Tag: scripture

We’re Gonna Chalk That Up To Bad Life Choices

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We’re Gonna Chalk That Up To Bad Life Choices 

We are often a product of our own making. We want to cry out and blame God for our misfortune, but if we are honest, how many of our troubles spawn because of our own choices? I have watched people choose their path, walk it for a little while without crashing into that brick wall, but that borrowed or rather stolen time eventually runs out. When they hit the wall and wonder what happened, or why bad things happen to them, it’s hard to refrain from giving the honest answer rather than I have to give the sympathetic shoulder and try to navigate a path that’s lit by God. I often think back to the story of Absolom and King David. 2 Samuel 18:14 “Then Joab said, “I cannot linger with you.” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree.”Absolom thought it would be a good idea to rise up against his father and in a coup attempt to seize control of the country. While for a short while Absolom did sit on the throne, a politician thinking he had what it took to stand up against one of the, if not the greatest military leader the world had ever seen, well, we’re going to chalk that up to bad life choices. Absolom in his foolishness got caught in the woods by his own hair, riding on an animal he shouldn’t have been on, a donkey, and when found by Joab one of David’s leading military advisors, Joab, well, you read it, a little stabby. 

Absolom was considered in scripture to be beautiful which means he was well above average in appearance. He was prideful of his looks, and overestimated his abilities. He put so much focus on his pride, he honestly believed that’s all he needed. He chose his own path, and he chose the path that did not walk with God, and it led to his downfall. Even though scripture says Absolom was known for his good looks and his amazing head of hair, doesn’t mean we can skate through life thinking the world revolves around us.

Sadly I have watched so many go down dark paths as I was helpless to help or stop the train wreck that would follow. I myself was once on a dark path, my path wasn’t very long, no, it was short, and ended rather badly. A moment of weakness, allowing the Devil to influence my decisions, I was left down on the ground, clinging to life, ready to die if God willed it. I was a slave to my emotions, and I was captive, bound in my chains, and as the blood left my body, I found myself in darkness. I was away from the world, but nowhere at the same time. How the world had pushed me, and grabbed onto me, and I let the voices lie to me causing me to act in that moment of weakness. A choice however, that would forever alter my path, a choice I could never erase or undo. The reminder is with me daily of my mistakes. Thankfully because of the blood of Christ I know that my mistakes do not have to define me. I know that because of Jesus Christ my sins are washed away and made as a new slate as white as a blanket of snow.

We do not ever have to allow our past to define our tomorrow. We don’t ever have to ask ourselves if we are doomed to face a life of no hope because of our choices. We will always have to answer for what we do, and there is a price to pay for it, but Christ forgives us the moment we seek God with a heart of repentance. How blessed are we to not have to endure what Christ did to enter into Heaven? God has chosen every single one of us and we are told we belong despite our faults, despite our foolishness. I realize in my life I am a nobody, as long as I live a life without Christ. With Christ I am royalty, and I wear rags in this life so in the next I will be clothed in perfection. This life is suffering and hardships, but tomorrow will be perfection with my Abba Father. Jesus Christ makes us all someone. Jesus Christ is the one and only way to get beyond our bad life choices and find peace that we aren’t forever defined in them.

If you feel you’ve been walking down a path of nothing but bad life choices know that all you have to do is turn around. You don’t have to continue down your path. Jesus Christ will welcome you with open arms, and His love will heal you. His truth, the truth will open your eyes, and a new life awaits you. If your soul is broken, trust in Christ to mend it. If your life is in shambles allow God to put the pieces back together and use each broken piece for His glory. We all have a purpose in Christ and we all move towards the bridge of light and Jesus is the compass to guide us. WE don’t have to follow through like Absolom and we can choose to turn to God and let go of the anger, the hate, the pride we hold in our hearts. Let the blood make you white as snow, and live in the peace that comes with Christ.

I’m Taking My Ball And Going Home!

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I’m Taking My Ball And Going Home! 

Acts 18:6“But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

When things don’t go your way sometimes you need to pack up your things and go home! Waist no time on those who refuse to listen. Waist not your breath for those whom refuse truth.

Sometimes you need to call it a day. Some people will only ever take and our time is precious and we shouldn’t waist our time. We must be faithful with our testimony and our prayers. We must never close doors but that doesn’t mean we seek out those who aim to drain precious recourses.

