Testing out a video blog
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Iced In on Sunday Night
I am sitting here with the TV on and it is very icy outside. We are currently in the middle of one bad ice storm here in Oklahoma. I am thankful that everyone here is OK but earlier this afternoon we were out going to lunch. The highway was fairly clear and traffic was doing pretty good. Well just as we were nearing our exit a car switched lanes and lost control right in front of us and began to spin out. I thought for sure we were going to hit them becasue they ended up facing us in our lane. I quickly put my soot on the brake but did not slam it down so I wouldn't lose control.
I was thinking this was going to be a bad wreck but suddenly they slid into the emergency lane and bumped into the retainer wall. Their hit was not too hard but as we passed them I was praying for their safety and thanking God for ours. I honestly believe they were not hurt other than being scared out of their wits. In the rear view mirror I saw them continue to drift into the center of the highway and come to a stop. Other cars were behind me but it looked as if they had plenty of time to avoid the out of control car.
Once we exited the highway we parked at the restaurant and prayed and thanked God for keeping us all safe. It was a shaky and scary incident but I am truly grateful for our safety. I give all glory and praise to God.
Thank you Jesus for the safety of those people who had the accident and the ssafety of my wife and youngest son.
I was thinking this was going to be a bad wreck but suddenly they slid into the emergency lane and bumped into the retainer wall. Their hit was not too hard but as we passed them I was praying for their safety and thanking God for ours. I honestly believe they were not hurt other than being scared out of their wits. In the rear view mirror I saw them continue to drift into the center of the highway and come to a stop. Other cars were behind me but it looked as if they had plenty of time to avoid the out of control car.
Once we exited the highway we parked at the restaurant and prayed and thanked God for keeping us all safe. It was a shaky and scary incident but I am truly grateful for our safety. I give all glory and praise to God.
Thank you Jesus for the safety of those people who had the accident and the ssafety of my wife and youngest son.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
An Empty Christmas
Christmas is a wonderful time to reflect on many things. Family, friends, neighbors and those less fortunate. Even though the world makes it so commercial, Christmas is still my favorite time of the year. Early this morning I awoke and could not get right back to sleep. As a result of sleeplessness I decided to lay in bed and draw as I often do, it sometimes makes me sleepy. So I started sketching an idea for my annual Christmas card and as I was trying to work out the idea my thoughts started leading me to write some ideas for this blog.
The Story of an Empty Christmas
by Terry Banks Sr.
On Christmas morning a little boy sat by his Christmas tree with three open boxes in his hands and a puzzled look on his face. The little boy looked at his father and said, "Daddy, Santa made a mistake, these gifts are empty."
The boy's father smiled and replied gently, "Oh no son, it's not a mistake. Those gifts are the greatest gifts of all."
The little boy was completely puzzled now, "How can these empty boxes be the greatest gift of all?"
The dad knew that he had the boy's attention. So he picked up his son, still holding one of the empty gifts, and sat him in his lap and proceeded to explain. "You see son, you can't see these gifts with your own eyes or touch these gifts with your hands but they are the true gifts of Christmas.
The First empty gift is the empty manger in which Jesus was laid when he was born. That was the greatest gift man had ever known. It was the answer to the world's problems. This gift was peace on earth and good will towards men. This gift was the promise of God reuniting with mankind. This was God in the form of a man. But soon Jesus left the manger and became a man so he could fulfill God's word and he left us an EMPTY MANGER.
The second empty gift is the empty cross. The cross that crucified our Lord. Where he took upon the sins of the world and died in our place. This was the one single act that broke the power of sin over our lives. Jesus died for our sins, when it should have been us. But soon Jesus died, paying the ultimate price to fulfill God's word and he left us with an EMPTY CROSS.
The third empty gift is the empty grave. Three days after Jesus died he rose from the grave with the promise of eternal life to all that would believe on him. His resurrection was the fulfillement of the promise that death no longer has power over us and we can now live eternally with God. But soon Jesus left the grave to prepare heaven for us so he could fulfill God's word and he left us with an EMPTY GRAVE.
