Christmas in July #1

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This is one of the most beautiful Christmas songs out there.  And it deserves to be played all year.  It's so beautiful, it brings me to tears.  And I imagine that this is how heaven will sound ...

Christmas Canon by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. 

 (And for the equally-great, more rockin' version - Christmas Canon Rock. Oh my goodness, it makes my heart want to burst! Too much beauty!) 

Most Popular Posts of the Week:

"Becoming a Christian" and "Steve McQueen's Christian Testimony"

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A great, quick video from Pastor Greg Laurie on "Becoming a Christian" (4 minutes long) And a 2 1/2-minute one from Tony Evans: Salvation Through Jesus Christ Yes, it's that simple!  Eternal life, salvation, is that simple to get.  All of the work has been done for you by Jesus Christ on the cross.  And all you have to do is accept it. [Keep in mind that it's not the prayer that saves you, the words you say.  It isn't a "magic spell."  What saves you is your choice to believe in Jesus, your decision to make Him your Lord and Savior, to believe that He is God and that He came to earth to die on the cross and rise again to pay the price for  your  sins so that you can live, so that you don't have to pay the price for your sin.  You can live eternally in heaven because of what He did for you on the cross.  And all you have to do is accept it, believe it.  If you will believe (if you will accept it as truth, even if you don't "feel it" yet...
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My Favorite Live Bird Cams (and a few others too)

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I enjoy checking in on these live bird cams every now and then.  Especially when we are knee-deep in snow and it's 10 degrees outside. Ontario Backyard Cam Sapsucker Woods Panama Fruit Feeders Red Tail Hawks   Bermuda Petrels   Hellgate Ospreys   Savannah Ospreys   Hummingbirds   Great Horned Owls   Southwest Florida Eagle Cam   And here's some more random ones: Live Bird Feeder in Michigan Panda Cam Tropical Reef Cam Cornell Lab Live Bird Cams  (most are in the links above already) Shark Live Cam Lemurs Ape Cam And there's a bunch of wildlife cams to choose from here:   Sportsman Paradise Online
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Thank you, reddit/reformed. I'm honored!

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[I'm sneaking this post in between the regular bi-weekly (every other week) posts on both this blog and my Anti-Calvinist Rant blog.  (Did you know that bi-weekly can mean both "every other week" and "twice a week"?  What the heck, those are like total opposites!)] Commenter Senior-Emergency-944   started a thread  on Reddit/Reformed   called  Part of me wants to affirm it. But how do you refute this?!  which linked to my post  "But Calvinists don't say God causes sin and evil!" , asking for advice on how to refute the Calvinist quotes I shared about God causing evil.  If I was able to reply to Senior (I don't have a reddit account), I would've said this... That's awesome!  Thank you.  I'm honored that you brought up this post for discussion among reformed Christians.  And I think it's great that you're willing to examine this issue and think deeper about it, to face the dark, uncomfortable truth of what Calvinists really be...
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A Few "End Times" And "Christian News" Links

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There are a few "end times" and "Christian news" sites that I like to check up on now and then.   When it comes to the "End Times," I mainly prefer sites that give me headlines about what's going on around the world that may be related to the end times, such as major earthquake and volcanic activity, political and international conflicts, Israel news, etc.   I don't care much for the sites that are sensationalized - that make huge deals out of every tiny thing and that try to fit every little cosmic or world event into a Bible verse as some sort of "proof" that the End Times are here.  I'd rather read the normal news stories for myself and get an overall picture of how close we seem to be getting to the end. Of course, no matter how close we think we are to the end, it won't happen until God wants it to happen.  All we can do is wait for Him and live the way He wants us to, in anticipation of standing before Him someday.  An...
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Late Summer for Gardeners

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I don't know about you, but all this heat and humidity has made my garden go crazy.  And consequently, I've been so busy shredding and freezing zucchini (or making zucchini bread and zucchini fritters) and canning homemade pickles and tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes and pickled peppers... and then busy cleaning up all the zucchini-pickle-tomato-pepper messes all over the kitchen... not to mention, giving away bags of fresh cucumbers and green beans because we're getting too many and can't possibly eat them all (I find it crazy that three of my kids hate fresh green beans - where'd I go wrong?😕)... and then doing it all over again just a little while later.   It's been like the movie  Groundhog Day , endlessly repeating the same day over and over again, except with vegetables!   And so, just for fun (and because I've been too busy to write real posts), here's something that all you gardeners out there might enjoy right about now.  I feel this one:
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"Defend Your Calvinism" Challenge (updated)