Have faith in God and work things out in lives you cannot be apart of by prayer and hope. Paul knew when it was time to go, to move on, and as frustrating as that may have been for Paul, he knew that God’s time is precious and we are but links in a chain. Romans 12:3“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”It’s not about who we are, it’s who Christ is within us it’s not about if people hear our message which is not our message at all, but the message of Christ. It’s about getting that message out there and being that link in the chain. We can never talk someone into Jesus because if you can be talked into, someone else can talk you out of Jesus. Paul knew when it was time to go, and when it was time to fight. It’s important to understand how to pick and choose your battles. There are hills to die on, and there are hills to strategically retreat from. In this life there are five hills to die on, and it’s important to keep focused on that. Now you’re wondering what’s so important, what is so big that there are hills to die on? 

Sola Scriptura (“Scripture alone”): The Bible alone is our highest authority.

Sola Fide (“faith alone”): We are saved through faith alone in Jesus Christ.

Sola Gratia (“grace alone”): We are saved by the grace of God alone.

Solus Christus (“Christ alone”): Jesus Christ alone is our Lord, Savior, and King.

Soli Deo Gloria (“to the glory of God alone”): We live for the glory of God alone. 

These are the hills to die on. This is the foundation of Christianity, and everything else is just a distraction. In this day of lightning fast information, worldwide discussions, internet chats, social media, and the list goes on, it’s easy to get swept into the bait of arguments which are not likely to change anyone’s mind, just end in a waist of time and energy. The five solas are the hills to focus on. Only Jesus Christ can change hearts and minds. It’s up to us to know when to be like Paul, knowing when it’s time to pick up your ball and go home. It isn’t about us, or our pride, or knowing we talked someone into it, it’s about the glory of God and maintaining our self-respect, and standing on the truth. It’s about living for the world to see, and being a nobody, telling the world about somebody, Jesus Christ. Everyone has a purpose, and know that God has chosen you for something special.

If you wonder what hills you’d be willing to die on, ask yourself what hill was Christ willing to die on. Christ died on a hill for a purpose and that purpose was you and me. Christ’s love was beyond anything we deserved. We were and are sinners deserving nothing but death in our cosmic treason, but Christ died on that hill for us, and we must choose our own hills. When we look to this life, Scripture, Faith, Grace, Christ, and Glory are the hills we hold our ground, we never back down. Anything outside of those five isn’t worth dying for. Don’t get drug into idol conversation. 2 Timothy 2:16-17“But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer.”  We can be wrapped up in foolish nonsense, and we can easily loose sight of what’s important. People will try to bring you into arguments of politics, of faith, or a whole bunch of other idol conversations, but don’t forget, the first, most, and only thing that’s important is stay on point for Christ. When you have too, pick up your ball, and go home. 

And Test Me Not Into Temptation

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And Test Me Not Into Temptation 

Distraction away from what’s important. The Devil draws you away and wants to sew conflict into your life. The Devil in Matthew 2:1-7“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, [a]wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” 7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the [b]wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.” The Devil used Harod in an attempt to end Christmas before it began. The Savior was born and in order to stop from being removed from power, Harod’s increasingly more paranoid state of mind led him to slaughter kids from the ages of newborn to three years old. How awful a stain on the joy of Christmas. Satan stained Harod’s heart with the sin of selfishness, greed of money and power. 

Satan tries to tempt you in this life away from God, or away from God’s blessings. Temptations come in every shape and size. For some temptation comes in alcohol, women, men, drugs, addictions, and so many others. Are we strong enough to withstand and turn away those temptations? Of course we are only human and there will be times in which we do, and sadly times we fall.

Do we respond with hate, or anger when our beliefs are attacked? Recently in the news there have been attacks on Christmas songs, and even the old claymation movie Rudolph. These attacks will come and will tempt us to try and follow the world’s flow, but as it’s said, it’s better stand with God and be judged by man, rather then to stand with man and be judged by God. Don’t loose sight of what’s important.

Matthew 6:13“And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

[a]For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” 

When The People Turn On You

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When The People Turn On You

Many years I have watched as people have turned their backs on me, turned and walked away. The day may come when the strength of men fail, and when we realize strength is not of man, but that of the Lord. It is not of our own strength we achieve anything but that of Christ who lifts us up. What shame when man puts himself on high above God and puts God on a shelf. Fear Mongering is a strong attribute of some and how man can raise the stakes for all in anger and hatred. It may only take one person to sway a crowd and turn an assembly into a riot. What happens when this occurs in life, the one of your personal circles? People may turn their backs on you and while it hurts, sometimes, deeply we must realize man/women will always fall short.

