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We are looking at this matter of Christian invincibility in our study of the Word of God tonight and I want you to open your Bible to Romans Chapter 8. Not any particular hurry to go through this great truth, we'll just take it as it unfolds for us in the passage here, Romans Chapter 8. One of the great passages in all of Holy Scripture verses 28-39 and we are looking at this passage at least in some sense if not considering every detail of it, and as we look at this section the title Christian Invincibility really works because it is all about that. It is all about our security in an insecure world.
The key to this great confidence is verse 31. And the statement in verse 31, "If God is for us who is against us." Or better since God for us, statement of absolute fact, who against us? This rhetorical question can only be answered one way, no one. Since God is for us no one can successfully be against us. And that expresses the reality of what we're calling Christian invincibility. The Almighty God, the Creator, the Redeemer who is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, unchanging, who alone is God and has no equal is for us. He is the savior of his people and no one can successfully thwart his saving purpose.
It would be helpful to us to understand the greatness of this reality that God is for us to go back into the prophet Isaiah for a moment. Turn in your Bible to the 40th Chapter of Isaiah and I want to show you several passages that I'm sure you've read in the times of reading through Isaiah. They're really unforgettable passages, flowing from Isaiah 40 all the way over to Chapter 45, and if we pick up the account of Isaiah in verse 10 of Chapter 40, we read, "Behold the Lord God will come with power or might with his arm ruling for him, behold his reward is with him, his recompense before him. Like a shepherd he will tend his flock, in his arm he will gather the lambs and carry them in his bosom, he will gently lead the nursing ewes." Here is God coming like a shepherd, but a shepherd with power. His arm rules, his reward is with him, that is to say he is the one who determines the end, his recompense is before him, he gathers his own into his arms carrying them as if were in a very protected place. And who is this powerful shepherd? "He is the one" in verse 12, "who measured the waters in the hollow of his hand. He is the one who marked off the heavens by the span, calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, weighed the mountains in a balance and the hills on a pair of scales. That is to say he is the creator of the universe. And who has directed the Spirit of the Lord or as his counselor has informed him? With whom did he consult and who gave him understanding? And who taught him in the path of justice and taught him knowledged and informed him of the way of understanding?" And the answer to all of that is what? No one, no one! God has no informant. God goes to no one for knowledge, information, wisdom. He is self-directed, self-counseled and he has an infinite and perfect eternal understanding of everything. He learns nothing. No one teaches him anything. He is the source of justice and knowledge. "Compared to him the nations are like a drop from a bucket, like a speck of dust on the scales. Behold he lifts up the islands like fine dust. Even Lebanon is not enough to burn." Lebanon was a densely forested place in ancient times. "Nor it's beast enough for a burnt offering. All the nations are as nothing before him. They are regarded by him as less than nothing and meaningless." You could take all of humanity, all of he powers of all the peoples of the earth and they amount to absolutely nothing. "To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with him? Some idol? As for the idol a craftsman cast it, a goldsmith plates it with gold, a silversmith fashions chains of silver," that's the way people made idols. "He who is too impoverished for such an offering selects a tree that doesn't rot, seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman to prepare an idol that will not todder." If you don't have the money for gold you use silver. If you don't have the money for silver you make your idol out of wood. Verse 21: "Do you not know, have you not heard, has it not been declared to you from the beginning, have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the vault of the earth and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. He is it who reduces rulers to nothing, who makes the judges of the earth meaningless, scarcely have they been planted, scarcely have they been sown, scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth, but he merely blows on them and they wither and the storm carries them away like stubble.
"To whom then will you liken me that I should be his equal says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these starts, the one who leads forth his host by number. H calls them all by name, because of the greatest of his might and the strength of his power not one of them is missing." And all of this is to say there is no other God. There is no one who can contend with God. All created by God are as nothing before him. Turn to the 43rd chapter of Isaiah's prophecy and Isaiah still on this theme writes in verse in verse one: "But now thus says the Lord, your creator O Jacob, and he who formed you O Israel, do not fear for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine." And God is saying you don't have to be afraid of anything. You belong to me and I am the creator. "I formed you and I redeemed you. When you passed through the waters I will be with you, through the rivers they will not overflow you, when you walk through fire you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you for I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I have given Egypt as your ransom. Cush and Seba in your place. Since you are precious in my sight, since you are honored and I love you. I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life. Do not fear for I am with you. I will bring your offspring from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, give them up and to the south do not hold them back. Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth. Everyone who is called by my name and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made."
Everyone who belongs to him he will gather together. That is the testimony of this Scripture. Dropping down into verse 10: "You are my witnesses declares the Lord and my servant whom I chosen in order that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me there was no God formed and there will be none after me. I, even I, am the Lord and there is no Savior besides me. It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed and there was no strange god among you so you are my witnesses declares the Lord and I am God. Even from eternity I am he and there is none who can deliver out of my hand. I act and who can reverse it?"
Boy that is powerful language isn't it? Powerful language! In the 44th Chapter of Isaiah, as if that's not enough. Verse 6: "Thus says the Lord, the king of Israel and his redeemer and the Lord of Host. I am the first and I am the last and there is no God beside me. And who is like me? Let him proclaim and declare it. Yes, let him recount it to me in order from the time that I established the ancient nation and let them declare to them the things that are coming and the events that are going to take place." If there is anybody else that's equal to me let them step forward and let them tell me about the creation and let them predict the future and know it as I know it.
Obviously there are no takers. "So do not tremble, he says. Do not be afraid. Have I not long since announced to you and declared it? You are my witnesses. Is there any God beside me? Is there any other rock?" I love this statement. "I know of none."
45th Chapter of Isaiah. In verse 5, well we can start in verse 4: "For the sake of Jacob, my servant Israel, my chosen one, I have also called by your name. I have given you a title of honor, though you have not known me. I am the Lord. There is no other beside me there is no God. I will gird you though you have not known me that men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides me. I am the Lord and there is no other. The one forming light and creating darkness causing well being and creating calamity, I am the Lord who does all these." And then in verse 21, "Declare and set forth your case. Indeed let them consult together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I the Lord? And there is no other God besides me. A righteous God and a Savior, there is none except me. Turn to me and be saved all the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is no other."
God is affirming to us that he alone is God and that when he determines to choose a people to make them his own that cannot be reversed, that cannot be changed. Since God is for us who can be against us? Answer? No one. Not even Satan himself and that's the story of the book of Job, which is an amazing amazing story. To just briefly remind you that one day trouble came into Job's life, trouble in the most complete fashion. One day all his children died, and he had a large family. He was living in the patriarchal time, perhaps around the time of Abraham, and all his children were killed in a terrible disaster. It took the life of every child of his. And then all of his animals were killed. To compound all of that he himself was stricken with some very ugly and painful sores all over his body. He had to sit in a pile of dirt and scrape off the scabs. The only thing he had left was a nagging wife. He lost everything. And he didn't know why. He didn't know what was going on, so he just said, "Lord, why is this happening," because he was the most righteous man in all the earth and he couldn't figure out why this was happening.
But you see the reason he didn't know what was happening was because he couldn't read the book of Job. It wasn't written. We know what happened. One day, according to Chapters 1 and 2, Satan went into the presence of God. Apparently he has access as the accuser of the brethren, and he went into the presence of God and he said to God, "You know the people who are faithful to you are only faithful to you because you bless them. If you didn't bless them they would turn on you. If life was really difficult for them they would turn on you, they would abandon you. God said, "That's not true." In effect God said they are faithful to be because they are mine, and I sustain that faithfulness. And the faith that I give them is an eternal faith, an everlasting faith. You can even test it. Go do to Job anything you want, just can't kill him. Down Satan came and just devastated Job's entire world. And he had some friends who came over and for seven days they sat and said nothing. They just sat and felt bad with him, moaned and groaned and shook their head. And it was good. It was just sympathy, someone to cry with somebody to share the pain.
