FHL - Where my Friends Are

Faith, Hope, Love Forums is my place to hang out. Why?

Well, in October 2005, I was looking for something to do on the internet. I'd heard about chat rooms, but even with over 11 years of internet experience I'd never visited one. So, I decided to search for forums with Christians. I found one called, appropriately enough, Christian Forums. I enjoyed the camaraderie that I was building there, but there were some very restrictive rules. Some of my posts were removed due to 'questionable content', and I was getting frustrated 'cuz I couldn't figure out what the objectionable content was.

I made some friends there, known only by their screen names. Among them were Squatpuke (he's a weight-lifter), Addicted2Jesus (who types his native Texan dialect quite well), Andiesmama (quiet but very interesting once she gets started) and, of course, The GutterRat (needs no introduction, but needs to post in his blog!).

One day, I got a PM (private message - come on! Get with the times!) from GutterRat inviting me to a new place with few rules and even fewer deleted posts. I decided to check it out and what I found was a group of people who truly love the Lord. But they are not the high-and-mighty people that many have come to associate with Christians. So, I signed up.

We talk about bodily functions. We talk about our spouses (even if they are also active members...) Occasionally we get out of hand. But more importantly, we are there for each other.We pray when another needs prayer. We celebrate when another has a praise report.

These are the folks that inspired me to start blogging. These are the folks that inspired me to actively pursue a theology degree. These are the folks that helped me through some hard days and kept me laughing on rainy days. There are days when you won't get anything done, 'cuz you gotta see the next reply. I check it almost daily (weekends excepted), even when out of town. This is My Healthy Internet Addiction (with apologies to Laura Ingraham).

Check us out. We are FHL Forums. We'd love to meet you!

Update on Podcasts...

I'm creating a repository of my podcasts. You can download them from here, and there is a link in the sidebar to the right. Check 'em out!

Individual downloads:
Hell.mp3 - about that Fiery Place
Hate.mp3 - Hate in the Name of Love
Prison.mp3 - My recent foray into Prison Ministry
Radioactive.mp3 - Comparing the experiences of David Hahn with our lives as Christians

Enjoy!

Radioactive Boy Scout

See Also my Homeschool Blog for some more details.
Download the podcast here.

In 1994, David Hahn built a nuclear reactor in his backyard. He was using materials that are commonly available such as lantern mantles and smoke detectors. When it was all said and done, his mother's potting shed was cut into pieces and buried in a high-level nuclear waste facility in Utah. He had absorbed enough radiation to prevent him from ever working in the nuclear industry again.

David Hahn was messing with something a lot more powerful than he really understood. Though he's a genius in the world of nuclear physics, he's caused irrepairable damage to his reputation... and to his body.

Our lives can be a lot like that. We start playing with things about which we don't understand the power, like alcohol or pornography. These things are dangerous. We think we can play with it once, and still have control over it.

Experience tells me we can't control these things. You try it once and you like it. You stick with it for a little while. Before you know it, you're hooked and you can't get away from it. Or, like David Hahn, you find yourself in a position where you can never, ever, be around it again.

These things are dangerous. But we do have something that can help us around them. His name is Jesus Christ, and He can protect us from evil.

Folks, Jesus Christ is the best thing that ever happened to me. He freed me from pornography and he freed me from alcohol. He can do the same for you if you only let him.

If you have any questions, ask me.

They call it a PodCast

I just don't get it. :)

Seriously, I'm getting started at this. Check out Hell.mp3 and hate.mp3. You can also hear them at my new favorite 'net radio station: Sound Relevance. Check it out.

Ok - not much to write, been too busy recording. :)

Adios!

Going to Prison

Tonight, I went to prison. Yeah, I know - you're saying, "I thought Clay was such a good guy. Yeah, he rambles a little bit, but overall he's a good guy."

Well, it's not what you think. I went there on a prison ministry program. I'm hooked. I met a guy who reminded me so much of me about 20 years ago. It was scary. Here he was, in his white pajamas, telling me about his life. Though he wasn't interested in studying the Bible, he did want to talk about life. When I told him about where I'd been, he felt he could relate to me.

In a nutshell (Read the whole gory story here), my story is two months in the Navy Brig, three years drunk and three years medicated for bipolar disorder. There ya go. None of those is who I am now that God has his hand in my life. So, this guy was pretty close. Only he's in prison for a little longer than two months; he's got two years.

I'd felt nudged to check out prison ministry for quite a while. Now, I think it may be a route to follow. I've got a lot of giving to do, and I can give a lot here.

Bulemic Animals

All I can figure is dogs and cats must be bulemic. You don't bulemia? (say it out loud. :)

My dog and my cat both like to eat grass until they puke. Usually the dog keeps it outside. But the cat, however, hates our new carpet. She's not even allowed outside, but if my two-year-old leaves the door open - she's out there eating grass.

So, I have bulemic animals. I wonder what other psychiatric disorders they may suffer from.

• How about schizophrenia? The cat barks like a dog and the dog scratches like a cat. Hmmm.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder? The cat gets really upset if her litterbox isn't exactly in the right place. Accidentally kick it or nudge it a couple of inches, she gets mad. The dog obsessively cleans the floor of any food particles. OK - maybe that's just a dog looking for more food, but you get the idea.

How do you treat animals with 'emotional issues'? Is there doggie-lithium or kitty-halidol? Nah. Just love 'em. They're still your kids, and you gotta love your kids. Remember - they are the meaning of unconditional love.

A Communion Meditation

Today, I was asked to deliver the Communion Meditation. This is what I wrote:

Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane. When they got there, he told them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." Jesus took along Peter and the two brothers, James and John. He was very sad and troubled, and he said to them, "I am so sad that I feel as if I am dying. Stay here and keep awake with me."

