Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Truth Matters

Below, is just a small sampling of the many scientific inaccuracies of the Koran:

The Women 4:23 (Al-Nisa) “Nursing passes on genetic traits from mother to child.” However, the factual truth is that no genetic traits are transmitted by nursing.

Al-Nahl 16:69 (Sura of the Bee) “Honey comes out of a bee’s abdomen and heals men.”
The factual truth is honey is not produced in a bee’s abdomen.

The Women 4:23 (Al-Nisa), The Heights 7:172 (Al-Araf) “Semen comes from the back or kidney area, not from the testicles.”
The fact is that semen comes from the testicles.

The Prophets 21:31, The Bee 16:15, Lugman 31:10, The News 78:6-8, The Overwhelming 88:17, 19 “God threw down mountains like tent pegs to keep the earth from shaking.”
The factual truth is mountains do not keep the earth from shaking and are not in any way like tent pegs.

Al-Anam 6:38 (Sura of the Cattle) “All animals and all things that fly form communities like man.”
The fact is that many forms of life do not live in communities.

The Ant 27:15-44 (Al-Naml) “Solomon talked with ants, birds, and giants” (not presented as a miracle or a fable.)
The factual truth is that this kind of communication does not happen.

Don Cole

Monday, July 30, 2007

A Hard Call

Which is right?

Drive the speed limit, or go with the flow of traffic?

Each way, it is dangerous and scary!


Don Cole

The Joy of Giving is Heaven

We all know the feeling we get, when we are able to love, to give to someone or entity in need.

Thank God that we do not stand alone. How lonely that would be. None to care for, none to love. In a nutshell, ( I am the nut) you could say that this is about the Joy of Giving!

A comedian, or cartoonist, or writer, or musician, or whatever, experiences the ecstasy of being able to make someone else, or others laugh, to be entertained, to be helped, or provided for, to feel loved, to be happy, whatever. An evangelist experiences the thrill of having led a soul to baptism, to Jesus Christ. To be able to have a good and eternal effect on others. To be influential in saving another person’s life! Therein is heavenly joy.

Now, you get the idea…Yes. We will be doing things in Heaven, but I don’t think that it will be work. It will be doing what gives us this same kind of joy and pleasure, and that is being one in the Lord.

The things we love to do, if we didn’t have to worry about making a living, saving or maintaining the flesh, etc. To be free of all that, not only of sin, but also of things like time and gravity. To be forever and personally, without effort or resistance, any more testing , --but then to be further along, to the mysteries abound. The thrill of graduation! The race is won! What joy can top that? Where will God take us ? The things he has in store! The treasures that we have stored up in Heaven! How much more and greater things will we be able to do? (Remember, that we are told that there is much more out there, but this is as much as we can handle for now; although at this time He has given us everything that we need to know for life and godliness.)

And time and providence will never run out of God’s goodness and love.The joy comes not inside the sacrifice itself, but in the love act of the giver, out of our blessings in God. The joy to Jesus was not in His having to take the cup, (he prayed that it might be taken from him,) but the joy through his ultimate expression of His love for us from His giving, and obeying the Father, in our behalf.

He did freely drink. He gave. He gave up his entire body. He taught us. He suffered for us. He led the way, and sealed us for eternity in His love., in the New Testament, given to us. He sent, delivered, gave us his Spirit. That was/is God’s pleasure and joy.

God’s promises, between He and man. Think of the joy of being able to save someone’s life, to share eternal good and happiness, everlasting, to be a vital and unique part of God himself, the source of love and everything good.

In the body; the bride of Christ. Two become one = three. Completeness. It is done. It was/is sealed at the cross.

There is a time, at night, when it is comfortable to rest and to sleep. Then our bodies wake up to a new morning, and it is no longer comfortable to just lie there in bed. Now it is more comfortable to rise and move about doing the things we need to do to sustain our lives. To those who are in the Lord, no matter what our circumstances are in this life; it is exciting to see what this new day has in store. What new things will we contend with, and what will we learn new from this day? He is molding us and using us, and counting on us for things we are aware, and also for things farther along we know not yet. Where will the Lord lead us today? Or tomorrow? He takes our hand. He enlarges our territory. He protects us from harm and pain. It is an exciting journey. A great adventure! Better than the best of movies, video games, I-pods, and HD TV.

Love is what survives in Heaven. Jesus said, to store our treasures there.

Don Cole

Food For the Nations

From out of the blue, incongruously buried within a long list of biblical genealogies, this prayer of Jabez can be found. ( 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 )

This is a prayer for self; but it can also work for any one, and for any or all nations.

“Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain." Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.” ( 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 )

Jabez Prayer Warriors pray for a day when all the nations of this world might join hands together to pray and receive God’s blessings, enlargements of their territories, God’s guidance, and protection from harm so that they will be free from pain.

Don Cole

Truth and State

…Now, Look Here!

Good questions. Weak answers.

Those tough and serious questions, being directed to the presidential candidates, have already been answered perfectly for us by Jesus Christ, such as in his Sermon on the Mt.
How bad does our country and our world have to get, before we will have the eyes to see, and ears that hear?

The problem is not about separation of church and state; but in our apathetic notion about truth and state.

We skirt around truth issues for numerous reasons; I can’t think of any good ones. One reason, is that we don’t want to offend anyone. So, in the name of “religion” we cut off the hand that feeds us.

We cut off the hands of He who told us, and showed us, how to love one another, how to be happy and fruitful, how to live together in peace and harmony on earth, as it is in Heaven.

Now, after listening to our politicians, --who shall will we vote for?

I vote for my savior, Jesus Christ. He can save the world!

In comparison, all the rest is just lip service, manipulation and nonsense.


Don Cole

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Dancing With the Lord!

Brother,

As I told you in worship services this morning; you delivered one of the best sermon's this morning that I have ever heard. I have a few years up on you, and I say Amen, from my own experiences and studies. All that you preached was absolutely true. You have a good grasp on those scriptures. And I must say, that you deliver them with tremendous force and sincerity. I love to hear my brothers in Christ preaching from their hearts, and accurately in God's word. We also appreciate all the "little" things that you do for us behind the scenes. I don't know how you manage it all. Besides delivering an excellent sermon this morning; you freed up our professional preacher and evangelist, to help enlarge our territory even more.

When it comes to the Jabez prayer; my prayers are turning more and more to, "Thank you Lords." It is hard to ask God for these things, while we can see with our own eyes and ears that He is is already answering them. And it's not even 40 days yet! We might turn more of our requests now over to Thank you's and how much we look forward and request continuation of His taking our hand, not only in keeping us from harm, and freeing us from pain, --but for dancing with us!

Don Cole

Friday, July 27, 2007

The Right Body Armor

When all else fails, --read the manual!

Are you hiding?
Here they come; Christian soldiers rising!
Lights in the night; overcoming darkness.
Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war.

Swinging swords of the Spirit,
Clad with helmets of salvation,
Standing firm with shields of faith.
Wearing breast plates made of righteousness,
Girded waist’s with truth.
Feet fitted for readiness,
To bring God’s Gospel to this world,
-- For peace!

Don Cole

Force Love?

Force anyone to love, or to believe in something? I think not! Is that possible? However, we do have the power to offer, educate and influence. That is how Jesus worked/works.

We can lead a horse to water, but we cannot make it drink. But, people who own horses say that the horses do drink when they are led to good water. Sometimes, in this life, bad water is all people have to drink. We need to be there for them.

We need to love our neighbors, each other, and all mankind; to be good stewards, as our Saviour would have it. Not return evil for evil, as is the nature of the unsaved, the natural man.

Jesus Christ never forced anyone to follow Him; --but He led/leads the way! Man is born with a free will. We are offered the good water of everlasting life, everlasting happiness and fulfillment, to live in the presence and providence of the only one and true God. Yesterday, today and forever. That which cannot wither away, nor rust decay.

Love begets love; as likewise, hate begets hate. Man will die by the sword, or live by the cross.
Truth begets truth, as deception begets deception.
We become, and are, that which we accept and hold dear; and that of which we choose to eat, and decide to drink. Love does not force anything down someones throat, although hate might.

So, what do/will we eat and drink? Is it healthy or is it really poison to our soul? Are we not made with the inherent ability to recognize, and sort out, the good from the bad? What do we choose?

And so our prayer rises up, that the Muslim terrorist prisoners be led to living waters, and be saved. For how can they ever know, if there is none to teach them?

Don Cole

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Turn Terrorist Prisoners over to the Vatican?

Oh-No! --not the Vatican!

Isn't that what caused so much of the trouble in the first place?

No, I am talking about Christ's true church of the Bible New Testament, started on Pentacost, 30 A.D. (See the book of Acts.)

There is no Pope there. There is no Vatican there. There is no record of the apostle Peter ever assuming any such role as a Pope. Only the words of Jesus Christ have the power that can warm the hearts of Muslim terrorist prisoners.

Don Cole

What to do with Terrorist Prisoners

My Answer to 'wildweasel':

"You realize that Muslim countries imprison and kill Christians - or any other non muslims - for preaching and practicing other religions in their lands?..."