At the end of seven days they opened their mouth and all wisdom left immediately. And then they started in this string of ridiculous speeches about the fact that the reason things were so bad with Job was because he was so sinful. They were wrong. They were wrong. It's a good lesson. Be careful about diagnosing why people have trouble, 'cause you can't. There are some people who are sinful and they don't have as much trouble as people who are holy. Don't be quick to diagnose, be quick to comfort. And in the end after having to endure the loss of his children, the loss of everything he possessed, physical suffering at a very severe level and the stupid speeches of well-intentioned friends, which poured salt in his wounds, after having endured all of that and after having endured a silent heaven and when finally God does answer, God says, "It's none of your business why it happened, who are you to ask me? Were you there when I created the universe? Do I have an obligation to you?" After all of that Job's response was, "Though he slay me yet will I what? Trust him." And what was the point of the book of Job? The point of the book of Job is to show that when a man has a relationship with God it can't be broken no matter what you do to the man. Because the faith that he has is a gift from God and God gives an everlasting faith, it's an unbreakable relationship. And in fact, even the worst that Job suffered God intended for good because when Job came to the end of himself and he had nothing to turn to but God, he had a vision of God the likes of which he'd never had before. And he said, "I had heard about you in the past, now I see you and I repent in dust an ashes," and this good godly righteous man became even more godly. And then what did the Lord do for him? Opened up the floodgates and gave him a new family, new children, and all kinds of blessings.
What Satan meant for evil God used for good and Job was a better man, a better worshipper, and an even more blessed man because God took the worst possible scenario, satanic assault, and worked it for Job's good and God's glory. With that in mind let's go back to the text then of Romans 8. Some people have suggested that we might go through the book of Job and maybe some day we'll do that. I'm not reluctant to go through it completely, but just a little bit, because I hate to have to spend a couple of years listening to bad speeches by well-intentioned friends who have no idea what's going on. But in Romans 8 we come to verse 28, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose." This is an immense statement about our invincibility, about our security and it's not because of us, it's because of him as we remember what we were hearing when I was reading in Isaiah. It's not a matter of look we're going to have this eternal relationship because you're who you are. It's we're going to have this eternal relationship because I'm who I am, right? Who is like me? Who is going to break it? I made it. I established it and who is powerful enough to change that?
The answer, of course, is no one. God says I don't know anyone. We looked last time at the extent of our security and the extent of it is this: we know that God causes all things to work together for good. God synergizes, that's the causes word, everything, good things, we talked about good things, bad things, everything. In Job's case God used the worst of things, the death of all your children, the loss of everything that you own, physical illness, bad advise, nagging friends who don't know what they're talking about, banging on your ears. God uses those bad things and God uses good things: the disclosure of himself in the time of trial, his nature being revealed, his goodness, his promises, his word, etc. etc. God takes all of it and works it together for our good. And we mentioned at the end of the message last week that the good that he's talking about is not just temporal good, but rather it may include temporal good, but it's main idea is eternal good.
God is working everything together for our eternal good. To borrow the last little bit of verse 30 to bring us to the point of being glorified. Every experience, good, bad, indifferent everything that comes into our lives, God works together for our eternal glory. That is a precious promise. It doesn't matter what comes into your life, it doesn't matter whether it's a physical illness or whether it's a loss such as in the case of Job, it doesn't matter what it is can be suffering, it can be temptation even sin, God overrules to bring about that which works to our eternal glory. Everything! This is our invincibility; there is nothing then that can separate us from God's saving love. And that becomes the theme of verses 32 to 39, as we will see.
Verse 28 to 30 is the positive side, all things God works for good. Verses 32 to 39, the negative side: nothing works to our harm. Nothing undoes God's good purpose. There is no power equal to God. God is the absolute sovereign. Now this is a wonderful statement of our security, the extent of it. It is comprehensive it is complete.
But we have to talk for a moment about the recipients of this. I'm glad as we did last week to encourage you, and I think it's a very encouraging message last week. Many of you told me that. To know that no matter what comes into our lives God is working it together for our eternal good. That is a tremendous tremendous promise.
But you don't want to be too presumptive about who has a right to claim that promise, okay? So we need to talk not only about the extent of security but the recipients of that security. Who does it belong to? Let's go back to verse 28 again. "God causes all things to work together for good to those who," what? "who love God." Those who love God. Further, "Those who love God, those who are called according to his purpose." Two statements here limit this promise. This is promise that God is working everything together for eternal good is limited to people who are classified as those who love God and those who are called according to God's purpose. Very important statements!
First of all let's talk about those who love God. If you turned to the New Testament or even for that matter the Old Testament, you would find a number of different terms used to describe believers. Sometime we are called children of God. Sometimes we are called sons of God. Sometimes we're called saints. Sometimes we're called worshippers. Sometimes we're called believers. Sometimes we're called Christians. But I think it's important to note here that Paul identifies us as those that love God. Very very important! Lovers of God! Nothing is more indicative of being a Christian than that you love God. The people who love God are the people who enjoy the pledge of invincibility, who enjoy the pledge of security, who enjoy the promise that God is causing everything to work together for their eternal good. Now this is not a designation of the Christian that's isolated here and I think it's something worthy to be talked about and I want to talk about it. It's easy for people to say, "Well I'm going to heaven and I can claim Romans 8:28 because sometime in the past I prayed a prayer, or I quote made a decision, or I went forward or I go to church or I feel like I believe the gospel. Here's a better way to identify a person's true relationship. They are lovers of God. If you go back into the book of Exodus 20:6, Deuteronomy 7:9, you will read that God shows mercy to those who love him and demonstrate that love by keeping his commandments. And Jesus reiterated the same thing, "If you love me keep my commandments." The lovers of God then are those who demonstrate that love in obedience. Nehemiah again says essentially the same thing. I think it's if I can find it quickly. It's in the first chapter, verse 5, "And I said I beseech you O God, Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who preserves the covenant and loving kindness," listen to this, "For those who love him and keep his commandments." So Exodus 20, Deuteronomy 7, Nehemiah 1:5, it's loving God is demonstrated in keeping his commandments. It's that kind of love. It's not some silly kind of sentiment. And that issue of loving God with an obedient attitude it's easy for us to understand. I mean if you, as a child, love your parents truly, you submit, you obey them. That's part of the expression of a genuine and honest love. Psalm 69:36, the descendants of his servants will inherit it and those, he's talking about the eternal city as well as the earthly Jerusalem, "and those who love his name will dwell in it." It's the lovers of God that are designated as the recipients of God's blessing.
Psalm 1:16, and again I'm emphasizing this because I don't hear this emphasized. Psalm 116:1, "I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my supplications." So says the Psalmist that he loves the Lord. David says in Psalm 97:10, "O how I love thy law." Loving God is loving his word, which is tantamount to loving obedience to that word.
In Psalm 145, "The Lord keeps all who love him, all who love him." And it goes on and on like that. You can read Isaiah 56. It talks about those who love the Lord. You can read I Corinthians 2:9 where it talks about what God has prepared for them that love him. Now this is a very important phrase to define who is a true believer, who is a true believer. Because what happens when God does his mighty work in someone is that he produces a lover. In fact John designates a Christian this way: "We love him because he first loved us." So because God loved us redemptively and transformed us we now love him. We are lovers of God. That love manifests itself, not in some smarmy sentiment but in obedience. It's not just believing something. "The devils believe and tremble," James 2:19 says. It's about loving God. Romans 5:5 says, "The love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts." II Corinthians 5:15 says, "The love of Christ is what controls us, it's what constrains us, it's what compels us." At the end of Ephesians in the benediction, a beautiful benediction Paul says, "Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with a love incorruptible." What a great statement. An unbreakable love, incorruptible love!
