Watching Words is Important, Especially when there's a Disagreement

Proverbs 18:21:

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

And those who love it will eat its fruit."

Ephesians 4:29:

"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers."

Proverbs 17:9:

"He who covers a transgression seeks love,

But he who repeats a matter separates friends."

Proverbs 20:19:

"He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;

Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips."

Psalm 34:13-14:

"Keep your tongue from evil,

And your lips from speaking deceit.

Depart from evil and do good;

Seek peace and pursue it."

Proverbs 16:28:

"A perverse man sows strife,

And a whisperer separates the best of friends."

James 1:26:

"If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless."

Proverbs 18:13
"He who answers a matter before he hears it,
It is folly and shame to him."

Proverbs 18:17:

"The first one to plead his cause seems right,

Until his neighbor comes and examines him."

James 4:6b:

"God resists the proud,

But gives grace to the humble."

Proverbs 18:8:

"The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles,

And they go down into the inmost body."

Psalm 141:3:

"Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;

Keep watch over the door of my lips."

Proverbs 26:20:

"Where there is no wood, the fire goes out;

And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases."

James 4:11:

"Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge."

Proverbs 11:9:

"The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor,

But through knowledge the righteous will be delivered."

Matthew 18:15-18:

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

“But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’

“And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector."

Matthew 18:21-22:

"Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven."

Matthew 6:14-15:

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Galatians 5:13-17:

"For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish."

Serve the Lord with Gladness!

Stories of adventure are all around us. It's easy to think life will be exciting after learning to drive, getting married, or reaching a certain point in a career. But maybe at present life seems boring.

If you're a Christian, your life can be an adventure as you live your life for Christ now, regardless of circumstances.

Let's look at a few things we can always do:

1. Be Salt and Light:

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-16)

Even while in prison, Paul and Silas still spread the good news by singing and praying. How could you share the gospel or encourage another believer today?

2. Exhibit the Fruit of the Spirit:

No matter the circumstance, you can be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled.

Let's look at three specific commands regarding our attitudes:

a. Don't worry:

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 6:25-30)

b. Be godly and content:

"Now godliness with contentment is great gain." (1 Timothy 6:6)

"...I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:11b-13)

c. Rejoice always:

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4)

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing," (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17)

Whether or not you are accepted to college, your family is perfect, or you have it all together, you are commanded not to worry but to be content and even rejoice.

If you were thrown in jail for being faithful to Christ and all your plans were messed up, you could still meditate on God's word and grow closer to Him. How about now? Whatever state you're in, you can be content.

3. Give Your Life for Christ:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33)

“He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 10:39)

How can you be a servant for God today? Maybe it's by doing some great work that's seen by many, but perhaps God has currently given you the mission of honoring your parents, seeking to be faithful and diligent, or spending time reading a Bible story to your siblings.

What about dreams and goals? Surrender those to God and look for how you can serve Him now.

Conclusion:

It's so easy to think we'd be different if our circumstances were different. But if you will surrender your life and be a servant of God—by praying and studying God's word and being a godly child, spouse, student, or missionary (you name it!)—you can be different now!

If you lived in Nazi Germany, do you imagine you'd fight for life and be faithful to God? Today America is a country that murders the unborn, promotes sinful lifestyles, and is turning away from God. What a great time to shine our lights!

If we had financial security, better relationships, better grades, or more future prospects, we imagine we'd be happier. But Christians already have the most important relationship, a promise that God will take care of our needs, and a fulfilling calling as servants of the most high.

The Great Debate: Dr. Bahnsen vs Dr. Stein

My parents knew the late Dr. Greg Bahnsen and say that despite being a brilliant man, he could explain complex ideas very well and was also very kind to people.

In 1985 he debated Dr. Gorden Stein on the issue of God's existence.

Enjoy!

Meditating on God's Word

Quick quiz for you:

Q: What does God command in His word?