These three gifts are the true meaning of Christmas:
The Empty Manger - The Gift of Eternal hope and peace where God became man - The gift from God
The Empty Cross - The Gift of Attonement. Jesus' life was given in place of ours.
The Empty Grave - The Gift of Life and proof of redemption.
These three empty gifts that Jesus gave us can give us the fullest life we could ever know and that is the purpose of the empty gifts.
The little boy had a glow on his face as he snuggled in his father's lap but then a questioning look came upon his little face and he asked, "Daddy, I understand now about the gifts but what am I supposed to do with them now?"
The father smiled from ear to ear and said with a tear in his eye, "Simple son, give them away."
--I hope you experience a full Christmas this year. God bless you.
Copyright © 2007 Terry Banks, Sr. - Used by Permission
The Story of an Empty Christmas
by Terry Banks Sr.
On Christmas morning a little boy sat by his Christmas tree with three open boxes in his hands and a puzzled look on his face. The little boy looked at his father and said, "Daddy, Santa made a mistake, these gifts are empty."
The boy's father smiled and replied gently, "Oh no son, it's not a mistake. Those gifts are the greatest gifts of all."
The little boy was completely puzzled now, "How can these empty boxes be the greatest gift of all?"
The dad knew that he had the boy's attention. So he picked up his son, still holding one of the empty gifts, and sat him in his lap and proceeded to explain. "You see son, you can't see these gifts with your own eyes or touch these gifts with your hands but they are the true gifts of Christmas.
The First empty gift is the empty manger in which Jesus was laid when he was born. That was the greatest gift man had ever known. It was the answer to the world's problems. This gift was peace on earth and good will towards men. This gift was the promise of God reuniting with mankind. This was God in the form of a man. But soon Jesus left the manger and became a man so he could fulfill God's word and he left us an EMPTY MANGER.
The second empty gift is the empty cross. The cross that crucified our Lord. Where he took upon the sins of the world and died in our place. This was the one single act that broke the power of sin over our lives. Jesus died for our sins, when it should have been us. But soon Jesus died, paying the ultimate price to fulfill God's word and he left us with an EMPTY CROSS.
The third empty gift is the empty grave. Three days after Jesus died he rose from the grave with the promise of eternal life to all that would believe on him. His resurrection was the fulfillement of the promise that death no longer has power over us and we can now live eternally with God. But soon Jesus left the grave to prepare heaven for us so he could fulfill God's word and he left us with an EMPTY GRAVE.
These three gifts are the true meaning of Christmas:
The Empty Manger - The Gift of Eternal hope and peace where God became man - The gift from God
The Empty Cross - The Gift of Attonement. Jesus' life was given in place of ours.
The Empty Grave - The Gift of Life and proof of redemption.
These three empty gifts that Jesus gave us can give us the fullest life we could ever know and that is the purpose of the empty gifts.
The little boy had a glow on his face as he snuggled in his father's lap but then a questioning look came upon his little face and he asked, "Daddy, I understand now about the gifts but what am I supposed to do with them now?"
The father smiled from ear to ear and said with a tear in his eye, "Simple son, give them away."
--I hope you experience a full Christmas this year. God bless you.
Copyright © 2007 Terry Banks, Sr. - Used by Permission
Friday, December 7, 2007
Was Jesus a Socialist or a Capitalist?
Even typing it I almost vomit a little in my mouth. To associate Jesus with either term, Capitalist or Socialist makes me oddly ill. Would Jesus be a Republican or a Democrat? Again I think I am about to be sick. I hear arguments from Conservative Christians stating that "Jesus would be a Republican" and from the Progressive Christians making the claim that "Jesus would be a Liberal Democrat" and they give their argument for their positions. But they both smell.
Jesus did not call a political party to follow him, he called individuals. Jesus reached out to men and women regardless of their political positions, religious affiliations, or what country they lived in. He called us all to enter into His grace. I am very sick of people putting Jesus in their little box and telling me how Jesus would be. Jesus tells me how he would be in the word of God.
