Walker Moore and I served together as chaplains of the Tulsa Police Department in the late 1980's. At the time Walker was on staff at First Baptist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 1992 I moved to Enid, Oklahoma to become pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church, and Walker prepared to resign from FBC Tulsa to begin a ministry to teenagers and their parents called Awe Star Ministries. Awe Star Ministries was designed to help 14,15,16, and 17 year old kids go through a rite of passage into adulthood - through missions. Over the past fifteen years Awe Star Ministries has placed thousands of young people in 39 countries of the world to share the gospel, plant churches and make the tranistion to adulthood.
Walker is currently the number one missions speaker on the Southern Baptist missions tour, particularly Global Impact weekends (GIC's) which are held at Southern Baptist churches around the nation. One of the reasons Walker speaks during the main services at churches like Prestonwood, Second Houston, FBC Dallas, etc . . . is because of the stories he tells of kids transformed through their involvement with missions through Awe Star. Our youngest son, Logan, turns fifteen tomorrow, and we are giving to him as a birthday gift the story of an Awe Star fifteen year old who gave his life for Christ on the mission field - in 2005.
BJ Higgins went with Awe Star ministries to minister to the people of Peru in the summer of 2005. During that summer over 5,000 Peruvians gave their lives to Jesus Christ through the ministry of the Awe Star team that included BJ Higgins. While ministering the gospel of Christ, fulfilling his rite of passage from childhood to adulthood, BJ caught the bubonic plague. Awe Star missionaries are taught that nothing is out of the control of a sovereign God, so when things happen beyond our control, prayer is the answer. When Awe Star staff and BJ's own father asked BJ whether or not he was praying for God to heal him, BJ responded that his prayer is that his life be used by God for the furtherance of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and if that means he lives, he is asking for healing. But, if the gospel is furthered through his death, he is asking God to take him home.
BJ died in late summer of August 2005 of bubonic plague.
The story of BJ's life, written by his parents Brent and Deanna Higgens, with excerpts from the journals of BJ, is called I Would Die for You. It is #1 on Amazon.com's bestseller list among teenagers. The story has impacted hundreds of people, including our soon to be fifteen year old son Logan - as well as his father. When Southern Baptists write petty, mean or un-Christian things about me or others I love, I think of BJ Higgins. When I am tempted to lose focus on what is really important, and catch myself getting caught up in the politics of a denomination, I think of BJ Higgins. BJ didn't talk about missions, he lived it. BJ wasn't concerned about his own legacy, he was captivated by Christ's legacy. BJ understood that a man is not really ready to live until he is fully prepared to die at any moment.I want to thank Walker Moore and Brent Higgins for being an encouragement to me this past week at their Awe Star headquarters in Tulsa. I went to Tulsa for our Baptist Convention of Oklahoma, but I came away blessed by two men who fully comprehend what it means to change the world one life at a time. I close with the words of BJ, written in his journal before he died:
I will not be satisfied.
I will not let my passion be held in a bottle.
I will not let my light be hidden.
I will stand up.
I will let my voice be heard.
I will lead. I will serve. I will fight.
I will tell people about Christ.
I will unsheathe my sword.
It's time to raise a revolution.
God will give me the strength.
BJ Higgins, Marty, 1989-2005
67 comments:
Saint Teresa of Avila
You Are Christ's Hands
Christ has no body now on earth but yours,
no hands but yours,
no feet but yours,
Yours are the eyes through which is to look out
Christ's compassion to the world;
Yours are the feet with which He is to go about
doing good;
Yours are the hands with which He is to bless men now.
Wade,
I had an opportunity to meet and talk with Brent Higgins last spring as we were preparing an Easter lesson here at Student Life Bible Study. One of our writers was from BJ's church in Indianapolis, Indiana, and had written an activity that had to do with BJ, and the hope that he had in the resurrection. I was totally consumed because I realized that my oldest son and BJ would have been the same age, and my son was getting ready to embark on a summer missions project to Nepal.
I had the most heart-warming experience in meeting and talking with Brent over the phone, seeking his permission to use BJ's story in our lesson. I found Brent to be a humble man with an incredible passion for Christ and reaching the world with the Gospel. I consider Brent to be a good friend. Later, after obtaining the book, "I Would Die For You," and downloading the song by MercyMe onto my ipod, I went off on a trip to Charlotte, NC, and managed to read the book while in route to and from. There were moments when I found myself weeping over portions of what BJ had written, and his commitment as well as the ordeal his family went through at his loss. What an incredible testimony love, commitment, passion for Christ, and passion for reaching the nations. Brent later sent complimentary copies to my boys before the one traveled to Nepal, and the other traveled that summer to Brazil. Both boys were moved at the life and testimony of this teenage boy. I know that it will greatly impact the lives of any who read of the life of this committed young man. Thanks for bringing it to the forefront, reminding us that this is truly what we're all about.
WADE WROTE:
"When Southern Baptists write petty, mean or un-Christian things about me or others I love, I think of BJ Higgins.
When I am tempted to lose focus on what is really important, and catch myself getting caught up in the politics of a denomination, I think of BJ Higgins.
BJ didn't talk about missions, he lived it. BJ wasn't concerned about his own legacy, he was captivated by Christ's legacy."
Dear Wade,
I am sitting here crying as I read about BJ.
It was not that long ago that I helped financially support the son of a Baptist friend, as he went on a mission to India, sponsored by his school: Liberty University.
He was a little older than BJ when he went. He had all of his shots and still, he became seriously ill in India and nearly died.
We all prayed. I even called the nuns and requested vigils so that someone would be praying for him each hour through the nights.
My Baptist friend's faith was her solace and she was peaceful.
Her son survived.
Now he is planning to become a minister. His younger brother is planning to study medicine and is seeing his future as a medical missionary. God is merciful.
"BJ" must stand for 'Beloved of Jesus".
I will think of him that way as I read his story. God bless his family for ever and ever.
Wade, thank you. Thank you for the gift of sharing this young man's story with us.
After the last two posts, with all that heady Calvinism,
it is so meaningful to allow BJ's story to bring us near to Jesus. In so doing, we are richly blessed by this child's radiant faith. L's Gran
Hmmm... sorry to see only 3 comments after 4 hours. I have seen mosts posts go from 0-50 or more in 4 hours - but those are usually controversial posts ripe for the picking from those that love to attack. Maybe Baptists don't recognize true Christianity when they see (or rather read about) it? I hope not... maybe it'll take off over the weekend.
one to examine, his own heart, and commitment to missions.
Truly B J Explemified, ''For to me to live is Christ,and to die is gain.''
Dear ALAN,
A lot of Christians were scared off by the last two posts. The tone of many contributions was muddled, some strident. Many attempts to offer a different format or a different point of view were not well received. Something about Calvinism is divisive, I wonder what?
B.J.'s story will not attract the venom of those who are venomous. It will not attract the attention of those who fling the Bible at one another like it was a weapon.
B.J.'s story is for Christians who need so badly to see a candle lit in the world.
B.J.'s story is not for all those who merely curse the darkness.
Perhaps it is a tribute that the simple beauty of this child's faith leaves so many speechless, removes the venom from the venomous, bring us to open our Bibles in reverence, and restores us all to the center of our faith: the Lord of Heaven and Earth, the Christ.
I hope friends of B.J. will have a star named after him,
in memory of what he did for the Lord.
People can have un-named stars named formally, you know.
The light shineth in the darkness . . . .
They could name the star
"Beloved of Jesus" :)
Pray for BJ
The above blog is in honor of Brent Higgins Jr.