I have experienced both loss as I have watched as God is put on the shelf and as those who abandon God all together. We forget so quickly how to follow God and in the moment we are so easily swayed to follow the Devil. In this we forsake our friends, our family, and we forget so quickly the command of our Savior Jesus Christ, to love your neighbor. No mattr what happens we must remember people do not represent God. Even a pastor a man of God will fall, and fail at some point. No matter who they are, or how righteous they seem to be there may come a time when they turn and take a wrong path.

I remember thinking about scripture when I came up with this topic. I was listening to a lesson about Paul but what I was thinking of is when Jesus first enters Jerusalem, welcomed by palms and the crowds singing and praising him. How quickly that changed in a matter of day, and that same crowd that was singing Hozana, turned to Crucify him. If people turned on the savior over all of our sins, how easily do you think they will turn on you?

In acts we see this same thing happen to Paul over and over again. Paul goes in to the city, preaches and teaches at the Synagogue or somewhere in the city, he’s a novelty for a little while, and then he starts to upset certain people, and that’s when it goes down hill. Paul was beaten, jailed, stoned, all in the name of Christ. If we think that somehow we should be free from this same behavior of others, what makes us so special? I’m not condoning that kind of negative, hurtful behavior, but living in this world it’s a fact of life.

One last thought is this; when you are following the name of Jesus don’t be surprised if you upset those around you who don’t like what you are preaching, or even the person you’ve become. In acts 19, we see Paul affecting the statue sales of the goddess Diana. Quickly the crowds turned and as one man began to get the crowd rowdy and they even kidnapped some of Paul’s friends, just to get to Paul. Paul was affecting the wallet of those who crafted statues of this goddess, and ultimately was affecting the bottom line. How do we affect those around us when we preach and teach about Jesus Christ? How have we changed since following Christ and affected friendships around us? Remember this, “It’s better to stand with God and be judged by man, then to stand with man and be judged by God.” Don’t place too much thought in what man/women thinks of you, it’s better to focus on what God thinks of you.

(Disclaimer: If you are actively living in sin, or traveling down a bad path, if people point that out, that’s NOT what I’m talking about. We are to stand up to sin, and we are to help the sinner get back on track.) 

Thank You, Because It’s Right

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Thank You, Because It’s Right

Thank you God for so many blessings bestowed to me this year. Thank you for a year of gifts, good health, financial stability, good friends, and most recently a woman God has felt it was time to bless my heart with. As much as I am happy for her, I must not forget the most important fact that God must remain first. Thank you God for your son Jesus Christ for loving us so much His sacrifice saved our very souls. We could never count our blessings because they are so great, so abundant that we could list all day and never scratch the surface as our blessings.

God doesn’t expect a reward for what He gives us, because God is a giver. Matthew 6:4 (NKJV)4“that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”What do you expect to get from your giving? Do you give and say ‘look at me, look what I did!”? A heart of gratitude and love is what we have because God shows us how. 

It occurred to me that God doesn’t have to give us anything. We are blessed just to have life. We are so incredibly unique because God blesses every one of us with life. I cannot imagine my life without God and the continued blessings I receive every day. One thing about God is the truth that God’s ways never change. God’s blessings do not sway with the changing winds. James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” 

When was the last time you did something for someone else not because you were going to get something back, but just because it was the right thing to do? 2 Samuel 19:38-39“And the king answered, “Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you. Now whatever you request of me, I will do for you.” 39 Then all the people went over the Jordan. And when the king had crossed over, the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own place.” 

David offered a place in his home to Barzillai for sheltering David when Absolom rebelled. David did not have to offer this as his thank you, but as David has shown time and again, his generosity of kindness was not the average for the time but he led by example. The true nature of kindness is loving as God loves us, and allows affords us so much grace and love. David’s kindness for this family is maintained for two generations. This changed the life of Chimham forever being taken into David’s family. How few we look to Jesus for His generosity, his selfless gift of life given to each and every one of us. Do we think to truly count our blessings big and small, or are we so wrapped up in life to forget? I’m so thankful for my life, and everything God gives to me. 

