tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88399783124391295982012-02-16T23:53:57.695-05:00Sin begets sin and we will prove ourselves wrong when we believe we cannot devour ourselves.David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.comBlogger421100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-86354398202329751632007-07-31T10:46:00.000-04:002007-07-31T11:06:14.999-04:00

I know I haven't blogged much in the past couple of months... but this one hits too close to home to ignore.Many of you probably listen to Christian radio stations, because you like the music, content, message and it just puts you in a better mood. Thank God we live in a free country where our views can be freely aired. Thank God we live in a free economy where Christian broadcasters can open up

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-78631385016552550042007-05-30T12:23:00.000-04:002007-05-30T12:24:58.606-04:00

Several years ago, Lina Joy filled out a government form to receive her identification card. There were fields on the card such as name, address, height and religion. Yes. You heard me right. Lina had to put her religion on an identification card. She wrote in Islam. They printed it on her card.Then she became a Christian.For the past six years, Lina has been fighting the government of Malaysia

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-75304564962178819432007-05-23T22:57:00.000-04:002007-05-23T23:23:44.452-04:00

Praise God!It is looking as though the Dalit believers in India may finally be given their chance to take part in normal Indian society.As a brief recap:Dalits are the lowest strata of the caste system. This basically means they are excluded from normal human privileges and treated lower than animals by those in other castes ("upper castes"). It is injustice, pure and simple - coercion of the

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-65483044062115462982007-05-17T19:12:00.000-04:002007-05-17T19:23:59.244-04:00

Rev. Nguyen Thanh, from Vietnam, spoke to Congress. He mentioned the filth of the prisons that prisoners of conscience in Vietnam are required to endure. He spoke of the gross human rights violations in Vietnam ranging from the sale of underage girls to prostitution rings, to the arrest and imprisonment of anybody claiming any religion other than atheism (including Buddhism and Christianity),

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-54867956333197488742007-05-14T20:36:00.000-04:002007-05-14T21:55:09.366-04:00

"It is not a human right to stare, not fight, while broken nations dream. Open up our eyes so blind, that we might find the mercy for the need."- Hillsong, from the song "Solution" (on the upcoming album All of the Above)It is said of the German civilians during WWII, that they were willfully ignorant regarding the concentration camps. They were aware of the camps, but supressed the truth and

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-2944536467730719862007-05-11T16:44:00.000-04:002007-05-11T17:39:33.241-04:00

Adherents.com estimates that 19 million people in the world profess Juche (pronounced "joo-cheh"), making it the number 10 most adhered-to world religion - two spots up from Judaism. Ever heard of it? Me neither, until I read an article about it on International Christian Concern's website.It appears that Juche's main tenet is that "man is the master of everything and decides everything". Frankly

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-3861944214424958462007-05-07T13:15:00.000-04:002007-05-08T00:28:55.822-04:00

It's 9:00 in the morning on a Sunday as you pull up to the church. You walk in anticipating the fellowship and worship you've grown to know and love. A little under a year ago, you started attending after a friend of yours showed you the gift Christ brought us. You came into community and began to learn to love others. The sweetness of Christian fellowship now surrounds you as you're building

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-4331775017665886752007-05-05T18:01:00.000-04:002007-05-05T18:50:43.592-04:00

There was a recent story on persecution.org about three Turkish believers (here) who were murdered and killed for the sake of Christ. I received an email recently that that I felt I needed to share. This was written from a Christian who was at the funeral. It's very touching. If you haven't read my link to the actual story, please go there and read it before you read this. It sets the stage

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-38267821756534296772007-05-03T13:24:00.000-04:002007-05-03T15:20:30.378-04:00

I don't even know how to begin writing this, so I suppose I'll just have to say it. Four evangelists were killed last Friday in the Nuba Mountains in Sudan. Three of them were Sudanese, and one of them was Egyptian. At least five others were injured.At the moment, the details are unclear as to whether the motive of the killing was a religious one or a simple robbery.Please pray for the safety of

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-6081029014826967632007-05-01T09:33:00.000-04:002007-05-01T12:15:35.285-04:00

Most Psalms are not written for suburban Americans. That means they're not written for me.I've always taken an Americentric approach to Psalms. Psalms about enemies never made sense to me, because I don't have many, and those who might be aren't trying to kill me. Phrases like "strangers have risen against me" (Psalm 54:3) don't make sense to me, so I spiritualize the meaning, projecting my sin

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-69451272887757149992007-04-28T14:37:00.000-04:002007-04-28T15:36:01.114-04:00

Her name was Christianah Oluwatoyin Oluwasesin. She was stoned, beaten and burned to death on March 21, 2007 because she was said to have desecrated the Quran on account of the fact that she, a Christian, touched a Muslim student's bag that allegedly carried the book inside.Nobody actually knows if the Quran was actually in the bag or not.Please pray for our Nigerian brothers and sisters.The

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-66992458314662189812007-04-28T00:43:00.001-04:002007-04-28T00:43:48.654-04:00