Wade,
Thank you. I will buy this book for my daughters to read. Have a great weekend.
Bill Scott
I agree with you anon... nothing to fight about in a good, heart-warming story that reminds you of what you once new: that your life is in God's hands and He wants you to use it up on Him. All the silly theological arguments people start really mean nothing at all to God. Christ is more interested in what we have done to carry our His will for our lives. I can't imagine standing before Him telling Him, "What? Your disappointed? But I defended the proper view of (fill in the blank here) against all those liberals and heathen for You!" It's sad to think that while that conversation will probably never take place (I think we'll all be speechless), many will have sorrow in their hearts for spending so much time arguing about silliness.
Why do I know this?
That many will come after B.J., inspired by his love for Christ, to continue his work,
without fear for their own safety,
without need for the praise of others,
unafraid to have what they do for Christ called: 'works that are filthy rags' by those who sit idle,
and given hope, that if B.J. could fight the good fight, they, too, will make a difference.
What is the value of one human life?
What can one individual do in this sad world to bring Christ's love?
I think B.J. has helped us all to understand a little more clearly what it means to give up all you have in the world and to respond to the invitation of Christ to
'Come, follow Me.'
One Dark Night
St. John of the Cross
One dark night
Fired with love's urgent longings
Ah the sheer grace
In the darkness
I went out unseen
My house being all now still
In the darkness
Secured by love's secret ladder
Disguised oh the sheer grace
In the darkness
And in my concealment
My house being all now still
On that glad night
In the secret. for no one saw me
Nor did I see any other thing at all
With no other light to guide me
Than the Light burning in my heart
And this Light guided me more surely
Than the light of the noon
To where He lay waiting for me, waiting for me
Him I knew so well
In a place where no one else appeared
Oh guiding night
A Light more lovely than the dawn
A night that has united
Ever now the Lover now with His beloved
Transforming two now into one
Upon my flowering breast
There He lay sleeping
Which I kept for Him alone
And I embraced Him
And I caressed Him
In a breeze blowing from the forest
And when this breeze blew in from the forest
Blowing back our hair
He wounded my soul with His gentle hand
Suspending all my senses
And I abandoned. forgetting myself
Laying my face on my Beloved
All things ceasing
I went out from myself
To leave my cares forgotten
With the lilies of the field
The Dark Night by St. John of the Cross
An explanation of the stanzas describing a soul's conduct along the spiritual road that leads to the perfect union with God through love, insofar as it is attainable in this life. A description also of the characteristics of one who has reached this perfection.
In this book we will first cite the entire poem, then each stanza will be repeated separately and explained, and finally we will do the same thing with the individual verses. The first two stanzas describe the effects of the two kinds of spiritual purgation that take place in a person: one, a purification of the sensory part; the other, a purification of the spiritual part. The remaining six stanzas speak of some of the marvelous results obtained from spiritual illumination and union with God through love.
Dark Night of the Soul (Spanish: La noche oscura de la alma) is a treatise written by Spanish poet and Roman Catholic mystic Saint John of the Cross. It has become an expression used to describe a phase in a person's spiritual life, a metaphor for a certain loneliness and desolation. It is referenced by spiritual traditions throughout the world.
History and description
The phrase "dark night of the soul" emerged from the writings of Saint John of the Cross, a Carmelite priest in the 16th century. Dark Night of the Soul, the name of a poem and its theological commentary, are among the Carmelite priest's most well-known writings. The texts tell of the saint's mystical development and the stages he is subjected to on his journey towards union with God.
The Dark Night of the Soul is divided into two books that reflect the two phases of the dark night. The first is a purification of the senses. The second and more intense of the two stages is that of the spirit, which is the less common of the two. Dark Night of the Soul further describes the ten steps on the ladder of mystical love, previously described by Saint Thomas Aquinas and in part by Aristotle. The text was written while John of the Cross was imprisoned by his Carmelite brothers, who opposed his reformations to the Order.
Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, a 19th-century French Carmelite, underwent similar experience. Centering on doubts about the afterlife, she reportedly told her fellow nuns, "If you only knew what darkness I am plunged into." [1]
While this crisis is assured to be temporary in nature, it may be extended. The "dark night" of Saint Paul of the Cross in the 18th century lasted 45 years, from which he ultimately recovered. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, according to letters released in 2007, "may be the most extensive such case on record", lasting from 1948 almost up until her death in 1997, with only brief interludes of relief between [2]. Franciscan Friar Father Benedict Groeschel, a friend of Mother Teresa for a large part of her life, claims that "the darkness left" towards the end of her life [3].
The "dark night" might clinically or secularly be described as the letting go of one's ego as it holds back the psyche, thus making room for some form of transformation, perhaps in one's way of defining oneself or one's relationship to God. This interim period can be frightening, hence the perceived "darkness."
In the Christian tradition, one who has developed a strong prayer life and consistent devotion to God suddenly finds traditional prayer extremely difficult and unrewarding for an extended period of time during this "dark night." The individual may feel as though God has suddenly abandoned them or that his or her prayer life has collapsed. In the most pronounced cases, belief is lost in the very existence of God and/or validity of religion, rendering the individual an atheist, even if they bravely continue with the outward expressions of faith.
Rather than resulting in devastation, however, the dark night is perceived by mystics and others to be a blessing in disguise, whereby the individual is stripped (in the dark night of the senses) of the spiritual ecstacy associated with acts of virtue. Although the individual may for a time seem to outwardly decline in their practices of virtue, they in reality become more virtuous, as they are being virtuous less for the spiritual rewards (ecstasies in the cases of the first night) obtained and more out of a true love for God. It is this purgatory, a purgation of the soul, that brings purity and union with God.
Source: Wiki: Dark Night of the Soul
Dear Thy Peace,
It is said that the greatest of all prayers are those when
our spirit, in silence,
communicates with
the Spirit of the Lord.
No words exist for what is shared at that moment. No words are needed.
A person ,so blessed, is forever changed. L's
Dear Thy Peace,
I think you feel a connection with Christian tradition of mysticism. I notice that you sometimes refer to St. Theresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross.
I never felt a connection to this tradition, myself, until I had a child who could not communicate verbally. My son did not speak in words. But we still had a connection! Don't ask me how.
I learned volumnes from that child about the love of God and not a word was spoken.
There exists spiritually something more than just what we all take for granted; and I have been privileged to glimpse it.
I don't take silence for granted. It can be a great teacher when one listens with the heart. L's
L's: To me, True Christianity is when this happens ... "BJ understood that a man is not really ready to live until he is fully prepared to die at any moment."
I sometimes feel like I am going through this "darkness". It's hard to describe, it's very much like all your frames of reference have been snatched away in life ... but you get closer to God that way.
Also this paragraph from the above: The "dark night" might clinically or secularly be described as the letting go of one's ego as it holds back the psyche, thus making room for some form of transformation, perhaps in one's way of defining oneself or one's relationship to God. This interim period can be frightening, hence the perceived "darkness."
In the Christian tradition, one who has developed a strong prayer life and consistent devotion to God suddenly finds traditional prayer extremely difficult and unrewarding for an extended period of time during this "dark night." The individual may feel as though God has suddenly abandoned them or that his or her prayer life has collapsed. In the most pronounced cases, belief is lost in the very existence of God and/or validity of religion, rendering the individual an atheist, even if they bravely continue with the outward expressions of faith.