A. To read the Bible in a year.
B. To meditate on His word.

If someone has posed this question to me years ago I would have answered B, which is the correct answer. However, for years I've read the Bible every year. This isn't necessarily wrong, but when combined with memorization and prayer and the rest of life, it becomes tough.

Earlier this year it became a real challenge for me. I became extremely busy with work and was forcing myself to read without really reflecting on the meaning of the words. (Now that I think about it, I think I have faced this issue in years past too.) When I shared my troubles with my dad, he recommend I read more slowly. The fruits of this immediately started showing: More peace and joy, better understanding of the word and how it applies, and much more desire to come back to the word.

Soon after this I saw Dr. James Tour's testimony and I looked up his website. On it he boldly shares his faith and also recommends meditating on God's word: https://www.jmtour.com/personal-topics/impact-of-the-scripturesfaith-of-a-scientist/

Dr. Tour shares the blessings of meditating on God's word, which is biblical. Now I make it my aim to meditate on God's word, and I have already experienced so many blessings from it.

"Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day." (Psalm 119:97)

What I Learned From Trading on FOREX, Why I Will Not Do It Again

A few years ago I was interested in the stock market. I was amazed by the money that some traders made on a regular basis. Although I fundamentally misunderstood investing, I was still careful and looked into what it would take to invest. I quickly learned about trading fees (about $7 per trade) and minimum account balances (about $500) and realized I had a problem: I only wanted to use about $100 to invest. Then I discovered FOREX.
Note: there is (are?) now an online brokerage(s) that offers free trading with no account minimum.(Definitely nice, if you have self control.)

FOREX (short for foreign exchange) is where currencies are traded. I learned that the minimum account balance and trading fees were much less than in the stock market. I was immediately excited, and opened a free practice account. I read a lot and learned about what investors refer to as fundamentals and technical signals and a bunch of other fun stuff. In the practice account (where fake money is used) I lost some, but I also made some, and as I learned more I thought it was almost time to invest with real money (after all, all this opportunity seemed passing me by--why not start making money now?) so a few months after opening the practice account I opened a real account with some money.

I really was quite hasty (although at the time I didn't think I was) and although my first trade made money, every trade after that was a loss, so I soon closed the account.

Where did I err? First, I was being guided by emotions rather than logical reasoning. When using a fake account, I did not consistently make favorable trades, yet still risked (and lost) real money because of the false ideas that (1) I could iron out any problems in the way I traded later and (2) the longer I didn't use real money, the longer I would be missing out on an opportunity. Of course, these are both illogical reasons. Looking back, I can see that much of my decision making process, both in opening the account and when trading, was guided by emotions.

Although I see what I did wrong in the past, I don't intend to use FOREX again because of the following: First, trading fiat currencies is not productive. It doesn't create wealth. When people trade things of actual worth (commodities, services, etc) people can be benefited immensely, but not when trading fiat currency. Second, FOREX is a zero-sum game (or worse). Currencies are traded in pairs (e.g., USD/EUR) and to bet that one currency will rise in relation to another, someone else must bet against you. If you win, they lose. If they win, you lose.

The stock market is different. If someone buys shares of stock, they are investing in a company. Also, it's not a zero-sum game. If I buy shares of stock from someone and they increase, I have gained money, but the person who sold the shares to me does not lose wealth.

Some things I've learned from this:

1. Completely understand where money is going and coming from before investing.
2. If I cannot be faithful in small things (play trades), I should not except to have success in big things (real trades).
3. Even though I was aware of the dangers of emotional thinking, I still fell into it, even without realizing it. First, I was kind of greedy and impatient. Then as I started losing money I became fearful and somewhat desperate. Thankfully it wasn't much money :-)

Never Let Emotion Control Your Words

Aren't you glad you aren't the standard for what is right when interacting with others? Seriously, if my emotions were the standard, communication would be crazy!

