Minister Moose Tracks

Ever wonder why tv shows, movies, music, video games, etc. are often rated for audiences labeled "Adult" or "Mature"? It is because they contain content such as nudity, foul language, sexual lust, and/or violence. Why would these things be appropriate for even an adult to watch? Of course, there is the kind of "adult" content which IS appropriate only for adults, for example, certain educational discussion and learning pertaining to the wonderful gift of sex for married couples (although children CAN and SHOULD learn some introductory details about this from parents and NOT from other kids at school). For adult Christians, it is usually safe to say that if what you're watching or listening to is not appropriate for the family as a whole, than it is not safe for you either. The psalmist says, "I will set no wicked thing before my eyes" (Ps. 101:3). Throughout the Bible, God warns His people many times about protecting their hearts through pr...

"If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the LOD, who will intercede for him?" - 1 Samuel 2:25 It is a kind of tragedy when those put in charge to lead God's people are but frauds and wolves. In this passage, the context reveals that Eli is both the high priest and judge in Israel while his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas were brought into the priesthood by birth. Because Eli was advanced in years (1 Sam. 2:22), he likely left it up to his sons to inspect the service of the tabernacle and they took advantage of the absence of their father to profane the offerings of the LORD ( vv. 13-17). Nonetheless, his absence did not prevent him from hearing that his sons were having sexual relationships with the women who served at the tabernacle (v. 22). To top it off, verse 12 says that his sons were "worthless" or "corrupt" and did not know God; the Hebrew phrase literally means "sons of Belial", connot...

"My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen carefully to my wise counsel. Then you will show discernment, and your lips will express what you've learned. For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil. But in the end she is as bitter as poison, as dangerous as a double-edge sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. For she cares nothing about the path of life. She staggers down the crooked path and doesn't realize it." - Proverbs 5:1-6 As I am writing this, I am witnessing from my balcony several prostitutes soliciting themselves out on the streets with no regard of who might be around.. Unfortunately, in the part of the world where I currently am, the laws concerning this are not enforced and is therefore culturally acceptable and prevalent. With every seeking customer that comes by, I hope and pray that the individuals just part ways; sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. It...

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." -1 Corinthians 6:9-11 In our day, such biblical passages such as the one above are condemned as being judgmental; indeed they are, but rightfully so (John 7:24). During a St. Patrick's Day local festival last month, I took God's Word to the street in an area where a saint of God is being celebrated with leprechauns, pots of gold, and drunken debauchery. While my wife and others with us were handing out gospel tracts, a man who walked past me became angry about what I was preaching and thought I was being judgmental ...

I am sure you are familiar with the popular song Amazing Grace  written by John Newton, an English poet and Christian in the 18th-19th century who was a former slave trader. The first stanza of the song reads, "Amazing Grace! how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch; like me!" You and I are the "wretch" in that song, worthy to only be condemned and tossed into the fiery pits of hell because of our sinfulness in the presence of the one true holy God; Newton was very keen on this notion because of his past as a slave trader. The Lord would be just to send any one of us to damnation; it is as if every one of us are walking on doors which are ready to swing open, dumping us into the pit where the worm doesn't die. If you are reading this, then obviously God hasn't done that to you. But why? It is because of His mercy that keeps the hinges on those doors from swinging open. Mercy is about not getting what we do deserve. But then there is also grace ... When...

When it comes to the powerful parables told by our Lord Jesus Christ, one that sticks to me is found in Luke 18:9-4, known as "The Pharisee and the Tax Collector." Back in Jesus' day, the Pharisees were the religious elite among the Jewish people and we read throughout the gospels how Jesus confronts them for being outwardly religious but spiritually dead on the inside (cf. Matt 15:8; Mark 7:6). In this particular parable from Luke 18, the Pharisee thinks he is doing just fine by God and even thanks God that he is not a wretched sinner like tax collectors. Although there may seem to be a kind of righteousness in the words of the Pharisee, the tone is undergirded with an unhealthy pride and failure to recognize one's own sin nature (cf. Rom. 3:23). The tax collector, on the other hand, is very aware of his sinfulness and spiritual poverty and cries out to God for His mercy to be upon him. In our day, there is a pride that stems from many who profess Christianity an...

You want to be loved? You want to love someone? These desires lay within the core of every human being. An issue, however, is that we often hear about others' desires to love or be loved and they seek it in the wrong way or find it in the wrong places: the young man who thinks he can win a woman's heart by buying her nice things; the woman who quickly gives herself physically to a man who then leaves her shortly thereafter; the person who thinks becoming physically attractive is the key to attracting others into a loving relationship; the list goes on. This desire to love and be loved, however, also extends beyond the intimate relationship between a man and a woman. It also pertains to extended family members, friends, and even in the work place. People naturally try to determine in their own mind what love is and what it looks like. Unfortunately, our ideas are influenced by social media, movies, and what we see others doing. Much like all facets of life, the Bible provides...