Rather than resulting in devastation, however, the dark night is perceived by mystics and others to be a blessing in disguise, whereby the individual is stripped (in the dark night of the senses) of the spiritual ecstacy associated with acts of virtue. Although the individual may for a time seem to outwardly decline in their practices of virtue, they in reality become more virtuous, as they are being virtuous less for the spiritual rewards (ecstasies in the cases of the first night) obtained and more out of a true love for God. It is this purgatory, a purgation of the soul, that brings purity and union with God.
The above seems to explain the purification that is experienced through despair, suffering, longing and abandonment.
I do not know if these traditions are present in the baptists.
Wade,
For as long as eternity in heaven lasts, he will always have done what he did, for Jesus' sake. I don't think we can really imagine the eternal joy he will have, there.
Far too many believers never really, and I mean REALLY, have to live by faith, IMO. I feel the blessed ones are the ones that do.
Thanks for posting this! I had not heard about BJ. Now, I want to read the book.
There are so many around the world being persecuted for the faith and giving their lives for the Gospel. It is a good thing for all of us to visit VOM and other persecution sites a few times a week to read these stories and pray for our brothers and sisters.
"All the silly theological arguments people start really mean nothing at all to God. Christ is more interested in what we have done to carry our His will for our lives."
And one of those things is to study the Word of God so that we can be workers for Christ, not ashamed by our lack of knowledge of the Word; deeply rooted in the principles and purposes behind the commands of Scripture. The Gospel IS the indicative. Only with a thorough knowledge can the imperative be seen. Our study of Scripture unleashes the power of the Spirit to take us into this Marvelous Light! I am going to bet on a good hunch that BJ knew this. Mission Trips and ministry in general have a way of getting us into the Word.
So two words of wisdom from a young whippersnapper:
1. let us not consider theological debates to be trivial and contrary to the Work of Christ, but consider them (as Scripture does) as "iron sharpening iron."
2. Let us not come to the table of theological debate half-cocked or half-armed. The whole counsel of God must be our teacher.
Kevin
TO KEVIN:
BJ followed the LIVING Word.
He was called.
And he answered.
The LIVING WORD does not need our debates with one another, He asks much more than that from us.
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
I will not use BJ in any debate with any Christian about any disagreement with doctrine.
I will ask myself instead to honor this young witness as a child of God, who trusted in his Father, and sought to serve in the Kingdom, even unto death.
Let us ‘sharpen our iron’ elsewhere and , instead, sit quietly in the light of this child’s faith and at peace with one another.
BJ’s story needs no debate. When we hear it , we stand in the presence of Something Sacred.
The one's who want to run from discussing theology are the one's that have a weak theology.
This is evidenced by their "cartoonish comments" as they ridicule something they have not even studied with venom and refuse to interact. Simply absurd and their theology will remain weak as long as they have that attitude.
Their mama's hated the fact that God is sovereign, that's good enough for them and so they do as well. Don't confuse them with the bible. Let their mama's word rule.
Sharpen your iron elsewhere? What a ridiculous thing to say.
Now get back to the post and stop commenting on things you haven't studied and consequently know nothing about.
This is one calvinists who is blessed to be serving overseas putting my weak faith into action as He enables me. Thank you Lord Jesus for blessing my life with this blessed story of my fellow co-laborer! I'm an honored.
...servant to know this family.
Anon who says I have weak theology - the only weak people I see on this blog right now are those that attack others and don't sign their name.
TO ALAN,
My son doesn't have any theology at all. He does not speak. He has never said the name of Jesus. He is able to walk and frequently helps others where he lives who are stretcher-bound. He lives at Eastern Christian Children's Retreat in Wyckoff N.N. in one of three group homes on the grounds of this magnificent facility.
Their chaplain, who is of the Dutch Reformed Faith, has told me that my son's service to the others is his ministry to the rest of us. The chaplain says that, without any words spoken, my son is teaching us what it means to be Christian. I believe him.
B.J. was only fifteen. What complex theology directed his steps? None. He didn't need it.
He followed the Lord with all of his being and he did it in a way that we can ALL understand.
May God have mercy on us and may God continue to send the children to teach us of humility and of the Christ. L's
Anon-
I think maybe you have captured the essence - though I think this 15 year old probably had more theology under his belt than most of us would give him credit for (and most of us have ourselves in reality), it remains that he grasped the most important part of a STRONG theology - that we are to be wholly and unreservedly committed to Him - and by extension - His will. None these arguments - and note I say arguments, not debates, arguments that include condescending arrogance, are helpful. It is one thing for iron to sharpen iron. I agree with that. But it's another thing to pretend that the attack mentality of many falls within the context of that passage is simply wrong.
Let's not forget that in His great discourse of the Sermon on the Mount, he spoke of the meek inheriting the earth, the poor in spirit inheriting the Kingdom, the peacemakers as Sons of God, etc. Those that attack don't fit any of those descriptions.
Actually Alan, that comment was not directed toward you. I think I understood what your points were above and I don't have a problem with them.
However, since you brought it up, I think I stand in a long line of people who are growing weary of those who are more concerened with who someone is instead of the content of what they say. But there will always be those who get a pride refill by calling someone else a coward all the while ignoring their biblical points of interaction.
My comment was directed to those who have a weak theology. Who is that you ask? Well, they are clearly recognizable by their comments on this thread and the last couple as well.
More importantly, they know who they are.
My point was it is a sign of weak theology if someone doesn't want to interact with scripture, but they would rather enter the stream, spew venom, reveal their ignorance on a certain topic (in this case, God's sovereignty), and all the while not even address anything that has to do with the post.
What's worse, just like adultery, is that they bring others in on their sin causing a discussion unrelated to the post. Kind of like I'm doing now. :(
So my plea is for them to forget about talking about something they no nothing about (i.e. the sovereignty of God in the salvation of His children) and enjoy this awesome post on this family that has impacted me and my ministry in a blessed way.
Sorry for the confusion.
FOR KEVIN
who wrote: "let us not consider theological debates to be trivial and contrary to the Work of Christ"
Here is some theology for you to discuss. This will keep you busy. Enjoy.
What is the influence of the following theology on Calvin's beliefs:
Manichaeism, a Persian dualistic philosophy proclaimed by Mani (216-276? AD) in southern Babylonia (Iraq) that taught a doctrine of "total depravity" and the claim that they were the "elect."
Seems to be a connection, don't you think? Manichaeism did influence many who believed in the totally depravity of mankind.
Was Mani, who developed Manichaeism, influenced by any Christian scriptures?
ANONYMOUS who wrote: "My point was it is a sign of weak theology if someone doesn't want to interact with scripture"
Here is something for you.
You can verify it using the Bible,
or de-bunk it using the Bible.
This will help you to stay focused on an issue that is important to you:
THE SOVREIGNTY OF GOD
1. God made Adam and Eve. He put them into Paradise: Eden.
2. God placed the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in Eden.
3. God allowed the Serpent ‘Satan’ to enter Eden.
4. God had created Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit.
5. God had predestined Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit.
6. Adam and Eve NEVER HAD A FREE CHOICE NOT TO SIN,
because God had decided BEFORE they were created that they were
not among His ‘elect’.
7. Adam and Eve never had any power to decide for themselves whether to sin or not.
God had already decided for them.
8. God predestined their actions and their fate before they were created. God’s warning not to eat the fruit for they would surely die,
was not a THREAT , it was a PROMISE.
9. GOD IS IN CONTROL. If elected, we do nothing to earn salvation.
If we are not ‘elected’, we can do nothing to earn salvation.
10. Therefore, God has predetermined our fate. We have no power over it, one way or the other.
SINCE ADAM AND EVE HAD NO POWER OVER WHAT THEY WOULD DO, IT WAS GOD WHO CHOSE THAT THEY WOULD SIN.
