It is true that the exact day of His birth is not known, but the year He came to be among the humans is known. It became the dividing of the term B.C. (Before Christ) and A.D. (Anno Domini is Medieval Latin, translated as “In the year of the Lord”). It is how the years are measured within history. It is something that will not be changed until Jesus sets foot upon the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem. Why? Because He is real. No other has effected how we view time, not even by those that followed their teaching throughout the centuries. Why? Because He really is the Son of God.
It is true though that humans have merged the celebration of His birth with other celebrations. They try to say this for Easter as well, but it is documented which day he did die upon the cross. That is the day when Passover was celebrated by the nation of Israel. The think is Easter is truly celebrated the event that took place three days later upon the Jewish calendar. That would be the day Jesus rose from the dead and returned from paradise and hell with the keys to both. Alive, breathing yet changed. He still bares the wounds to this day, for He is still alive.
This is one of the facts that many cannot get their head around because they are not willing to think beyond what they can see and feel.
This is one of the core elements of faith, to be able to think beyond not only the world around us but to have a believe in God and His omnipotent power to create not only the universe we now inhabit but another realm of existence that is known as heaven and that there are living beings in this place. Not only that, but they have the ability to go between the two. These are the facts for they are shown within the Bible and all scripture is inspired by God.
God is real. Jesus is real and is alive and it is His birth upon this earth to become the sacrificial lamb for our salvation is what Christmas is really all about. We are promised that though Him we will receive an eternal live that is how we also know that He is alive this very moment. Is that not something to celebrate, for that is what this season is truly for and it is well worth it.
Relationship
Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: Pettiness
It is something that still surprises me. Seeing someone act and behave with petty i.e. immature behavior. I see more and more as I age why Jesus clearly showed how corrupt the natural state of humanity is. I lived in the south most my life. Now I am not saying that there is not petty immature people in the south, by mentioning this point. Why I mention it is that it has allowed me to gain an insight into behavior I may not have noticed living my entire life where I now live.
I also think it is due to my salvation that I can see things in a different light, or a better phrasing would be with the light of God shown upon those about me. I have had a very diverse image upon life that not all can say they have had so that too helps me look at things in this light of Christ as many may not or purposely turn their heads away from.
At this time, I am going through a little bit of bumpy road at work. The one at its center, well other than me, is one of my bosses. It is a large enough company that there are bosses over bosses. Well as I look upon the issue I start to understand what is going on, and so all I think I can do is do what I am supposed to do as is taught by Christ. As I type this, the realization hits me, just so you understand where I am coming from.
I need to pray for this man as well as another of the bosses. They suffer from the ideal that since they are management that everything must be done in such a way and in such a manner that it gives them the feeling of control of the situation. I wish I could go into more detail, but let us just say that each day is different from the previous one or the one that is to come, well at least in the area I work in. It is an area that is demanding. I had raised to the next level recently having become bored with the “regular” challenges and sought after some that would actually make me think.
The thing is they sent me on a shift that had no other peers equal to that new level to discuss issues with to gain their insight. Not anyone who says you can go straight into a job without someone to help you out at first is not telling you the truth; they are also lying to themselves. I can go no further other than to say that this one boss did not like that I acted in a certain way. To his satisfaction, even though the reason for my actions goes back to them not providing me with something I requested from them several times that night.
As I stated though this person does not see it this way, nor does he wish to see the truth, for it would shatter his illusionary world of power and control. Have I grown from it? I would say yes. Has he? I would say no. Thus the need to pray for him. For it is his soul that is in need of the help not mine.
It was stated best in the movie “Angel and the Badman” with John Wayne, when dealing with his future wife. She was a Quaker; their outlook on faith is one that I think all should have. When someone seeks to do harm to you it. You may suffer some injury, you may even die, but it is not you that is ultimately being hurt. It is them they are hurting.
Our reward is not promised on this earth but in the eternal life that is to come beyond this temporal life, we now live. How we live this life though is a determining fact upon our reward in the eternal. When you seek to do harm to another through violence or simply removing them from a job because you do not like them it is your reward you are taking from yourself. Each action of hate, each word said in anger. Each act that causes harm to someone else ultimately lies at your doorstep. It is something you must answer for before God. Many who now think themselves Christian will be stunned to find themselves standing before God on the days of the Great White Throne Judgment. They had thought they would be among the counted but instead find themselves being judged to see if they are worthy of being welcome to live an eternal life free to serve the Creator of the Universe within and throughout His creation. All that stand before Him will weep and plead, but what they do not fully understand is even though God will be the one that ultimately says if they are welcome. Their own actions and behavior are their judge. For we are given the Bible to teach us what is right and wrong and if we do not follow these rules even though we may have been saved we will find that we can be removed from Jesus and thus from God Himself.
