|
Online Status:
|
Last On: Aug 4, 2009 - 1:28 PM
|
|
Profile Views:
|
4,624
|
|
Age / Gender:
|
29 / Male
|
|
Member Since:
|
March 11, 2007
|
|
Location:
|
Hazard, KY
|
|
ShoutLife Address:
|
shoutlife.com/Truth_Matters
|
|
Jesus Christ, the Bible, Truth, Family & Friends, Church Fellowship, Christian Apologetics, Music, Piano, Drums, Bass, Writing, Travel, Mountain Biking, Classic Video Games (the original Nintendo & Super Nintendo will never be topped!), Computers, Sweet Tea, Cookies (any!), Cracker Barrell, Little Debbie Snacks (she's definitely "My Girl"), and anything that involves good, clean fun (which is HIGHLY underrated these days).
|
|
Christian: Casting Crowns, Nichole Nordeman, MercyMe, Chris Rice, Jeremy Camp, Steven Curtis Chapman, Jars of Clay, Kutless, Third Day, Bryan Duncan, Natalie Grant, DC Talk, Israel Houghton, Cindy-Cruse Ratcliff, Amy Grant, Joy Williams, Barlow Girl, Chris Tomlin, Matthew West, Mark Schultz, Aaron Shust, Brandon Heath, Michael W. Smith, Salvador, Switchfoot, Leeland, John Waller, and others.
Secular: "Golden Oldies" of the 1950s; just about anything from the 1960s, especially MOTOWN, the Beach Boys (Brian Wilson in particular), and the Beatles (I like Paul's songs the best); a TON of music from the 1970s; some stuff from the 1980s (e.g., Phil Collins/Genesis, Kenny Loggins, Journey, Styx, Rush, Tears for Fears, Toto, etc.); Chicago (the original 1967-1977 group is my all-time favorite secular band); Peter Cetera; Michael McDonald (especially the Doobie Brother years); Paul McCartney (with or without Wings); Earth, Wind & Fire; America; CCR; the Eagles; Hall & Oates; Santana (early years); Steely Dan; Kansas; Elvis Presley (particularly his Gospel side); the Everly Brothers; Simon & Garfunkel; the music of John Williams, Henry Mancini, Holland/Dozier/Holland, Burt Bacharach, Duke Ellington, and Vince Guaraldi; Movie/TV/Video Game soundtracks; Jazz; Big Band; Classic Soul/R&B; Classic Rock; Latin; Classical; Brazilian; Celtic; some Country/Bluegrass (the Christian/Inspirational variety), and much more.
Basically, I love songs that send a good message, and I really appreciate good songwriting, musical ability (chops!), catchy melodies, and pretty harmonies. Music is unquestionably one of God's greatest gifts to humanity. I love it!
[Important Note: Not all secular music is bad. (For that matter, not everything slapped with a "Christian" label is good.) However, when listening to secular music, I think it is imperative that we use spiritual discernment, as we must do with all worldly things. We should always ask ourselves, "What message is this song sending me? Does this fit who I am in Christ? Do these lyrics contradict God's Word or conflict with the Truth in any way?" The same applies to any art form. Our enemy, the Deceiver, loves to use the entertainment industry to spread his destructive lies, and many of them are very subtle. For that reason, we must be very alert and ALWAYS depend on the Holy Spirit's judgment. As Christ promised, He will guide us into all Truth, but it is our responsibility to listen and obey.]
|
|
Aside from the Bible, of course, I enjoy books that speak the truth and lead me closer to the heart of Jesus. Anything by C.S. Lewis is phenomenal. I think Mere Christianity should be required reading for every human. Charles Spurgeon, Oswald Chambers, Francis Schaeffer, Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Wesley, Bunyan, and countless other saints never cease to inspire, encourage, edify, and challenge me.