Do not allow the usual holiday hectic schedule and activities rob your joy of celebrating the birth of your Savior this Christmas season. Whether it's the shopping, the traveling, the gatherings, or whatever else, turn your eyes to Jesus Christ. This time of the year reminds me of when I was in the Middle East. Being in a foreign land with a vastly different culture and religious ideals, I often wondered about what my friends and family were doing back at home and I yearned to be with them, especially my wife and children. I remember looking out into the desert, praying to God that He would fill them with His presence, producing the joy of celebrating the birth of our Savior.  It seems though, at that moment, joy sprung up in me; all of a sudden, my melancholy state turned in a well of great joy, since God reminded me of the reality of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ. There I was, in a part of the world which is often hostile to people like me, praising my Lord for His wond...

"God doesn't call those who are equipped, He equips those whom He calls." It is not the intellect of a Christian that makes him ready to serve God, but rather the power of God working within that person. Although I generally encourage formal education if the opportunity presents itself, it merely supplements the gifts given from God. Sadly enough, there many churches in the world that will not accept a pastor to lead them unless he has a seminary degree. A seminary education doesn't make a minister of the gospel; the calling from God and the church body to confirm this calling is what makes a minister of the gospel. Of course, we read that God uses people from varying educational backgrounds, considering Paul who was a "Hebrew of Hebrews" and a "Pharisee" (Phil. 3:5), while Apollos was "an eloquent man, competent in the scriptures" (Acts 18:24). Yet, we read in Acts 4:13 that no matter the education of those whom God calls for His purpo...

About two weeks after the Lord saved me from my sins, my pastor confronted me one day and said,"You know, now that you're a Christian, you better clean up that mouth of yours." I was immediately convicted by this; by the grace of God, I was finished using foul language a few weeks afterward. This was one of my first tastes of the pure life that God desires for me to live. I see, however, many who profess to be Christians and still strongly sound the bell of worldliness. The Holy Spirit, of course, works at different speeds when it comes to sanctifying people, but there still is evidence...if indeed the Spirit does reside within a person. These people are not new to the faith, but rather proclaim to have a faith in Christ without any transformation. Such people have "cheapened" grace by simply wanting to escape the fires of hell and nothing more. Does God just save people to save them with also allowing them to live their lives as the world leads them?...

In this season of Thanksgiving, there are many facets of life we ought to be thankful for: our family, friends, food, shelter, jobs, entertainment, and the breath in our lungs. The problem, though, is that all of those things can be lost in the blink of an eye. Those who are bought by the blood of Christ, however, have an inheritance kept for them in heaven that is "imperishable, undefiled, and unfading" (1 Pet. 1:4). Didn't Jesus tell us that His followers would experience tribulation and be hated by the world for His name's sake (Matt. 24:9)? Despite this, here are five truths from God's Word upon which we can meditate and be thankful. Jesus lived a life we could never live. God's standard is that of perfection which is summarized in following His Law perfectly (cf. Ex. 20). The problem we have is that "nobody's perfect" and so we all fall short of this standard (Rom. 3:23). Jesus Christ lived in perfect obedience to God for us in our stea...

Romans 10:21 "But of Israel he says, 'All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.'" The man whom God used as a vessel to bring me the gospel message was an automotive mechanic at a Tire Kingdom shop, where I too was an employee in my early adult years. He told me that God was patiently sitting at the edge of His seat holding out His hands to save my soul. This statement was very different from what I was taught in the past; it was as if God wanted a personal relationship with me or something. Why hadn't I ever heard of something like this before? You see, I grew up in the Roman Catholic Church where I was taught to say certain prayers, regularly attend Mass, pray the rosary, and attend confession/penance in order to maintain favor in God's sight (for more on this, visit http://voiceofvision.org/assets/articles/rome.pdf ). In other words, I was taught that I had to do works  in order for God to bless...

"1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?" - Psalm 13:1-2 It has been a while since my last blog and with good reason. As life comes tumbling your way, especially with trials and suffering, it is easy to get off track with your routine. For the Christian, this would certainly include taking your eyes off of Jesus Christ and allowing yourself to be filled with worries, anxiety, and grieve as one who does not have hope. Can you think of any particular occasion where either the cares of the world or anxiety filled you up to a point where you thought that God had abandoned you and your eyes were on anything but Him? By reading through the Bible, it is easy to come across examples of those who felt like God was nowhere to be found in the midst of tribulation. Consider the above passage of Psalm 13 whe...

