Posts Tagged ‘ daniel m klem ’

Remembrance of Veterans

This past weekend saw celebrations in many nations for those who have served in the military. Whether it is called Veterans’ Day, Armistice Day, or Remembrance Day, this is a time to recall those heroes who have served, fought, and even died in the service of country and/or freedom.

This is good. We should remember those who have gone before and fought for freedom.

But, dear Christian, there are more who are at least as deserving if not more deserving of remembrance.

Hebrews 11 reminds us of some heroes:

  • Abel
  • Enoch
  • Noah
  • Abraham
  • Isaac
  • Jacob
  • Joseph
  • Moses
  • Gideon
  • Barak
  • Samson
  • Jephthah
  • David
  • Samuel
  • the Prophets

These were people who stood firm for God and laid the framework for the coming Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth.

Yet, there are more!

The New Testament has a list of heroes:

  • John, the Baptizer
  • Simon Peter
  • Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother
  • James, son of Zebedee
  • John, James’ brother
  • Philip
  • Bartholomew
  • Thomas
  • Matthew
  • James
  • Thaddeus
  • Simon the zealot
  • Matthias
  • Mary
  • Paul
  • Stephen
  • Barnabas
  • Mark
  • Luke
  • Philip
  • Procorus
  • Nicanor
  • Timon
  • Parmenas
  • Nicolas
  • Lydia
  • Priscilla
  • Aquilas
  • Phoebe
  • And many, many more!

Notice there are even women listed! If we dug through the Old Testament we would find more women, such as Ruth, Esther, and Deborah, to name but a few.

We need to also remember history since the end of the First Century, those who have carried the Church forward:

  • Augustine
  • Eusebius
  • Tertullian
  • Jerome
  • Origen
  • Pelagius
  • Francis of Assisi
  • Martin Luther
  • John Calvin
  • Loyola
  • Joan of Arc
  • John Wesley
  • C.S. Lewis
  • Martin Luther King, Jr.
  • Mother Teresa
Just to name a very few.
We need to remember these names and so many others for the work they have done to push the Gospel further into the world, deeper into our hearts, and on into the future until the return of our Lord.
Church history is important. We need to know about the ancient past, the past 2000 years, and recent leaders. We need to know why so many things are important.
Too much of recent Church history was resolved in the first few hundred years of Church history, but we have turned our backs on these giants of the faith.
Many recent Church problems have arisen largely due to an ignorance of what has come before.
Some of the time our ignorance of what has been discussed leads to problems.
Some of the time our ignorance of what has been done and why leads to problems.
Most of the time our ignorance of each other leads to problems.
Every time our ignorance of God leads to problems.
We get so focused on our differences that we lose focus of what has come before and who God is.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
Hebrews 12:1-8

2012
11/13
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Holidays
Remember
Veterans' Day/Remembrance Day
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Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 11/11/2012

Forgiveness is a sticky issue. For many on this particular day, Veterans Day (US), it can be hard. Asking someone to forgive those who have sent loved ones into harms way or those who raised/created a weapon that killed a loved one is hard.

We also seem to find it hard to forgive those who have lied to us, stolen from us, cut us off in traffic, or take too long at the grocery check out.

As is often said in Proverbs, it is all because of pride. (Speaking of which, do not forget about Proverbial Thought!)

seeking forgiveness

i sought forgiveness from You
now i must humble myself more
and seek forgiveness from others
then as i seek more forgiveness
i must also turn and forgive
as i learn how to forgive
it is because of forgiveness
the forgiveness of the others
and becoming more humble
as i seek forgiveness from You

thank You

my Lord

Taken from deeper words for God from a simple man of God by daniel m  klem, page 195.

2012
11/11
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Forgiveness
Poetry
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Reblog: Christian, Is Your HOPE in Political CHANGE?

I think Jason hit the nail on the head with this one. I know I for one have been frustrated with many brothers and sisters in Christ, so it helps knowing I am not alone!

Perhaps you feel the same. Perhaps you will feel convicted by this. In any event, this is a word of wisdom through Jason.

Christian, Is Your HOPE In Political CHANGE?

Last night I thought Twitter and Facebook were going to literally explode. I watched the election results like many Americans.  Personally, I voted differently than the results played out last night.  I was disappointed.