God’s Way

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God’s Way

It’s amazing how God works things out. It’s amazing how beautiful the plan, and where blessings can come from the most unusual of places. There are things in my life I never would have guessed that would have come up, but now that they are in my life, I couldn’t imagine how it could be improved. God’s way truly is perfect, and when we live in Christ’s light we are sure to be blessed for our faithfulness, our strengths and our weaknesses. Trusting in God is an option, but the alternative is terrifying. God can do anything He wants and as he dwells outside the realm and laws of science and physics. The idea of miracles is a far off concept, and we look at them as religious mumbo jumbo, but there are historical accounts of these miracles. Is it so far to think that maybe, just maybe there’s truth to the accounts of these miracles? I think not, and the more you dive into the evidence the more it points to truth.

I was thinking about the story in Acts 19:14-16 and I thought of the scene in Casper when Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) runs out of the mansion and says to call somebody else. Acts 19:14-16 (NKJV)14 “Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” 16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”It’s interesting to think about an evil spirit being real, and not some made up story, but when you do the research you will find that the acts of Jesus and Paul are not just something found in the Bible but also in both the historical accounts of Josephus and the Qu’ran. Josephus was a Jewish historian who had no interest in proving who Christ was, but the evidence to the miracles that occurred can be seen far and wide.

There are things that happen all around us that we don’t usually see. Life is full of extraordinary things, but we don’t open our eyes to see the mystery of the Lord. Demons are very real, and we battle every day against the forces of darkness. Though we do not battle against flesh and blood, Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV)“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”It’s hard to wrap your head around, but when you truly take time to look around, to quiet the world around you, is it so hard or far fetched to believe?

We must know and understand that everything big and small is affected by God’s Holy presence. We are strengthened and in all things in the glory of God are possible. We must go forth in our life with pure hearts for the Lord. We must diminish and allow the Holy Spirit to thrive within us. After seeing the miracles of Paul a small group of charlatans attempted to perform an exorcism but for their own glory, not for God. Acts 19:15. The outcome did not go well for them, and it’s a lesson we must take away in our own lives. When we do things for our own glory and not for God we too will see the rotten fruit spring forth. I have seen miracles in my own life, and just that fact I am still breathing is one of them. I should not have survived on more than one occasion, but God saw fit to keep me around. I know that in my walk through this thicket, the thistles, the thorns, the quicksand, and many other traps the Devil lays for me, it’s God that sees me through. I do not rise each day for my own glory, my own purposes, but that of my Father on high.

In my past I think I have been guilty thinking God couldn’t pull through for me, and as Luke Skywalker said to Kylo Ren “Everything you just said is wrong.” I think God has shown me wrong every single time, even when I hadn’t acted on my own accord. God is capable of doing anything, and it’s not for us to put God on a shelf thinking He isn’t big enough to handle our hopes, our dreams, or our problems. We must hold fast to faith, and allow it to grow and fill our cup. Christ is the gift of life, and we cannot downplay the importance of our faithfulness, and hope in Jesus. The truth will set you free when you put your trust in Jesus, knowing that in all things God is working things for good, and hope is eternal with Christ. Don’t underestimate your blessings from God, and don’t be surprised with what you are given, especially if it’s something you’ve wanted a long time. Love can come from anyplace if we only believe.

The Veteran

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The Veteran

No matter the politics, or which side of the fence you sit on, the veteran serves this country. The constitution that all of you Americans enjoy the freedoms given, was paid for and continues to be paid for by the veteran. No matter what you’re faith, your heritage, respect for out veterans that gives us the protection we so appreciate. It is by the blood we have the greatest gift we could ever hope for. Beyond our beloved country we have the kingdom of Heaven we fight for. I am a United States veteran of foreign wars but beyond that and more importantly I’m a veteran of this spiritual war we fight daily. I am a soldier for CHRIST AND I’M THANKFUL TO CALL MYSELF A VETERAN FOR GOD.