Somebody asked how do you know if somebody is a Christian? This is a good place to go. How do you know someone is a son of God, a child of God, a true believer? Answer. Because they love God. We don't love the Lord as much as we should. That's not, as I've often said, that perfection of our life, but it's certainly the consuming direction of our life. You remember the sinful woman and we're going to learn about her later on in Luke 7, because she was forgiven much she what? She loved much. And what does Jesus say to Peter when he wants to affirm Peter? He says, "Peter do you love me?" Three times. And what does Peter say? In spite of my disobedience, in spite of my failures I love you. "Do you really love me?" Jesus says. And again Peter responds, I love you. Finally he has to say Lord you know my heart, you know everything, you know I love you. We don't love the way we should and that's why in Philippians 1:9 we read that, "Paul says, I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is what I pray, that your love may abound still more and more." I love the Lord. I love God. I love the Lord Jesus Christ, but I want to love him more. Like Psalm 42 is the dear pants after the water brook so pants my soul after Thee, O God. If anyone doesn't love the Lord Jesus Christ, I Corinthians 16:22 says, "let him do, what? Let him be an anathema, let him be damned. The true believer can be identified as one who loves the Lord. It's not a question of a past event; it's a question of a present love. "And we love," I John 4:19 "because he loved us first." Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and whoever loves the Father loves the one born of him. It's about love. Now as we talk about this love what is it essentially we're talking about? I mean how do we describe this kind of love? Let me see if I can't just kind of, I'm not going to dig into all these passages. You can do that for yourself, but I'll just make some suggestions. Let me see if I can't give us a big understanding of what it means to love him. To love God means to be, choose my words carefully, to be thrilled with his majestic glory. I don't know that there's a greater joy in all Christian experience than to contemplate the glory of God. It's why we love to worship, why we love to sing, just as we were singing tonight, just carries your soul to lofty heights of joy to contemplate God' majestic glory. That's an indicator that you love God. It's not that you're caught up in the emotion of the tune, it's not that you're moved emotionally initially, it's that your emotions respond to the wonder of the truth. Psalm 18, "I love Thee O Lord, my strength, my rock my fortress, my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, the one worthy to be praised, the one who saves me." That's what the Psalmist said. Now all the contemplation of the majestic glory of God, all that brought so much joy that it just burst out of the psalmist. That's what it means to love. It is no question about it; it is the emotional response to meditating on the wondrous majesty of God. If you can hear things about the glory of God, hear things about the majesty of God, or for that matter the wonder and majesty of Jesus Christ and remain unmoved then there's reason to wonder whether or not you love God and love Christ. Songs that express love to God, songs that express love to Christ, songs that celebrate the glory of God and the majesty of God, psalms in Scripture that do that, any portion of Scripture for me that unfolds for me something of the glory of God and the wonder of Christ elicits out of my heart strong emotions of affection for God.
That's an indicator of love, being thrilled when meditating on God's majestic glory. Loving God also involves a strong desire to know him through his revelation. I can remember as a young person, before I ever went into ministry, God had put into my heart this desire to know the truth about God. I wanted to know God and so I started at a very young age really just in my college years, in fact I think it was just as I was creeping into seminary and I was still very immature in many ways, coming out of an athletic life trying to become a scholastic was a bridge I had a hard time crossing, but I remember what I wanted to do was know God. And so I found this book written by Stephen Charnak called The Existence and Attributes of God. It's an old puritan classic that goes on and on for a thousand pages about God. And I just started to read it and devour it because I wanted to know God. That's what does. Love pursues its object. Love pursues the knowledge of its object I mean on a human level. When I fell in love with Patricia I wanted to be with her all the time. Everything about her charmed me and fascinated me, excited me, thrilled me, encouraged me, blessed me and I decided that I want to be with this woman for the rest of my life. And as life goes on and all the issues of life that wonderful experience of getting to know someone is richer and richer and richer. It's what love does. It seeks to know the object. Psalm 63 the psalmist says, O God you're my God so I'm going to seek you earnestly. I know you're my God and I'm your child, but that's not enough. My soul thirsts for you. My flesh yearns for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I'm like a starving thirsting man crawling across the desert looking for an oasis. I want to know you. That's love.
That reminds me of that old story about the guy who wrote a letter to his girlfriend and said, "I'd cross the burning sands to be by your side, I'd swim the deepest ocean to be near you. If it doesn't rain I'll be over tonight." You know there are a lot of Christians who if it doesn't rain they might show up here, huh? Loving God is all about a longing for communion and it says in verse 2 of Psalm 63, "I want to see you in your sanctuary. I want to see your power. I want to see your glory, because your loving kindness is better than life." We know that on a human level. When I fell in love with my wife there was no human on the planet whose loving kindness I sought more than hers. And so the Psalmist says, I feel that way about you. I want to bless you as long as I live. I want to lift up my hands in your name. My soul is satisfied with you. My mouth offers praise with joyful lips. I remember you when I lie down on my bed. I meditate on you in the night watches. Some of us can remember that kind of romantic love and I'm not diminishing the love of God to that level, but I am saying that with the psalmist this becomes a consuming thing. That's why still for me the highest joy is to be in solitude in the word of God and to be contemplating the glory and the wonder of God.
You have been my help, he says, in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy. My soul clings to you. My right hand, thy right hand upholds me. That's what it is to love God. It's to long for that fellowship, it's to long for that knowledge of God, that communion that comes when we understand God. Psalm 84, "My soul longs and even yearned for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. The bird also found a house and the swallow a nest for herself where she may lay her young. Even thine altars O Lord of Hosts, my king and my God how blessed are those who dwell in your house. They are ever praising you." I can't wait to get to your house, I just want to be there, I want to hear your word, I want to praise you. That's loving God. And I think loving God, thirdly, is again and completely differently loving God is feeling pain when he is dishonored. Loving God is being hurt when God is mistreated. Psalm 69:9 is a verse that I have drawn on often in my life where the psalmist says, "The reproaches that fall on you are fallen on me. Zeal for your house is eaten me up." In other words, what he means is that when you're dishonored I feel the pain. When your name is dishonored I feel the hurt. When your truth is dishonored I feel the wound. Sometimes people wonder why I get so upset at people who misrepresent the truth of God. Well I hope it's a Psalm 69:9 attitude. I hope it's something like Jesus who in John 2 you remember made a whip and cleansed out the temple. In other words, Jesus was saying, "I can't stand to see you dishonored." So loving God then is this passion for the truth because it's the truth that honors God. If God is exalted as word to his name, Psalm 138:2, if I really love God then I want to see God rightly represented. I don't like it when God is dishonored. I fight on this front a lot, folks. You don't know about it all the time. Some reporter called me a few months ago, we were talking about this this morning, a reporter called me a few months ago and said, "There's a new study, a new survey that indicated that divorce among Christians is the same as divorce among non-Christians. This survey has been done, this poll has been taken and it has been determined that Christians are divorced at the same rate that non-Christians are divorced in America. What do you think of that? I said, "I don't believe it. I do not believe that." "But this is what the survey says." "I don't care what the survey says I don't believe that. I don't believe it. In fact I think that's to dishonor the Lord to say that the power of Christ is zero in a marriage, the power of the Holy Spirit in a marriage. I don't believe that. I do not believe that true Christians get divorced at the same rate that non-Christians do." Well it showed up in a newspaper and the guy who took the poll wasn't happy, cause he thought I was questioning his integrity so he wrote me a very very strong letter. I have a large strong letter file. This was one. "How dare you question me. How dare you question the integrity of this poll." Well I said, "I'll question it on this basis. Who did you ask that question to? If you just surveyed the people who claim to be Christians that doesn't count. And I might suggest to you that you don't know who the true Christians are." So I didn't buy it at all. And what irritated me about it is that this is a dishonor to God because it denigrates the power of God in the life of a believer with