The Progressives say that Jesus' theology was "inclusive" and they are right...everyone has sinned and everyone CAN be saved through the blood of Jesus. Any homosexual, adulterer, Satanist, Muslim, Buddahist, B'Hai, Jew, Krishna, American, Russian, Iraqi, Afgani, EVERYBODY (otherwise known as SINNERS), can be saved by confessing with their mouth and believing in their heart that Jesus is Lord.
No the Conservative Christians do not have a monopoly on the truth of the Gosples, neither do any other religious organization, group or person. Jesus has the only monopoly on Truth and he is not selling franchises, he is giving them away.
Copyright © 2007 Terry Banks, Sr.
Jesus did not call a political party to follow him, he called individuals. Jesus reached out to men and women regardless of their political positions, religious affiliations, or what country they lived in. He called us all to enter into His grace. I am very sick of people putting Jesus in their little box and telling me how Jesus would be. Jesus tells me how he would be in the word of God.
The Progressives say that Jesus' theology was "inclusive" and they are right...everyone has sinned and everyone CAN be saved through the blood of Jesus. Any homosexual, adulterer, Satanist, Muslim, Buddahist, B'Hai, Jew, Krishna, American, Russian, Iraqi, Afgani, EVERYBODY (otherwise known as SINNERS), can be saved by confessing with their mouth and believing in their heart that Jesus is Lord.
No the Conservative Christians do not have a monopoly on the truth of the Gosples, neither do any other religious organization, group or person. Jesus has the only monopoly on Truth and he is not selling franchises, he is giving them away.
Copyright © 2007 Terry Banks, Sr.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Forgetting Who We Are.
You know, I find that I am frequently forgetting who I am in Christ Jesus. I find it very easy to get wrapped up in the cares of this world and I forget that this is not my permanent home. It is real easy to let the job wear you down and just think about work or chasing the next dollar that will pay the bills.
It is just as easy to get wrapped up in the delicate family mechanisms that we all face. The kids, their school work, their after school routines, their programs, sports events, etc. We also face many trials daily because we have to deal with each other. Personality clashes, issue of self-esteem, wrong attitudes, and other inner and external turmoils affect us everyday.
God has always been a major part of my life since I was a child. I was one of the oddballs in my church youth group that really liked talking about God and the things of the Lord while the others talked about dating and activities. So it does baffle me how easy it is sometimes to get my eyes off the prize of the high calling. Oh, I realize that we all go through things and we have to give mind to our duties and our responsibilities. It just boggles me at how we quick we can move from one task in our life to the next and not even think about God.
To be honest it is just downright disturbing.
I also know these things sometimes raise their heads in our lives to get our minds off of the Lord. If we are vigilant and listening to the Holy Spirit we can recognize when that is happening. When we see this pattern of interference I believe it is an opportunity for us to look and see where we can interject a thought of God.
When we feel the tug of the everyday tasks weighing us down we need to look carefully because I strongly believe there is an open oppotunity to focus on God and what he wants in our life.
--More later
Copyright © 2007 Terry Banks, Sr.
It is just as easy to get wrapped up in the delicate family mechanisms that we all face. The kids, their school work, their after school routines, their programs, sports events, etc. We also face many trials daily because we have to deal with each other. Personality clashes, issue of self-esteem, wrong attitudes, and other inner and external turmoils affect us everyday.
God has always been a major part of my life since I was a child. I was one of the oddballs in my church youth group that really liked talking about God and the things of the Lord while the others talked about dating and activities. So it does baffle me how easy it is sometimes to get my eyes off the prize of the high calling. Oh, I realize that we all go through things and we have to give mind to our duties and our responsibilities. It just boggles me at how we quick we can move from one task in our life to the next and not even think about God.
To be honest it is just downright disturbing.
I also know these things sometimes raise their heads in our lives to get our minds off of the Lord. If we are vigilant and listening to the Holy Spirit we can recognize when that is happening. When we see this pattern of interference I believe it is an opportunity for us to look and see where we can interject a thought of God.
