General

We need to not be near sighted

Christian, General, Life, Thoughts, , , , , Leave a comment

One of the greatest challenges that those that call themselves Christian is to learn to look beyond today or even tomorrow. When they become near sighted, all they can do is plan for that moment or the next day. That is not how Christianity was designed to work.
Our vision should be focused on the eternal. Questions like “What will the earth look like in the thousand-year reign of Christ?” “What lies in the next solar system?” “What wonders and beauty are waiting to be seen?”
Why these questions and many many more? Because that makes us think beyond this temporal life.
This is like going to the store to pick a pair of shoes. You try one on, walk and feel it is uncomfortable, or it does not look quite right. So you try another pair and they are just right. Well the eternal life is the pair that is just right, filled with the rewards promised to us by Jesus.
Why keep the pair of shoes that are uncomfortable? Yet that is exactly how people live and act. They say I can work through the blisters and corns caused by wearing the wrong shoes. We are told repeatedly not seek our reward in this life for it is fleeting when compared to a billion years.
One year is 365 days. The average life span of a person worldwide, at this time, is 25915 days or 71 years.
One billion years is 365,242, 199, 000 days.
Personally, I would rather plan for the largest number. A lot more can happen in that life and will happen.

What constitutes the free exercise of religion?

Christian, General, government, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , , , , , One comment

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Per dictionary.com
Exercise – a putting into action, use, operation, or effect:

Per the first amendment, Congress (i.e. the government) cannot impose any law that blocks the free exercise (practice) of religion.
Now it states religion, which can mean any religion. That can mean Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hindi, so forth and so on.
This means that if someone states per religious reasons that they cannot do something that violates said religion, then the government cannot force them to go against their believes, per the first amendment.
Yet that is what is being done.
The sin called homosexuality is just that a sin. To force a religion that says it is not a sin is a violation of the first amendment.
If someone wishes to live a sinful live that is his or her choice, but to try to force a religion to condone said sin is again a violation of the first amendment.
Those that truly follow Christianity do not turn their backs on the people living in sin, but we should not be force to say that something we consider bad for the person to be good.
We do not hate the person committing the sin. We condemn the sin itself. We ask that you do not continue to live in this sin, for we only wish what is best for you. There is really going to be an eternal life. ALL are promised to have immortal bodies, but not all are promised to live in happiness. Those that follow the teaching of Christ and the Bible believe in the White Throne Judgment. This happens after the thousand-year reign of Christ upon earth. This is post rapture and post Armageddon. At this time those that lived righteous lives without knowing of the existence of God or the salvation promised by Christ upon the cross, will find that their mere actions will most likely gain them access to God and His Son.
It is those that know of God and His Son that deny Them both, or live in sin will at this time find it the hardest to get past God’s judgment. Of these most will fail and it will be by their own doing. On Mount Sinai God did not just hand down stone tablets with ten rules. He gave a huge list of laws and rules to follow.
One of these is that men shall not lie with other men as if they lie with women. The same is said of women. These are laws given by God. These are sins. To force those that believe this to accept your life choice is wrong. If you wish to live in this sin, go right ahead it is not my job or place to stop you if you do not wish to listen. It is also not your job or place to stop us from believing it to be true.
Do not think that by forcing your way into our Churches you are getting God to condone or approve of your choice. This is the furthest thing from the truth, but as I said, I am not here to force you to stop living in this sin unless you are willing to acknowledge what is written in the Bible. I am here to shine the light of God upon you and tell you that what you are doing is wrong and can lead you to standing before the Great White Throne. This is not where I wish to see. I would rather you be in the court audience. Watching as all the actions of someone’s life pass before all to see and witness.
One time someone said to me. If no one would know, would you commit a homosexual act for $5,000,000 dollars? I said no. He could not believe me and kept pressing me. I said God would know. Not only will God know but also EVERYONE will know. I am in no way perfect, but I will not give in to sin even for money. For your soul is more important to me then money ever could be and the glories of an eternal life that will allow us to explore all the creation of God is more rewarding then paper made by man. Give me what God creates, for He created the entire universe.

Things found in SciFi and the Bible

Christian, General, Life, Thoughts, , , , , , , , One comment

Higher beings

Teleportation

Terra forming

Celestial phenomena

Dinosaurs

Ascensions to a higher life form

Asteroids and comets hitting the earth

Immortality

Multiple dimensions

Creation

This is where those that wrote SciFi got their ideas.
Ideas that have been around thousands of years before someone decided to write science fiction. Think on that a moment. Things that were not “real” when written by Jules Verne are now “real.”
Things in the Bible called real are now called fiction by those that wish to deny God. Funny how that is working. If the trend continues that means that all within the Bible is real, oh wait, people have already been saying that. Time to wake up folks.