Just as veterans shed blood for our freedoms, Christ’s blood was shed for our sins, Hebrews 9-13-14“For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the [b]purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without [c]spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” While there is no more blood needed to be sacrificed, the continuing war rages on and we are on the front line of an invisible war, that we cannot see, but we feel the effect every day. Satan and his demons interfere in our human affairs, but no matter the day, Christ still sits at the right hand of the father on high, and we are always on the winning side. Freedom always takes blood, and blood with no spots was shed for you and me, and all those before, and all those to come after. How wonderful it is to know the army of saints in which I fight for. God, Jesus Christ is the greatest general of all time. Jesus Christ’s war plan is perfect, and we soldiers of Christ shall fear not for we know the way the story ends. We shall not fret over the lost, and do not cry for saint’s who’ve fallen in the name of the Lord who were beautiful soldiers who live for the Lord, instead rejoice and be glad in their new home seated in front of the father in Heaven. Be grateful for the saints who’ve been slain in the fight against darkness, for they are at peace now. I shall not fear the evil for I know who art with me who protects me. Psalm 27:1-2“The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked came against me. To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell.”

I fought a war of men, and now I fight a war, waged in the spiritual. We sacrifice by picking up our cross and letting go of this world. Much like picking up a weapon giving up a life at home with families, soldiers prepare for battle, rush into danger and fight the war. The sacrifice is never in vein and we shall be blessed for more than we could ever hope for. Stay focused on our General and trust with every breath we take until the last. We will be rewarded for fighting the good fight, and finishing the race.

Every Contingency

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Every Contingency

As I have spent the last few months preparing for my mid December hiking trip, I have come to realize one very important factor that I am not in control over my destiny. I have tried to plan for every contingency, and the most I plan, the more carefully this plan is thought out, the words of Lenard Snartrun through my mind, “Make a plan, execute the plan, expect the plan to go off the rails, throw away the plan.” How true this statement is, not just for clever heists of Argus held technology, but in all of life. I have tried to think of every contingency, every minor detail of emergency I can think of, but when it comes down to it, I am not in control. Yes, there is a measure of free will, and yes, I am choosing to do this hike, and I am chosen where and when, but in my heart I know God has laid this trip on me for a reason, and I will go with an open heart to hear what God has to say.

 

One does not build a tower without first counting the cost. You do not build without a plan, and you cannot succeed in war without first being prepared for battle. I do not claim to know all that will happen, but I go humbly before the Lord the one who made the woods, and the mountains, and I ask for guidance and clarity and peace along this planning and execution phases.  James 4:13-17 (NKJV)13 “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

 

While I don’t pretend to know everything, I do think God gives us the ability to think logically and with the gift of intelligence we are able to take in information and process it and we formulate solutions based on the data we have at the time. We aren’t always right and we don’t always use every bit of information we may have available to us, and we may not always come to the right conclusions, but when we walk with God, when we ask ourselves every day what would Jesus do, we are far more likely to get it right, far more often.

 

As I have planned for bad weather, small injuries, fire, food, warmth, wet, wild animals, water, and not just for me but for Riley also, I understand there will be things I will find on the trail I didn’t need, or things I wish I had, but even if this trek in the woods turns out to be a failure then I will learn from that failure and I will do better the next time.

 

A lot of people have asked me why I would be willing to, or even want to do a trip like this, and the answer I have often given seems to be an over simplification, and the true, deeper answer is far more complicated. Death comes for us all, and I often wonder when my time will be. In the last two years I have faced death, and then a life changing back surgery. In that time I have often looked at my life and questioned what I was to learn, what I was giving up and loosing in all of this. I was so focused on what I lost, that I couldn’t see what I can gained. I have gained perspective and insight into a faith I didn’t know I could ever have. I would come to face my past and be forced to dissect it in order to truly heal. I have loved ones I have lost and that I miss. One of my favorite quotes is ‘Living is not for the weak.’ It’s hard being on this side, but this side is important. As much as I miss my loved ones who’ve gone home, I try to keep my focus on the mission, the reason I’m still here. I try not to let my grief distract me from what God wants me to do. I remember that if it were my time to go Home God would take me, and he would have taken me two years ago when I nearly died, but I am still here, fighting the good fight. I do not pray for death, but I am prepared to meet death like an old friend when the time comes.

 

This journey is for me to focus on God, and regain something within myself I lost. This trip is for me to prove to myself that I can still do things I love, even if it’s different from before. This trip is for me to hear God more clearly, to focus on that relationship and get back to a simpler time. Faith is important to me, and knowing that my original route was canceled because the hurricane washed out the bridge, and then me finding the most perfect route I could have ever asked for, Marion to Damascus. The path to Damascus is a long, and difficult one, but much like Paul, the path is meant to be difficult, and even painful to pick away parts of me that I don’t need and make me more like Christ every day. Remember as you move forward in your life it’s good to make plans, to seek Godly counsel, but don’t be so rigid in your plans that you don’t leave room for God to change them. You have to know that the course we set according to Christ will always follow that North Star, but sometimes God sees fit to alter our course slightly and we can’t be upset when those course corrections come. When we realize we aren’t the Captain of our ship, we are more willing to let God be in control and realize we’re just along for the ride. Be wise and trust in God but don’t spend so much time worrying about life even though we are told to plan. It’s okay if God changes the plan because if God changes things for you, it means something better is coming, even if you have to go through the storm first.

