I can understand the terrorists.
I have felt their passion. I have risked my life for God. But the difference is they believe killing people pleases Allah. They need to get to know Jesus.
All this goes to show what an intellectual fraud the “comparative religion” folks have perpetrated. Maybe they should study “contrastative religion.” We are told that the older Boston bomber became more “devout,” then this.
As I become more devout as a Christian, I give of myself. I sacrifice. I love. I pray. I evangelize. I give money to the needy. I don’t kill.
Actually, atheists are all highly intelligent people, so their failing to discern between religious and economic motives behind so-called “Christian wars” is more willful than accidental.
Christ called his followers to lay down their lives. To turn the other cheek. Those who have taken up arms in the name of Christ are following their own folly, not Jesus. Yes, Popes asked for Crusades, but the guys who actually did the fighting were mercenaries seeking fame and fortune.
God calls us to carry our cross, not arms.
Again, it is willful neglect, not genuine, to fail to discern the clear demarcation between Old Testament and New. Christ, being the conclusion of God’s progressive revelation of salvation in the Bible, represents the maximum expression of God’s plan, the finality. Thus, several Old Testament norms go outmoded and are replaced by Christ’s law of love. Ethical conduct is reaffirmed; such things as temple rituals, sacrificing animals, and violence are suppressed. I can understand a simpleton failing to grasp this, but not a smart guy who’s academically honest.
It is with great heaviness I write: We Christians bear much responsibility for the evil surge in our world. We have become lightweights, neglecting prayer in favor of “our best life now.” Let’s pray for Boston.
And let’s pray for the gospel to advance in all the world.
Mustard Seed Budget 
Extremely well put. Thank you so much.
Praise Him.
Well said and passionate.
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This is beautiful, thoughtful and inspiring. May we not ever underestimate nor neglect the power of prayer. Thank you:)
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Well said.
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“it is wilful neglect, not genuine, to fail to discern the clear demarcation between Old Testament and New… I can understand a simpleton failing to grasp this, but not a smart guy who’s academically honest.”
Yes.
Praying for Boston, and for Christians everywhere that we might truly be the light of the world in Jesus’ name.
Help us be light.
Very thought – provoking, Thank You.
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🙂 Yes, let us pray for all people…that we learn to love fully like Jesus did–everyone. God–He is so great! Take care! 🙂
Amen!
Thank you Pastor Ashcraft for your invitation to visit, your message has great Truth, we are under the new Covent in Christ Jesus and it’s foundation is God’s Love. I do not agree with wanton violence it brings the same, abuse of any type is destructive. God’s Love is Merciful and seeks to forgive and restore, His Love responds in Love which has many facets like a diamond, it shines brightly in the darkness, it brings Hope, Peace, Joy and Rest, it is also merciful.
What motivated God to send His people in the Old Testament to destroy through war other Nations, it was His mercy, just like in the time of Noah and the great world flood, these Nations had no Love, their thoughts were evil and God knew they would continue to pollute those Children who would be born to them, many of whom they sacrificed alive to Pagan gods as well as committing other evil acts against them and polluting many others who they came in contact with, evil gives birth to evil and then brings Spiritual death .
God Loves His little ones and all of us His Children passionately, so to protect them from harm He put a stop to the evil of the Pagan Nations at that time as He did to the evil of Hitler and all those who followed him, sadly even Christians chose Hitler’s charismatic Leadership with his promise of power and wealth but many were later to regret that they did as they reaped what they sowed, money had become their god and God does not go against our own free will and He cannot respond to empty prayer, He disciplined them by letting them have what they wanted as He still does with us today, He does not want puppets but our hearts willingness to obey and serve Him in Love and for Love, not in fleshy fear..
Thank you again Pastor Ashcraft , Christian Love from both of us – Anne
Thanks for sharing!