regard to the marriage. It wasn't a question whether you get your statistics right, it's a question of dishonoring God. You can't say that the power of God has no effect on marriages. And I said you don't do that. Well now it's become an evangelical legend every time I turn around. I heard a secular news reporter on the television the other day, "Well now it's been proven that divorce among evangelical Christians or among Christians is the same as non-Christians." Now we're just another statistic. This is to say that God has no power in a marriage? When divorces occur in our church, they occur occasionally here. Very often it's because somebody in the marriage who professed Christ didn't know him. If you go out and survey people in churches across the spectrum, from Catholic to Protestant and denominations, who knows what you're going to get? The same company that does the surveys is the company that surveyed the people who said we don't want Bible teaching anymore in the pulpit. What does that tell you about that crowd? They don't love the word of God. Well anyway.... So now since it keeps showing up I'm going to have to write another letter because I think here are people who are buying into this and it's a dishonor to the Lord. That's just something, I'm not at the point of making whips and things, but I just feel like occasionally whipping out a letter. To me this is a matter, I mean I'm a small voice but just coming to the defense of the character of our God. I think that's what Psalm 69:9 means. Zeal for your house is eating me up. I'm really consumed by my zeal for the glory of your name and the reproaches that fall on you all on me. When you're dishonored I feel the pain. That's how you know you love God. That's how you know that you love Christ. When Christ is dishonored it bothers you. I stopped to play a few holes of golf a couple of days ago. After visiting with a gentleman it was a beautiful day and I thought I'll just go out by myself and played a couple of holes and ran into some gentlemen and the air was blue with profanity. And after about three holes of this this guy, one guy said to me, he said, "You know we do have a limited vocabulary. Have you noticed?" I said, "Yes, I've noticed." He said, "Well we probably ought to apologize." He could tell I wasn't using the words they used. There were only a couple of them, but they used them all the time and he said to me, "What do you do?" I said, "I'm a preacher." "Oh no." His worst fear had come true and he then shouted to the other guys who were walking off the green, "Guys, John is a preacher." And then all the apologies started and I said, "Well look, at least up to this point you haven't taken my Lord's name in vain," Well one could only have wished that that had continued for the rest of the round. I don't expect a non-Christian to act like a Christian or even talk like one, but it does distress me. Doesn't it you? That's what loving God is all about. There are other things and I'm going to give you maybe a couple. Loving God means loving what he loves. If I love God I love what God loves. And what does he love? He loves his people. He loves his word. He loves righteousness. He loves goodness. He loves kindness. I mean you can make the list yourself. If you love you love what God loves and I John 5:1, I read it to you. "Whoever loves God loves whoever is begotten by God." That would be Jesus Christ and all other believers. Don't say you love God and then hate your brother, right? I John 2:9-11: If you love God you love believers. I'll tell you I'm happy to be with non-believers. I'm happy to be a witness and to tell them that God is a God who will forgive all their sins, even their bad vocabulary, but I prefer to spend my time with God's people. Don't you? I mean I confess that. I love the people God loves. I love the truth God loves. I love the righteous things that God loves and I want to love them even more. Loving God also means hating what he hates. I mean loving God can't mean anything other than hating what he hates. Whatever it is that God loves is pure, righteous, holy, those are the kinds of things I want to love. Whatever it is that isn't that is the very thing that I desire to hate. Listen to Psalm 95:10, "Hate evil, you who love the Lord." Isn't that good? If you love the Lord, hate evil. That's the way it is if you love the Lord. We don't long for his majestic glory the way we should, but if you love him you do long for his glory. We don't seek to know him and commune with him. We don't hunger and thirst after him as much as we should, but we do. We don't feel the pain of his dishonor the way we should, but we do feel it. We ought to feel it more and that's what Paul meant when he said, "I want your love to abound more and more." We don't love what he loves and hate what he hates as much as we should, but we do. Loving the Lord means rejecting the world too, doesn't it? I John 2:15, "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not what?" So to make a choice, if you love God you don't love the world. The world is the system, the satanically energized system of evil, not just blatant crime, but the godless worldview its economics, its social structure, its psychology, its philosophy, its morality. You don't love the world. The love for God means that the world is literally, as Paul put it, out of the picture. Paul says that when he was crucified he was crucified to the world. Remember that at the end of Galatians? Literally dead to the system. It offers us nothing, it provides nothing, it is against God, and when we love God it has no place for us.
One other thing and there are more, but I'll quit here. One other thing, loving God means longing for Christ's coming. I've done a lot of funerals lately. I guess the people that I've known through the years are starting to die and these are dear people that have been a part of our church and doing all these funerals I'm continually reminding everybody and myself how wonderful it is to go to heaven. That's a hard sell for people in our world. It's not for people in some parts of the world. When I was over in Kazakhstan years ago preaching for an entire week over there and people basically had nothing, I told you about that, and I was teaching them for all these days about the church and they said, "When are you going to get to the good part?" And I said, "What's the good part?" They said, "Heaven. When are you going to tell us about heaven?" They're ready to go. There's nothing to hold them here. We have so much clutter to hold us here, don't we?
But if you love Christ you're ready to go anytime. I would love to see the Lord Jesus return. I would love to get caught up in the air, wouldn't you? I would rather do that than die of cancer. I'd rather be raptured than have a heart attack. I told the Lord that and I think we would all agree. I would love to see the Lord return because I want to see him vindicated. I want to see the glorious manifestation of the children of God. I want the world to see the glory of the redeemer. He came once; they didn't see it. I want him to come back in all his glory and reigns King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Loving him is loving his appearing. Loving his coming and all the eternal reward that comes with it.
But finally, and this is kind of where we started, loving him, loving the Lord means obeying him. It means obeying him. If I love him that's what I do and it's not a matter of gritting my teeth and doing it because I have to. John 14:21, "He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me." Wow! Whoever has my commandments and keep them he loves me, he loves me. It's about knowing the word and obeying it. I John 2:3, "By this we know that we have come to know him if we keep his commandments." The one who says I've come to know him, hey I've made my decision but doesn't keep his commandments is a liar, truth isn't in him, but whoever keeps his word, obeys his word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know we are in him.
How do you know you are a Christian? You love him. How do you know you love him? You what, obey him. So true Christians are lovers of God, lovers of Christ who heart desire is to glorify God, to know him and to obey him. Can you generate that kind of love on your own? No. No. Right. It's not natural. In order to do it you have to be, and that's the next phrase, called according to his purpose and we'll find out about that next time.
We love you Lord as we have sung so many times expressing our affection, our longing, our hearts desires. We love you only because you first loved us. We would have never been able to love you. We were dead in trespasses and sin. We were blinded by the God of this world. We had no ability to know you, to love you, to comprehend you, but one day you called us with an effectual and saving call that awakened our dead hearts, opened our blind eyes, and you planted in us love, this deep and growing affection for you, and thereby do we know that we are yours. We are invincible, we are secure forever, we have absolutely nothing to fear and no one to fear because you are causing all things whether they are good, bad, or indifferent, all things to be working together under your power for our eternal good because we are the ones who love you. This is our great security for which we express our deepest thanks. For when we were dead in trespasses and sins you made us alive. When we were your enemies you made us your children. When we were slaves to sin you made us servants of righteousness and you did this all by your grace. When we hated you, you transformed us into those who love you and we give you all the praise. And now you ask us to be faithful and allow that love to abound more and more being increasingly more obedient, more desirous of your glory, your honor, communion with you, more desire of separation from the world around us that we might love you even more. And make us to be obedient with joy to all that you've commanded knowing therein lies the expression of our love and the source of our own blessing and your glory. We pray in Christ's name. Amen.
