he "loved" playing that character. I really think that evil affects people drastically, even when they can't admit it.
I didn't see any of the "dark knight" movies. The description that you provided cements my decision never to view them. Those who watch such evil movies, or movies with blatant curse words, or movies that disparage God, or movies that display disgusting porn become desensitized by the violence, aberrant sexual sin, hatred/disregard of God, and celebration of evil.
Jesus warned us that the closer we get to the end times, it would be "as in the days" of Noah and Lot. The secular world today celebrates abortion, homosexuality, sexual sin, perversion, lies, evil, sin and death. No wonder Jesus told us that his kingdom is "not of this world."
Thank you for this post. I plan to link to it in my next blog post because I think that people desperately need to read the wisdom, knowledge, and excellent analysis that you have provided. You tell the truth; as difficult as it may be for people to acknowledge or accept. What is most important is that you also provide the only way out - knowing Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Your last two paragraphs are some of the most compelling that I have ever read! You have the ability to turn a huge tragedy into an invitation for redemption through Jesus Christ! That is what the world needs to read. It is better than any psychologist's words, psychiatrist's words, or any other human effort to try and comfort those who mourn.
Only the living God, His living Word and Son Jesus Christ, His written word the Bible, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God can change the human heart from one of stone cold evil into a heart that can be redeemed to live with God forever in eternity.
God bless you this day and always. It is my prayer that your essay will reach millions who desperately need such words of wisdom today.
Your friend and sister in Christ,
Christine
Hat tip:
Bill Muehlenberg's Culture Watch blog.
Posts
5 comments:
Christine said, “Jesus warned us that the closer we get to the end times, it would be ‘as in the days’ of Noah and Lot. The secular world today celebrates abortion, homosexuality, sexual sin, perversion, lies, evil, sin and death. No wonder Jesus told us that his kingdom is not of this world.’”
As one person who has been set free from more than 20 years of practicing lesbianism (passive and active) and more than 30 years of drunkenness, I can truly testify to the grace and the power of Jesus the Messiah. The Truth sets us free from our sins (John 8:32). The Messiah is the truth (John 14:6). I am free this day by choice.
Bill Muehlenberg quotes Alexander Solzhenitsyn: “It was only when I lay there on rotting prison straw that I sensed within myself the first stirrings of good. Gradually it was disclosed to me that the line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either, but right through every human heart, and through all human hearts.”
I agree completely. God bless you Christine. Shabbat Shalom to you and all your worldwide readers with the agape love of the ONE true God. The Holy ONE of ISRAEL! ~ Susan Smith
Hello Christine;
Your friend's thoughts are interesting and he made some very good points. For people like you and I, we can get the "gist" or point of his article. But with you and I he's "preaching to the choir". (and I don't mean that to belittle what he wrote)
I know you're not going to like what I'm going to say here ...
until we get beyond trying to demonstrate how smart we are and show what the love of Christ can do for regular people we're spinning our wheels. Instead of analysing this tragedy, why can't we stick with the simplicity of the gospel? We're not going to convince the "fist shakers". Until Christians get back to what Christ told us ... go into the highways and hedges and compel them ...
Anyway, yes, a great article ... but to me ringing hollow to unbelievers.
I just know, when I felt the spirit of God sweep through my being literally like a flood of many waters over 40 years ago ... the person on the other end of the phone told me ... "Just say the words: 'Jesus is my Lord'.
I've experienced that only twice in my life. Where I physically felt the Spirit of God flow through every fiber, like I was a screen ...
Well, I don't mean to bore you and I'm sure you're disappointed in me right now. But I have to stay within what standards God gave me many years ago, and that is "the simplicity of the gospel confounds the wise".
Well said, Susan. Thanks for sharing. The Solzhenitsyn quote gets right down to the nitty gritty, doesn't it? Every human heart needs the "surgery" that only Jesus Christ can provide. Without it, evil will continue to permeate the human heart that rejects God. It may not be politically correct to say it...but it's often so true.
God bless!
Hi Steve,
Don't worry about me "not liking what you have to say." It is good to be honest and oftentimes Christians don't always agree about everything anyway.
I can see your point about "preaching to the choir." However, it is always my hope that some person out there happens upon a post done here and it makes him or her really think about his/her relationship with God. Even if it "rings hollow" with some unbelievers, there is always the chance that what is shared may break through to a lost human's heart and soul.
It was interesting to see the political side of all of this develop. Found out today that the cinema was a "gun free" zone. Nothing like advertising to a would-be criminal and indescriminate murderer that there would be NO ONE shooting back to stop his rampage!
The gun control leftist crazies are all out there using this tragedy to get their anti-second amendment propaganda in the faces of all Americans. It's ironic that if LAW ABIDING CONCEALED GUN CARRIERS were in the theater, perhaps many lives would have been saved because the Black Bloc Occupy Wall Street homicidal maniac would have been taken out by someone in the theater.
There are too many coincidences going on not to suspect a false flag operation of some kind actually being behind this massacre.
Back to Christ.
Yes! The simplicity of the gospel not only confounds the wise, but it is a stumbling block to those who are perishing. How anyone could refuse God's provision for redemption and reconciliation astounds me!
I believe your experience about the Spirit of God flowing through you! When a believer has such an experience - you NEVER forget it! Isn't it great how each believer has a different experience? It is because God delivers each of us individually! No one's salvation experience or subsequent sanctification experiences (which can happen over the lifetime of the believer) is ever the same as someone else's!! God is so awesome to show us such things on an individual basis that makes our relationship with Christ so real and personal!
I'm rambling...
Steve, you never bore me and I could not ever be disappointed with my Christian blogging buddy from the great state of Texas! God bless!
thank you for your kind words and understanding. Yes, the born again experience is different for many of us. The first experience of which I briefly described wasn't one of being born again. I've thought about that for decades. I was a very miserable individual at the time (as of most of my life) and all I remember is that I was talking with a young lady on the phone. I have no idea who she was and how we got to be talking. I know she was witnessing to me and I remember only her saying for me to say the words "Jesus is my Lord" ... I was torn within my soul but I finally said those words and instantly the spirit of God swept through me (I can't describe it here, except it was like a flood through my entire being) in a way of course completely unexpected and moving. Instantly it was revealed to me that Jesus Christ was real and I had the overwhelming desire to get on the roof of the home I was living in and start shouting that to everyone. Needless to say, I wasn't "born again" and I think God made that happen for ... well, even now, after 40+ years, I don't know. I knew nothing of the Bible. Never even picked one up ... from that point I was "on my own" so to speak, to find out what I was supposed to do to follow Him. Anyway, I'm here today and am glad to briefly share that with you.
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