THEY ARE INNOCENT OF ANY CHOICE BECAUSE THEY HAD NO CHOICE. IT WAS GOD’S WILL.
GOD ENGINEERED THE FALL OF MANKIND, USING ADAM AS HIS PREDESTINED INSTRUMENT.
God planned and controlled EVERYTHING according to His Will because He is sovereign over ALL creation.
AGREE: ?
DISAGREE: ?
What does the Bible say about numbers 1 through 10 ?
Enjoy the challenge and teach us about the sovreigntly of God from your perspective. :)
What an awesome story!! May I be willing to let the Lord use me in anyway he can to reach others for Christ.
I am nobody, but I beg that there be a truce of fighting on this blog and we honor the memory of this young man.
Hi Tom,
I think the only way to keep some semblance of a truce is to offer a way for some of our bloggers to express their beliefs in a way that does not attack the others. If they are kept focused on their theological and scriptural 'arguments' and 'debates' based on CONTENT; then, there is less likelihood of
a personal attack on another. We shall see if this works.
BTW, that 'nobody' thing.
Jesus had humility, This did not make Him a nobody. Far from it.
The 'nobodies' out there are calling OTHER people nobodies or worse.
Since you are not doing that, then you are not a 'nobody'.
Far from it. :)
Here is more food for thought:
AGREE ?
DISAGREE ?
What does 'the Bible say'?
Enjoy this challenge and teach us all from your scriptural wisdom. :)
CHALLENGE:
1. Is God ALONE responsible for everything to do with Salvation?
2. Did God abolish the free co-operation of the will of man in gaining Salvation?
3. Does mankind have the freedom of will to choose God?
4. Does mankind have the freedom of will to NOT choose God?
5. Does God, then, force mankind to sin, having removed all decision-making power from mankind?
Is the person who is not elected NOT REALLY FREE TO SIN?
6. If a person is not really FREE TO CHOOSE TO SIN, then the one responsible for that Sin is not the person, but GOD who made them that way.
7. So, if Calvinism is correct in its suggestion that God is ‘in control’ and determines who is saved and who is not:
with NO free response allowed or needed from either the saved or the damned:
then, God IS responsible for all salvation and all damnation.
In this case,
The non-elected person cannot be blamed for sinning, if he never had any control or freedom over whether or not to sin.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ?????
Anonymous:
Can we please, please get back to the subject of this blog? A young man died sharing the Gospel. Out of respect for him let's honor him and his accomplishments through Christ in only a few years of earthly life.
Dear Wade,
Thanks for mentioning B.J.'s story. B.J. was in our home in Peru the year before his final mission. He was a great kid and took my youngest son under his wing and showed him the drama moves. It amazed me how B.J. touched the lives of the Peruvians. When he was ill, they prayed and fasted and when he died, it was as the death of a member of the local congregation.
We really appreciate the work of AweStar, both evangelistically and in building the character of their missionaries.
May God keep on blessing them and calling people out to take B.J.'s place.
Frank Lamca
To those who can weather reading BJ's struggles at the hospital, his family recorded in the blog of BJ's honor, several times per day to show BJ's recovery and struggles with the infections.
It starts on August 16th 2005:
BJ Blog August 2005
Please scroll to the bottom, since the blog entries are sorted by dates in descending order.
BJ passed away on September 26th 2005 at 3am:
BJ Blog September 2005
I am very proud of his struggles in the hospital. He is very fortunate to have a loving family. And most of all to have a Loving God, Our Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour.
It was very hard to go through the blog entries and comments.
But such is life. Without faith, love and struggles where would we be?. Without Our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Only Hope, where would we be?
If anyone wishes to see photos of BJ, they are on BJ's blog, here and here.
DEAR THY PEACE,
As I was reading the sites you gave us, I came across this from BJ's father:
"The main theme God showed me was obedience: The disciples had to obey and follow though they were skeptical. Mary came immediatelywhen Jesus called her. Martha didn't obey Jesus right away, but argued about rolling the stone away. Lazarus , though he was dead obeyed Jesus and came out. If even the dead, wind, and waves obey Him immediately, we should also.
Mary understood worship and the important things. Martha was worried and doubtful, Judas was selfish and evil.
They [the Pharisees] were so concerned with being considered the "godliest" and "teachers," that they went against everything they 'stood' for exposing themselves as power-hungry impostors and defeating their own good.
We must die to ourselves and become empty so that Christ can grow and bear fruit through us.
If you want to become a disciple of Christ, you must actively get up, obey the call, come and follow him. If you want to be great or a leader, you must be a servant (Mthw 20: 26-28). If you want to be a servant, you must be where Christ is. Christ is amid persecution, and even the cross and death, but also joy, hope, love, faith, and eternal life.
They were so afraid of persecution and so worried about their reputation that even though they believed Jesus, they rejected and didn't follow Him. Belief is only half-way, you must also obey.
BJ, like Mary, understands worship. His heartbeat is one of obedience to our Lord and Savior. This 45 year old dad can learn from his 15 (soon to be 16 Oct. 1) year old son.
I trust we can each continue to learn through the ministry of our Jesus!"
Dear Thy Peace,
How strange it is that the suffering of innocent children is so evocative of the suffering of Christ. L's
Here is the link L's quoted BJ's father:
While awaiting the surgical ... Sept 12th 2005
In L's comments, of the BJ's quotes, most of the above quotes were pulled from BJ's journal. So they were penned by BJ as he read the Bible.
Wow! He was still 15yo, when he died. Just 5 days short of his 16th birthday.
The only significant thing I did when I was 15 yo, was to go on Adventure Mountaineering Course for 4 weeks in the Himalayas in India.
Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, India
It was cold for me, coming from South India, where it's fairly hot and warm. It was a secular Mountaineering course held in December. I struggled and found it to be a spiritual course (through my struggles) for me.
At least for me, at 15 yo, you are almost grown up. At least in your own mind. You can perceive the world as it is. Time is so fleeting. Youth is only yesterday, and then we are no more.
I will leave with this BJ's entry from his journal:
We must die to ourselves and become empty so that Christ can grow and bear fruit through us.
I second the motion to ignore the remarks someone is making who clearly has a hatred against the Doctrines of Grace and desires to take the attention off of this great story and this great family.
The blog host holds to the Doctrines of Grace and he is able to ignore this "theologian" (haha), so surely we all can as well.
Let's keep the focus on the young man and this remarkable family.
Wow! Can't wait to get the book.
SL1M
I seem to be making too many comments here.
I just found this article on this blog:
Differences Between Proud and Broken People
Honestly, I am in the "Proud, Unbroken People" section more often than in the "Broken People" section. Realistically, we all move amongst the sections, in different times and situations.
I wonder how BJ would rate himself? If others rated him, they would probably put him in the "Broken People" section. But if he were to do it, my guess is, he would say he was in the "Proud, Unbroken People" section.
We all have to wait how Our Lord Jesus Christ would say in which section we belong to.
Is the un-elected man given the choice NOT to sin?
Man has the right to act according to his conscience and
in freedom so as to personally make moral decisions.
If a man is not permitted to follow his own conscience; he is
not morally responsible for what occurs.
If a man is not free to follow his own conscience, he cannot be held accountable for making or not making moral decisions.
Anony - You've done it. Your arguments against the Doctrines of Grace have been so profound, so biblical and so penetrating that we are all stumped and have no rebuttal. We all now subscribe to the view that you are espousing. You have won us over. Entirely and without question.
