This blog really is no more...

If you stop by and read this or that, then thanks so much.  Technically this isn't my active blog any longer.  If you want to check out the current blog, then stop by here (ruralamericanpastor.wordpress.com).  Happy surfing.

What Repentance is NOT

You've sinned.  You realize it.  You do not excuse it.  You are ready to admit it.  The only right and proper Christian response to sin is repentance.  Unfortunately, we are not clear on what repentance is and is not, and so it is too common that we do not really repent of our sins.  I want to briefly sketch out some common misconceptions of repentance to help distinguish true repentance from false.  First, repentance is not just being sorry.  We've all seen and been the person who gets into sin, realizes the error, and feels really bad about it.  Maybe we even cry over it.  We're eaten up by guilt.  We feel very ashamed, and we're immediately sorry we sinned.  BUT, we don't need to confuse sorrow with repentance.  It will many times accompany and precede repentance, but it is not the same.  Paul says "Godly sorrow leads to repentance."  See that?  Real, godly sorrow is not the same as repentance, but should lead us to repent.  You can feel sorry, and still not repent.  Second, repentance is not the same as confession.  When I confess my sins, I am essentially agreeing with God that my sin is sin.  We're saying to God, "You call what I've done a sin, and I must now do the same."  The Bible says that if we confess our sins, that God is faithful and just and will forgive them.  Yet one might confess sin, and still not repent.  Again it is a part of repentance, but not the same as repentance.  We begin by recognizing our sin as sin, calling it that, and making a confession of it to the Lord.  Last, repentance is not just a firm resolve not to engage in that act of sin anymore.  How many times have you sinned, felt guilty, confessed it to God, and then put your foot down that this will never happen again?  Until it does happen again.  Then we make another firm resolution that lasts until it ends.  We should never be too impressed with our firm resolve.  I'm pretty certain God isn't.  Real repentance is not resolve though it includes resolve.  Do you not love posts that tell you all about what something is not, without telling you what something is?  Well, today that's what you get!  A post about what something isn't, but not what it is.  I will continue this post later, and look briefly at what real repentance is. 

LMB Church Web Update

The church website has been updated today. It was freshened up a bit. I added a new article that is really an old article from the other blog, called Sin Killers. I really like the new template and if you check it out, let me know what you think. Here's the link.

A Dry Inkwell

In the old days of writing (I say that as a 30 year old who has NEVER studied this subject matter before!) one had to have a pen and an inkwell. The pen didn't have built in ink like we do today, and of course there were no word processors or typewriters. So you take the pen, dip it in the ink, and write until the ink was off the pen. Then you repeat again and again until finished. This might continue for a while until you run out of ink. And "in the old days" the writer would exclaim loudly, "My ink's run dry!" (I TOTALLY made that last part up; I don't know if they said that, but they should have). What is the point of this post? My inkwell has run dry. I don't have any ink in my brain right now, and can think of absolutely nothing to say (hence the absurdity of this post). It's been quite a while since I've gone this long with nothing to post, but forgive me, don't go away forever. I told someone today that I typically force myself to write. So I log on, click new post, and write; many times without an idea already in mind. Sometimes I like it and post it. Sometimes I reread it and immediately hit delete (something I'm tempted to do right now). Sometimes I just stare........................................... The last one, the staring option, has been where I've been for a week now. So, some day very soon, I will begin thinking again, and posting again, and will not be so sleepy that my thoughts drip like a broken faucet. Until then...may your ink never run dry.

Jamie Harper to Clemson!

The Christian Safety Patrol

This morning before I left for work I sat on the floor with my 2 year old watching the Disney Channel.  In between shows there was this 5 minute cartoon starring 2 Asian-American kids that ride around in what looks like Powerwheels.  They dress ridiculously for their age.  And truthfully they're smarmy little arrogant bratty kids that ride around looking for safety violations.  I mean seriously they are very annoying.  I don't know about kids today, but when I was a kid these guys would have been beat up... frequently.  

It got me thinking about people that are always looking for some type of violation to point out in everyone they meet (it was that bad.  no kid was spared their safety violation speech).  I mean Christians.  Everyone they meet gets a mini sermon about why what they're doing is some kind of violation of their understanding of biblical ethics.  These are the legalists.  The modern Pharisees. Known more for what they're against then what they're for.  Christian liberty is exchanged for many rules.  By the way, I am not libertarian in my understanding of Christian obedience to Jesus.  I'm not for doing whatever I feel like doing as long as I say I love Jesus. 

Anyway, if these bratty, little twit kids are this annoying to me I can only wonder how annoying the Christian Safety Patrol is to those who don't know Jesus.  Why would we ever give a non-Christian a "ticket" for not acting like a Christian?  What do we expect?

I'll Just Take Both

Loyal readers; as the input came pouring in this week, two comments and two e-mails, I sorted through for literally minutes and have come to this conclusion:  I will post on both blogs.  I have new readers on Wordpress and old Readers on Blogger.  I'll just copy and paste and you go to whichever you like better.  Remember if you have a blogger screen name you may use it on Wordpress and vice versa.  Happy days.  Have a great week.

100th Post

I said I wouldn't do it, but I couldn't resist. I noticed today that I've posted 99 times on this blog since it began in September. So even though I'm technically posting only at WordPress right now, I'm posting the 100th post here today! Since I began keeping track of visits and visitors (Don't worry I don't know who you are, just where) on December 22nd I've had about 80 unique visitors from 7 different countries, 17 different states from Cali to Florida to Maine and almost 600 page views. That is very small compared to many blogs, but I can't help but get a bit excited. Now if you'd just comment more we could actually have discussions like the interesting one going on down the page a ways under "What Kid's Shows do You Wish Would Just Go Away." Noelle, if you ever come back and read again, I'm calling you to publicly repent of Dora. Turn!

Which Blog Do You Like?

I am extremely hesitant to do this b/c I've already been blogging on blogger and everyone who reads already knows and is used to this site. BUT, I've created a sort of "mirror blog" with Wordpress. I LOVE their templates and it just looks better. So, for about a week, everything I post will be on Wordpress. I've already imported all the posts from this blog to that one.

So for the next few days I will allow open comments without registering, putting your e-mail in, whatever. You can feel free to post anonymously, I'll never know who you are. All you have to do is say which you like better. There is a word verification to prevent spam comments. It's all very easy. I NEED your feedback as to which blog format you like better. This or the wordpress one. The name is exactly the same except instead of .blogspot.com it is .wordpress.com.

Anyway, here is the link, but comment here on this post.

Creek Dunkin

In the old days at Little Mountain there wasn't a baptistry. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's a pool of water in the church for baptizing people. So if you need to be baptized, there isn't anywhere inside the church to do so. There was a creek where a zoo sits today near the church, and baptisms were performed in the creek. Here's a photo of the creek, and the baptisms from our booklet, "History of Little Mountain Baptist Church." Sometimes we long for the "old days," but I have a feeling the creek got a little cold in the winter. I like my water warm! But it sure makes for a very cool photo.