Maybe I am thinking about a different letter (senior moment)...but I thought we were talking about the torturing, or not torturing, of terrorist prisoners. But, it doesn't matter:

The scenario is that If we already have them in our clutches, thinking whether we could save lives by torturing them or not. I say it would be more effective, ...more importantly, being right with God, a show of American principles, and an example to the entire world of who the real one true God is, and in obedience to the Christian commission, --that is; to teach those terrorists the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (See the last chapter of the Bible's book of Matthew.)

Hearing the words of Jesus Christ, such as the Bible's New Testament Sermon on the Mt., ought to melt any terrorist's heart.

Who can be against what Christ taught, for the love of God for all of mankind?

God loves us all, --even our enemies, and we are commanded by Jesus Christ, son of God, son of man, to do likewise.


Don Cole

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

What is it Like in Heaven?

To the Preacher,

I want to send my morning thoughts, before I ‘get-up’ and maybe lose them.

This is about our Wed. Night topic, about what it will be like in Heaven. It is hard to describe these things, by waving my hand in class, in our study. So, here it is here, now while fresh in my head.
This includes also in having to do with what is probably one of the hardest subjects to preach about, to the congregation, for a preacher to deliver. That is, the sermon about ‘Giving.’

We all know the feeling we get, when we are able to love, to give to someone or entity in need. Thank God that we do not stand alone. How lonely that would be. None to care for, none to love. In a nutshell, ( I am the nut) you could say that this is about the Joy of Giving!

A comedian, or cartoonist, or writer, or musician, or whatever, experiences the ecstasy of being able to make someone else, or others laugh, to be entertained, to be helped, or provided for, to feel loved, to be happy, whatever. An evangelist experiences the thrill of having led a soul to baptism, to Jesus Christ. To be able to have a good and eternal effect on others. To be influential in saving another person’s life! Therein is heavenly joy. Now, you get the idea…

Yes. We will be doing things in Heaven, but I don’t think that it will be work. It will be doing what gives us this same kind of joy and pleasure, and that is being one in the Lord. The things we love to do, if we didn’t have to worry about making a living, saving or maintaining the flesh, etc. To be free of all that, not only of sin, but also of things like time and gravity. To be forever and personally, without effort or resistance, any more testing , --but then to be further along, to the mysteries abound. The thrill of graduation! The race is won! What joy can top that? Where will God take us ? The things he has in store! The treasures that we have stored up in Heaven! How much more and greater things will we be able to do? (Remember, that we are told that there is much more out there, but this is as much as we can handle for now; although at this time He has given us everything that we need to know for life and godliness.) And time and providence will never run out of God’s goodness and love.

The joy comes not inside the sacrifice itself, but in the love act of the giver, out of our blessings in God. The joy to Jesus was not in His having to take the cup, (he prayed that it might be taken from him,) but the joy through his ultimate expression of His love for us from His giving, and obeying the Father, in our behalf. He did freely drink. He gave. He gave up his entire body. He taught us. He suffered for us. He led the way, and sealed us for eternity in His love., in the New Testament, given to us. He sent, delivered, gave us his Spirit. That was/is God’s pleasure and joy. God’s promises, between He and man. Think of the joy of being able to save someone’s life, to share eternal good and happiness, everlasting, to be a vital and unique part of God himself, the source of love and everything good. In the body; the bride of Christ. Two become one = three. Completeness. It is done. It was/is sealed at the cross.

There is a time, at night, when it is comfortable to rest and to sleep. Then our bodies wake up to a new morning, and it is no longer comfortable to just lie there in bed. Now it is more comfortable to rise and move about doing the things we need to do to sustain our lives. To those who are in the Lord, no matter what our circumstances are in this life; it is exciting to see what this new day has in store. What new things will we contend with, and what will we learn new from this day? He is molding us and using us, and counting on us for things we are aware, and also for things farther along we know not yet. Where will the Lord lead us today? Or tomorrow? He takes our hand. He enlarges our territory. He protects us from harm and pain. It is an exciting journey. A great adventure! Better than the best of movies, video games, I-pods, and HD TV.

Love is what survives in Heaven. Jesus said, to store our treasures there.

Don Cole

Torturing Terrorist Prisoners

Instead of thinking about how to, or how not to, torture terrorist prisoners in order to get them to talk, --we should try teaching them the Gospel instead! Christian soldiers suited up with the Armour of God, -- Arise! Go and make disciples of all nations...! That is the Mission!
Don Cole :shock:

Monday, July 23, 2007

Letter: "Do not print lies from readers."