Now, since that is settled, what do you think about the post? Did you know the Huggins before this post? Has this post caused you to think about missions differently? Do you have any similar stories you can share? Are you interested in the book?
Thanks for sharing.
SL1M
To Thy Peace,
If the Baptists have anything similar to St. Teresa of Avila, or St. John of the Cross, I never found them. (I was an active Baptist for over 30 years).
At least some people with similar theology are uncomfortable with even the idea of mysticism.
To Alan,
I suspect that many of us are reading this posting, but have little to comment about it. Somehow, just saying thank you, doesn't seem comment worthy.
I remember when I was 15 y.o., we had to study this (such fond memories):
Ode on Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood
by William Wordsworth
The Child is father of the Man;
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.
I. There was a time when meadow, grove, and stream,
The earth, and every common sight,
To me did seem
Appareled in celestial light,
The glory and the freshness of a dream
It is not now as it hath been of yore-
Turn whereso'er I may,
By night or day,
The things which I have seen I now can see no more.
II. The Rainbow comes and goes,
And lovely is the Rose,
The Moon doth with delight
Look round her when the heavens are bare,
Waters on a starry night
Are beautiful and fair;
The sunshine is a glorious birth;
But yet I know, where'er I go,
That there hath past away a glory from the earth.
III. Now, while the birds thus sing a joyous song,
And while the young lambs bound
As to the tabor's sound,
To me alone there came a thought of grief:
A timely utterance gave that thought relief,
And I again am strong:
The cataracts blow their trumpets from the steep;
No more shall grief of mine the season wrong;
I hear the Echoes through the mountain throng,
The Winds come to me from the fields of sleep,
And all the earth is gay;
Land and sea
Give themselves up to jollity,
And with the heart of May
Doth every Beast keep holiday-
Thou Child of Joy,
Shout round me, let me hear thy shouts,
thou happy Shepherd-boy! (part of previous line)
IV. Ye blessed Creatures, I have heard the call
Ye to each other make;I see
The heavens laugh with you in your jubilee;
My heart is at your festival,
My head hath its coronal,
The fullness of your bliss, I feel-I feel it all.
Oh, evil day! if I were sullen
While Earth herself is adorning,
This sweet May morning,
And the Children are culling
On every side,
In a thousand valleys far and wide,
Fresh flowers; while the sun shines warm,
And the Babe leaps up on his Mother's arm-
I hear, I hear, with joy I hear!
-But there's a Tree, of many, one,
A single Field which I have looked upon,
Both of them speak of something that is gone:
The Pansy at my feet
Doth the same tale repeat:
Whither is fled the visionary gleam?
Where is it now, the glory and the dream?
V. Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star,
Hath had elsewhere its setting,
And cometh from afar:
Not in entire forgetfulness,
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come
From God, who is our home:
Heaven lies about us in our infancy!
Shades of the prison-house begin to close
Upon the growing Boy
But he
Beholds the light, and whence it flows,
He sees it in his joy;
The Youth, who daily farther from the east
Must travel, still is Nature's Priest,
And by the vision splendid
Is on his way attended;
At length the Man perceives it die away,
And fade into the light of common day.
VI. Earth fills her lap with pleasures of her own;
Yearnings she hath in her own natural kind,
And, even with something of a Mother's mind,
And no unworthy aim,
The homely Nurse doth all she can
To make her foster child, her Inmate Man,
Forget the glories he hath known,
And that imperial palace whence he came.
VII. Behold the Child among his newborn blisses,
A six-years' Darling of a pygmy size!
See, where 'mid work of his own hand he lies,
Fretted be sallies of his mother's kisses,
With light upon him from his father's eyes!
See, at his feet, some little plan or chart,
Some fragment from his dream of human life,
Shaped by himself with newly-learned art;
A wedding or a festival,
A mourning or a funeral;
And this hath now his heart,
And unto this he frames his song;
The will he fit his tongue
To dialogues of business, love, or strife;
But it will not be long
Ere this be thrown aside,
And with new joy and pride
The little Actor cons another part;
Filling from time to time his "humorous stage"
With all the Persons, down to palsied Age,
That Life brings with her in her equipage;
As if his whole vocation
Were endless imitation.
VIII. Thou, whose exterior semblance doth belie
Thy Soul's immensity;
Thou best Philosopher, who yet dost keep
Thy heritage, thou Eye among the blind,
That, deaf and silent, read'st the eternal deep,
Haunted forever by the eternal mind-
Mighty Prophet! Seer Blest!
On whom those truths do rest,
Which we are toiling all our lives to find,
In darkness lost, the darkness of the grave;
Thou, over whom thy Immortality
Broods like the Day, a Master o'er a Slave,
A Presence which is not to be put by;
Thou little Child, yet glorious in the might
Of heaven-born freedom on thy being's height,
Why with such earnest pains dost thou provoke
The years to bring the inevitable yoke,
Thus blindly with thy blessedness at strife?
Full soon thy Soul shall have her earthly freight,
And custom lie upon thee with a weight,
Heavy as frost, and deep almost as life!
IX: O joy! that in our embers
Is something that doth live,
That nature yet remembers
What was so fugitive!
The thought of our past years in me doth breed
Perpetual benediction: not indeed
For that which is most worthy to be blest;
Delight and liberty, the simple creed
Of Childhood, whether busy or at rest,
With new-fledged hope still fluttering in his breast-
Not for these I raise
The song of thanks and praise;
But for those obstinate questionings
Of sense and outward things,
Fallings from us, vanishings;
Blank misgivings of a Creature
Moving about in worlds not realized,
High instincts before which our mortal Nature
Did tremble like a guilty Thing surprised;
But for those first affections,
Those shadowy recollections,
Which, be they what they may,
Are yet the fountain light of all our day,
Are yet a master light of all our seeing;
Uphold us, cherish, and have power to make
Our noisy years seem moments in the being
Of the eternal Silence: truth that wake,
To perish never;
Which neither listlessness, nor mad endeavor,
Nor Man nor Boy,
Nor all that is at enmity with joy,
Can utterly abolish or destroy!
Hence in a season of calm weather
Though inland far we be,
Our Souls have sight of that immortal sea
Which brought us hither,
Can in a moment travel thither,
And see the Children sport upon the shore,
And hear the mighty waters rolling evermore.
X. Then sing, ye Birds, sing, sing a joyous song!
And let the young Lambs bound
As to the tabor's sound!
We in thought will join your throng,
Ye that pipe and ye that play,
Ye that through your hearts today
Feel the gladness of the May!
What though the radiance which was once so bright
Be now forever taken from my sight,
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendor in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind;
In the primal sympathy
Which having been must ever be;
In the soothing thoughts that spring
Out of human suffering;
In the faith that looks through death,
In years that bring the philosophic mind.
XI. And O, ye Fountains, Meadows, Hills, and Groves,
Forebode not any severing of our loves!
Yet in my heart of hearts I feel your might;
I only have relinquished one delight
To live beneath your more habitual sway.
I love the Brooks which down their channels fret,
Even more than when I tripped lightly as they;
The innocent brightness of a newborn Day
Is lovely yet;
The clouds that gather round the setting sun
Do take a sober coloring from an eye
That hath kept watch o'er man's mortality;
Another race hath been, and other palms are won.
Thanks to the human heart by which we live,
Thanks to its tenderness, its joys, and fears,
To me the meanest flower that blows can give
Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.
I have been perusing BJ's blog, the past couple of days. I found some posts that I would like to share:
It's time to be reminded
"You see, as Christians we are to give our lives up every day, to die to ourselves every day, to let go of all of our attatchments and affections and be willing to let go of life itself everyday because we treasure Christ higher than life.