This article is also available and sold as a booklet.
This sermon series includes the following messages:
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Anthony Williams is a Welsh comic book artist.
He broke into comics at Marvel UK, drawing for the series Action Force, The Real Ghostbusters and Transformers, among others. Subsequent British work has included the venerable science fiction comic 2000 AD, for which he has drawn features including Kola Commandos, Mean Arena, PJ Maybe and Robo-Hunter.
His best-known work includes DC Comics' Doctor Fate series Fate; writer Mark Millar's The Unfunnies for Avatar Press; and for Marvel Comics, the first X-Men movie adaptation, and the nine-issue run of Hokum & Hex, a superhero title created by author Clive Barker for Marvel's Razorline imprint.

subset: commoncrawl


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To be honest, I've never spent much time thinking about war. I've never had an opinion one way or the other. My brain has never engaged in much thought about how it affects those living daily amongst bombings, battles, and death. Until now. I'm still devouring Shane Claiborne's Irresistible Revolution. See my last post. I'm not going to comment on what he wrote. Read it for yourself. I pray you are as affected by these words as I was.
"....and I headed to Iraq, where I ended up living through the most beautiful and horrible month of my life. I was there during the bombing of Baghdad, visiting homes, hospitals, and families- and going to worship services with the hunders of Iraqi Christians there. Essentially, I went to Iraq because I believe in a God of scandalous grace. I have pledged allegiance to a King who loved evildoers so much he died for them, teaching us that there is something worth dying for but nothing worth killing for. I went to Iraq in the footsteps of an executed and risen God. The Jesus of the margins suffered an imperial execution by an oppressive regime of wealthy and pious elites. And now he dares me and woos me to come and follow, to take up my cross, to lose my life to find it, with the promises that life is more powerful than death and that it is more courageous to love our enemies than to kill them. May we stand by those who face the impending wrath of the empire and whisper, "God loves you, I love you, and if my country bombs your country, I will be right here with you.
One of the things that became painfully clear to me in Iraq is that what's at stake today is the reputation not just of America but of Christianity, and that's what keeps me up at night. I heard people in Iraq call leaders in the US "Christian extremists," just as leaders here speak of "Muslim extremists." Everyone is declaring war in the name of God and asking for God's blessing. One beautiful Iraqi mother threw her hands in the air and said, "Your country is declaring war in the name of God and asking God's blessing, and that is the same thing my country is doing. What kind of God is this? What has happened to the God of love, to the Prince of Peace?
Revolutionary subordination exposes the evils of power and violence without mirroring them, by gently allowing them to destroy themselves and then rising above the ruins. This approach, of course, is exemplified by Jesus, who was led like "a lamb to slaughter"; it was with revolutionary subordination that Jesus "disarmed the powers and authorities" and made a "public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross" (Col 2:15). His was a humble redemptive suffering that flew in the face of the arrogant myth of redemptive violence.
We know all too well that we have a God who shows mercy on evildoers, for if he didn't, we'd all be in big trouble, and for that, this evildoer is very glad.
As we drove into the town, were were deeply disturbed to see that it was devastated by bombing. Before we could get out of the car, doctors greeted us, and the town began to gather. When they learned that several of us were from the US, the head doctor asked loudly, "Why this? Why? Why is your government doing this?" With tears in his eyes, he explained that only a couple of days earlier, one of the bombs had hit the hospital, the children's ward. So they could not take us to the hospital. He added with a dignified smile, "But you are our brothers, and we will take care of you. We take care of everyone- Christian, Muslim, Iraqi, American...it doesn't matter. We are all human beings. We are all sisters and brothers." And they set up a little clinic with four beds and saved my friend's life, apologizing for the scarcity of supplies due to the sanctions. The townspeople began to bring blankets and water...they smiled and invited us to live in Rutba. We offered the doctors money, but they insisted that they were caring for us as family. They did have one request: "Tell the world about Rutba." And we have."
Rather than separating ourselves from everyone we consider impure, maybe we are better off just beating our chests and praying that God would be merciful enough to save us from this present ugliness and to make our lives so beautiful that people cannot resist that mercy.
By Isaac Livesay
1 week ago


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If you have ever been to the Madikwe Game Reserve you will know that the Inselbergs are one of it's defining features.
This panorama shows the road on the western fence line close to the Wonderboom Gate and the Inselbergs as they stretch into the reserve from Botswana in the North. You can click on the image for a larger view.
Until next time.


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Designated Quiet Time
Date(s) - 09/29/2017
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
We know that our small library can get pretty loud, especially if there is an event going on. To help combat this issue and provide our patrons with a quiet space where they can read and study, we will be implementing a Designated Quiet Time during which we will not schedule events. Thursdays from 9:00-12:00 and Fridays from 1:00-5:00 we will not have any events scheduled. Feel free to come to use the library to read, study, and enjoy the quiet space.


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Believers Are Told In the Qur'an to Obey the Sunnah of the Prophet (Saas)
The Sunnah is indivisible from the Qur'an, for it is the living interpretation of the Qur'an by Prophet Muhammad (saas), the possessor of great moral values who had such great consideration for believers that he would become distressed when they were troubled and would relieve them of their burdens and chains of bigotry.
The Qur'an cannot be understood and implemented in one's life without the Sunnah. For example, in the Qur'an Allah (swt) tells believers to be affectionate toward each other, speak good words, and behave modestly. Commanding the right, forbidding the wrong, communicating the moral values of Islam to all humanity are set out as obligatory duties (fara'id). Cleanliness has been made obligatory. However, such matters are explained in the Qur'an in certain ways. Believers learn about the examples how to actually implement all these commands in their lives by means of the practices of the Prophet (saas). In the Qur'an, Allah (swt) reveals:
You have an excellent model in the Messenger of Allah, for all who put their hope in Allah and the Last Day and remember Allah much. (Surat al-Ahzab, 21)
The Prophet (saas) is the best role model for all humanity. Believers look at his Sunnah and learn how to implement its precepts and practices in their lives. Indeed, as soon as one looks at the Sunnah, one can see that the Prophet (saas) instructed his community in all matters and showed them how to act befitting a Muslim's honor. The Prophet's (saas) entire life reveals a seriousness, responsibility, and sensitivity of which not even the slightest detail is neglected. This is the result of our Prophet (saas) having taught "wisdom," alongside the Qur'an, to his community:
Allah showed great kindness to the believers when He sent a Messenger to them from among themselves to recite His Signs to them, purify them and teach them the Book and Wisdom, even though before that they were clearly misguided. (Surah Al 'Imran, 164)
The Danger of Abandoning the Sunnah
"The loss of the religion starts with the abandonment of the Sunnah. Just as a rope breaks fiber by fiber, so does religion vanish with one by one abandoning the Sunnah." (ad-Darimi)
Various heresies have appeared during the history of Islam. Different sects have turned away from Islam's essence and adopted heretical beliefs and un-Islamic practices.
In our day, too, some people reject the Sunnah of the Prophet (saas). "We read the Qur'an," they say, "and interpret it for ourselves without the need for any clarification by the Prophet (saas)." They turn their backs on the Sunnah, the practical application and implementation of the Qur'an.
The fact is that these people who have abandoned the Sunnah in fact ignore the Qur'an's commandments. That is because the Sunnah is an explanation of the Qur'an and more importantly, the Qur'an orders Muslims to follow it. Allah (swt) has not only made obeying the Qur'an obligatory, but also obeying the Prophet (saas).
For this reason, Islam can only be practiced together with the Sunnah and Muslims can only apply the Qur'an into real life with its help. The Sunnah, on the other hand, is the belief of the Ahl al-Sunnah, which is the totality of our Prophet's (saas) authentic hadiths and their subsequent interpretations by the great Islamic scholars.