I was also disheartened.  I wasn’t disheartened by Barack Obama winning (I voted for Romney).  I wasn’t disheartened by the legalization of marijuana in Washington and Colorado (I think this is a big mistake for those states).  I wasn’t disheartened that Maine and Maryland voted to approve gay marriage (Although, I was deeply grieved that traditional marriage was dealt such a big blow).

Can I tell you why I was disheartened?  Believers in Jesus were despairing.

Continue reading here.

2012
11/07
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Governement
Jesus
Reblog
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Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 11/04/2012

Two things:

a) Are you in a place where you need to set your clocks back an hour? Today is that day, my friends!
2) Do not forget to find some wisdom over at Proverbial Thought!

There is a constant struggle we endure, or at least that we should endure. A problem with many in the Church today is that they either never inspect their lives or do not go deep enough.

Where is your heart?

Are you more concerned with what the world thinks, or are you more concerned with what God thinks?

is my heart right

I cry out,

“Lord!”

“Lord!”

But is my heart right?

Am I going to be with You,

Or are You going to say

“I never knew you!”

O, my Lord,

Redeem my spirit from the pit.

Redeem my spirit from myself!

Teach my heart to seek You.

Teach my soul to yearn for You.

Lord,

Do not let me walk that broad path,

Thinking I am on the narrow path,

Just because I am calling You Lord.

Do not forget me.

Keep me from following my self.

Help me to always listen.

Thank You for Your Love.

Taken from deeper words for God from a simple man of God by daniel m  klem, page 186.

2012
11/04
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Die daily
Poetry
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Reblog: Give Us A King … er, President – Church of No People

I read this from Matt Appling’s blog, The Church of No People.

It was so good I had to send it along. Head on over to read the rest!

 

Give Us a King…er, President

November 2, 2012

 

Just one more weekend to go…white-house-south-2007-dj

…Many of us have rested many hopes on the shoulders of one man or the other.

We assure ourselves that if only the right man is elected, then our troubles will be erased:

We will have more money.

We will enjoy more opportunities.

We will be safer and more secure.

We will be happier.

Catch the rest at The Church of No People …

2012
11/03
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Governement
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Back from the Dead: Back from the Dead – A Repost

As I said last week, I am taking a break from the blog to recuperate from much school, work (at a school!), and ministry. Here is a reminder that there is great wisdom to be found at Proverbial Thought. The post for today comes from November 1, 2011. It seemed a good idea for the holidays celebrated this week!

Back from the Dead

Today is All Saints Day, Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos, All Hallows, or Hallowmas. No matter what it is called, today is a day that celebrates those who have come before and moved on to the next life. No matter the history of today and Halloween (All Hallows Eve, the day before All Hallows/Hallowmas … think what Christmas Eve is to Christmas), there is a rich history all over the world of honoring or venerating the dead.

I will not get into whether or not it is okay or even good to do such things or celebrate holidays here. That is for later.

I want to discuss death.

The picture I have above is from the website zombiejesus.com, and it is definitely satirical but not theologically sound. They quote two verses from the Bible:

1) He came back from the dead Acts 2:24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him

2) He encourages zombie like behavior John 6:53 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have  no life in you”

As someone said elsewhere, “While precocious PKs (Pastor’s Kids) may try to pull off the Zombie Jesus costume, passionately asserting that Jesus did rise from the dead, a quick-witted parent will counter that He did NOT, however, rise from the UNdead.” The point: A zombie is the walking dead; Jesus defeated death. Zombies are in a state of perpetual death, never satisfied and never resting; Jesus was freed “from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him” and satisfies all our needs and gives us rest.

I have to point out that it should be “zombie-like,” with a hyphen. Other than nitpicking grammar, zombies do not drink blood. That is vampires. Therefore, they would have to include that Jesus is a Vampire. However, they are both undead creatures.

Ooh! There is a good point. These things are still creatures – CREATED THINGS! Jesus is not created, He is “begotten” or comes directly from God and IS GOD!

Moving on, I actually agree with this point for the humor-value (after fixing the small grammar issue), especially seeing as this very point is what kept many from becoming Christians in the first few centuries of the Church’s temporal existence. Though it is misguided, since we eat bread as Christ’s body and drink wine/juice/water as Christ’s blood.

Jesus is not a Zombie.

You might still here me (if you know me personally) occasionally refer to Christian Zombies, but it is slightly different (but only slightly).

Also, do not worship the dead or pray to them in the sense that you expect them to actually help you. They might hear you ask them to speak to God on your behalf, but if they do hear prayers (pray essentially means “ask”) I must confess to not thinking it matters much (sorry Catholic friends and family, but I have a point). We have a mediator: Jesus Christ. As I said above, He is God and is our connection to God through the Holy Spirit.