So often we get preoccupied and distracted with all of the little details and life and all of our wants and dreams and desires, and yet as Paul says in Philippians "To live is Christ." All of the details don't matter, all of our wants and dreams are of no consequence because our lives, as Christians, are to be for Christ and Christ alone.
How often do we really live as Christ? How often do we lay our own dreams and wants down for God? At church camp? On mission trips? Maybe even every Sunday or Wednesday? But Christ says DAILY. Too often do we attempt the whole "Christian living" on Sundays and Wednesdays, and forget the whole "DAILY Christian dying" Christ calls us to die daily.
It's time that we as the professed Christians of America wake up from our sleep of lethargy and hypocrisy and stop only living for Christ on Sundays and Wednesdays and start acting as Christ says all of His disciples must act. (As Luke 14:27 says, "Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me CANNOT be my disciple") We must die to ourselves daily. We must forget our comfort zones, and our cliques of friends and go out and share the love and rescuing truth of Jesus Christ with the lost, empty, suffering, and dying people of the world all around us as Christ commanded!
Our lives are for Christ, not ourselves, so as it instructs in Hebrews 12:1-3, we need to actively, forcefully, and even violently (spiritually speaking) THROW off EVERYthing that hinders glorifying Christ through our lives! Don't want to because you enjoy your life? But Christ says "I have come to give them life and to give it to them abundantly," John 10:10. You see, because we were made to glorify God, it is the one thing that satisfies us most and that we can find the most enjoyment in. We spend our lives seeking satisfaction and enjoyment, but its only to be found in Christ. So what better reason to turn to Him and let go and throw off everything that holds you back?
Also, as the apostles are constantly reminding us in their letters, we have a hope and a certainty for the future that no one else has. We know that at the end of all things that Christ will gather us together and reveal His glory to the world on the day of judgement, and that instead of receiving the judgement and condemnation that we deserve, we will be able to take part in the GLORY of Christ.
So then, let us with His glory and our hope in mind, throw down our own lives and pick up His--that is, pick up our cross, take our life of suffering for Him and His glory. Let us die daily for Christ so that we can follow Him and better obey His call: that we reach the dying people of this world and tell them of Jesus Christ, the saving one." BJ Higgins
Whitney and BJ in his final days
Whitney lays her stone atop the Cairn where BJ rests in North Africa
Dear Anna,
I have no access to Baptist writings other than what has been referenced on this blog.
But, Baptists are members of the Body of Christ, and so may share in all that is part of that.
The Baptists that I have known are loving, gentle souls who 'LIVE' their faith.
I have no doubt that their spirits were blessed by communion with the Holy Spirit in ways mystical in the sense that they have been given that peace that is beyond all understanding.
We see the divisions we have made in the Church: our various denominations.
We see the 'boundaries' we create on the Earth to separate contries: our borders, our fences
From space, astronauts look down on the Earth, and see one Earth. They CANNOT see the borders Man has created to separate 'us' from 'them'.
THESE MAN-MADE BOUNDARIES ARE INVISIBLE TO THE ASTRONAUTS.
OUR MAN-MADE DIVISIONS ARE INVISIBLE TO GOD.
Divisions among mankind are man-made. God has a way of seeing us differently, I think. He will bring good out of bad, and He can do that.
Anna, that blessed child B.J. was Baptist, but he could have given sermons in our Church with no problem. He was speaking of the Kingdom of God, of the Body of Christ. Pure Christianity: without borders, without fences, without the divisions we so focus on in our blindness.
BJ focused on Our Lord. He pointed to Our Lord. He followed the Lord without any holding back.
He knew the great secrets of the Kingdom without any trouble at all.
Here is what I think he would speak in our church:
"So then, let us with His glory and our hope in mind, throw down our own lives and pick up His--that is, pick up our cross, take our life of suffering for Him and His glory. Let us die daily for Christ so that we can follow Him and better obey His call: that we reach the dying people of this world and tell them of Jesus Christ, the saving one." BJ Higgins
WOW. These words are of our own faith. Another way of saying to us :
Ite missa est.
Go into the world to love and serve the Lord. . . L's
P.S. With B.J.'s writings, I think the Baptists have a spokesperson that speaks to ALL Christians.
In centuries to come,our descendants may read the illuminating writings of this blessed child , as they read St. Theresa's and those of St. John of the Cross. So may it be.
Good Sabbath, Anna,
Dominus Vobiscum :) L's
Luke 19:10
King James Version
"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."
THAT WHICH WAS LOST . . .
Thank you for B.J.'s testimony in confirmation of the Gospel.
GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD . . .
TROUBLING FACTORS IN BFM 2000
included:
1. The deletion of the Christocentric criterion for interpretation of Scripture.
2. The trend toward Calvinism and a mistrust of personal Christian experience.
Thank God that BJ never adhered to these changes. If he had, he might not have felt the need to answer Christ's call and to personally respond in service to the Lord.
For those that serve the Lord, the Words and Actions of Jesus in the Bible will always be at the center of their faith.
God Bless You, BJ, Forever and Ever
as you walk at peace in His Presence.
The rabbis gathered and discussed where the Messiah could be found.
'I believe He will be in the Temple.' said one. 'where else more important?'
Another said, 'I believe He will be at the place most important to Him, that is where we may find Him.'
A messenger came running in to their presence to announce that the Messiah was sitting surrounded by the lepers outside the gates of the city, and there He was caring for the sick and the poor.
'Ah, said the rabbis, then THAT is the place where He most wants to be. Let us go there 'outside the gates' so that we may be with Him."
The above story is adapted from Jewish tradition. I wonder if BJ ever heard this story or one like it?
I think that it might be so, because
BJ traveled to a place he thought was important to the Lord, 'outside the gates'.
And there,
BJ did serve the Lord. L's
I am just now realizing that the bible is "clearly" full of "mistakes"!
Scripture:
Jesus said, "You did not choose me, but I chose you."
I guess Jesus didn't yet see the gospel as presented in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Scripture:
Jesus said, "All that the Father has given to me shall come to me."
Jesus forgot the ending there. He meant to finish it by saying "...as long as they follow their glorious free will."
Scripture:
"Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many."
(Oops. Jesus messed up there also. He meant to say "all" instead of "many". Bummer Jesus.)
Scripture:
"He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world."
(Wonder why Paul left out the end of that verse? Of course, we all know in the greek it actually reads "He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world because He looked down through time and saw the elect's "good work" of choosing Him first. Way to go dudes! Sayeth the Lord."
Scripture:
"There is no one who does good,no not one."
Wow, I am really seeing tons of "mistakes" in the bible now. Jesus was supposed to say here that "There is no one who does good, well except those who do the ultimate good of using their glorious free will and choosing me! The ones that do that are awesome! Great job you guys! Sayeth the Lord"
Scripture:
"As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."
Yet another boo boo! Didn't He mean to say "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I loved a little less."? Really kind of a bummer for Esau. I mean, after all, in John 3 Jesus said He loved the world. Oh, I know. Maybe He meant He loved the world, just more in some places than others?
Scripture:
"So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy."
"So then He has mercy on whomever He wills, and He hardens whomever He wills."
Hmmmm. These two are really tough ones. Let's just say that Jesus was kidding with these two verses.
Scripture:
"Has the Potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?"
Yes, Jesus. You can do whatever you want with Your creation. But only if we (your creation) give You permission to do so. We will get back with you. Just hang in there.
So many more examples. But I just have to stop. This could take the rest of my life to "fix" scripture so that it doesn't conflict with my tradition.