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A challenge f or Calvinists out there (or for those who just think they're Calvinists but haven't really studied it): If you are so sure about your Calvinism, then how about taking the "Defend Your Calvinism" Challenge:      1.   B efore you start this challenge, you have to pray.  Sincerely pray and ask God to open your eyes to the truth about what the Bible says and about what Calvinism teaches.  Ask God to reveal to you if you really are willing to see the truth, if you really are willing to find out   you might have been wrong   all this time.  If you are not willing, you won't be able to see the Truth. 2.   Read at least one of these blog posts of mine about it: "We Left Our Church Because of Calvinism (Things My Calvinist Pastor Said)"   "Why Is Calvinism So Dangerous?"    "Is Calvinism's TULIP Biblical?" Read them carefully, thoughtfully.  Write down the arguments against Calvinism.  Write down the verses...
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My Testimony

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I've scattered bits of my story all over my blogs, but I’m gonna pull it all together here, about how I became a believer and some things I’ve gone through and how my faith has been affected.  (I’ll include links to posts where I explain things more fully.) Starting the journey:    I became a believer when I was eleven years old.    (I am now getting close to 50.   I don't know how that happened. )    At a Christian camp, on one of the last nights, they gave an altar call.    I wanted to go up but was nervous about standing up in front of everyone.    But being more nervous about the window of opportunity closing, I felt myself stand up and walk to the front.    I knew exactly what I was doing, that I was making a commitment for life.    And I meant it.    I really meant it.    I knelt down, asked Jesus into my heart, and have never turned back.    It hasn’t been an easy, carefr...
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War Rooms, Praying Scripture, and Spiritual Warfare

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I strongly believe that there are angels and demons.  That prayer matters.  That there is a spiritual battle going on around us all the time ... and that we need to get involved in it, actively and consciously.  (Something I haven't been doing lately.)   Regardless of if we want it or not, we are constantly facing spiritual battles.  But if we don't acknowledge them - if we stick our head in the sand and refuse to get involved, to put on our spiritual armor, to use the spiritual weapons that are available to us - we open ourselves up to deceptions, to defeat, to being very vulnerable to the strategies and attacks of the evil one. What I have done here is compile a list of posts on spiritual warfare, on praying Scripture, and on creating a War Room (or War Journal). Have you ever seen  War Room ? You should.  It's a great movie.  And it is so relevant to real life.  To the life that is most real - the spiritual life. I've read through all thes...
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Links To Other Anti-Calvinism Posts

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Some of my thoughts and research on Calvinism (Why I believe it's not Scriptural!): Why is Calvinism So Dangerous? If Calvinism is true, then God is a liar! What's The Best Way To Make People Agree With Your Calvinist Views? Letter To Our Elders Regarding Calvinism Growing In Our Church Acts 13:48: Not As "Predestination" As It Sounds Sovereignty and Free-Will Working Together Anti-Calvinism Memes and Links Why Is It So Hard For Calvinists To Get Free From Calvinism? Can You Lose Your Salvation? Problems in John Calvin's  Institutes of the Christian Religion Are We Only Here For God's Glory? What About God's Love? So Job was a dimwit, huh? "Defend Your Calvinism" Challenge More Anti-Calvinism Memes.  Just for fun! Some of John Calvin's Contradicting Nonsense! How to tell if a Church, Pastor, or Website is Calvinist (extended version)  and the  (simplified version) You know what happens when you assume things!  A look at John Calvin...
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It's Friday, but ...

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Friday is the day of heartbreak and suffering and loss. Saturday is the day of waiting and despair and hopelessness. But Sunday... thank God ...  Sunday is coming ! Hang in there, dear ones who are discouraged about life, who are exhausted from treading water, just trying to make it through, and who feel hopeless about the future.   Hang in there... because Sunday's coming. Sunday's coming. (Two great, encouraging songs for the hurting, exhausted people:  Worn  by Tenth Avenue North and  Fell Apart  by The City Harmonic.)
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