Are You A God?

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Are You A God?

You walk through life saying you are in control. You believe your way is right, and you stand by your decisions. You constantly say that nothing can be done to change your situation and things are hopeless. You live in constant misery and pessimism. You live in constant fear of tomorrow, or worse, yesterday. We have become a society of placing Jesus on the shelf and much like a cosmic genie we ask for help when we need it, but otherwise it’s “I’ve got this.” How bold we have become to think we know better then God. How daring have we become to think we can make it through this life and not need our Savior Jesus Christ. Have we truly gotten to the point where we believe we know more then God, or worse that God cannot handle our problems? We have put God in a box, and we have become our own gods.

 

Exodus 20:3“You shall have no other gods before Me.” I have often ministered to those whom struggle with their faith. Not in the way of questioning God, but rather thinking their life will never improve. I have seen despair rule over people, and people who feel God is irrelevant and does not care about them, or cannot change anything for them. We have placed ourselves above God by putting ourselves on a pedestal and thinking we are more important than God. We believe we are in control and God is fine where He is, and so long as ‘I don’t bug God, he doesn’t bug me.’

 

We have become selfish, close-minded, one tracked minded people. We have become a judging people, where we judge God and believe God is so insignificant that we are truly here on our own, and we don’t need God, or God can’t change our path. We have a hard time fathoming how incorporated God is in our lives, and we believe that the Holy Bible is antiquated, and we believe we make gods that work best for us. We have gotten to a point where we no longer worship God, we worship many gods, we worship ourselves.

 

In Genesis 3:5“For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  A lie is told, but not an entire lie, but a subterfuge leading Eve to believe it would be better to understand good and evil as the Lord God knows good and evil, thus moving mankind to place self ahead of God. We the children of God now believe we know more, we know better then God.

 

We are a foolish people thinking we are so big. Tim Challiessays this “The first way we can put God in a box is through our misunderstandings of Him and His nature. We have a responsibility to know and believe what He has revealed of Himself in the Scripture. Furthermore, we may also try to define God in a way that is simplistic or that is inconsistent with who He is.” https://www.challies.com/articles/putting-god-in-a-box-doctrine/

 

We call ourselves Children of God, but in reality we are rebels of the throne. We rebel against the rules laid down for us, and we ignore the teaching of our father. We deserve Hell, but we often believe we deserve Heaven simply because we are ‘good’ people, not because we love Christ. We believe now whatever we want our own truth to be, and we believe that truth is subjective to everyone, and we will face the mistakes we’ve made and unless we understand to Put God first again, we shall not find ourselves in perfection. If you decide to worship idols, worshiping things in your life and not God above, then we have become our very own god. God shall not stand and watch without judgment, and if we choose to try and be god’s then we should be ready for the war to come to us, the punishment for placing God of the Universe on the shelf as just another god will be heavy and swift.

 

We are children of God, and we shall not rebel, we shall not diminish God and grow ourselves. We are lost and we are weak, we are impressionable by the fallen Angel Lucifer. We are but faulted humans, with small minds, and with those minds we attempt to understand the mystery of God and when we cannot, instead of understanding the vastness of what we don’t know, we try to make God fit into our own understanding, thus minimizing God, and again, raising ourselves up to be our own god. Shame on us, shame on all of us for being so incredibly weak, incredibly gullible to Satan’s lies, and thinking we know better for our lives.

Invisible

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Invisible

Colossians 1:15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Jesus Christ

Have you put thought in the true power of God? The creator of the universe in perfect harmony loves you. Jesus Christ walks with us every single day and is with us while we are on this journey of discovery. We often find ourselves feeling alone, and angry that we don’t feel God. We don’t always see God around us, and we don’t feel okay. See, when we look further in the letter by Paul we find more of the mystery of God. Colossians 1:16“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.” God is so big, and so powerful, we underestimate the awesome power that we have in our corner.