Complying with the Sunnah means obeying the Prophet (saas)
The vital importance of the Prophet (saas) to believers is emphasized, as follows, in the Qur'anic verses addressed to him:
We have sent you bearing witness, bringing good news, and warning so that you might all believe in Allah and His Messenger as well as honor, respect, and glorify Him in the morning and the evening. Those who pledge their allegiance to you pledge allegiance to Allah. Allah's hand is over their hands. Those who break their pledge only break it against themselves. But as for those who fulfill the contract they have made with Allah, We will give them an immense reward. (Surat al-Fath, 8-10)
One who has taken a vow of allegiance to the Prophet (saas) has taken it to Allah (swt). Our Lord also tells us that:
Whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah. (Surat an-Nisa', 80)
We can see from this verse just how important such obedience is. All Muslims are obliged to obey him due to his nature as a role model and his identity as a rule-maker. The Qur'an reveals that complying with our Prophet's (saas) commands and rules is just as obligatory as is complying with the verses in the Book of Allah (swt). Indeed, in another verse, our Lord tells us this with regard to the Prophet's (saas) power of forbidding and commanding:
[The believers are] those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find written down with them in the Torah and the Gospel, commanding them to do right and forbidding them to do wrong, making good things lawful for them and bad things forbidden for them, relieving them of their heavy loads and the chains that were around them. Those who believe in him, honor and help him, and follow the Light that has been sent down with him are successful. (Surat al-A'raf, 157)
In another verse, our Lord states:
You should accept whatever the Messenger gives you and abandon whatever he tells you to abandon. Have taqwa of Allah... (Surat al-Hashr, 7)
These verses show that in addition to what the Qur'an prohibits, the Prophet (saas) can prohibit other things to his community. Therefore, our Prophet (saas) states in one hadith: "Avoid that which I forbid you to do and do that which I command you to do to the best of your capacity." (Sahih Muslim, Book 30, Hadith No. 5818)
Other verses refer to the Prophet's (saas) role as a rule-maker. Muslims take any matter on which they cannot agree to the Prophet (saas) and thereby obtain the best possible outcome.
O you who believe, obey Allah, the Messenger, and those in command among you. If you disagree about something, refer it back to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best thing to do and gives the best result. (Surat an-Nisa', 59)
So absolute is the Prophet's (saas) status as rule-maker that Allah (swt) told believers to obey his decisions wholeheartedly and without any doubt:
No, by your Lord, they are not believers until they make you their judge in the disputes that break out between them and then do not resist what you decide and submit themselves [to you] completely. (Surat an-Nisa', 65)
In another verse, the definitive nature of the Prophet's (saas) judgment is set out in these terms:
When Allah and His Messenger have decided something, no believing man or woman has a choice about [following or not following] it. Anyone who disobeys Allah and His Messenger is clearly misguided. (Surat al-Ahzab, 36)
Opposing the Prophet's (saas) role as rule-maker and disobeying his rules constitute denial:
But if anyone opposes the Messenger after the guidance has become clear to him, and follows a path other than that of the believers, We will hand him over to whatever he has turned to, and We will roast him in Hell. What an evil destination! (Surat an-Nisa', 115)
Since the Prophet's (saas) status as rule-maker and role model is set out in the Qur'an in such a clear and firm manner, to advocate turning one's back on the Sunnah of the Prophet (saas) means opposing the Qur'an. Following him in everything he did and in every rule of his is the same as following Islam itself. Turning away from his Sunnah, on the other hand, means turning away from the essence of Islam.
Indeed, the Companions lived their lives in such a way that all of their actions and words were in perfect accord with both the Qur'an and the Prophet (saas). One Companion relayed the following quotation:
"Allah (swt) sent us Muhammad (saas) as the prophet at a time when we knew nothing. Whatever we saw Muhammad do, we do the same, in the same way." (al-Nasa'i, Taqsir 1)
Clearly, the idea of "let's go back to the Qur'an, for we have no need of the Sunnah" is incompatible with Islam and stems from a profound ignorance of Islam. Those who hold such a view resemble people who want to enter a palace but are unwilling to use the key that opens its door. The Sunnah saves those who embrace it, for as Dahhak states: "Paradise and the Sunnah are in the same position, because those who enter Paradise in the Hereafter are saved, and those who cling to the Sunnah in this world [are also saved]." (Tafsir al-Qurtubi, XIII/365) Imam Malik compared the Sunnah to Noah's (as) ark, for "whoever boards it will be saved, and whoever does not will drown." (al-Suyuti, Miftah al-Jannah, pp. 53-54)
So great a vehicle of salvation is the Sunnah that in the Qur'an our Lord reveals that the Prophet's (saas) commands and prohibitions "will bring people to life":
O you who believe, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when He calls you to what will bring you to life. Know that Allah intervenes between a person and his heart and that you will be gathered to Him. (Surat al-Anfal, 24)
Islam is the totality of the Qur'an and the Prophet's (saas) Sunnah; there is no question of eliminating either one.
The source that conveys to us the Prophet's (saas) exemplary behavior, as well as his wisdom and judgments, is the Sunnah, the creed of the Ahl al-Sunnah.
The Prophets Call Believers to the Life-giving Path
O you who believe, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when He calls you to what will bring you to life. Know that Allah intervenes between a person and his heart and that you will be gathered to Him. (Surat al-Anfal, 24)
Looking at human history reveals that life began with the prophets. This is a true statement, for no religion can be comprehended and implemented in the absence of a prophet. For that reason, a messenger has been sent as a guide to every community.
As with the other prophets, Allah (swt) sent Prophet Muhammad (saas) with the perfect religion and the straight path. He has also made him a prophet for everyone until the Day of Judgment. Obeying, respecting, and loving him, in addition to imitating his lifestyle and abiding by his Sunnah, are responsibilities that all Muslims must try to fulfill.
Indeed, in the Qur'an obedience to the Prophet (saas) is considered as the same as obedience to Allah (swt). Believers are told to take the Qur'an and the Sunnah as their guides in matters on which they disagree. The following command is given in the Noble Qur'an:
No, by your Lord, they are not believers until they make you their judge in the disputes that break out between them and then do not resist what you decide and submit themselves [to you] completely. (Surat an-Nisa', 65)
As this verse makes crystal clear, the Prophet's (saas) Sunnah is an absolute and immaculate source of commands, because it is the way of "interpreting, explaining, and applying the Qur'an." Therefore, no believer has the right to make interpretations (ta'wil) or be disobedient with regard to the Sunnah, the application of the Qur'an.
When Allah and His Messenger have decided something, no believing man or woman has a choice about [following or not following] it. Anyone who disobeys Allah and His Messenger is clearly misguided. (Surat al-Ahzab, 36)
In another verse, our Lord reveals:
The believers' reply, when they are summoned to Allah and His Messenger so that he can judge between them, is to say, "We hear and we obey." They are ones who are successful. (Surat an-Nur, 51)
Each verse in the Qur'an that deals with obeying the Prophet (saas) states that doing so is obligatory for believers. That is why the Prophet's (saas) practices are impeccable and are under the protection of Allah (swt). To put it another way, everything in the Sunnah is, in essence, based upon revelation.
Nor does he speak from whim. It is nothing but Revelation revealed. (Surat al-Najm, 3-4)
Therefore, when disagreement arises, believers are obliged to turn to the Qur'an and the Sunnah, Islam's two fundamental reference points:
If you disagree about something, refer it back to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best thing to do and gives the best result. (Surat an-Nisa', 59)
Not only did the Prophet (saas) transmit the verses he received from Allah (swt) to humanity, but he also explained them. Therefore, the Sunnah can be regarded as the interpretation of the Qur'an. Viewing it in this way will protect it from corruption, misunderstanding, and distortion and also facilitate its being understood.