Many more examples:
Allah Predestines the Fate of Every Soul.
The guiding of them is not thy duty , but Allah guideth whom He will. S. 2:272
“Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is Allah's; and whether you manifest what is in your minds or hide it, Allah will call you to account according to it; then He will forgive whom He pleases and chastise whom He pleases, and Allah has power over all things.” S. 2:284
“Do you wish to guide him whom Allah has caused to err? And whomsoever Allah causes to err, you shall by no means find a way for him.” S. 4:88
“Do you not know that Allah-- His is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; He chastises whom He pleases; and forgives whom He pleases and Allah has power over all things. O Messenger! let not those grieve you who strive together in hastening to unbelief from among those who say with their mouths: We believe, and their hearts do not believe, and from among those who are Jews; they are listeners for the sake of a lie, listeners for another people who have not come to you; they alter the words from their places, saying: If you are given this, take it, and if you are not given this, be cautious; and as for him whose temptation Allah desires, you cannot control anything for him with Allah. Those are they for whom Allah does not desire that He should purify their hearts; they shall have disgrace in this world, and they shall have a grievous chastisement in the hereafter. ” S. 5:40-41
“Those whom Allah wills to guide, He opens their breast to Islam; Those whom He wills to leave straying, - he makes their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus does Allah lay abomination on those who refuse to believe.” S. 6:125
“Whomsoever Allah guides, he is the one who follows the right way; and whomsoever He causes to err, these are the losers. Many are the men we have made for Hell.” S. 7:178-179
“My counsel will not profit you if I were minded to advise you, if Allah’s will is to keep you astray. He is your Lord and unto Him ye will be brought back.” S. 11:34
“In truth thy Lord destroyed not the townships tyrannously while their folk were doing right. And if thy Lord had willed, He verily would have made mankind one nation, yet they cease not differing, Save him on whom thy Lord hath mercy; and for that He did create them. And the Word of thy Lord hath been fulfilled: Verily I shall fill hell with mankind.” S. 11:117-119
“Allah leads astray whomsoever He will and guides whomsoever he will.” S. 14:4
“And when We desire to destroy a city, We command its men who live at ease, and they commit ungodliness therein, then the Word is realized against it, and We destroy it utterly.” S. 17:16
“Allah hath (now) revealed the fairest of statements, a Scripture consistent, (wherein promises of reward are) paired (with threats of punishment), whereat doth creep the flesh of those who fear their Lord, so that their flesh and their hearts soften to Allah’s reminder. Such is Allah’s guidance, wherewith He guideth whom He will. And him whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no guide.” S. 39:23
“And whom Allah guides, there is none that can lead him astray; is not Allah Mighty, the Lord of retribution? And should you ask them, Who created the heavens and the earth? They would most certainly say: Allah. Say: Have you then considered that what you call upon besides Allah, would they, if Allah desire to afflict me with harm, be the removers of His harm, or (would they), if Allah desire to show me mercy, be the withholders of His mercy? Say: Allah is sufficient for me; on Him do the reliant rely.” S. 39:37-38
“He whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no protecting friend after Him. And thou (Muhammad) wilt see the evil-doers when they see the doom, (how) they say: Is there any way of return?… And they will have no protecting friends to help them instead of Allah. He whom Allah sendeth astray, for him there is no road.” S. 42:44, 46
“He will admit to His Mercy whom He will; But the wrong-doers,- for them has He prepared a grievous Penalty.” S. 76:31
2. Allah Predestines whether a Person Will Believe
“And if your Lord had pleased, surely all those who are in the earth would have believed, all of them; will you then force men till they become believers? And it is not for a soul to believe except by Allah’s permission; and He casts uncleanness on those who will not understand.” S. 10:99-100
“Thou wilt not find folk who believe in Allah and the Last Day loving those who oppose Allah and His messenger, even though they be their fathers or their sons or their brethren or their clan. As for such, He hath written faith upon their hearts and hath strengthened them with a Spirit from Him, and He will bring them into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide. Allah is well pleased with them, and they are well pleased with Him. They are Allah's party. Lo! is it not Allah's party who are the successful? S. 58:22
3. Allah Predestines Our Wills
“Let any who will, keep it in remembrance! But none will keep it in remembrance except as Allah wills: He is the Lord of Righteousness, and the Lord of Forgiveness.” S. 74:55-56
“This is an admonition: Whosoever will, let him take a (straight) Path to his Lord. But ye will not, except as Allah wills; for Allah is full of Knowledge and Wisdom.” S. 76:29-30
“Unto whomsoever of you willeth to walk straight. And ye will not, unless (it be) that Allah willeth, the Lord of Creation.” S. 81:28-29
CALVIN'S INSPIRATION ?
How 'bout them Steelers.
Islam also teaches that there is one true God, not many deities. Guess we should believe in multiple gods because we all know Islam is wrong about everything, huh?
And I know that I can find You here
'Cause You promised me You'll
always be there
Times like these, it's hard to see
But somehow I have a peace, You're near
And I pray that You will use my life
In whatever way Your name is glorified
Even if surrendering
Means leaving everything behind
My life has never been this clear
Now I know the reason why I'm here
You never know why You're alive
Until you know what you would die for
I would die for You
And I know I don't have much to give
But I promise You I will give You all there is
Can I possibly do less
When through Your own death I live?
No greater love is found
Than of those who lay their own lives down
As sure as I live and breathe
Now I know what it means to be free.
"I Would Die For You"
(Mercy Me)
Inspired by B.J. Higgins
ﻛﻮﺭﻧﺜﻮﺱ ﺍﻻﻭﻝ 13
1 ... لَوْ كُنْتُ أَتَكَلَّمُ بِلُغَاتِ النَّاسِ وَالْمَلاَئِكَةِ وَلَيْسَ عِنْدِي مَحَبَّةٌ، لَمَا كُنْتُ إِلاَّ نُحَاساً يَطِنُّ وَصَنْجاً يَرِنُّ!
2 وَلَوْ كَانَتْ لِي مَوْهِبَةُ النُّبُوءَةِ، وَكُنْتُ عَالِماً بِجَمِيعِ الأَسْرَارِ وَالْعِلْمِ كُلِّهِ، وَكَانَ عِنْدِي الإِيمَانُ كُلُّهُ حَتَّى أَنْقُلَ الْجِبَالَ، وَلَيْسَ عِنْدِي مَحَبَّةٌ، فَلَسْتُ شَيْئاً!
3 وَلَوْ قَدَّمْتُ أَمْوَالِي كُلَّهَا لِلإِطْعَامِ، وَسَلَّمْتُ جَسَدِي لأُحْرَقَ، وَلَيْسَ عِنْدِي مَحَبَّةٌ، لَمَا كُنْتُ أَنْتَفِعُ شَيْئاً.
4 الْمَحَبَّةُ تَصْبِرُ طَوِيلاً؛ وَهِيَ لَطِيفَةٌ. الْمَحَبَّةُ لاَ تَحْسُدُ. الْمَحَبَّةُ لاَ تَتَفَاخَرُ وَلاَ تَتَكَبَّرُ.
5 لاَ تَتَصَرَّفُ بِغَيْرِ لِيَاقَةٍ، وَلاَ تَسْعَى إِلَى مَصْلَحَتِهَا الْخَاصَّةِ. لاَ تُسْتَفَزُّ سَرِيعاً، وَلاَ تَنْسُبُ الشَّرَّ لأَحَدٍ.
6 لاَ تَفْرَحُ بِالظُّلْمِ، بَلْ تَفْرَحُ بِالْحَقِّ.
