This just in...literally!

Just made it through a pretty large hailstorm. Well...let's just put it this way...I've never seen hail this size in my life. I guess I had a pretty cush cush life living in California, where everyday the weather was like Disneyland. Then I moved to Texas and everything changed. Tonight proved that everything is truly bigger in Texas and this storm produced golf ball (or a bit bigger) size hail.

It was a beautiful storm though. I love it when storms come--even if I am enjoying them from the window in my closet. Storms demonstrate the majesty and greatness of God Almighty--the God of the Bible. The God who made the earth and everything in it. The God who is sovereignly in control of all things, the God who is able to able to create the world in only 6 days. The God Who sent His Son to die for sinners so that sinners might be forgiven. The God who is rich in mercy. That's my God. I wish I could describe Him to you.Here's a close up and not as blurry.

"But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned again and hardened his heart, he and his servants." Exodus 9:34

To my atheist friends, please don't continue to harden your heart for another minute towards God Almighty. There is still time to repent and turn to the Living God--the one Who is able to give you everlasting life. The one Who is able to forgive your transgressions and make you as white as snow. "But there is forgiveness with You,That You may be feared. Psalm 130:4

Atheists post billboards around DFW

I've been receiving emails about this billboard and I hadn't read the short Associated Press article that was written about the billboard until my friend Jason emailed this morning. Here's a portion of the article. Pay close attention to the Chairman, I'll explain in a minute who he is:

DALLAS — A group of atheists has posted two billboards on busy North Texas highways to reassure those who don’t believe in God...They remain covered until a scheduled unveiling Monday. Metroplex Atheists Chairman Terry McDonald says the group isn’t trying to attract believers in God or convert them to atheism. "It’s to let those people who don’t believe know that they’re not alone and that there are a lot of groups that they can become involved in," he said. — The Associated Press

This is the billboard that will be uncovered:

My friend Jason emailed and asked me this morning, "didn't you witness to this group once? or the group leader?" Then I quickly scanned the article and sure enough it was Terry McDonald! I contacted Terry in 2007 and asked him if he wanted to be on The Way of the Master Radio to talk about atheism and Christianity. He gladly agreed. We met at the Southlake Town Square and He ended up on two segments of the program and heard a clear gospel presentation. In fact, if you go to http://www.fishwithtrish.com/, Terry is the 3rd picture (from the left) on my header. He's the gentleman with the beard in the green shirt.

I'm just glad that he heard the gospel!

And for all the atheists out there, we don't mind the least bit that you are posting these billboards because they provide a wonderful springboard to talk about spiritual things, Heaven and Hell, death and the afterlife, how one can be saved from God's wrath, etc.

Special thank you to all my atheist friends.

This just about says it all...

For all the dog lovers out there

Elevating Christ & the Mercy of God—Emilio Ramos

It brings me great joy to be able to share this short writing from my dear husband, Emilio Ramos (Teaching pastor at Sovereign Joy Community Church, Keller, TX). I hope you are encouraged by this as much as I was. Here's what Emilio writes:

I have been saturated in the virtue list of Galatians 5:22-25, these virtues stem from the fruit of the Spirit. Upon reflection I have noticed how many of these are mere reflections of God’s own character. Researching the kindness of God I came across its close relationship to God’s mercy. As I looked at how the mercy, kindness, and goodness of God were elevated and praised in the OT, I could not help but to make the consummate connection between Christ and all of this. God’s mercy is an inexpressible and unimaginable grace and gift of God.

God’s wrath is the greatest wrath. It is as Edward’s put it, “the wrath of a Being that is All Mighty”. One moment of reflection upon our own wickedness, one instant of retrospective thought toward our depravity and we should instantaneously see the mercy of God for what it is, exceedingly merciful.

In the word of God, mercy is a powerful thing. It shows us the nature of God. It shows what the world of men ought to be like. Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matthew 5:7). It helps us to see what we deserve in its place. Apart from the force field of God’s mercy we would be crushed into oblivion. Without God’s sustaining mercy toward us we would be ground to powder by the strength of His Justice and Wrath. God’s wrath is the greatest wrath. It is as Edward’s put it, “the wrath of a Being that is All Mighty”. Simply put, the mercy of God keeps us from utter destruction and eternal devastation. For this reason God’s mercy is exalted in the Word of God. It is spoken about from generation to generation. God’s mercy is acclaimed with praise because it is the cause of such great and everlasting joy. The Hebrew word for mercy is /hesed/, the NASB tends to translate this as “lovingkindness”.

One Psalm is sufficient to see just how precious this attribute of God has been to His people,

Psalm 136:
“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Give thanks to the God of gods, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

To Him who alone does great wonders, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

To Him who made the heavens with skill, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

To Him who spread out the earth above the waters, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

To Him who made the great lights, For His lovingkindness is everlasting:

The sun to rule by day, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

The moon and stars to rule by night, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

To Him who smote the Egyptians in their firstborn, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

And brought Israel out from their midst, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

With a strong hand and an outstretched arm, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

To Him who divided the Red Sea asunder, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

And made Israel pass through the midst of it, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

But He overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

To Him who led His people through the wilderness, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

To Him who smote great kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
And slew mighty kings, For His lovingkindness is everlasting:

Sihon, king of the Amorites, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

And Og, king of Bashan, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

And gave their land as a heritage, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

Even a heritage to Israel His servant, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Who remembered us in our low estate, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,