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/06/eveningnews/main2658448.shtml

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-44444608814504391522007-04-27T10:26:00.000-04:002007-04-27T10:36:13.544-04:00

This is the meaning of the name "Joshua". And this is Joshua Zhi-Cheng Morton, born on April 24, 2007, on my 28th birthday to my brother and sister-in-law Daniel and Amanda. May he grow to be strong, honest and sharp. May he be a blessing to his family in his youth and to the world in his adulthood. May Christ grasp ahold of his life at a young age and never let him go. May he truly reflect the

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-33177556985221455212007-04-26T23:19:00.000-04:002007-04-27T00:04:09.332-04:00

I attended a dinner tonight at St. John the Divine Episcopal Church where Larry Martin, Senior Vice President of Education at International Justice Mission spoke on "Seek Justice, Rescue the Oppressed: Can I Really Do That?" It exceeded my expecatations, and I'm certain that in the future, I will probably be expounding a little more on this. His talk was quite insightful, incisive, truthful and

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-66083384599272995002007-04-24T08:18:00.000-04:002007-04-24T10:08:26.091-04:00

I love the Passion Conferences. In January, I had the privilege of being a "Phillips Arena Team" volunteer during the latest one. So many good things were done during the conference for so many good Christian causes, but my favorite part was the worship. David Crowder Band, Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin and Charlie Hall led the worship for the four days of the conference. Their music, combined with

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-83738839689184297452007-04-23T09:17:00.000-04:002007-04-23T09:33:34.628-04:00

Death always precedes resurrection.

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-52689529772163031902007-04-22T22:23:00.000-04:002007-04-23T08:32:01.921-04:00

I went to go see the movie Amazing Grace last night, and have, of course, come to the conclusion that William Wilberforce was bothered. It comes as no surprise that an activist of any type would be bothered. People who change the world are bothered. People who are not bothered do not change the world. That being said, I immediately started feeling somewhat stirred up to begin being bothered again

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-84128681787589273272007-04-11T23:02:00.000-04:002007-04-11T23:04:24.858-04:00

"I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor."-King David (1 Samuel 6:22)People used to fall flat on their faces in worship.Have you ever thought about that? They fell flat on their faces. They licked the earth. They groveled in dust for the sake of worship. When was the

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-48453172953854567182007-04-08T08:33:00.000-04:002007-04-08T08:33:39.667-04:00

"Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-71125648719464031542007-04-07T22:08:00.000-04:002007-04-07T22:11:47.451-04:00

I paid a deposit today.Here's a picture.I know. It's beautiful, isn't it?

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-16806077151864083612007-04-07T10:27:00.000-04:002007-04-07T10:55:22.567-04:00

To American Christians who complain that the government and American society is unusually oppressive towards Christians; to those who believe they are "standing up" for truth by blasting society for disliking and marginalizing American Christians:Be reminded of three things:1. Christ said we would be persecuted. (John 16:33)2. God is still sovereign and in control. (Romans 8:28)3. We are

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-73478885553945609952007-04-06T23:00:00.000-04:002007-04-06T23:01:05.126-04:00

http://www.crosswalk.com/spirituallife/men/11536448/

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-38110776126636186852007-04-04T20:58:00.000-04:002007-04-04T20:58:52.173-04:00

Recently I found an article on how to deal with anger. The article really misses the point, and it ticks me off!http://www.crosswalk.com/spirituallife/11530851/

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-20139151168632802932007-03-31T20:46:00.000-04:002007-03-31T21:33:57.166-04:00

"Rolling down the roadGoing no whereGuitar packed in the trunkSomewhere round mile marker 112Papa started hummin the funkI gotta jones in my bones before we knowWe were singing this melodyStop the car pulled out the guitarHalfway to New OrleansSaid take me homeTake me home"-Marc Broussard - Home"But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about.""-John 4:32 (esv).I've been up

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-50908496721532610312007-03-29T22:39:00.000-04:002007-03-29T23:19:26.573-04:00

"Where shall I go from your Spirit?Or where shall I flee from your presence?If I ascend to heaven, you are there!If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!If I take the wings of the morningand dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,even there your hand shall lead me,and your right hand shall hold me.If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me,and the light about me be night,"even the darkness

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-7411608900747100742007-03-27T22:06:00.000-04:002007-03-27T21:07:51.209-04:00

Don't believe me. Please don't.Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.- Acts 17:11Read the Bible. It's the only written fountain of perfect and flawless truth. I'm finding as I'm reading Scripture more and more, and am spending time in prayer

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-4608234614569137672007-03-25T18:04:00.000-04:002007-03-25T18:54:53.742-04:00

"If I were a rich man,Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.All day long I'd biddy biddy bum.If I were a wealthy man.I wouldn't have to work hard.Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.If I were a biddy biddy rich,Yidle-diddle-didle-didle man."-Fiddler on the RoofWARNING: PARANORMAL AND COMEDIC OVERTONES AHEADThe other day, I was at work and a developer friend of mine in

