God

I think from an early age I always believed there was a God, even though I didn’t always live that way.  A good part of my life has been lived without purpose, or reason, just basically doing my own thing with no real meaning just doing what I had to do to get by.  When I think back on my life I think about my rebelliousness and how much of it was just a waste.  I did help people at times but I also messed up some people’s lives, along with my own life.  I was always making bad choices and reaping the consequences of those choices.  It seemed like I was always in a downhill spiral trying to escape reality.  The only time it seemed I could be somewhat happy was when I was high on something and partying.  The problem was that when the substance wore off then I would be miserable again.

The reason I am writing this is that I hear so much from people that claim to be atheists that say that there is no God.  I have never been to Bible College and I don’t claim to be a scholar, but when I asked the Lord to be my Savior about 34 years ago my life and my perspectives were changed.  I was delivered from the party scene and the substance abuse and I had purpose in my life.  God gave me such a hunger for his Word, a love for people and a joy to be in His presence and in His church.  I could hardly get enough of His Word and I read many other books on Christianity and I was very involved in ministry.  When I committed my life to the Lord back then it was very easy to witness and I did it quite often.  At the time many people committed their lives to the Lord.  It seemed like the most opposition I had was from religious people who didn’t seem to understand what it meant to have a personal relationship with the Lord and who were into keeping regulations and rules, somehow trying to work their way to heaven.

I have talked to many people over the years, like I said, but in approximately 34 years things have dramatically changed and it is very hard to communicate with many people today because they have been so influenced by evolution, scientific theories, atheistic propaganda and other religions that claim you have to do good works to get to heaven.  Christianity is the only religion that claims that it is by grace you are saved, through faith, and not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast; also that our righteousness is like filthy rags.  Think of this; if we could make ourselves right with God by any other means, or could work our way into heaven, then how would we know if we had done enough good works, and why did Jesus have to suffer and die and rise again if there was another way to get into heaven.

Check out Ephesians 2:8-9 for yourself, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

From my understanding, every other religion believes that Jesus was crucified except the Muslims, who believe Jesus was a prophet.  I heard a story that went something like this, so this is my version.  If you were going to marry someone would you give that person a book and tell them they had to keep all the laws, rules and regulations because you couldn’t possibly marry them now.  Then you tell the person that they would have to wait 20 years so that you could check out their integrity and their commitment before you married them.  That would be an insult, if you truly loved that person and that person truly loved you, you would get married and work out the details as you went along.  That is the way God accepts us, unconditionally, He doesn’t wait for us to clean up our act; He knows we can’t, so He accepts us and helps us to get cleaned up.  Outside of that we could never be righteous no matter how hard we try or how many good works we did.  When we repent and receive Him as our Lord and Savior He covers us with His righteousness and God’s Spirit comes in and dwells within us and our bodies become the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

Read 1 Corinthians 6:15-19, “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For ‘the two,’ He says, ‘shall become one flesh.’ But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”

There are many prophecies in God’s Word that have come true and some are even happening in our world today.  Some of the oldest manuscripts and historians speak of the crucifixion of Christ and I for one believe that there is only one way to get to Heaven and that is through the work Christ did on the cross.

Think of this, if I am wrong I have nothing to lose because I wouldn’t want to live any other way, but, if you don’t believe and you are wrong, you have everything to lose.  Something to think about!  May you have a great day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!!

Questions

I have heard debates between believers and non-believers and have heard some non-believers talk that seem to know a lot about the Bible.  Some quote scriptures but act very hostile to any notion of there being a God.  When I hear them I wonder what happened to them that caused so much hostility and anger.  I realize that there are many answers to this problem; one of them being that they weren’t sincerely or truly born-again but were just going through the motions while some were turned off by a professor in college or a teacher in high school.  Some depart from the faith when some kind of tragedy takes place in their lives and they blame God.  Instead of handling the situation like Job did in his trial they get angry at God and become bitter and choose not to follow God.  