When we feel the tug of the everyday tasks weighing us down we need to look carefully because I strongly believe there is an open oppotunity to focus on God and what he wants in our life.
--More later
Copyright © 2007 Terry Banks, Sr.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
FREEDOM Through Christ
We, the redeemed of the Lord say so. We are FREE. We have been set FREE from sin. We are FREE. Now let that FREEDOM become contagious. Let us show that FREEDOM to each other and to the world. Jesus gave us liberty when he died and rose again. No matter what man does we are FREE through Christ.
They can take your life, they can lock you away but they can never take away the FREEDOM that Christ has given you. The chains of sin no longer hold us and can no longer condemn us to hell. We are FREE. LET THAT FREEDOM RING. Share you FREEDOM with someone else. Don't keep Jesus captive -- let him FREE!
FREE JESUS!
Copyright © 2007 Terry Banks, Sr.
They can take your life, they can lock you away but they can never take away the FREEDOM that Christ has given you. The chains of sin no longer hold us and can no longer condemn us to hell. We are FREE. LET THAT FREEDOM RING. Share you FREEDOM with someone else. Don't keep Jesus captive -- let him FREE!
FREE JESUS!
Copyright © 2007 Terry Banks, Sr.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
The Cost of Christianity
A comment on a previous blog of mine by "anthony" said:
"Seeking the kingdom of Christ is and has always has been free. The real cost comes in serving Christ. I will pay for it everyday. But it is a cost I will gladly pay Jesus said any man that puts his hand on the plow and look back is not fit for the kingdom of God. I understand the issues of pastors making unreal amounts of money. I don't serve those men. I serve God and that is the important part. God will judge those men by their actions just as he will judge me by mine."
I agree. We are NOT supposed to "serve" man and that is, I believe, the focal point of my whole blog. Too many of us serve the pastors and ministers of these MEGA ministries. We feed their ministry machine serving our own greed. This is wrong. We need to follow Christ, serve Christ, everything we do should be for Christ not for men. We slip into Idolatry when we "worship" these ministers this way.
Copyright © 2007 Terry Banks, Sr.
"Seeking the kingdom of Christ is and has always has been free. The real cost comes in serving Christ. I will pay for it everyday. But it is a cost I will gladly pay Jesus said any man that puts his hand on the plow and look back is not fit for the kingdom of God. I understand the issues of pastors making unreal amounts of money. I don't serve those men. I serve God and that is the important part. God will judge those men by their actions just as he will judge me by mine."
I agree. We are NOT supposed to "serve" man and that is, I believe, the focal point of my whole blog. Too many of us serve the pastors and ministers of these MEGA ministries. We feed their ministry machine serving our own greed. This is wrong. We need to follow Christ, serve Christ, everything we do should be for Christ not for men. We slip into Idolatry when we "worship" these ministers this way.
Copyright © 2007 Terry Banks, Sr.
Friday, November 30, 2007
What's my deal?
I know that the rants and blogs I have been posting are very abrasive especially to ministers and preachers but it is intended to be. It is also intended to be abrasive to the Body. A minister that preaches something wrong could have just made a simple mistake or they may have intentionally led people astray, but either way it is OUR responsibility to study God's word and know the difference between God's voice and man's voice.
I may appear bitter, and maybe I am just a little. I have been personally screwed over by preachers before (it just proves their human). I have been taught wrong doctrine and philosophies by several teachers and I'm mad. Mad at myself. I trusted what they said and I'm mad that I didn't know enough of God's word to tell when they were pulling the wool over my eyes and mad that I didn't study what they taught closely enough to see their error.
So, What's my deal? I want these blogs to be a call to action. A call for Christians to study the word of God closely so we won't be decieved by men and women who preach wrong doctrine. Televangalists that teach "if you're not financially prosperous, you're not in the will of God." Preachers that tell women that "to make it to heaven you are going to have to have sex with me". It is horrible that some of the bigger ministries and ministers teach these things but what's even more horrible is the Christians who feed into these false doctrines. We are truly sheep. The Bible warns us -- be careful about any man or angel preaching any other gosple.