7 إِنَّهَا تَسْتُرُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ، وَتُصَدِّقُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ، وَتَرْجُو كُلَّ شَيْءٍ، وَتَتَحَمَّلُ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ.
8 الْمَحَبَّةُ لاَ تَزُولُ أَبَداً. أَمَّا مَوَاهِبُ النُّبُوآتِ فَسَتُزَالُ، وَمَوَاهِبُ اللُّغَاتِ سَتَنْقَطِعُ، وَالْمَعْرِفَةُ سَتُزَالُ.
9 فَإِنَّ مَعْرِفَتَنَا جُزْئِيَّةٌ وَنُبُوءَتَنَا جُزْئِيَّةٌ.
10 وَلَكِنْ، عِنْدَمَا يَأْتِي مَا هُوَ كَامِلٌ، يُزَالُ مَا هُوَ جُزْئِيٌّ.
11 فَلَمَّا كُنْتُ طِفْلاً، كُنْتُ أَتَكَلَّمُ كَالطِّفْلِ، وَأَشْعُرُ كَالطِّفْلِ، وَأُفَكِّرُ كَالطِّفْلِ. وَلَكِنْ، لَمَّا صِرْتُ رَجُلاً، أَبْطَلْتُ مَا يَخُصُّ الطِّفْلَ.
12 وَنَحْنُ الآنَ نَنْظُرُ إِلَى الأُمُورِ مِنْ خِلاَلِ زُجَاجٍ قَاتِمٍ فَنَرَاهَا بِغُمُوضٍ. إِلاَّ أَنَّنَا سَنَرَاهَا أَخِيراً مُوَاجَهَةً. الآنَ، أَعْرِفُ مَعْرِفَةً جُزْئِيَّةً. وَلَكِنِّي، عِنْدَئِذٍ، سَأَعْرِفُ مِثْلَمَا عُرِفْتُ.
13 أَمَّا الآنَ، فَهذِهِ الثَّلاَثَةُ بَاقِيَةٌ: الإِيمَانُ، وَالرَّجَاءُ، وَالْمَحَبَّةُ. وَلَكِنَّ أَعْظَمَهَا هِيَ الْمَحَبَّةُ!
To Jack who, inspired by BJ, wrote
"And I know I don't have much to give
But I promise You I will give You all there is
Can I possibly do less
When through Your own death I live?"
Thank you.
Like twins separated at birth, Humility and Wisdom always know the other is there somewhere. Humility and Wisdom go together and can never be separated.
Yes, 1 Cornthians 13 is always beautiful and appropriate -- even in Arabic. :)
I love the high-risk prayer within those Mercy Me lyrics:
"I pray that You will use my life
In whatever way Your name is glorified
Even if surrendering
Means leaving everything behind."
I wonder how many missionaries among the 77 (who were fired ) were as inspired and inspiring as BJ ?
What happens to the spirit and the soul of an individual who prevents a missionary from reaching others for Jesus?
I'm sure the people who did this must have thought about it, first. They must have done: seeing that the result would mean the loss of salvation for those that the 77 missionaries did not reach. (?)
Or maybe, they thought: "we don't have to worry about ANYONE.
If God has elected them for salvation, then they don't need a missionary.
If God has not elected them for salvation, then no missionary can help them." (?)
I'm beginning to understand, thanks to the very thorough instruction from Calvinists on the last post. I had NO IDEA how ANYONE could treat missionaries so badly.
Thank God BJ WAS given a chance to serve.
He will have reached millions when his story is told.
I think in his lifetime, BJ used all those 'talents' he received from the Lord. What a beautiful soul!
I imagine that the Lord received His child, saying, 'well done, my good and faithful servant'. L's
Elected by Grace said...
"Islam also teaches that there is one true God, not many deities. Guess we should believe in multiple gods because we all know Islam is wrong about everything, huh?"
الْمَحَبَّةُ تَصْبِرُ طَوِيلاً؛ وَهِيَ لَطِيفَ. الْمَحَبَّةُ لاَ تَحْسُدُ. الْمَحَبَّةُ لاَ تَتَفَاخَرُ وَلاَ تَتَكَبَّرُ.
لاَ تَتَصَرَّفُ بِغَيْرِ لِيَاقَةٍ، وَلاَ تَسْعَى إِلَى مَصْلَحَتِهَا الْخَاصَّةِ. لاَ تُسْتَفَزُّ سَرِيعاً، وَلاَ تَنْسُبُ الشَّرَّ لأَحَدٍ. huh?
بكى يسوع
I can post non-sequiturs, too.
The power of scripture works again.
It has revealed the anony as a muslim.
I wonder if he is a conservative muslim or a moderate? :)
Hey anony, were you forced to sign the MFandM (Muslim Faith and Message) or did you have a "choice"?
Universal reconciliation, also called universal salvation or sometimes simply universalism, is the Christian doctrine or belief that all will receive salvation due to the love and mercy of God. This is the main belief that distinguishes Christian Universalism from other forms of Christianity. Universal reconciliation states that all people will eventually experience salvation, and most forms of the doctrine assert that the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ is the mechanism that provides reconciliation for all humankind and atonement for all sins. This concept is distinct from Unitarian Universalism.
Universal reconciliation is intimately related with the problem of Hell. There are various beliefs and views concerning the process or state of salvation, but all universalists conclude that it ultimately ends in the reconciliation and salvation of all mankind.
The belief in the eventual salvation of all humankind has been a topic of debate throughout the history of the Christian faith. In the early Church, universalism was a flourishing theological doctrine. Over time, as Christian theology experienced growth and expansion, it lost much of its popular acceptance. Today, most Christian denominations reject the doctrine of universal reconciliation.
Early history:
Various theologians, including Clement of Alexandria and Origen in the 3rd century, St. Gregory of Nyssa in the 4th century, and St. Isaac the Syrian in the 7th century, expressed universalist positions in early Christianity. Though Gregory of Nyssa was a known universalist, he was never condemned.
Modern universalists claim that universalism was the primary doctrine of the church until it was forcibly stamped out by the Catholic Church in the sixth century. Four of the six theological schools of thought in ancient Christendom supported universalism, and only one supported eternal damnation. Additionally, theological thought appears more varied before the strong influence of Augustine, who forcefully denied universal salvation.
Some claim Augustine's rejection of the doctrine of Universalism was an unwarranted side-effect of Platonist pagan philosophy, rather than a conclusion based on his study of the Scriptures.
In Western Christian belief, damnation to hell is the punishment of God for persons who were sinners.
In Eastern Christian traditions (Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy), as well as some Western traditions, it is seen as a state of separation from God, a state into which all humans are born but against which Christ is the "Mediator" and "Great Physician".
Wade,
Deanna and I greatly appreciate you sharing about BJ. It truly has been a faith journey, and we have been blessed to see the Lord use his testimony to impact people around the world.
He had an uncommon understanding of the deep things of God at an early age, and sought to share them with others at every opportunity. His own walk with Christ was inspirational, and humbling at the same time.
As a parent, you never want or expect to lose your child. The Lord has blessed us as we have walked "through the valley of the shadow of death." He has been with us all the way, and has ministered to the depths of our brokeness. He has given us a stronger ability to minister to others through our own journey.
We praise God for revealing Himself to us in such personal ways, and being so very real in the midst of the storm.
It is our pleasure to carry the name of Christ, and the testimony of what He has done, to others, both here and overseas.
Thank you Wade, for loving and serving our King! Thank you for taking a stand for Him, amid the torments in your life.
We thank our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for you and your ministry!
Brent Higgins
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