Another verse reveals:
Say: "If you love Allah, then follow me and Allah will love you and forgive your sins." (Surah Al 'Imran, 31)
An indication of one's love for Allah (swt), therefore, is following His Prophet (saas), for doing so reveals that he/she is a follower of Allah (swt). No believer can regard obedience to Allah (swt) as sufficient and abandon obedience to the Prophet (saas). The Prophet (saas) gives the following glad tidings to those who comply with the Sunnah: "Whoever gives life to my Sunnah certainly loves me, and whoever loves me is with me in Paradise." (al-Tirmidhi)
While the Prophet (saas) imparts the above glad tidings to those who adhere by the Sunnah, in the Qur'an, our Lord warns the terrible consequences that result from rebelling against the Prophet (saas):
As for those who disobey Allah and His Messenger and overstep His limits, We will admit them into a Fire, remaining in it timelessly, forever. They will have a humiliating punishment. (Surat an-Nisa', 14)
Those who are unable to understand the Sunnah's importance and who criticize it, despite what has been related above, are acting directly against the Prophet (saas).
The Prophet's (saas) words and behavior, described as "conforming to sublime morality" by Allah (swt) in the Qur'an, and by Aisha (ra) in her words that "the Prophet's (saas) nature was the Qur'an," constitute a role model for all human beings. Just as one cannot attain true virtue without taking him as a role model, neither can one attain happiness in this world and the Hereafter without doing so.
Those who abandon the Sunnah will lose a highly auspicious reward and be deprived of his intercession on the Day of Judgment. Moreover, turning one's back on the Sunnah of the Prophet (saas), who was most affectionate toward his ummah and most sensitive to any harm that might befall them, is showing ingratitude to such a great blessing:
A Messenger has come to you from among yourselves. Your suffering is distressing to him. He is deeply concerned about you, and is gentle and merciful to the believers. (Surat at-Tawba, 128)
Those who hold mistaken opinions about the practices of the Prophet Muhammad (saas) fail to comprehend the importance of his role. The duty entrusted to him requires a sense of responsibility so great that even the slightest detail could not be ignored. That is why our Prophet (saas) has so much to tell us on so many subjects, from trade to health, and from solidarity to education.
The Sunnah's fundamental principle is its applicability. "Treat the people with ease and don't be hard on them. Give them glad tidings and don't fill them with aversion" (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 52, Hadith No. 275) is the clearest indication of this. His wife Aisha (ra) stated that he told his people to do that which they could easily accomplish. Therefore, everyone can adopt the Sunnah. His life is an example of applying the Qur'an to one's daily life for every believer.
Another issue is the damaging results that arise when people abandon the Sunnah. Some Muslims, out of ignorance or idleness, have imposed heresy on the Islamic world by coming up with stipulations based on the speculations of people who essentially have no knowledge of Islam, or by following their own interpretations instead of the Sunnah's guidance.
The Islamic world's political and economic problems occurred because the Muslims abandoned the Qur'an and the Prophet's (saas) Sunnah. The ensuing instability will continue until believers understand that they are members of the community of the same prophet and strive to develop a community worthy of him. The only road for Muslims, therefore, is to adhere tightly to the Qur'an and the Prophet's (saas) Sunnah.
Any examination of the Prophet's (saas) life shows that his attitude toward life was not one-dimensional. For example, many reliable hadiths discuss his various roles: a prophet, a head of state, an army commander, a soldier, and a trader. He prays, fasts, prays during the night, lives in a state of constant devout prayer and contemplation, and remembers Allah (swt). A modest leader, he also marries, buys things, treats and visits the sick, jokes with children, wrestles with his friends, and races his wife on the road.
Muslims can properly discharge their duties as Allah's (swt) servants only by studying and observing the Prophet's (saas) practices. The first source of information for this is the great hadith compilations of Muslim, al-Bukhari, and other classical-era hadith scholars. The vast collections of his words, deeds, and personal attributes, particularly those displayed during his prophethood, were collected with great care by narrators or reporters whom all Sunni scholars consider reliable.


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The music world has been abuzzin' with opinions of the new Shins' album, Port of Morrow. Reviews generally begin with a comment on how long it's been since the band's last record (5 years), then continue to compare and contrast the new tracks with classics from Oh, Inverted World and also with frontman James Mercer's solo project, Broken Bells. Then they'll go on to say how Port of Morrow has some great tracks and some forgettable ones, how James Mercer is a fantastic songwriter so they don't offend any long-time fans, and close with a quote that somewhat represents the author's attitude towards the future of The Shins. I think this equation fails.
The Shins have only released four full albums in over ten years. Since 2001, group members have come and go (the most exciting addition being Modest Mouse's Joe Plummer) but Mercer has remained. His lyrics and unique voice are what denote a Shins song from all of the other pop-indie bands. Every lyric is his. He is The Shins. So even though it's a "The" band, I think it's important to view it as one man's project. And over ten years, a project is going to change. It seems there are two paths that rock bands can choose from—release an album every one or two years or space them out like babies (so they're never in college at the same time). Mercer has taken the latter route. This choice poses a challenge, however: with only fifty-ish Shins songs floating around in the world, they all have to be good. There's no room for a bland record. Mercer apparently gets this.
Port of Morrow incorporates both what old fans love about old albums (like the clarity and poignancy of "Young Pilgrims" and the poppy high of "Pressed In A Book") and what he learned about production from being in Broken Bells with Danger Mouse, who also produced the most recent record. I call Port of Morrow a success, a happy marriage between Mercer's two loves: sincere lyrics and rhythmic pop. Mercer achieves a lot in eleven tracks. One of the most important aspects of a great album is a strong start. Opening track "The Rifle's Spiral" achieves this. I feel as if Mercer is saying, "I know you've been waiting for this. I'm going to give it to you now." It begins with a burst. From there, we're given lovable hits like "Simple Song", ballads like "It's Only Life", and the oh-so-danceable "Bait and Switch". My personal pick is "No Way Down", a track that is so obviously 90's-inspired and completely aware of it. "Fall of '82" has, ironically, a 60's vibe. The title track is exactly what you might think a "Port of Morrow" would sound like. It's eerie, and Mercer's voice seems to be floating through the gray fog foreshadowed by the album's cover art. Listeners are left feeling like they've sat through a good film, a project that took them places, from happy highs to personal lows, through tightly produced synth-pop and acoustic simplicity. I applaud Mercer and his new partners and look forward to seeing them at Sweetlife Festival at the end of the month.
-Tori Kerr


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Welcoming a new baby to your home is a time of joy and excitement. To many parents, taking care of a newborn is like driving a car without any instruction. All hands are on deck and lessons come from experiences with your own "little miracle." You may feel more anxious if you haven't spent much time around infants. Family, friends or nurses can help and support you in your new role. The more time spent with your own baby, the more confidence you will build for providing care for him. Here are some tips on essential care aspects for your baby.
How do I burp my baby?
Babies swallow a lot of air when they breast or bottle feed. When air is trapped in your baby's stomach, this can cause a lot of discomfort. Burping your baby brings up that extra air that your baby swallowed during feeds. Bottlefed babies should be burped after every 2-3 ozs. of formula while breastfed babies should be burped after every 5 minutes of feeding and when switching breasts. If your baby doesn't burp immediately, try to feed him a little more. Always burp your baby after you finish feeding. Occasionally, your baby may spit up and this is perfectly fine. However, if it becomes persistent vomiting especially if it is forceful or projectile, you should call your pediatrician.
There are varied ways of burping your baby. You can burp him over your shoulder, across your lap or sitting up. Always support his head and neck since he still does not have good muscle strength and control in these areas. Always hold him securely with one hand and use the other hand to pat his back gently. Again, do not let your baby's head flop backward. Burping may take a few minutes so be patient .That precious burp will reward you and your baby a restful day ahead.