Don’t become a broken branch

Christian, General, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , , , , Leave a comment

There are those that believe in the manmade doctrine of “once saved always saved.” I do not follow this doctrine for within the book of John, Christ states you can be removed from Him. This implies that you were are one time with Him since you cannot be removed from something you were not a part of. Many follow this doctrine without being aware that they are.
Christ clearly states that one must “abide” with Him.
Abide – 3306. meno men’-o a primary verb; to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy):–abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry (for), X thine own.
Dwell – 3 a: to keep the attention directed —used with on or upon
b: to speak or write insistently —used with on or upon
Endure – 1: to continue in the same state: last 2: to remain firm under suffering or misfortune without yielding

This means you have to have an active relationship with Jesus. Just going to church on Sunday and then not spend the other 313 days of the year dwelling in Christ and His teaches is not abiding in Him. We are the bride and He is the Groom. Do you spend 52 days out of the year with your wife or husband? If you did, you will soon find yourself divorced.
Your branch must bear fruit and that God Himself will prune you so that in the end you will bear more fruit. I experienced this pruning personally in my year of Job. Now I am dedicated to writing these words in hopes that they shall bear the fruit of God.
I know without a doubt that I came close to being a branch that bore no fruit and knew again, without a doubt, that I was close to being removed from the vine of Christ and gathered up and burned within the fire. The symbolism is clearly stated in these verses by Jesus Himself.
Know Him.
Have an active relationship with Him. This means to be a living example of what He taught and to strive to do so. Not only through prayer, but actions. So you can be a bearer of Godly fruit.
If you do not bear fruit you will be cast off by God and join the world of man and be thrown into the fire.
John 15: 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Words – 4487. rhema hray’-mah from 4483; an utterance (individually, collectively or specially),; by implication, a matter or topic (especially of narration, command or dispute); with a negative naught whatever:–+ evil, + nothing, saying, word.

John 15: 1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

The Two Greatest Commandments revisited

Christian, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , , One comment

In one of my other posts, I mentioned two great commandments given to us by Jesus. To love God with all your heart and all the time. The other was to love your neighbor as you love yourself. These two things Christ stated was above the Ten Commandments and yet if you look at it they are part of the Ten Commandments.
Like the Ten Commandments it is something that is ignored by most, be they non-Christian or even Christian. This is a sad statement when you ponder upon it some, but true. Could it be the times we live in? Possibly, but it does not need to be this way.
Also as I have stated in other posts is the need to be truly humble.

Per Merriam-Webster Dictionary: Humble is: not proud: not thinking of yourself as better than other people;: given or said in a way that shows you do not think you are better than other people;: showing that you do not think of yourself as better than other people

This is the building blocks on which loving your neighbor as you would yourself is built upon. In love of God first, placing Him first in all you do and being a humble person. Placing the actions and feelings of all others before yourself allows you to love them like yourself.
In Christianity there are many groups. All think that their vision of God is better than the other persons version. In reality the only vision we have of God is found within the entire Bible. It shows God is all knowing. It shows God as creator and Father. Yet many that call themselves Christian think of Him as some magical genie that will grant their wishes to become rich, a celebrity, important.
This is not what the Bible teaches and the mere fact that there are people that believe otherwise shows they have not truly read the Bible and understand it. As a result, they find it impossible to follow the two greatest commandments.

The world is full of pitfalls and potholes.

Christian, General, Life, Memories, Thoughts, , , , , One comment

As we go about our daily tasks, we are given days of joy and happiness. We are given days when nearly the same thing happens that had happened the day before. Then we are given trials. Most are minor, some are more painful, and some are soul rending.
The thing is there is always someone there waiting to help us. Many call out to Him, but many times, they do not believe he listens. Well He does. The answer you seek to see may not be the answer He wishes you to learn, but you must endure.
I had an encounter that took place in 1996. The details are unimportant, what is important though is that it took more than ten years to finally open my mind and heart to the lesson that God was trying to teach me. In those ten years I carried bitterness and anger within, which is opposite what God wants us to carry within us.
This anger and bitterness left me depressed and despondent. It led me to doubt my place with God. It led me down a path in which feel I could have been an unfruitful branch for God and so broken off of the tree and cast to the world.
I came close, but then I realized the truth and beauty of God and His Son Jesus Christ. It took an experience that was an echo of Job for me to turn my path back to God. Trials and tribulations I do not wish any to have to go through, but I know, as with me, that may be the only way for people to come to understand that Jesus in the answer.
That is the reason there are pitfalls and potholes in life.