I want these blogs to be a reminder that it is our responsibility to seek the face of God. We must seek our own salvation with fear and trembling. We must start being accountable for what we know. We must also demand that our ministers be accountable. They are not superhumans and they will make mistakes, but stand-up and face their mistakes. Don't hide behind tradition and position.
I strongly want these blogs to be a voice crying in the midst of the congregation that we offer JESUS FREELY to the whole world. I want this blog to be a voice crying in the world and JESUS is FREE, and through JESUS they can be FREE, come as you are and accept this gift from Christ.
My cry from now on will be FREE JESUS!
Copyright © 2007 Terry Banks, Sr.
I may appear bitter, and maybe I am just a little. I have been personally screwed over by preachers before (it just proves their human). I have been taught wrong doctrine and philosophies by several teachers and I'm mad. Mad at myself. I trusted what they said and I'm mad that I didn't know enough of God's word to tell when they were pulling the wool over my eyes and mad that I didn't study what they taught closely enough to see their error.
So, What's my deal? I want these blogs to be a call to action. A call for Christians to study the word of God closely so we won't be decieved by men and women who preach wrong doctrine. Televangalists that teach "if you're not financially prosperous, you're not in the will of God." Preachers that tell women that "to make it to heaven you are going to have to have sex with me". It is horrible that some of the bigger ministries and ministers teach these things but what's even more horrible is the Christians who feed into these false doctrines. We are truly sheep. The Bible warns us -- be careful about any man or angel preaching any other gosple.
I want these blogs to be a reminder that it is our responsibility to seek the face of God. We must seek our own salvation with fear and trembling. We must start being accountable for what we know. We must also demand that our ministers be accountable. They are not superhumans and they will make mistakes, but stand-up and face their mistakes. Don't hide behind tradition and position.
I strongly want these blogs to be a voice crying in the midst of the congregation that we offer JESUS FREELY to the whole world. I want this blog to be a voice crying in the world and JESUS is FREE, and through JESUS they can be FREE, come as you are and accept this gift from Christ.
My cry from now on will be FREE JESUS!
Copyright © 2007 Terry Banks, Sr.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
What kind of Christian am I?
This is a question I have been skating around lately not really wanting to address it but I find that I must. For some time now, I have been criticizing the "Body". Even though I try to point the same finger at myself as I do at them I still question myself, "What kind of Christian am I?" (A question we should all ask, all the time.)
Let's face it, I know that I am the scum of the earth, not worthy to taste the dust raised from Jesus walking by. I know that my righteousness is "Filthy Rags" and I also know that I cannot point an accusatory finger at anybody. But this boiling raged within my spirit concerning what is happening in the Chruch these days.
Are we just supposed to sit by and let wrong done in the name of God prevail and represent us? Even if we are no great saint. What is our responsibility? What examples did God give us of for this type of situation?
Too many times we abdicate our responsibility to the preachers we sit under. We expect them to do our studying for us. We expect them to hear from God and let us know what God said instead of listening for ourselves. We want the preachers to be the great theologians but we won't even crack a Bible open. (Yes, I am speaking of myself as well.) Instead we want to bicker over trivial doctrine matters that often makes us impotent as servants.
God commands us to seek OUR OWN salvation with fear and trembling. The preachers did not do the work calvary, Christ did. The ministers did not raise from the grave three days later, Christ did. The fact is, the ministers are in the same net that we are, caught up by the love of Christ. Don't get me wrong...ministers and preachers are annointed to be in their position. But that does not make them infalable nor does it give them a license to sin.
We must pray for the pastors and ministers. Because of their position they are under extreme attacks by the enemy. We must be watchful over them and carefully study their messages. It is our responsibility to learn the Word of God so we will know the difference in God's voice and the voice of a minister that has made a mistake. (Ministers are human and they even make mistakes in what they preach from time-to-time.)
