Burky's Blog

Sunday, October 26, I was on way home from Bloomsburg University and passed Mohler Church of the Brethern.  Their sign said, "Life have many choices, but eternity have only two."  I thought about that for a while, and beg to differ.  Too many life choices are really part of two choices.  If anyone would be open-minded and self-forgetting, they would arrive to the fact that THERE ARE moral absolutes and there are no such a thing like alternative lifestyle.

Few miles later, I crossed the Ridge Avenue crossroad on East Mohler Church Road.  That moment, right on 10:05 pm, my car's odometer flipped to 70,000 miles.  Wow.  A long way from 11k miles when I first got it back in 2005.

Now it is November 3.  For many, it is quite a apprehension to wait for voting Tuesday.  I admitted I am one of them, but at the same time I have to remind myself that God have always taken a good care of His own, so why should I worry?  Thank God, that I am growing richly in God's grace, that I can live without fear in any form, except the reverential fear of God.

We are to guard our salvation with fear and trembling.

Not much new.  I have been working from 6:30 to 5, Monday to Friday.  Then in the evenings, I would be reading different things on Internet.  I have been reading www.americannightmare.org lately.  Much of it make sense, but I am not buying into everything that website talked about.  At first, I worry, but now I realize that it could happened years later.  In fact, I have went across many prophecies that many details DID happened, but the last part it didn't.  Talk about destorying America by fire before George Bush leave the office!  I am doubtful about that one.  I believe God is same God that destroyed Sodom and Gomorroh, and it is clear that He will not destroy if there are only 10 righteous people.  There are too many Christians in America today, although I would agree that not many are intensely related with Jesus in a holy way.  Too many Christians I have met is LEGALISTIC!

Yesterday, Rachel Raber, Helen Reimer, Leon and Amy Hoover, and I went to Lighthouse Christian Center in Reading.  I went, expecting a spiritual food.  It turned out that they started to pray for the touch of God.  The people went to the altar.  They look like they are cold by their chattering mouth, but they claim to be filled with Holy Spirit.  I didn't get involved; I am more as a bystander.  So are we all. 

Until they start crowding around us and start laying hands on us, we felt very uncomfortable.  The deaf man, K.R., beg us to come up front to receive Holy Spirit.  I told him that I have Jesus in my heart, and I felt fine.  I felt I have peace with God.  They ask me, "Don't you want more?!"  I told them about 1 Corinthians 12 where it teaches about different gifts and not everyone speak in tongues.  One thing I noticed about them they keep referring to Acts.  I told them why are they "stuck" on the book of Acts.  Why not the WHOLE BIBLE?!

K.R. say they follow the whole Bible.  I ask them what about 1 Corinthians 11 where it teaches about woman having a long hair and covering.  They say woman must have a long hair, and I say men have hair too.  Yes, woman are to have a long hair and men are to have short hair.  Then other man, I forget his name, talks about John 3:5 where Jesus told Nicodemus that unless a man is born of water and of Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven.  That verse threw me off.

That point, Leon, Amy, and Helen left the church.  I left eventually and Rachel followed me.  Besides, people are milling around, so it looks like some people are leaving.

After everyone left my home that evening, I watch bull riding on TV with Jay.  I still have plenty of time before sleeping to read my Bible.  I decided to study John 3 a bit.  I came across verse 17 and 18.  I believe in the name of Jesus, and that His blood washed away my sins.  I believe.  That is taken care of.

Now this Monday morning, I re-read the whole chapter.  I see verse 16 and 36 have similar concept.  Obviously, nothing can be stressed more.

I start thinking that I should study about receiving the Spirit.  And then I would write a letter and give it to K.R.  I want that letter to be so heavily laced with Bible references that he would have hard time arguing otherwise.  I want to show the WHOLE Bible, especially New Testament, is for TODAY!  No pet theories, interpretations, or doctrines whatsoever!

What we all don't like about that church is they almost force us to receive Holy Spirit.  Perhaps they thought we are very stubborn, so they stressed farther.  My friends and I discussed that God NEVER use force on the believers.  He will force or PUNISH those who don't follow Him, but it is because they first choose His wrath.  If we choose Him, He will allow us to take our time and learn more and more about Him.  I told my friends that church is not plain, but they still have the same spirit that Amish, Mennonites, and Pharisees have.  Too much focus on other parts of the Bible, rather than on Jesus alone.  Jesus is the cornerstone of the Church, and NOTHING ELSE!  I have repeatedly noticed that when people urge us to think about other parts of the Bible rather than to think about Jesus (keeping our mind on Christ), they tend to be more legalistic, and they also tend to worry about sinning more.  They worry about following the LETTER of the Law rather than the SPIRIT behind the Law.