There was a King named Asa who started out honoring God and God helped Him defeat his enemies, the Ethiopians and the Lubims, but in the end King Asa became angry and ignored God and relied on the King of Syria.  When Hanani, the seer, spoke to him about what he had done, King Asa became angry with him and threw him in prison.

Read what it says about King Asa in 2 Chronicles 16:12-14, “And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians. So Asa rested with his fathers; he died in the forty-first year of his reign. They buried him in his own tomb, which he had made for himself in the City of David; and they laid him in the bed which was filled with spices and various ingredients prepared in a mixture of ointments. They made a very great burning for him.”

I think many believers get angry with God and handle it the wrong way and I think there are many questions that they struggle with.  I don’t think anyone understands everything and that is where faith and perseverance come in.  Read what it says in 1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”  We don’t have all the answers now but someday we will understand because we will have God’s perspective.  

When I hear people refuting the faith they once followed and being very hostile towards it, it makes me angry in some ways and also sad to think they have walked away from the faith that they once believed in.  Another thing that bothers me is to think that maybe I have helped to turn some people off because of my actions or my words.  We need to be aware that people are always watching and listening, and our words and actions will either turn someone off from our message or encourage them to want to listen to it.  It is one thing if people get offended by the message we speak but it is another thing if we offend them because of our lack of integrity, our words and our actions.  Sometimes in our enthusiasm, wanting to win people to the Lord, we do more to offend them then we do to help them and this should not happen.  We should never water down the truth but we should not be obnoxious and offensive either; when we do that, we lack love.

If you have been convicted by this message don’t take it lightly, repent and ask the Lord to forgive you and help you to be a better witness and a better example.  Something to think about!  Have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!!

The Heart

What is in the heart of man?  Read Mark 7:14-23, “When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, ‘Hear Me, everyone, and understand: There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!’

When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. So He said to them, ‘Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?’ And He said, ‘What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.’”

The Bible also says this in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?”

If you are seeking truth it doesn’t take much to realize that what God’s Word says is true, all you have to do is listen to the news or read the newspaper and you will see or hear what is in the heart of man.

King David said this in Psalms 51:5, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.”

This condition isn’t exclusive to one person but it has affected each of us because we were all born that way.  King David was called a man after God’s own heart and the reason he was, was because he admitted that he was a sinner and he was sorry and confessed and asked forgiveness for his sins.  

Simon Bar-jona was a disciple of Jesus who denied the Lord three times, what did Jesus say about him?  Read Matthew 16:17-18, “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.’”    

You might say that Jesus didn’t know that Peter would deny Him, read what Jesus told Peter in Matthew 26:30-36, “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, ‘All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.’ Peter answered and said to Him, ‘Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.’ Peter said to Him, ‘Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!’ And so said all the disciples. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, ‘Sit here while I go and pray over there.’”  

You can read where Peter denied knowing Jesus three times in Matthew 26:69-74.  Then in verse 75 it says this about Peter, “And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.”

The question isn’t whether we have this heart condition, but how can we be set free from the grip of sin that is holding us hostage?  There is only one way and that is by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross where He laid down His life and shed His blood for our sins.  John, who was the forerunner of Jesus, preached repentance and so did Peter, the other disciples and Jesus.  We see it in David’s life and Peter’s life also, how they repented and were forgiven.  This is good news that God didn’t leave us without hope, He made a way that we could be forgiven.  

Read what 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

If you want to experience true freedom from sin, repent, which means turn away from your sins and ask the Lord to forgive you of your sins and be the Lord of your life.  If you are not sure what to say, repeat David’s repentant prayer in Psalms 51 and if you are sincere and truly mean what you pray and want to get serious with the Lord, the good Lord will forgive you.  Then start studying God’s Word and putting it into practice and start growing in the Lord!!  Share what the Lord has done for you with others.  Don’t just mouth these words, the Lord knows the thoughts and intents of the heart, so don’t just rush through this decision, take your time and let the Lord meet you where you are.