I also love the work of Dr. Charles Stanley, Hank Hanegraaff, and Greg Koukl (outstanding modern teachers of the true Gospel), as well as Max Lucado's poignant, compassionate writings. More recently, LifeStories by Mark Hall (lead singer/songwriter of Casting Crowns) has greatly blessed me, and I highly recommend it. It's much more than a typical autobiography--it's a beautiful lesson in discipleship.
Oh, and I mustn't forget Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs & Ham. What a classic!
Honestly, I need to do a lot more reading. I have stacks of books I've not read yet, so I'm sure I will be adding more favorite books and authors to this list in the future.
|
|
Movies: The Passion of the Christ, The Nativity Story, Facing the Giants ("I'm preparing for rain!"), Flywheel, The Chronicles of Narnia, It's A Wonderful Life, the original Star Wars trilogy, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Indiana Jones trilogy, the Back to the Future trilogy, The Karate Kid trilogy (do you see a pattern developing here?), The Goonies ("Heeeey you guyyyys!), The Princess Bride ("Inconceivable!"), Ferris Bueller's Day Off, That Thing You Do, the Rocky films (inspiring!), Tombstone, Toy Soldiers, Jingle All the Way (ha ha!), Stand By Me, and others. I also enjoy most music-related films & documentaries (e.g., Mr. Holland's Opus, La Bamba, The Buddy Holly Story, Endless Harmony: The Beach Boys Story, The Temptations, Standing in the Shadows of Motown, The Glen Miller Story, and of course, That Thing You Do.)
TV: I seldom watch television these days, but I do enjoy American Idol and Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader. Oh, and Gospel Music Channel rocks!
When it comes to Retro TV, I love the cartoons and sitcoms of the 1980s (my decade!), including G.I. Joe, Masters of the Universe (He-man & She-Ra!), Thundercats, Transformers, M.A.S.K., C.O.P.S. (the cartoon!), Bravestarr, Bionic Six, Ghostbusters, Garfield, Heathcliff, old-school Nickelodeon (anyone else remember Pinwheel, Today's Special, Belle & Sebastian, Double Dare, or Hey Dude?!), Alvin & The Chipmunks, Dumbo's Circus, Welcome to Pooh Corner, DuckTales, Chip 'N Dale's Rescue Rangers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Bozo Show (weekday mornings on WGN!), Charles In Charge, The Cosby Show, ALF, Silver Spoons, Different Strokes, Family Ties, Punky Brewster, Growing Pains, The Wonder Years, and others.
For honesty's sake (and because it was a big part of my upbringing), I must admit that I was once a huge fan of professional wrestling--that is, until it degenerated into unwatchable, Shock TV garbage toward the late '90s. (Pray really hard for Vince McMahon, okay?)
The old "TGIF" ABC sitcoms were really fun as well, such as Full House, Family Matters (Urkel!), Perfect Strangers, and Step By Step. I might add that Early Edition (late '90s/early 2000's drama) was a fantastic show, although overlooked by many.
I can't forget to mention Saved By The Bell, dude! (It's so utterly cheesey that it's great!) California Dreams was a really good show as well. (A sitcom about a band was a really cool idea in my opinion, and I appreciate the fact that the actors actually sang and played their instruments.) I also used to love watching Nick At Nite, when it was mostly Black & White. (Remember when they used to show only classic TV shows? What's up with Roseanne and the like?!) The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, The Patty Duke Show, Mr. Ed, I Love Lucy, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Munsters, Happy Days, etc. were awesome! Speaking of classic television, I have loved Laurel & Hardy since I was a kid, as well as the Three Stooges (Curly's the best, but Shemp's cool, too).
Looney Tunes, The Pink Panther (the Ant and the Aardvark segments are hysterical!), Hanna Barbera, The Peanuts (Snoopy rocks!), Popeye, The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Classic Disney (the old Donald Duck, Goofy, and Mickey Mouse cartoons), and the various Rankin/Bass Christmas specials are all big favorites also. Yep, I'm just a big kid. What can I say?
|
|
 |
NOTE: I no longer use Shout Life, but you can find me on Facebook (Jeremy.Arnold1980). I reasoned that one social networking site is more than enough for one man to keep up with. LOL! God bless you all!