I couldn't help but recall the book, Secret of Their Strength.  The book mentions that Protestants boost of being "Sola Scriptura", which should give them edge than the Catholics.  Here it is Anabaptists that are more "Sola Scriptura" (Only Bible, Sole Scriptures) than any other religious group in their day.  I can see why, because I have experienced it these last two months.  Something about being so strong on focusing on Jesus ALONE and NOTHING ELSE tend to cause me to want to live the whole Bible, PERIOD!  It came almost effortlessly on my part.  What my effort is all about focusing on my relationship with Jesus alone, and everything else fall into place.

No wonder self-control is listed late into the list of the fruits of the Spirit.  It means it is not the most important, the primary focus, but because it is listed also means it is not the least important either.  The primary focus is LOVE.  If you think about it, you would need Love to make the following fruits work.

At work on Monday, I was reading the NIV Bible and I came across something VERY interesting.  I was reading 1 Corinthians 12 which clearly said that not everyone have the experience of speaking in tongues.  Then I read 1 Corinthians 14 where Paul wrote that he wish that we all would have that experience.  Now why did God leave THAT in the Book?!

Tuesday evening found me at Youth Bible School in Ephrata.  David Oberholtzer interpreted.  The message was about the tempature of the church.  Too many churches today just go with the flow.  Abortions, divorces, and homosexuality is tolerated by the culture is also tolerated by the church.  The True Church wouldn't allow any sin in its fold; they are THERMOSTATS.  They change the tempature around them, not tempature that accept and tells whatever arounds them is.

Before the service, I was talking with Rachel Raber.  I told her about Paul mentions that he wish we would all speak in tongues.  Her immediate respond was maybe that was just Paul speaking, not what God said.  I suddenly thought about Paul did write about that he wish all of us wouldn't be married, but if you are burned for one to other, then marry.  I was like, "HEY!"

I told her that I want to be careful in this theory of mine.  What I am seeing about speaking in tongues, prophesying, and headship veiling all have same attitube.  They are RECOMMENDATION, not the REQUIRMENT.  If you do or not do any of them, you are not in danger of hell.  Jesus is the ONLY way to heaven, and by HIM alone you are saved.

On Monday when I was reading the Bible, I started in 1 Corinthians 12 and read on into Ephesians and bit of Philippians.  I was startled that the whole book of Galatians are talking about what I am already stressing.  (Pinpoint that on Galatians 3:2)  The chapter 3 of Galatians stressed the importance of FAITH and relationship with the Divine, THEN the whole idea of abiding by the Bible.

After the service was over on Tuesday evening, I was telling Rachel that message was an echo of my thoughts in last few days.

I was reading Doctor Schultz's newsletter and what hits me is he mentions that your liver needs cleansing every so often to keep your health in peak.  Often, if we don't pay attention to our livers, we complain of frail health.  Then that match to my thoughts from my Bible-reading.  I was thinking about why did America start passing athestic laws?  I mean, back in 1963, they disallow praying in schools.  What brings that into being?  I was talking with my friend by VideoPhone about she wish the America would be back in 1950's.

I reminded her that women don't have as much rights back then as they do now.  She say yeah that is true, and she is glad for all the rights that she enjoy today.

After I made a comment like that, I begin to think....

When did women's rights movement start?  Did it happened before the women start cutting their hair?  Could it be the same spirit behind the bobbed hair as to trying to be equal to men?  Think about it, 16th century shows women wearing dresses.  When did it start that have women wearing dresses and men wearing pants?  And think about how long that idea last compared to women wearing pants.  Think about how women do wear dresses in Far East while men wear different styles, (more like slacks).  Then think about last 50 years.  What happened?  What make dresses go out of style?  It is still in style for prom and formal occasions, but for everyday life....well, you already know.

Today, we felt scandalized by the moral degenerancy of today's culture.  Homosexuality and crimes are on increase.  Even lack of respect to American government is strongly evident.

I strongly suspect that they are all the same spirit.  Women wants to be equal to men, just as much as Lucifer wants to be equal to God.  I never forgot two women told me  that they thought it would be nice if Hillary would become president, because it would make them feel that women can do anything.  I ask them is Hillary their role model?  They faltered, "No."  It is quite obvious that women like the the idea of being whatever they wanted to be (flesh) but down deep inside them they know they are not made for leadership (spirit).  It is true that there are many women who have strong leadership skills, but it would be benefitical in emboldening the weakening men, just like the story in Old Testment talks about a women prophet lead an army and God blessed and praised her.

Ok, this is Wednesday morning, and I am finishing up this LONG email.  Today, Jay and I are flying to Las Vegas to watch Professional Bull Riding.  I am going mostly out of love for Jay, as he couldn't find someone to go with him.  I agreed with him, because he agreed to pay for me and I can pay back later.  I agreed to this, because I never was in Neveda and it would be nice to add that state to my states that I have been in.  I think I have been in 30 states so far, but I am aiming for 50 states before my death, just like I told my Mom while a little tyke.  One thing, though, is what this decision cost me: I am missing out the fellowship at Youth Bible School.  It was certainly good to see all my old friends from yesteryears, especially those who I worked with while in Belize, those two evenings, Monday and Tuesday.

Until then, God bless.

--
Omar Burkholder