I was thinking today why others see things differently when they seem so clear to us as Christians or even ‘decent people’. Take abortion, for instance. How can pro-choice people not see it’s a baby they are killing? Isn’t it obvious? Just then Father reminded me about when I worked in a hospital ward as a nurse participating in abortions. It made me sad and angry but I didn’t stop working there for that reason. I would mourn over those little dead babies in a kidney dish then wrap them up and dispose of them. My mind was clouded. Whether or not I worked there those babies were going to die. So maybe He allowed me to be there to teach me something. How deluded about right and wrong we can be. We must never judge others. Leave that to the great High Judge. Meanwhile plead for deluded minds to be unlocked so they know the truth and be set free..
thank you for sharing!
my heart goes out to the victims… still can’t process terrorism and its weird because it happens in Nigeria almost everyday… Beautiful post, missed you on Selah 🙂
r u n Nigeria?
Yes I am, in the west not the northern part though
What’s the difference?
I am sensing and enjoying this somewhat intense upward call to prayer and heightening of devotional intensity. Thank you, much – I really do appreciate it. Thank you for your messages – they are powerful. God bless!
walter
Yeah! And when are we getting together to watch a Barca game?
would love to but we are up in Nor cal right now until God releases us.
Oh, I thought you were out around East LA…
Go Barca!
I thought about Paul after reading your post just now. As Saul he was very passionate for the things not of Christ. He persecuted and murdered Christians to show his devotion. As Paul he was equally as passionate, yet he introduced life and was willing to lay down his own, Same person, yet Saul had religion and Paul had relationship.
That is awesome!
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Did not know that religion was involved in the bombings.
New York Times.
They are still looking for a “motive” for the bombings. It wasn’t, as I initially thought, an anti-tax statement. The New York Times has traced the older boy’s radicalization. We’ll learn more as the FBI does its job.
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Great post! Right on target.
may God help us!
It is always a bit sad to see the lost soul and be able to do nothing. But I also believe – Matthew:5:39 and Luke:6:29 is that they have to do with retaliation regarding an insult or litigation pertaining to one’s personal goods. To apply the verse to a life-threatening assault is to dismiss the context, as well as contradict the many other verses and examples throughout the Bible that would deny pacifism.
I’m behind in my blog-reading and was feeling bad about that. But–as always, God has a reason. Today, I needed this. You’re right. Too many Christians are lightweights rather than light-bearers.
Don’t feel bad. You can’t be expected to read everything. Be a lightweight on blog reading! 😀
I think that you have good people discussing and giving thought to God’s work and Jesus’ gift of His Life. I also think that many religions have good reason, kindness and love behind them. These men were misguided. They will face their judgment. We need as Christians to not judge but say that to draw others’ to Christ we are forgiving and not blaming. Killing was in the Old Testament but the New is to bring Light into the world.
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A good commentary on the current state of affairs in the world and with religion in general.
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Hi,
Thanks for the like. I enjoyed what you wrote. Yes, we Christians need to be called to even more prayer.
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This post is well put. Prayer? An unequivocal yes! Intercessors needed!
Thank you for the like on my post.
Thanks and your welcome, from one Ash to another. Yours, Mike ASHcraft
Thanks for following my blog and the likes on my posts. Yes, we Christians have dropped the ball in many way.s
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Heartfully said. When we leave God out of the picture as we have done overall beginning with taking the Ten Commandments out of buildings we have set our own course
Yisraela
Hey! Great to find your blog!
We do neglect prayer and we get sucked in by the current climate attitude that God is irrelevant. We need to remember than we each have that God shaped void inside and that everyone is trying to fill it, whether they understand that or not. Perhaps one of the best things we can do for an intellectual is challenge them to go to the source, the Bible and to God and see what He has to say, rather than their continual reliance on what someone else says about Christianity, or God. Thanks for your good post.
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I like that you set a simple emotional ride for the audience. A summary of what’s going on the whole time I’m reading is, ‘What? You can sympathize? Oh! Yea you’re right!’ Then my mind picked back up at calling us “lightweights.” I’m thinking, ‘oh we’re supposed to be lights of the world, not lightweight-ed about our lights!’ Good points and I hope people can understand the true difference between a Christian and a carnal Christian and how in the realm of all religions that Jesus Christ is what sets it all apart.
Hmmm, that’s an uncontemplated twist. But I hope our light is a like searchlight, not a flashlight!