Sometimes I feel like knocking some sense into someone (or just giving them a piece of my mind), but God says: "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." (Proverbs 15:1)

Sometimes when in controversy I want to say my side of the story and not listen to anyone else, but God says: "The first one to plead his cause seems right, until his neighbor comes and examines him." (Proverbs 18:17)

Often when I'm in a negative attitude I just want to complain to others, but God says: "A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back." (Proverbs 29:11)

After hearing a negative report about someone, I might want to share it with someone else, but God says: "A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter." (Proverbs 11:13)

Thank God that He has made a standard, and that we are not that standard!

There are so many scriptures on communication -- saying how we need to be honest, not listen to lies, promote health and not hurt others, and so much more. (Just search for the word tongue in the Bible.)  God's word is so rich!

I'll conclude with Ephesians 4:29-32:

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

I Stand Alone on the Word of God; Update on Life

I'm guessing most Christians have heard the B-I-B-L-E song before. It's a nice little song, but the words are more than nice little words. They are crucially important! (I suppose that the song could mean standing alone for Christ, but I took it as having the Bible as what we take our stand on.)

The other day I was watching a free video from a college course on engineering. Near the start of the course the professor stated that this generation of engineers will face great challenges because of global warming (once he even said something about "if there are still fish in the seas") and overpopulation, because we already are producing the most food possible to produce without technological advances, and because things are not sustainable. Of course, I disagree with all of that. But wow! I had assumed (even though I should have known better) that the course would generally be neutral. But everything is done based on our worldviews.

If we view things from the Bible (which says that the earth will not be destroyed until the judgment and that we should be fruitful and multiply) we will live our lives one way, but if not, our lives will be completely different.

Increasingly, I've seen that when Christians compartmentalize their lives so that God's word does not guide them in everything, they have poor and sometimes tragic results. It's sad, but it seems that often Christians are living their lives based more on emotion and on trends than on the word of God. We ought to embrace God's word, not reject it.

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

God gave us existence. Before creation there were no people, money, government, relationships, or anything else! He gave us tons of freedom and so much to discover that we'll never be bored, but He also gave us clear instructions.

For example, let's think about economics. We don't have to try to figure out what type of economic system is good based on logic or experience. Of course, because God is the author of HisStory and logic, logic and history will confirm His word. Nevertheless, ultimately God's word is where we learn what we should do.

God prohibits stealing. Therefore Communism (involving forced redistribution of wealth, a.k.a. stealing) is wrong. God tells us that work is good. In the Bible there are many examples of unrestricted trade. God gave civil government authority to have certain, specific, and very limited taxes for certain, specific, and very limited tasks, but other than that the government doesn't have authority to take people's money.

I could write more about economics or write more examples, but I think it's already clear that God has spoken in the Bible, and we are to listen and obey.

Let's stand on God's word alone in every area of life. God is holy. He knows what is best.

A question I frequently receive is if I am in college or will be going to college, and because I mentioned that I was watching the lectures from a college course I thought I would provide a summary of my recent past and my current plans:

1. 2014 was a somewhat difficult year for me; I graduated from high school in the second half of it.
2. Prior to graduation I had thought that I probably wouldn't go to college, or at least would take a gap-year. This was based on college being expensive, long, and having a somewhat bad environment.
3. During the end of 2014 I prayed and read a lot of materials about choosing a career and also about college and its alternatives.
4. Mechanical engineering seemed quite interesting to me and thought I should at least explore college options.
5. In early 2015 I studied for the ACT; in April I took the test and received a decent score, high enough to possibly receive a full-ride scholarship at some schools.
6. During the middle of 2015 I kept studying (homeschooling after high school?), asked for advice from others, and gained some more real world experience by doing some handyman and other work.
7. Several months ago I asked some colleges questions and it turned out that most colleges only offer scholarships if a student applies during high school. (I'm afraid I that in my planning I had sort of boasted about tomorrow.)
8. So basically I decided that college wasn't an option financially, and that I wouldn't seriously consider it unless I was able to afford it.

That might sound a bit negative, but I'm really not disappointed. To be honest if someone offered me college for free I'm not sure I'd go, because the opportunity cost is so high. Of course, only God knows the future.