And has rescued us from our adversaries, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

Who gives food to all flesh, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Give thanks to the God of heaven, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

Yet if we have not elevated Christ and the mercy of God, we have not elevated mercy because Christ is our only access to the everlasting mercy of God. Indeed all of God’s spiritual graces are poured out upon us “IN CHRIST”. He is central. His is essential. He is preeminent in all things least of which is not the way in which we receive the mercy of God.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” - Ephesians 1:3

From this great all inclusive phrase i.e. “in Christ”, Paul now begins to tell us what we have as a result of being in Christ. Election, Sanctification, Predestination, Adoption, Redemption, Forgiveness, Knowledge, Inheritance, and Preservation. God no longer relates with us on the basis of our own merits, deeds, or lack there off. God now sees us through the lens of being in His Son, in Christ. God is kind to us by virtue of the fact that we no longer are seeking to have a righteousness of our own but we now have God’s own righteousness because we have been found in Christ and that by faith.

“so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” - Ephesians 2:7

“and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,” - Philippians 3:9

For this reason it is all in Christ. This is why Christ is right at the heart of it all. Based upon Christ’s merits, Christ’s righteousness, and God’s commitment to show His Son love, mercy, kindness, gentleness, patience, goodness and any other God emanating virtue we can conceive, we have these joy producing blessings “in Christ” and in Christ alone.

Solus Christus!

Pastor Emilio Ramos

Interesting Comments

The Murphy’s, said, “I am not a Christian. Yet,I am a follower of Jesus."

How can you not want to hold to the title “Christian”? Yet you say you are "a follower Christ". The two are one in the same. I like the verses that emram quoted to you: Acts 11.26; 26.28; 1 Pet. 4.16. Perhaps you should check these out.

The Murphy’s, said, “If I said I were a Christian you would think that I agree with Ray(and the many others), I have always had a problem with Ray and his methods.”

Ray isn’t perfect and I would have a problem with “his” methods too. But they aren’t “his methods”. Using the law in evangelism is biblical (Rom 3:19) and many wonderful men of old (Spurgeon, Whitefield, Wesley, Moody, Calvin, etc.) used the law. Ray isn’t coming up with something new. It’s old truth. Taken from the scriptures and used by men of old down through the ages. Not sure what your problem is. Perhaps it’s with the scriptures and not with Ray.

The Murphy’s said, “Though Ray would think I am not a Christian, I am sure, and that I am liberal one at that.”

Why would Ray not think you’re a Christian? Have you talked to him?

The Murphy’s said, “Here's my suggestion to "Christians" in talking to our fellow brothers and sisters in this blog called "unbelievers"”

Unbelievers are not our “brothers and sisters”. Not sure why you are using these terms. This is not how a Christian should be talking. No where in the Word of God do we see that unbelievers are called our “brothers and sisters”. You are either in Adam or you are in Christ. And those that are in Christ are our brethren.

The Murphy’s said, “3. Lose, lose this battle.Its ok, as you believe, God is really big.”

Not sure what you mean by this.

The Murphy’s said, “Last, if you believe God is really big, then why aren't you talking to "unbelievers" about their soul.”

Not sure why you keep using quotes around the word “unbelievers”. They are unbelievers. An atheist doesn’t believe in God. Let’s look at a basic definition taken off the web of the word “unbeliever”. 1. One who lacks belief or faith, especially in a particular religion; a nonbeliever. 2. Someone who denies the existence of god 3. A person who does not manifest devotion to a deity. And I’m not sure if you have read any of my past posts and comments, but the gospel (which is the best thing for anyone's soul) has been presented many times.

The Murphy’s said, “Their soul is yearning to hear something real and authentic, not lies, and gospel selling tactics.”

Again, I’m not sure if you’ve been reading any of my comments or other Christian’s comments here on this blog. But we are consistantly attempting to share the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ with the unbelievers. That's my concern. Listen to one of the latest comments directed from a believer to an atheist "I'll pray for you, I mean...I've been praying for you and I want you to commit to me that when you are converted you'll let me know or at least Trish know. I have been talking to God about you and so has Trish. I pray that He breaks in on your hearts and that you'll fall to your knees and cry out to Him for mercy. That's what I did. He broke in on my world when I was 19 yrs old and I've never been the same. All I know was I was blind and now I see." And I said this, "...we can only plead with you and say look into the mirror of the 10 commandments and see how you measure up. You are guilty. You need the only one who can present you blameless to God, namely...Christ!"

The Murphy's, what can be more “real” more “authentic” than that? The Murphy’s said, "I am not talking about pointing out all of their sins either"

We don't point out their sins. The 10 Commandments do. God’s Word does. When we use God’s law…it’s like a mirror that shows us our true state before a holy God. It shows us that we are dirty. That we have sinned and that we need to be washed with the blood of Christ. The Commandments point out my sins, your sins and the worlds sins. “Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:19. And the hope is that the sinner will see that they need the Savior (Jesus Christ) and that He is the only one that can wash the sinner clean. When you have G.E. (an atheist) saying that what you have said is “nice” there is a huge problem with your message. G.E. denies God. And more specifically…he denies the God of the bible. He has suppressed the truth in unrighteousness. He doesn’t believe the bible. It should concern you that in your post you have done the very thing that you say we aren’t doing. Where is your gospel presentation to all the atheists?

Matthew 6:19-21