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-63284473558117180692007-03-09T07:26:00.000-05:002007-03-09T09:34:21.172-05:00

Two days ago, when I was at the bookstore, I found a book on the shelf entitled Sex and the Supremacy of Christ, which is edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor (Director of Theology and Executive Editor at Desiring God Ministries). I had heard part of John Piper's talk at Passion 2007 entitled "How to Deal With the Guilt of Sexual Failure for the Glory of Christ and His Global Cause". To those

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-25963688475098842712007-03-02T12:34:00.000-05:002007-03-02T13:20:33.146-05:00

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.-

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-21611541878781296742007-03-01T12:30:00.000-05:002007-03-01T13:08:45.902-05:00

Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."-Revelation 4:8Over the past week or so, I've been thinking alot about the book of Revelation. I was recently introduced to a teaching on the book that I haven't heard before,

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-81886290145099881542007-02-25T16:45:00.000-05:002007-02-25T17:22:39.513-05:00

When I was at church this morning, our pastor, Randy Pope, was speaking from the book of Daniel, chapter 3. For those of you unfamiliar with Daniel, that's the chapter where Nebuchadnezzar realizes his name is too long for a scantron, gets angry, and makes everyone he can bow down to a golden image. When Daniel's buddies Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Rack, Shack

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-66944518674611755042007-02-15T23:47:00.000-05:002007-02-16T00:05:27.288-05:00

Your favorite band will not save you.Your iPod will not save you.Your new computer will not save you.Your girlfriend will not save you.Your wife will not save you.Your best friend will not save you.Your pastor will not save you.Your job will not save you.Your convenience will not save you.Your house will not save you.Your car will not save you.Your beauty will not save you.Your intelligence will

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-22804129418954377872007-02-11T08:31:00.000-05:002007-02-11T09:16:55.795-05:00

Some things are worth too much to waste time in disbelief.No matter what, there is always stability in the storm. It doesn't matter if the storm is a blizzard, or a Texas rain where you can throw your arms and head up, open your mouth wide and just drink it all in. This is real life. There is a Rock that holds us.We are children, and we live in the house of One who cares more than we will ever

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-9148479310265695292007-02-10T06:55:00.000-05:002007-02-10T06:57:10.559-05:00

For some reason or other, I got twice the number of new visitors yesterday as I have had during the entirety of having my site up. Thanks to Misty at http://mistyhamel.blogspot.com for somehow finding me in the blogging universe.Be bothered.D

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-76992080921850926372007-02-09T07:32:00.000-05:002007-02-09T07:26:59.124-05:00

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart. May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace. May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-17112394240254254462007-02-07T07:04:00.000-05:002007-02-07T13:15:49.258-05:00

And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shackAnd you may find yourself in another part of the worldAnd you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobileAnd you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful WifeAnd you may ask yourself-well... how did I get here?-Talking Heads, "Once In A Lifetime"I posted a post not too long ago, a very short post, actually, called "be

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-54075798928751381522007-02-06T22:49:00.000-05:002007-02-07T00:06:10.291-05:00

Prayer is for a type "a" personality like you, because it reminds you that you are dependent on God no matter how successful and proactive you can be.Proactivity without purpose is pointless.Acting on a set of false assumptions will make you feel deceived.Making contact with the ball alot is one way to win, but not on a golf course.If you're going to give your life to a goal, better make sure

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-70018069987531153952007-02-03T13:05:00.000-05:002007-02-03T13:25:17.497-05:00

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-30149595695467696562007-01-31T22:59:00.000-05:002007-01-31T23:31:52.450-05:00

Sometimes, I get scared.Most of the time this happens because I'm not trusting in the promises of God. I often buy into the lie that God's best will never look appetizing, but will always take the form of broccoli, lettuce, and root canals; all good things, but nothing fun.I'm a little intense sometimes. Most people who know me, know this. A side effect is the feeling that in order to live a

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-37686366231828586652007-01-29T22:23:00.000-05:002007-02-01T07:31:47.910-05:00

About a week and a half ago, I began thinking. It started when I was standing in the blandly-colored break-room at my workplace, staring at the oh-so-happy-I'm-satisfied-but-could-still-come-back-for-more faces on the back of the Healthy Choice TV dinner I was cooking. The advertisement for some reason seemed to be marketing Healthy Choice dinners in the same way that Fancy Feast might be

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-60708917495916968152007-01-28T21:05:00.000-05:002007-01-28T21:09:27.891-05:00

Is He bothering you?Are you letting Him?

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8839978312439129598.post-81868607300751530572007-01-28T16:03:00.000-05:002007-01-28T20:44:28.951-05:00

So why do I call this page "Acceptions to the Rule"? It's pretty simple, really. I got to thinking the other day, after I offended a friend pretty badly, that I think I generally misunderstand what it means to be saved by the grace of God. How much grace is really a part of our daily experience, and how much of God's grace do we truly miss out on because we think ourselves a little too

David Mortonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04619192201221893142noreply@blogger.com0