The duel edge sword.
There are times we go through trials and tribulations. As I have said before some may be a pruning by God to allow you to become a better tool for His glory. There will be some trials that confound and confuse you because they come at you from a direction you did not expect. Usually in these instances, there is another party involved. Someone outside that you do not know how or why they crossed your path and sent you into a trail and tribulation. When there is others involved it is always a test upon both parties or all those involved.
In many cases, it will be something that is testing you to see if you grow in your faith, and let me say on a personal note, that all our faiths including mine own have room to grow.
Here is my point of this post. Even though we end up growing and become closer to God in this time of tribulation we may not be the may target. I could be the other person in the situation that is being tested. It may be the other person having their faith in God worked upon by Him.
Our responses and actions to this person might be something that God can use to make this other person realize they need to change and come closer to God. Or they may just need to go through this trial in their own way, but still your reaction is important.
An example:
The other day I was behind a person on the road that was driving erratically. I noticed that he was more interested in looking on the screen of his cellphone then upon the road. I come to this conclusion by the mere fact that he crossed the double yellow line and had to come to a near stop several time to make a simple corner. I have seen drunk drives drive better. So as I get to a stop light I start honking my horn.
He jumps out of his car comes running to my window and proceeds to curse and me.
My respond. “Yes I have a problem with you. You are texting. Read Titus 3:1”
This reference to the Bible made his eyes widen, step back and then turn and leave to his car, which he suddenly started running to as it rolled driverless toward the car in front of it.
Was I being given a trail? I would say yes, if you knew me before Christ you would understand.
Was he being tested? I would say definitely.
The Blood that cleans
Humans are corrupt beings. They are this way due to the fall from grace in the Garden of Eden by Adam and Eve. No human on their own can make themselves clean. How can filth clean filth? It is impossible for there will always be filth left behind when this is done.
That was why God created the blood sacrifice. For centuries, it was the blood of the lamb. Then God allowed His Son to come amongst humans. He lived without sin, but witnessed sin. Then it was the humans that called for His death, His sacrifice, and so He went to the cross and shed His pure and clean blood. This Blood is so powerful that it cleaned all the filth from those that called upon Him as their Savior.
This salvation makes people change. That which gave them pleasure before no longer does and so they turn from that which was their old live in the filth. Sometimes though they do get dirty, but they ask God for His forgiveness and blessing and He gives it.
But humans are corrupt beings. They are told within the Bible that they must abide with Jesus. Live in His word and His teachings, but most do not. Soon they find themselves returning to those sins and forgetting to ask Jesus for His cleansing. Therefore, they falter and fall, until one day they are merely paper Christians. Their month says they are but their actions say they are the sin they once were.
Jesus called these the “lukewarm” and He said he would spew them from His month for they are no longer one with Christ or God and no longer worthy to amongst the counted.
Can they fix this? Yes they can, but many are so blinded they do not realize that they have faltered and fallen away. There are those that cry from the wildness calling upon them to repent and return to Christ. Some may listen, but most do not.
Mark Chapter 7:20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
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.
Revelation 3: 14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Overwhelmed – A song worthy of hearing.
What is quickly becoming one of my all-time favorite songs is “Overwhelmed” by Big Daddy Weave. In the very first verse, you hear this:
“I see the work of Your Hands
Galaxies spin in a Heavenly dance oh God
All that You are is so overwhelming”
Written by Mike Weaver and Phil Wickham. They show that more in Christendom need to wake up and notice. Too many times people limit God. Diminish God. Reduce God.
God is truly overwhelming. Yet He sees promise in each and every person. He seeks out a personal relationship, yet at the same time created the entire universe. A universe filled with millions of galaxies in which there are billions of solar systems. Yet God wishes to spend time with each and every one of us. He is so overwhelmingly powerful that He is able to do just that for He is truly overwhelming.
What constitutes the free exercise of religion?
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.
Don’t become a broken branch
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
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.
Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: the comeback
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
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.