When writing letters to those out there in the world

Christian, General, Life, Thoughts, , , , , , Leave a comment

As one who in essence is writing letters, I come to understand what made those that wrote the letters to the churches do what they did. Mainly they were separated by distance. In at least two cases the one writing the letters was imprisoned and unable to go to those they were writing these letters that later become the New Testament.
In my case I am unable to travel to those that have read my post due to obligations that require me to stay where I am. In several cases I am incapable of travel to them since at this time I have reached fifty two nations; one or two of them I never thought I would ever see that they have bothered to read that I have written but they have. Some come back time to time and look once again at what has been added. Most likely, many never return, but that is ok. At least once they read something that may have impressed upon them something that will come back to them in some other way. This is how God works at times. Planting little tidbits here and there, within their minds, till one day one of these seeds sprout and spread the love and joy of God throughout them. They realize that if not me than someone or something made them understand and accept God. Then they turn to His Son Jesus Christ and become saved.
I encourage and challenge those that are reading at this very moment to go pick up and Bible and read it. Learn the teaching of Jesus. Try to understand that they are still as relevant as they were when He first spoke them. Yes start with the New Testament but then turn to the Old and read it as well. For everything within the Old points to the New and to Christ.
2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: the comeback

Christian, General, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , , Leave a comment

I find it funny how even I forget time to time. I see my own blog posts coming to my aide as I go through the rough spots on my journey toward the eternal life to come that is promised unto us by the teachings within the Bible, which once again makes me think that even though penned and or type by me they were inspired by the Holy Ghost.
The last forty-eight hours have been rough upon me. I let my guard down and forgot where it was I worked and how things usually go. I also forgot in my moment of happiness in finding that one person that I know I will willing spend all eternity with in a perfect immortal body, that we are not promised all our rewards upon this earth and in this temporal life. That our greater reward, especially for those that are not rich is a greater in the future to come beyond this life.
I should have known that one in charge of this planet would throw some debris upon the already thin and rough road before me, but as I said, I took my eyes off the road for a moment and hit the debris head on.
I have gone through the usual turmoil that occurs when something bad happens. Shock, depression, anger, but has my better half reminded me only a short time ago with some verses from the Bible

Philippians 4: 4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Therefore, I am on my comeback to my place of joy and whom that joy is for. Jesus.

The workmanship of God

Christian, General, Life, Memories, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , , , , One comment

When we think of God, we think of light, we also think of the source of our light that we see every day, the sun. What people have dismissed is that God created the sun just as was this planet.
Also people do not realize that the sun is huge. It can take 1,300,000 earths to fill the sun. Yet that sun is small. The largest known star at this time is VY Canis Majoris. It is estimated that it is 950 to 1200 times the size of our sun. Yet again this is nothing compared to the rest of the universe, and He who made it all, God.
I think this is one reason people have such a hard time accepting that God is real. Many limit God to this little speck in the universe, making Him as important as the insects that crawl and flay about.
It is sad that they do this, that the ultimate being that has the power to not only to create this planet, but to manipulate it as well. He has stopped it from rotating. He has turned a river to blood. He spread apart a sea. Yet people limit and ignore Him. Said it was just and nature event that cause these thinks to take place. Apparently you missed the earlier sentence that God can manipulate this planet, meaning to cause “nature events” to take place.
Did you see a bird today? You just saw the workmanship of God.

Light at the end of the tunnel

Christian, General, Life, Thoughts, , , Leave a comment

Life is chaos. Each day is different. Each hour is something that never happened before. Some days will be good, Most will be mundane. Others will be filled with pain and sorrow. It is these last days that are the hardest to make it through.

There is order in the chaos. The yin for the yang. This order is always there, but forgotten and missed by most for it does not show itself boldly to the world. For it seeks to have you understand it that is there just out of site, but just as real as everything else about you is.

When pain strikes most seek it out pleading and scream “WHY?” “WHY ME?” Or other such statements, but that is not what the order seeks. It seeks to strengthen you in these times of strive. It seeks to guide you and let you know that there is always light at the end of the darkness that for this time of trial and tribulation you have just enough strength within you to make it through.

You protest and say no you do not, but the order says, “Yes there is for I am with you.”

Then you realize what is the truth and you know that you can make it to the light, for what is the light is Jesus Christ and He is that order.