David Cloud has an excellent article on his site that I encourage you to read. It deals with our tendency to speak of salvation using unbiblical phrases. We talk about "giving our life to Christ" or "inviting Jesus into our hearts" as if these phrases truly described the act of salvation. They do not. That does not mean that those who use these phrases are unsaved. It only means we are sloppy in our terminology. This is important because these phrases are also sloppy in doctrinal meaning. We are not saved by inviting Jesus into our hearts but by believing on Him. It is true that we receive Him (John 1:12; Colossians 2:6), but this refers more to a receiving of His way and person. Our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). Why should we invite Jesus in? The point is that we should get as close as possible to biblical terminology and meaning. Sloppy appeals for converts tend to make sloppy converts.
In early April of 2006, many of the major news media outlets (including MSNBC's website: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12152740/) carried a story about a Florida State University professor who tried to help the Lord out by explaining a miracle, a supernatural event, in natural terms.
Whilst sorting out my book case over the recent holiday period I was struck by just how many books I have that I've never read and got thinking about just how long it will take me to read them all. I guess if I did read them all I would never need to buy another book again.
In Amos 6:1-6, we find three anchors of hope for the people of Judah. In verses 1-2, we see that they are trusting in the might of their own military. In verse 3, we see that they are trusting in the power of positive thinking, and in verses 4-6 we see that they are resting in their lives of luxury. All of this hope proved to be shallow for Judah, and the same thing holds true for any other nation holding on to these same things.
