2:1 The heavens and the earth were completed with everything that was in them. 2:2 By the seventh day God finished the work that he had been doing, and he ceased on the seventh day all the work that he had been doing. 2:3 God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it he ceased all the work that he had been doing in creation. **** Genesis

Three Words: Content-Content-Content !!: Part I

Welcome back to Volume 10. Well Done -- You have labored for "six days" in the creation of the physical presence (WEB site) into which God will pour forth His Spirit. It is now time to "Rest in the Lord" and to "Stand fast and behold the Salvation of our God" !!

Finally we arrive at the consummation of our labors -- CONTENT !! After all, our goal was NOT to produce a beautiful and technically proficient WEB site, but to present the Glorious Gospel (Good News) of Jesus Christ to the WEB World. If you have reached this point in your endeavor, I assume that you have sought and received God's counsel as to WHY you will be overseeing this ministry and what is HIS purpose in it. If you have NOT, please STOP NOW !! The church of Jesus Christ has already birthed MORE than enough "Ishmaels" !!

The content of your site is basically an issue between you and God - no one else can tell you exactly what He wishes your ministry to convey other than He Himself -- Seek Him diligently until this is clear (if it isn't already). God's word tell us that, "in a multitude of counselors there is safety" (Proverbs 11:14, 12:15, 15:22, 19:20, 20_5, 20:18, and 24:6). However, it is ALSO true that, "in a multitude of counselors there is compromise and confusion" (AEJ).

By all means, seek counsel from those that you trust and whose spiritual maturity, wisdom and judgment you respect. However, keep in mind that they may NOT have received the same revelation that God was pleased to impart to you in order to accomplish HIS purpose. Paul preached the Gospel that HE was given, even though it was misunderstood by many, including one of the "foremost of the Apostles", Peter himself !!

For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason for boasting, because I am compelled to do this. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward. But if I do it unwillingly, I am entrusted with a responsibility. **** 1 Corinthians 9:16,17

When Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I (Paul) opposed him to his face, because he had clearly done wrong. **** Galatians 2:11

...... just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him, speaking of these things in all his letters. Some things in these letters are hard to understand, things the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they also do to the rest of the scriptures. **** 2 Peter 3:15,16

When Jesus choose His 12, His purpose was hidden from the multitude. When He choose Paul (Saul), His purpose was hidden even from His 12 !! If you have received CLEAR revelation and direction from God, then DO IT regardless what those about you may think. Don't necessarily expect a rousing display of support and appreciation for doing God's will. Remember, Jesus and His 12 (including Paul) were ALL killed !!

"He won�t thank the slave because he did what he was told, will he? So you too, when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, �We are slaves undeserving of special praise; we have only done what was our duty.�" **** Luke 17:9,10

"If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you do not belong to the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you. Remember what I told you, �A slave is not greater than his master.� If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed my word, they will obey yours too." **** John 15:18-20

It bothers me that our ministry (site) does not have more traffic and links to other Christian sites than it does. Also, this column was refused by a number of Christian ministries. I suspect that the reason is that much of what is published therein is controversial and offensive to MUCH of the "mainline 'Christian' community". It is, however, what we feel God has given to us to present.

My advise to you (and to myself) is as Paul spoke to the saints in Ephesus:

Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day, and having done everything -- TO STAND !! Stand firm therefore, by fastening the belt of truth around your waist, by putting on the breastplate of righteousness, by fitting your feet with the preparation that comes from the good news of peace, and in all of this, by taking up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. **** Ephesians 6:10-16

This excellent advise is also reiterated by three secular writers of note:

It is NOT the critic who counts, NOT the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually IN the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short ; who fights and falls and rises to fight again and again. It is to he who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly. His place shall NEVER be with those cold and timid souls, who know neither victory nor defeat. Theodore Roosevelt

This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. Farewell; my blessing season this in thee! William Shakespeare -- (basically Polonius' advice to his son Laertes in "Hamlet")

If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you But make allowance for their doubting too If you can wait and not be tired by waiting Or being lied about, don't deal in lies OR being hated and not give way to hating And yet don't look to good nor talk to wise If you can dream and not make dreams your master Think and not make thoughts your aim If you can meet with triumph and disaster And treat those two impostors just the same If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools Or watch the things you gave your life to broken And stoop and build them up with worn out tools If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one game of pitch and toss And lose and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the will which says to them, "Hold on!" If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch If neither foes nor friends can hurt you If all men count with you but none too much If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds worth of distance run Yours is the Earth and all that's in it And what's more: You'll be a man my son Rudyard Kipling

In the next column we shall explore Types and Sources of content.

Yours in Christ till our next meeting;

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