Something to think about!  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a great day!!

Grace

But for the grace of God, there go I.  I have heard that Christianity is like one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.  There is no one that doesn’t need God’s grace.  I have been shown God’s grace, but many times I haven’t shown that grace to others in my walk with the Lord and in those times I acted like a hypocrite and I am ashamed of myself and repentant in heart and mind.  It is easy to look down on others and sit in judgment, but, by the way you judge others you will be judged.  

I think the question isn’t whether we should judge others but the question is; what is our motive when we judge?  Do we have a righteous judgment or are we being self-righteous?  If we judge with a proper perspective then we will judge others with love and not just to criticize them and ruin their character.  God can rightfully judge us because we are His servants and He knows all about us so He always judges with a righteous judgment and He is always for us and not against us.  We, on the other hand, think we know about people and why they say or do what they do, but far too often, we are wrong and are being misled by what we may have heard or even what we thought we heard.

Jesus taught about criticizing others, or judging others.  Read Matthew 7:1-6, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” 

This is not saying we should never judge, but when we do, we need discernment.  If all we do is judge so that we can make the other person look bad and make ourselves look good, then we are wrong and should not judge or criticize.  

In Matthew 7:15-23, Jesus said to discern false teachers.  

In 1 Corinthians 5:1-5, Paul taught about church discipline.  

In 1 Corinthians 4:3-5 it says we need to trust God to be the final judge.  

It is better to judge ourselves, our conduct and our motives instead of judging others.  I have found that some of the faults I find in others, that I don’t like, are the same faults I don’t like about myself; you may find the same thing.  It would be better if we used the same criticism on ourselves that we would use towards someone else.  We should judge others then with love and forgiveness.   

Something to think about!  Have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!!  If you haven’t yet today, praise and thank the Lord for He is worthy!!

Storms

Question: what are some of the storms you faced in your life?  Maybe you just lost your job or your hours have been cut and you can barely make it.  Or maybe you have just been through a divorce or a broken relationship.  It may be health problems or the loss of a loved one, whatever it is; it is devastating your life and you have been broken over it.  I don’t pretend to know the reasons why you are going through what you are facing, I guess the way I feel is that all these things are what I call living life.  There are many things I can name but the bottom line is, they happen, and many of us go through these circumstances.  Some may be our own fault but others we have no control over.

I guess my question now is; how do we handle what I will call the storms in our lives?  If I were to ask numerous people this question I would get many different answers.  Some may deal with them in anger and resentment, others may hit the bottle or stay high for a time, or some may deal with these situations with stress, frustration and depression to the point of having a mental breakdown.  There are different ways that people handle the storms in their lives.  I have been through many of these situations in my life plus many others and, for many years, I would push them down inside and pretend that I was alright.  Then as time went on I would use the party scene and drinking and the drugs and all the other things that went along with it, pretending I was something that I wasn’t and that I was ok and could handle these things by myself.  But, then I realized that I wasn’t sufficient in myself, just like the disciples did, but that the Lord was all sufficient and they and I needed His help.

Read what it says in Mark 4:35-41, “On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’ Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, ‘Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?’ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, ‘Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!’”

We will all face what we might call storms in our lives; Jesus said in this world you will have tribulations, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.  We will face trials and tribulations but if the Lord helped the disciples by rebuking the wind and the waves telling them peace, be still and they obeyed Him, can He not take care of the storms in our lives?  The answer is yes.  If you are a believer, when the storms of life start beating against you cry out to the Lord, He loves you and He will help you, He is only a prayer away.

If you haven’t put your trust in Him, ask Him to be the Lord of your life and to forgive you of your sins and repent; if you are sincere, I believe that He will.  Let Him fill you with His peace, love and joy, then when you face storms in your life ask Him to be your strong tower in your time of need and He will be.  Something to think about!  May you have a super day and may the good Lord bless you and yours!!  PS Don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord!!