Matthew 26:36-38, CEV

Jesus knew what was going to happen. Only a short time before, He had told His disciples about it. He was going to take on all the sins of all people - past, present and future. For one to bear their own sin is much more than any single person can bear. How, then, can one Man bear the sins of the whole world?

His humanity couldn't handle it. His deity could, but it required great physical agony, prompting the emotional agony in the Garden.

He prayed three times that this cup be taken from Him, but His relationship with the Father led him to say, "Not My will, but Yours." What You know needs to be done, let it be done.

We take the elements, the bread and the cup, in memory of His sacrifice. It's our way of saying "Thank You!"

Can we REALLY live under the law?

Is it possible for a human being to live under law? Why would you want to?

Galatians 3:10-14
All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Living under the law is a curse. Is one capable of being 100% pure and holy? Have you ever, even for a fleeting moment, thought about sinning? "Hey, she's hot! I'd really like to..." That, my friend is a sin. Did you pray to God at that moment and ask forgiveness? What if you'd died while that thought was in your head? Would you be resting in His favor or would you be barbecued?

Living under the law is what drives many away from the church of Christ - and, quite honestly, keeps them away from church at all. When one realizes that living a holy life is unattainable, they decide that there's no use in trying. Why try if all that work means you're only going to be condemned in the end? "If I'm going to hell anyway, I may as well enjoy the ride!" I spoke those words after a Navy chaplain - a man to whom I'd gone for counseling and reconciliation - told me "Jesus doesn't want people like you". I then embarked on a life of drunken revelry.

Romans 3:19-20
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

God knew we couldn't live up to His standards. They're too high. That's why he made available atonement through sacrifice. He knew we would all need it. People became more attached to the "law" than to God. A new order was created - the Pharisees. They were self-appointed "God's police", as if He needed police. Their job was to ensure nobody broke the letter of the Law. But in doing so, they missed the spirit of the Law. They gave to the temple, but only because they were commanded to do so. They worshipped in a manner pleasing to God, but only because they were commanded to do so. Their hearts were empty and God knew it.

His Holy Word put on flesh and came to Earth as a human being: the Messiah, the Christ. The reason - to be a sacrifice. To be cursed in order to lift our curse.

Romans 3:21-26
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

- the emphasis was mine.

Our righteousnes comes through Christ. That's it. We cannot be holy, so Christ is our holiness. Obedience is a symbol of our faith in Christ. Disobedience is not a question of salvation (because my child disobeys me, I do not disown her), rather a question of faith - and that is not necessarily for others to decide. Others can bring the disobedience to light, in a private conversation or (if necessary in very rare instances) by following the example in 1 Corinthians 5.

My friends, I am a sinner. I am not worthy of God's favor. I cannot be; it is an impossible task for me. Yet, I am justified and holy through Christ. I am obedient to His command because I desire it, not because I am fearful of any consequences. My obedience will not get me into Heaven, nor will disobedience get me barbecued in the lake of fire. They are rewarded and chastised (respectively), quite often in this lifetime. I will die with a disease acquired from my promiscuous lifestyle (hepatitis B). My credit is shot, and nobody will give me credit at a decent rate (but they will give it to identity thieves!).

Teaching grace is sadly lacking in the traditional church of Christ. Grace is our only hope. Without grace, our lives are meaningless; our deaths, final. Without grace we will face God's wrath as an unbeliever. Without grace, my every indiscretion would remain with me throughout my entire existence - both on this world and after. Without grace, I would not rest with my Heavenly Father.

Can one REALLY live under the law? No. With Christ, we don't have to.

The Mystical Book

All my life, I'd heard stories about ancient books filled with wisdom, written by mystics of old. Some of them have keys to unlock ancient doors. Others contain words that, when used properly, can unleash tremendous powers. The legends of these books are probably as old as the wisdom they are rumored to contain. With an eye to easy power, I began to search for these books.

I thought, "If I'm to understand what this ancient wisdom is all about, I need to read about the times." I began to study ancient religions in an attempt to get a better feel for their roots. If I understand why people worshipped ancient gods, I may be able to understand their wisdom. Though the idea of worshipping a god of rain seemed far from wise, there had to be something there, right?

My search for wisdom in ancient books was abandoned, however, when I became frustrated at what seemed to be a futile search. I became bogged down in everyday life and decided that the wisdom of the ancients was fine for the ancients. I needed contemporary wisdom. I can only find that in contemporary studies.

I began to study the works of Neitzsche, Voltaire and Twain. I indulged in the works of [George] Carlin, [Garrison] Keillor and [Lenny] Bruce. I listened to Beethoven, Mozart, Rush and Pink Floyd. "There is wisdom in their art," I exclaimed. Still, though, I felt that modern philosophy had somehow missed the mark.

"What does it all mean?" I pondered this question day after day, seeking an answer that was apparently not availble in temporal things. My thoughts kept returning to the ancient wisdom. Socrates? Plato? Aesop? Sargon?

One day I began to read an ancient mystical book. In it, I found what it all means. I discovered the ancient wisdom I had sought for so long. And I didn't have to hunt through dusty book stores or meet in a meadow with torches to get it. It was available in my local store. In fact, I got it at no charge just for asking.

What is this book? It is the Ancient Word of God - the Holy Bible. All my life, I had sought the wisdom that was always at my fingertips. All my life I thought the Bible was merely a collection of laws and instructions. Well, I was wrong. This book is full of ancient wisdom. Had I read it and absorbed it sooner, my life would likely have been a lot different than it was.

Are you seeking wisdom? Are you seeking answers? Try the Bible. E-mail me if you would like to talk about it.