Letter: Ref: 7-23-07 Daily Record, “Do not print lies from readers.”

Has the letter writer ever been wrong about anything? If so; under his own standards, doesn’t that make him a liar too?

The many anti-Christian statements quoted to be from our Founding Fathers, are all news to me! Ben Franklin, James Madison, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington were all against Christianity? Again; that is all news to me!

I, along with a lot of others, are very interested in the truth; but with no more to go on than those few quotes from who knows where, we can only assume that they were extracted, and being used, out of context. I would be interested to know where those statements quoted were found, and how we can fit them in with all of the other things that we know that our Founding Fathers said and did. And for which they stood, because those statements appear contradictive to our very history.

We all need to share our experiences and knowledge; that we may live and grow in truth. None of us can stand alone, not even the strongest nation. Truth and love for one another in this world is mankind's only hope and salvation. Those who seek truth will find it.

(Sadly; other hearts are hardened. To them all is foolishness. They have neither eyes to see, nor ears to hear.)

Donald Cole
Dover

Letter: "They must be totally eradicated."

Instead of saying that terrorists "must be totally eradicated." I say that they should be totally educated.

Reading the words of Jesus Christ, shown in red letter editions of the Bible, such as on the Sermon on the Mt., would be a great place to start! Who could be against such things that are expressed here, for the love of all mankind. The power of the words shown there are the only thing that could ever lead to world peace, and any hope for the human race.

Donald Cole
Dover

(p.s. Yes. It is difficult to "turn the other cheek," while your head is being blown off. That is why we need to take the offensive position, and get there first.)

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Car Crash Scenario

Letter To the Editor:

Ref: 7/17 Front page news article, “Morristown man dies in SUV crash,”
relating the unsolved mystery of why did the SUV driver drive off the road at 6:39 am
and crash into the backend of a parked tractor-trailer. The state police Fatal Accident Unit, the state police Crime Scene Investigation Unit and the state police Incident Command Unit were all called in.

I wasn’t there, and I am not psychic, but I know how it happened! This isn’t the first time that the Daily record has published such a scenario, and I am surprised that those professional units don’t seem to be aware of the hazard, because it is not an uncommon occurrence on our roadways.

The SUV driver is a little tired, but he figures he can make it home ok, late at night or early morning, hardly any traffic, lots of roadway, lots of lanes. He is driving the speed
limit, staying in the right lane, obeying all the laws, driving safely. Then here comes the tractor-trailer, roaring up just inches behind him and then passing. Then up ahead, the tractor-trailer is slowing down, for whatever reason. Maybe it is going up a hill. So, the SUV overtakes and passes the tractor-trailer. This scenario repeats itself, over and over again. So, now the SUV gets ’smart’ and decides to just follow a ways behind the tractor-trailer, following his tail lights. The tractor-trailer goes around a curve, goes off on the side of the road and stops, with all of his running lights still on. Now here comes the SUV around the curve, still following the tail lights of the tractor-trailer. He thinks that the tractor-trailer is on a new right lane, and he just wants to follow the tractor-trailer, not pass it. So, even though his lane is totally clear, and there are no other cars on the road, --he pulls right in behind the (parked) tractor-trailer, and crashes into it.
That is how it happened. It took me 331 words, instead of the maximum 250 allowed, but maybe the Daily Record will make an exception in this case.

DONALD COLE
Dover

Friday, July 13, 2007

American Muslims?

To the Editor:
Ref: Editorial Article, 7/13/07 “Anti-U.S. label is unfair to Muslims,“ by Aref Assaf, president of the American-Arab forum.
“Whether many hate mongers like it or not, Muslims are here, and they are praying and congregating. They are also your friends, teachers, hospital doctors, and quite possibly, your neighbors…”
Yes. This is a very scary situation. Just look at what is happening today in Europe.
Will you please tell us what the Muslims in this free country of ours are congregating about, who are they praying to, and what do they believe in, and what is their goal?
What is it that makes a good Muslim? If they are not wolves in sheep’s clothing, than what are they?
How more foolish can people get, than to look to the anti-Christ for the blessings of God.
We are not talking about any kind of racial or cultural discrimination here; we are talking about two belief systems that contradict one another. One is love, and the other is hate, and it is not the American belief system that hates the blessings and freedoms we share.
How can there be any such thing as an “American Muslim”? --unless you mean Muslims living in America, pretending to be Americans. And what is that all about anyway?
Tell us, Mr.Assaf --just what do Muslims believe? Is it possible to be an American and a Muslim too? Maybe you will write a new article and touch on these things. We are listening. God bless!
DONALD COLE
Dover