How do I take care of my baby's umbilical stump?
It is important to keep your baby's cord stump clean and dry until it falls off. You may use 70% alcohol and a cotton swab to clean the cord and allow it to air dry. You may need to clean the stump every diaper change until it falls off. Fold the top area of your baby's diaper below the stump to avoid the diaper rubbing on it and allowing the air to help dry the stump.
Normally, the umbilical stump falls off in 1-3 weeks. Do not try to pull it off even if it looks like it is barely attached or hanging on by a thin piece of skin. It is common to see a few drops of blood when the stump starts to fall off. Continue cleaning the belly button area with alcohol until it completely heals after which no special care is needed.
Call your doctor if the umbilical stump gives off a foul odor or if you note that area around the stump appears red and inflamed and starts to ooze some yellow or green discharge. This could indicate that it has become infected.
How do I take care of my baby's circumcision?
Some parents choose to have circumcision — the surgical procedure to remove the foreskin from a baby's penis – performed on their newborn baby boys. Circumcision is a very personal decision that should be thoroughly researched and discussed with your partner, pediatrician, obstetrician, or with friends and/or relatives whose experience you trust. After birth, your obstetrician may ask you for consent to do the procedure in the nursery. Following circumcision, your baby's penis will appear raw and have a yellowish covering. The penis may remain red and swollen for a few days but will continue to heal after a week. Sometimes, you may see a plastic ring that comes off by itself after 5-8 days. Keep the penis as clean as possible and use warm water to wash baby. Do not use soap or wipes to clean the area, since this could sting and irritate your baby's penis. Call your doctor if your baby does not urinate after 8 hours, if penis remains swollen with pus or if you note any bleeding from the area that does not stop.
The first year of your baby's life can be a very challenging time. It is recommended that you have seven visits to your pediatrician in the first year alone beginning at 3-5 days, 1, 2, 4, 6, 9 and 12 months of age. These regularly scheduled "well baby visits" to your doctor are done for many reasons, but also so your doctor can offer you valuable advice on caring for your baby. Please take advantage of these visits to voice any questions or concerns. No one knows your baby like you do, so you are her best advocate!
All information contained in this blog and on our web site(s) should be independently verified by you by a medical professional of your own choosing and you should always conduct your own research and due diligence before making any decision related to the subject matter of this blog or our web site.
Dr. Pearl Cenon
A pediatrician in private practice in New Jersey for over 15 years, Dr. Cenon (we like to call her Dr. Pearl) also has two children of her own. Dr. Pearl's husband, Kevin McDonough is also a pediatrician and they work together. She writes basic posts about topics that interest many parents, from skin care and nutrition to seasonal issues, such as allergies and colds. Her kind, approachable tone in each blog post will have you looking forward to the next one.


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Log-anticipated, log-awaited, His Majesty's Airship, the Flying Cloud, Seasons 1 and 2, is finally available as an eBook! Now, for less than the price of a jar of Vegemite, you can download the adventures of Captain Everett and his crew, complete with graphics, to enjoy on your favorite e-reader or mobile device. "Why should I do such a thing when I can access it for free over the Web?" you may ask. There are several good reasons. First, it's convenient. It frees you from the need for wifi or cables and a Web connection. Second, it's handy. E-readers are significantly more portable than laptops, desktops, server clusters, mainframes, and powerful self-aware computers abandoned millenia ago by some forgotten pre-human civilization. They also may have longer battery life than these alternatives, though I'm not quite sure about those powerful self-aware computers. Finally, it's cheap! Think of it as modest but welcome donation to our favorite airmen, or airwomen as the case may be.
Check it out in the Bookstore.


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GMT +1 (GMT +2 between the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October).
220-230 volts, 50Hz. European-style two-pin plugs are standard.
The unit of currency is the Euro (EUR), divided into 100 cents. ATMs and exchange bureaux are widely available. The major credit cards are becoming more widely accepted in large shops, hotels and restaurants, although Germans themselves prefer to carry cash. The quickest and most convenient way to change money is to obtain cash from one of the ATM machines that are ubiquitous features on all German streets. Banks are closed on weekends, but exchange bureaux at airports and main railway stations are open daily.
The international access code for Germany is +49. Telephone numbers in Germany can range from four to nine digits. There are surcharges on international calls made from hotels; it is often cheaper to use public telephone boxes in post offices, which use phone cards. The local mobile phone operators use GSM networks and have roaming agreements with most international operators. Internet cafes are available in the main towns.
Emergencies: 110 (Police); 112 (Ambulance/Fire)
Everything about travel documents
The U2 subway line runs to central Nuremburg in about 12 minutes. A bus stop is located in front of the Departures Terminal, and one-way tickets cost about €3, although short bus rides are cheaper. Intercity buses run to Munich, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, and Dortmund three to six times per day.
Cars can be hired from the Rental Car Centre in the airport.
Taxis are available at the airport. A fare to central Nuremburg is around €18 and the drive takes about 20 minutes.
The airport offers souvenir and duty-free shopping, several restaurants and bars, ATMs and currency exchange services, executive lounges, and a tax refund desk.
Parking at Nuremburg Airport costs €2 for the first 20 minutes, €4 for an hour, and about €2 for each additional hour up to €21 for one day and €40 for two days.
Free wifi is available in the airport.


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Opinion: An improved iPhone and a possible watch would reset expectations
Morgan Stanley this week raised its target price on Apple's stock by 11% to $110.
The really big news is analyst Katy Huberty's expectations for the much-rumored iWatch.
She expects Apple to sell 30 million to 60 million units in its first 12 months on sale at an average price of $300. That's an assumed $9 billion to $18 billion in sales, or $13.5 billion at the midpoint.
Tim Cook in April said Apple is "closer than it's ever been" to introducing a new product category, but there's no telling what that actually is or when it's coming. Heck, it could be the television set that many people (including me) expected two years ago.
But let's assume for the sake of argument that the iWatch actually exists and is destined for release soon. After all, Apple did just hire Patrick Pruniaux, vice president of global sales & retail of LVMH's Tag Heuer watch unit.
The new Google Android smartwatches from Samsung and LG have been underwhelming, though Motorola's upcoming Moto 360 may do better.
Can Apple improve on existing smart watches? It's a tricky situation.
For all of Apple's design prowess, remember that the iPod, iPhone and iPad were all closely related products with similar form factors. One product readily transitioned to the next.
The transition to an iWatch seems much trickier because it requires a shift to a completely new paradigm with an unknown and possibly major dork factor. There are also technological hurdles to overcome, like the need for long battery life and the creation of an all-new interface.
Does the hiring of Pruniaux help Apple crack the code of making a cool smartwatch for the masses?
Not yet, because he was just hired. If Apple is indeed launching a smartphone this year, or any new product category for that matter, then it will have been in the works for years — possibly back to the Steve Jobs days.
The sales potential of a big-screen iPhone 6 is huge, but I'd consider the iWatch a wait-and-see situation. If it exists, of course.
At this point, optimistic estimates for an iWatch are actually detrimental, because expectations are already building courtesy of the iPhone 6, which is universally expected to drive a major upgrade cycle. It would be far better for investors to remain wary until we see what we're dealing with.
And that leads us to another rumor: The big-screen iPhone 6 will be delayed until 2015 due to production issues. If true, we're going to see a major "sell" reaction to the official iPhone 6 announcement, which would probably make for a good buying opportunity.
We're heading for an interesting second half of the year.
By Michael Comeau is a writer for Minyanville . Twitter: @MichaelComeau
Source: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/apple-may-finally-bring-out-the-big-guns-2014-07-17