"A word fitly spoken      is like apples of gold in a setting of silver." -Proverbs 25:11 You've heard it before; the right thing spoken just at the right time. As gold and silver are both precious metals, Solomon makes a comparison by painting a comely picture that points to the might and magnificence of fitly spoken words. Scripture repeatedly admonishes us to pay attention to how we speak to others. It is a true statement to say that everyone has lied during the course of their life, although Christians are referred to as "new creations" with the indicative that the "old has passed away" and "the new has come" (2 Cor. 5:17). Speaking lies and deception represents what you did in the past and you are now called to put that away in order for you speak truth to others (Eph. 4:25) and become more like Christ (Eph. 4:15). Ever since the Lord saved me from my sins, I've frequently come across others who claim to love Jesus Christ but y...

Psalm 100 1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord , all the earth! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! 3 Know that the Lord , he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his;     we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! 5 For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.   As we come upon the annual celebration of Fall's main holiday of Thanksgiving, for many of us we begin to reflect on those things for which we are most thankful for. Usually, there are common things which people will note, such as family, friends, and life in general. While it is to be recognized that such are blessings from God, Christians are also called to be thankful for other things which ought to precede those wonderful blessings of famil...

"Blessed is the man   who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners,      nor sits in the seat of scoffers;  but his delight is in the law of the Lord ,  and on his law he meditates day and night." - Psalm 1:1-2 We live in a world where right is declared to be wrong and wrong is declared to be right. We live in a world that despises holiness and promotes haughtiness. We live in a world that shuns God as if ignoring Him would actually keep Him out of worldly affairs. As for the latest current events, we live in a world where instead of an investigation being done on an organization that sells the bodyparts of aborted infants, an investigation is rather being done on those who filmed the evidence to expose the criminal acts. This saying is true: we live in a world that is filled with the spirit of error (cf. 1 John 4:6). Just as Christians ought to not take part with those that dwell in lawlessness, the...

It doesn't take much to find out who the worst sinner is in your life; just look in the mirror. Very quick, we are, to point the finger at others when we have often failed to see our own downfalls. Is that not what Adam and Eve did in the garden of Eden after they sinned? Adam blamed God for giving him Eve, while Eve blamed the serpent who deceived her (Gen. 3:12-13). Sin showed itself to be very alive in the hearts of them both and neither one of them took responsibility and repented of their sins. Indeed, history repeats itself, from the first man and woman to be on Earth to the very present. The good news, however, is that Jesus Christ triumphed over the power of the evil one, in which believers in Christ can rest their hope and have courage to press on in the midst of a fallen world. To see our own sins for what they really are, however, is essential for any Christian to grow in his/her walk with God. In 1 Timothy 1:15, the apostle Paul writes, "The saying is trustworth...

It is one of the most popular sayings right now on social media, both from those who make a claim to Christ and those who would refute the truth: "Don't judge someone else because they sin differently than you do." Although there is truth in this statement, to just leave it there is for a Christian to take a passive stance that is filled with stagnant faith. It is a statement that leaves the Christian knowing what not to do (the negative aspect) and does not proclaim what a Christian ought to do (the positive aspect). Are Christians just supposed to step back and only pray when real evils confront them? Are they to remain silent on these matters that contradict the Word of God? Let me first say that all Christians are to live with an attitude of prayer (1 Thess. 5:17); prayer is especially paramount when dealing with challenges that are directly opposed to the Word of God. Prayer is often the means that God uses for His plan to be carried out (Heb. 13:18-...

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea." -Mark 9:42 Shortly after I cried out to God to save me from my sins and became a Christian, a former in-law of mine heard of my new faith and she promptly made her thoughts known to me that I was brainwashed and that it was not as real as I perceived it to be. As an infant in Christ, however, my reckless and zealous response was less than gentle by replying, "What!? You don't know me!" Was that response arrogant? Probably, although the sinful tone contained truth, especially since Christ recently made me into a new creation and began to transform my very reason for living. I've witnessed men who professed faith in Christ get enticed and lured away by attractive and seductive women, causing them to sin and having the joy of salvation sapped right out from them. In my forme...

Live and Let Live? This is a common statement for those who call for tolerance of others. By definition, it means, "you should tolerate the opinions and behavior of others so that they will similarly tolerate your own." Does this statement come from the Bible or culture, or both? Should Christians confront one another or should they just "live and let live"? Should Christians even worry about whether or not others tolerate their faith? Because this can be a delicate subject, I encourage you to pray about your motives before going out to correct a fellow brother or sister in Christ. The intent ought to always be to bring about repentance and restoration. Although confrontation is often necessary, Ephesians 4:32 reminds us of our attitude when it comes to speaking to one another: "Be kind and tender to one another. Forgive each other, just as God forgave you because of what Christ has done." With this kind of attitude, we are then set to "speak the ...