During the past year I've learned a lot about myself. I've found that I seem to be gifted in giving/service and related gifts. My two biggest areas of interest are probably engineering related (inventing, problem solving, analysis, etc) and being an entrepreneur (investing, real estate, etc).

So where am I going from here? Ultimately I'm here to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. The three things I'm especially doing right now are:

1. Seeking to grow closer to God and more obedient to Him. He has been sanctifying me a lot recently, and I'm glad for it. Lately I've been learning that I need to rejoice always, and not let problems take my joy.
2. Seeking to do more work so that someday I can provide for a family. I really want to make a big impact for God's kingdom by working where He has gifted me, but I realized that I tend to be too careful, and sometimes lazy. Even if exactly how I advance God's kingdom isn't completely clear, it is clear that someday I will be called to be the head of a household. Doing something is better than doing nothing, and in all labor their is profit. I'm currently working as handyman, and am saving up so I can perhaps invest in real estate (and be a handyman in my own house(s); the skill is certainly useful!), invent things, or do other productive things. But I have to start somewhere.
3. Learning more. As silly as it may seem, for some reason I kind of thought that not going to college meant I really couldn't keep learning but would have to immediately demonstrate (by making a lot of money) that not going to college didn't mean I was going to waste my life. At the beginning of this week I decided to set some goals for learning. This week I've listened to several sermons, started learning about programming and CAD (computer aided design; it's cool), studied physics, learned more about engineering, researched what makes startups successful, looked into what steps to take to turn an idea into a product, brainstormed about several entrepreneurial ideas, and more. Learning is fun!

The Problem with Bitcoins and Other Virtual "Money"

Recently I heard that someone who knows somebody I know bought a form of "crypto-currency" that is similar to Bitcoin, and was recommending that others buy also buy it.

When I first heard of Bitcoins I thought they were silly and an extremely dangerous thing to invest in.

Bitcoin is something that doesn't exist; it's virtual. It's a lot like Federal Reserve Notes, but when you posses them you don't even get a piece paper.

It's hard to comprehend, but imagine that I had a website where you could play checkers. I could then make a virtual currency on the website where people pay 20 "checker-dollars" for a game and receive 40 "checker-dollars" if they win. I could then charge people to buy "checker-dollars" because even though no real money is created, I did create a nice gaming website for people to play.

With the Bitcoin (and other virtual "currencies") people pay money to buy Bitcoins but they only get a number on their screen; they don't get to play a game or anything else of true value.

So why aren't Bitcoins free? Because whoever made them only made a certain number of them and for whatever reason a lot of people bought them. This increases the price of it because of supply and demand. Prices continue to change based on the ratio of people buying or selling them, just like any other product.

It is possible to make money by trading them, but only if other people will buy them. People trade something that doesn't even exist because it can fluctuate so much (because its "value" is only determined by how many people are buying into it) and they hope to make money, or they are ignorant and simply think, "It works so it must be real." The problem with this seemingly pragmatic thinking is that it will only work for a time. Eventually you have to sell the Bitcoins, and eventually people will no longer want to buy them.

I personally think the whole idea is rather insane. People have made millions of dollars and others have lost millions of dollars...over nothing. Something cannot stay away from its real value forever. Bitcoin and other virtual "currencies" will come crashing as soon as people start becoming logical.

Of course, on the other hand, powerful people might try to make all currency virtual, but even if they would, you shouldn't encourage it.

But, you may argue, Federal Reserve Notes are not backed by anything either. True indeed. And eventually the USD will crash (unless it gets backed by something). But for the moment it's what the government uses and people respect it and so you probably don't have much choice but to use it. With Bitcoins and other virtual "currencies" you have a choice. Use it! Don't spend your dollars on something that doesn't exist.

Although it sounds good to use something that is not operated by a central bank, why use something nonexistent?

Another reason you might want to use Bitcoins is because you think that people will have confidence in them and Bitcoins will not lose value. I disagree, but for the sake of argument let me ask a question: why couldn't someone else who has the technology simply create another form of virtual "money" tomorrow? What makes Bitcoins so special?