I have walked through this life questioning my faith on occasion. It wasn’t so much a question of whether or not God was real, it was more of ‘Does God Care?” I’ve struggled with the amount of pain I struggled through, but when I think back, and knowing what I know now, the invisible God who’s everywhere, was with me the whole time. God promises never to leave or abandon us. There’s a war going on in the shadows all around us, and we are the targets of the enemy. This war that takes place invisible is not to be understated. The spiritual warfare that Paul talks about is very much real. While the characters are invisible the affects are as real as they come. The fallen angels that followed Lucifer now called demons help him lay the lure to see what fish they can catch. We are easily drawn to the world, sin is a powerful, attractive force. It can be very difficult to see sin for what it is and walk away. While the enemy is always trying to draw you out away from your protection, Jesus Christ is with you reminding you of the right path.

When you commit a sin and you feel that sense of emptiness afterwards, or that sense of shame, that’s the Holy Spirit filling you with conviction, reminding you what you did was wrong, and that you need to repent of your sins. We cannot see the Holy Spirit but much like the air we breathe it’s there, surrounding us all the time, we just have to take a moment away from the world and truly focus on the force that surrounds us, and flows through us.

The Devil’s affects are very real even though we can’t see him and his demons skulking around us. He wants us to forget that he’s not the only one in this world. Jesus Christ and the army of Angels protect over us. It’s hard to remember how gracious God is to us when we feel the suffering of this life. “You’re gonna suffer, but you’re gonna be happy about it.” (Prizinor of Azkaban) Ron says this to Harry about his tea leaves. The connection to scripture is very real, we are told we will suffer, and in Colossians 1:11 “strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;” This life takes time to get through. And as I was once told recently the process of gold refinement is a slow process. The gold is heated as the impurities rise to the top, scrapped away, and then put back into the fire. Each time a little more of the impurities are scrapped away till eventually the gold is so shiny in it’s molten state the gold smith can see his/her reflection in the liquid. We are the same, that in every trial, in every struggle a bit more of the impurity is burned and scrapped away. If we are to live in Christ then we must allow those impurities to be removed. If Jesus is the gold smith we must allow ourselves to be put back into the fire so one day when he looks at us he sees his reflection in us. We may not be able to physically see Christ but his presence is clear. This life is but a fleeting moment in the prospect of eternity and if we are to join the angels, and God in perfection then we must be willing to allow the forging process to make us strong, make us shiny and new. When the pain is gone and the worry and doubts fade away the purest gold will be all that’s left in our hearts, and as we face judgment at the foot of the cross the final impurities will be washed away in forgiveness of our sins and we will be allowed to enter heavens gates, if we trust in Jesus, love him with our whole hearts, and believe in the process we must endure to get there. Our savior suffered for us, and who are we to think we shouldn’t have to suffer? As for me, I brace for each of the storms in this invisible but very real war for the souls of man. On that day I reach the gates of Heaven, I pray for two words from my Lord, “well done.” I can live with the suffering now to one day walk with Jesus in perfection.

Don’t give up on yourselves and trust in the refining process. I can’t help but not think of the song Hard Love by NEEDTOBREATHE. I’ve used that song many times in my writings, but it is so true. “It’s gonna hurt but don’t you slow down.” “It takes some time to make your courage strong.” It’s true that as long as you breathe there’s hope, but we cannot place our hope in this world, we must place our hope in Heaven, and our Savior that’s there preparing a place for us. There’s no hope in this life for this world, except that salvation awaits us. We are never promised and easy life, we are never promised peace while we breathe this air, but in Heaven our hope resides. No the process getting to Heaven isn’t easy because we have to first live this life, but what a worthwhile venture. I can take the beating, and the ridicule, and the pain because I know that one day Satan will no longer have dominion over the place I live. While I am here on this world, I know that Satan is spreading pain and suffering all around, but in Heaven the throne has God almighty and he loves his Children.

We may not be able to see the Holy Spirit, but we can feel it all around us. All we can do is ask Jesus to take our suffering and use it to glorify Him. Have faith in Christ, and give thanks to being alive another day, and doing work that will glorify the King. Heaven is worth the suffering of this life, and since God waists nothing, we can always find good in the trials we go through, we just have to look for them. Change your perceptions and give thanks for the opportunities to praise Jesus, and draw closer to God in the fire. Never give up hope because our hope is not in this world,  but in the Heavenly home.