Does that mean they are not men and women of God? Absolutely not! It means that they are just as human as you and I. It also means that if they can make mistakes we had better know how to catch the mistakes and how to deal with them. How do we do that? Study the Word of God, listen to the Holy Spirit and pray for our leaders.
So again I ask, "What kind of Christian am I?" I would pray that I am one that is working to be a better Christian.
--More Later
Copyright © 2007 Terry Banks, Sr.
Let's face it, I know that I am the scum of the earth, not worthy to taste the dust raised from Jesus walking by. I know that my righteousness is "Filthy Rags" and I also know that I cannot point an accusatory finger at anybody. But this boiling raged within my spirit concerning what is happening in the Chruch these days.
Are we just supposed to sit by and let wrong done in the name of God prevail and represent us? Even if we are no great saint. What is our responsibility? What examples did God give us of for this type of situation?
Too many times we abdicate our responsibility to the preachers we sit under. We expect them to do our studying for us. We expect them to hear from God and let us know what God said instead of listening for ourselves. We want the preachers to be the great theologians but we won't even crack a Bible open. (Yes, I am speaking of myself as well.) Instead we want to bicker over trivial doctrine matters that often makes us impotent as servants.
God commands us to seek OUR OWN salvation with fear and trembling. The preachers did not do the work calvary, Christ did. The ministers did not raise from the grave three days later, Christ did. The fact is, the ministers are in the same net that we are, caught up by the love of Christ. Don't get me wrong...ministers and preachers are annointed to be in their position. But that does not make them infalable nor does it give them a license to sin.
We must pray for the pastors and ministers. Because of their position they are under extreme attacks by the enemy. We must be watchful over them and carefully study their messages. It is our responsibility to learn the Word of God so we will know the difference in God's voice and the voice of a minister that has made a mistake. (Ministers are human and they even make mistakes in what they preach from time-to-time.)
Does that mean they are not men and women of God? Absolutely not! It means that they are just as human as you and I. It also means that if they can make mistakes we had better know how to catch the mistakes and how to deal with them. How do we do that? Study the Word of God, listen to the Holy Spirit and pray for our leaders.
So again I ask, "What kind of Christian am I?" I would pray that I am one that is working to be a better Christian.
--More Later
Copyright © 2007 Terry Banks, Sr.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
FREE JESUS!
The Body of Christ should be screaming FREE JESUS!!!
The salvation wrought by Christ on the cross is a free gift that no man may sell. The church has allowed itself to be fooled into wrong teachings by greedy men and women whose self-interest has taken over their proclaimed mission.
Recently, many major ministries have come under scrutiny because of the lavish lifestyle of their pastors and leaders. They live like pagan kings while begging for more money to promote the gosple. They promote family values while committing adultery and fornication. They promote ministering to the poor while they take massive salaries.
They promote greed by telling people that you are not in God's will unless you are not financially prosporous. They disciple people to the "Gosple of the Dollar". What's worse is that people are so greedy that they give in to this type of teaching. We must break free from this form of bondage. We must scream FREE JESUS! FREE JESUS! FREE JESUS!
Copyright © 2007 Terry Banks, Sr.
The salvation wrought by Christ on the cross is a free gift that no man may sell. The church has allowed itself to be fooled into wrong teachings by greedy men and women whose self-interest has taken over their proclaimed mission.
Recently, many major ministries have come under scrutiny because of the lavish lifestyle of their pastors and leaders. They live like pagan kings while begging for more money to promote the gosple. They promote family values while committing adultery and fornication. They promote ministering to the poor while they take massive salaries.
They promote greed by telling people that you are not in God's will unless you are not financially prosporous. They disciple people to the "Gosple of the Dollar". What's worse is that people are so greedy that they give in to this type of teaching. We must break free from this form of bondage. We must scream FREE JESUS! FREE JESUS! FREE JESUS!
Copyright © 2007 Terry Banks, Sr.
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