I've never been good at formal introductions, but for the purposes of this Website, I'll take a shot at it. My name is Jeremy, and I'm a man in constant pursuit of Truth. And what is Truth? Actually, the correct question would be "Who is Truth?" The answer is Jesus Christ. He is the very personification of Truth. Why do I believe this? Because He said so. Do I have any real reason to doubt Him? No. Do I have any good reason to believe Him? Well, let's see here . . .
I could point out the historical reliability of the Scriptures (the Bible is supported by more manuscript evidence than any other book in antiquity), not to mention the stunning continuity and integration of the 66 books that comprise the Bible, all of which were transmitted over the course of some 1,500 years by 40 different and very diverse writers. Then I could turn to the oodles of specific Bible prophecies that have been fulfilled to a tee. Of course, I would also have to bring up the astounding discoveries that archaeologists, historians, and scientists continue to make that serve to corroborate (and that have never disproved) the veracity of the Bible. And, surely, it would be foolish of me to neglect to discuss the remarkable survival rate of Scripture. That is to say, despite centuries of attempts by hostile men and institutions to extinguish the Bible from the face of the earth, God's perennial Word has not only stood the test of time but continues to be the world's best-selling book. All of these facts demonstrate that the Bible is divine (and, therefore, infallible) rather than merely human in origin.
Moreover, there's the cornerstone of the Christian faith, the Resurrection of Christ, which 19th Century skeptic Matthew Arnold called the best attested fact in history. Furthermore, I could mention the fact that multitudes of people in the last 2,000+ years have been utterly transformed by the power and love of Christ -- a love that inexplicably converts the vilest criminals into humble saints, that enables the most devastated individuals to somehow remain at peace even in the midst of the most unspeakable adversity, and that compels people to willingly give up their lives for the sake of Jesus. But aside from all that, I have even greater reasons to believe Jesus that hit closer to home.
Personally speaking, He created me, He rescued me from sin and death by exchanging His holiness for my wretchedness and willingly taking the death penalty meant for me, He forgave me (and forgives me daily), He gave meaning to my life, He protects me, He has and continues to bless me with every good thing, and He daily holds my hand, catches me when I stumble (though He never lets me fall--Psalm 37:23-24), comforts me when I'm hurting, and relentlessly loves me with an inexhaustible, unconditional, indescribable love that knows no boundaries. Oh, and I mustn't forget to mention that He is continually making me into a reflection of Himself every day and will not stop until He returns to earth, glorifies me, and takes me to the eternal home He has prepared for me in a popular little hotspot called heaven. (Ever heard of it?) Are those good enough reasons to trust Jesus? They are for this boy.
That said, if you're going through a struggle (or 100!), be encouraged: Life's greatest lessons are learned in the valleys of tribulation. Just remember that God is ever-faithful, and He never allows anything to happen to us unless it is for our ultimate good and His ultimate glory. God's top priority is for you and I to know Him in an intimate, personal relationship that spans eternity; and the only way to know Him is through Christ, who makes that amazing relationship possible.
"Even though the journey's long, and I know the road is hard, well, the One who's gone before me, He will help me carry on. And after all that I've been through, I finally realize the truth--that I must go through the valley to stand upon the Mountain of God." - Third Day
Do I pretend to have all the answers? Not in a million years! But I know the One who does, and so can you. How awesome is that?!
"The Christian says, 'Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists.' . . . If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. . . . I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others do the same." - C.S. Lewis
Press on, my brothers and sisters!
(Philippians 3:13-14)
Love & God Bless,
Jeremy
 
|
|
What Is Truth?
|
3/14/2007 - 12:02 AM
|
|
"You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me." - Jesus Christ
You don't have to be a distinguished scholar to ...
(login or sign up to read more)
|
|
30 views
-
2 replies
- Most Recent Reply: 03/01/08 - 11:26 PM
|
|
|
|
Recent Guestbook Comments (1)
|
|
|