What should be used as money? Gold and silver (or other precious metals) or something similar. There is a limited amount of gold and silver; no one can create them (and thereby reduce the value of other people's money (A.K.A. stealing)), and they will always be around.

For more details and a much better explanation of why Bitcoins and other virtual "currencies" are a poor investment, I highly recommend Dr. Gary North's article, Bitcoins: The Second Biggest Ponzi Scheme in History.

War Room Review

I've gotten out of blogging and I think maybe it's because I've been trying to be too formal. So I've decided to keep the formal posts, but also add some more casual ones.

Anyway, last Friday my family and I went to see the Kenrick brother's newest film, War Room.

The Kendricks have made several awesome movies in the past and so I was excited to see War Room, but to be honest I wasn't exactly sure what to expect because from watching the trailer I wasn't quite sure what the storyline of the movie would be. Also, while it seems relatively easy to make many captivating films from their other movie's themes -- honesty in business, surrender and trust in God, marriage, and fatherhood -- I wasn't sure what would be the best way to make a movie about prayer.

***Just got back from saying goodbye to my parents who are leaving on their date and the chicken is out of the oven so I must make this quick because it's time to eat and I don't like to be late and I like to make long silly sentences goodbye.***

Of course, prayer is extremely important. It's a strong spiritual weapon that is often neglected. I just thought there were a lot of things that could go wrong with a movie on prayer.

However, I was pleasantly surprised by War Room. It had a great storyline. It had excellent actors. It had tons of humor. It conveyed a great message.

I was very happy that it showed spiritual warfare, something a lot of Christians tend to shy away from.

The one thing I would have changed (***Just got back from praying for the meal with my siblings and I just have to quickly end this because I'm so hungry it's an hour after I usually eat after all!***) is that some of the girls had too short of shorts. Also, I wonder if maybe I would have included a prayer that is clearly answered with a "no" so that people do realize God cannot simply be manipulated by prayer. On the other hand it's probably just a matter of preference and isn't necessary; the point of the movie is good as it is and you cannot caveat every single thing all the time.

Overall I enjoyed this uplifting movie very much. It encouraged me a lot and built my faith. It also inspired my to increase the amount I pray. It's very easy to forget to pray, and this movie gave me some great reminders.

I'm quite pleased that the Kendricks have made another great film. I'd be very hard pressed to decide which of their movies I like the best.

***Bye bye now I get to go eat and I'm glad I forced myself to finish this because I had the idea of posting this but I've been procrastinating for nearly a week bye bye now I get to go watch Flushed Away :P with my wonderful younger sibs now bye bye for real this time I'm tired can you tell?***

Civil Government and Power vs Authority

Several months ago I was listening to a recording of a leadership conference. One very interesting and important distinction the speaker, Dr. Kayser, brought out was the difference between power and authority.

Someone might have power to force someone to do something, but this does not mean they have the authority to enforce their command.

For example, the Nazis had the physical power to force many Jews into concentration camps, and did so, but of course they did not have the authority to do so.

So where does authority come from? The shifting opinions of people certainly does not decide. If someone believes in majority rule, what happens if I'd convince most people that majority rule is wrong?

Ultimately the only firm foundation for anything is the Bible, God's word. In Romans 13 the Bible says that "there is no authority except from God." Authority does not originate from people. It comes from God.

When the courts rule that homosexual "marriage" is legal, does that make it right (or even possible)? No. God already ruled on the matter. In Mark 10:6-9 Jesus said:

“But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.' ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,‘and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.“Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

God said it. That's all there is to it. It doesn't matter if you believe it.

Murder did not become right when Hitler said it was. Murder did not become right when the American Supreme Court said it did. Homosexuality did not become right when the American Supreme Court said it did.

How exactly should the government be structured? What does the government have to do with marriage, if anything? Those are questions worth answering, but that's not the purpose of this post. I don't have all the answers, but I know Someone who does.

What is the point of this post? To affirm that God rules. His rule is ultimate. There is no right and wrong unless God decides. That's all.

Oh, and let's pray :)