2012
10/30
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All Saints Day/Dia de la Muerta
Death
Halloween
Holidays
Jesus
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Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 10/28/2012

Do not forget to get your daily dose of wisdom from Proverbial Thought.

Perhaps you have heard the saying “Freedom is never free.” As carriers of the gospel message, we share with others how the price was paid for our sins by Jesus Christ. Many times, we carriers also must pay a high price.

price to be paid

for goodness to spread
for Truth to be proclaimed
for love to be known
for God to be famed
there is a need
a price to be paid

a price for all of this
is paid frequently
though not as often
as there could be
the price to be paid
needs to be paid by you and me

the Name advances
by this special price
it is a price that
no one could deny
it is the ultimate love
that we lay down our lives

Taken from deeper words for God from a simple man of God by daniel m  klem, page 179.

2012
10/28
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Carry your cross
Death
Poetry
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Back from the Dead: Merciful Death – A Repost

As I work on finishing up my degree (especially Calculus, at the moment!), I need a break from some things. As you saw last week, I had a guest blogger, and there will be more in the future. For this week, I am taking us back to one of the more popular posts from my blog last year. I also found it fitting leading up to my birthday and All Hallows’ Eve next week! Feel free to comment and add to the discussion!

Merciful Death

Cross Walk 2008

Me doing the Cross Walk in 2008

If we honestly looked around our world, we could see plenty of good reasons why people would want to take their lives. Sad? Definitely.

Sorry to be gloomy and maybe even a bit sick, but what if they are on to something?

Sweet Death

I read an article recently in Christian Research Journal (Vol. 34, No. 2, 2011) titled “A Christian View of Human Nature“. The author, John S. Hammet, had this to say about death:

Moreover, may not the end of life in this world be a severe mercy from God? True, death entered the world as the punishment for sin, but a punishment that opened the door to mercy. For once humans had fallen and become like God in knowing, not just good, but now evil, God intervened: “He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and live forever” (Gen. 3:22). It was the mercy of God that established the limitation of life as a fallen human; as redeemed persons, we are welcomed to the tree of life (Rev. 22:3).

Not only could God have allowed death as a mercy to get away from the suffering we brought upon ourselves (and for the record, I am not making any arguments today about the afterlife for all people; this is just about this life), but He used death to defeat death!

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.

But:

Since the children have flesh and blood, [Jesus] too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

From the beginning, God showed us mercy through death. Even if you do not hold to Hammet’s take, here are some examples:

What do you think? Is death God once again showing His grace in the midst of our punishment?

2012
10/23
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Death
Gospel
Jesus
Love
Mercy
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Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 10/21/2012

[Your usual reminder to check out Proverbial Thought]

My wife and I had our first date at a church dedication ceremony, and we started our relationship by dedicating it to God. Good start, eh? (Yes.) We built our relationship for the next year and a half, and then we got married establishing a lifelong commitment. Now we are working on decorations and reinforcing our foundation and walls.

That is not the point, though. The real point is that God sets things apart in eternity, then builds and establishes them in their proper time.

Including us. This poem talks about me, but it is about each and every person who comes to God in faith.

daniel michael klem
Designed: Before Eternity Past – I think it was a Saturday
Constructed: October 26, 1983, 6:03 am – Wednesday
Established: January 9, 2000, 6:42 pm – Sunday

established date

thought of in eternity past
loved and thought of through all time
held in His arms until
the moment had become right
now created and moving
but merely existing
the big change to come
true life yet to begin
finally years after construction
the Truth gets inside
the real change beginning
to make things right
while it has taken time
to get from what was made
when Christ enters in
that is the established date

Taken from deeper words for God from a simple man of God by daniel m  klem, page 177.

2012
10/21
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Born Again
Poetry
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Weekend Words & Sunday Stanzas – 10/14/2012

Life is not always easy. In fact, for Christians at least, we are promised problems (John 16:33). We should accept that blessing, even when it is hard and a struggle to get through. (This also qualifies as a “stupid prayer”.)

the only way to move

i want to go where You want me
i want to be where You send me
help me get there quickly
keep me struggling through things
so that i always seek You
it is the only way to move

Taken from deeper words for God from a simple man of God by daniel m  klem, page 175.

2012
10/14
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