love

Confessions of a screwed up middle age man: assumptions

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Within this last week I had two encounters with two different people. Both made an assumption about where I stand in my belief in God and an assumption and where I stand in my faith. They assumed I was arrogant and self-serving. This is the furthest thing from my mind.
As the title of this article shows I know I am far from perfect. I know that I am human and I do have human failings. Yes I know at times I can push hard in my wording as well.
Here is the thing that neither of these people wanted to hear. The way I present my message at time is not only out of love, but it is out of desperation. Why desperation?
Because time is running out. As I pointed out to one this people it is only 17 years till the two thousand year anniversary of the death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. It is clear if you just open your eyes and your ears. If you listen to those about you, if you see how they act and live. It is obvious to any willing to see. We are coming to the end of gentile leadership of this world. The Bride is nearly ready, but there is still room for a few more.
I do not wish for those that think they are right with God to awaken someday in the near future and find they are left behind in bewilderment and sorrow. Not understanding that it was due to their own self-imposed ignorance that left them here upon this planet; because they loved it more than they loved God.
I know that after the Rapture which will be much smaller than many expect, and to be honest I will be surprised if even I make that blessed event, that millions will awaken to the truth of God’s love and warning to them to awaken. It will not be too late for them to join God, but they will be required to do the works they have refused to do until this point.
They will have to show their faith in God through the works they said were not needed or required. But what will these works be?
Frist and foremost they cannot take the mark, which will be a chip implanted into their skin and most likely a tattoo as well.
They will have to starve for they will not be able to buy food due to not having the mark.
They will have physical pain and anguish as they are beaten and ridiculed.
They will have to face a martyr’s death be it thorough starvation, or beheading.
Once they live the works they refused to do when they had the chance to do them and join those in the Rapture. Then through their works of their faith in God will they be welcome to stand before God.
Is this what you want? The Rapture has not taken place yet. There is still time. You can still become truly repentant. You can turn from the materialism, you can turn from your selfish desire and lust. You can place God at the center of your life now when it has more value unto God.
For once the Rapture happens people will begin seeing with their eyes and not their hearts and they will be like Thomas.
John 20:24 – One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. 25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.” 26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” 28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. 29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: Disappointment

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The other day I posted one of my other blog post in the only Christian forum I belong to. Before the day was over it was removed, which is why I was disappointed. Not that it was removed, but as I see it the reasons for it removal.
This blog post had to deal with the extremism within the church of how they approach their faith. On the one hand we had up until the 1400s the one and only church, the Catholics. They had adopted an “it is all works” mentality. They made ritual after ritual and offered writs in forgiveness of any sin committed. This led to open sin and ultimately rebellion in the form of Martin Luther’s thesis and the Reformation. Now today we are suffering form it is all faith, which has been twisted due to the hippie movement of the 1960s, which at its core was secularism, that we must love all. Both are extremes, both totally remove God and His Son Jesus Christ from the equation and leave only humanity at its core and focal point. Thus are worthy by those that profess God to be their focal point to openly rebel against those that embrace this extremism that negates God all together.
In the post I received a comment. In it the person referred to Galatians 5:6.
“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.”
Now when you place Galatians chapter five in context you find that it deals only with the fact that it refers to the point that both Jews and Gentiles are welcome within Christendom through the saving grace and love of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Now just so you the reader can understand. The context of my previous post had to deal with James 2:14-26 which dealt with the fact that it takes both faith a.k.a. love and works which are not rituals but acts of commitment to Jesus Christ like for example the act of repentance.
So back on track. I pointed out to the commenter that very point that their comment was totally out of context with my article. The reply I got was my post being removed from the forum.
The only thing the commenter saw was the word “love.” This is the mark of someone that had fallen for the extremism of “love conquers all” and “we must embrace all as they are.” These are the key marks of the hippie movement that came out of the sixties and Satan. I know this because I was there and saw the words “love” and “peace” everywhere I went; along with movies which depicted orgies and mass drug abuse. This mentality does not allow for there to be the need for works like that of the most important act that someone must take to acknowledge their commitment to Jesus Christ as their Savior, that being repentance. In fact those that embrace this extremism say that we must accept people as they are no matter what sins they live within. It is this type of extremism that allowed two young men to stand in front of all the people in what was once a church as one kneeled down and proposed to the other. Now I say “what was once a church” for the moment they accepted this sin into their congregation they chose humanity over God as their core belief and no longer were a part of the Body of Jesus Christ, and so the term “church” no longer applies to them. They are simply a social club of love. A love that will not lead to the feet of God, but to the pit of fire.
This is why I am disappointed that my blog post was removed from my Christian forum, because someone became offended in the politically correct mentality which again is something that is humanity focused not God focused. I forgive them for their sin they have commit, not to me, but to whom I serve. My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 4:1-5

The swing of the pendulum

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When Christianity began to grow after Jesus ascended to His Father Christianity was in balance. Then as it grew and men started to think they knew more than God and changed the Bible to their suiting it became all about works. To this day still some think this way. Then Martin Luther came along and split the church, but he went to the other extreme of all faith, and that too has been corrupted by the insistence of humanity.
Here is what that Bible states though:
James 2:14 – What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
So we cannot live in faith alone which many now use the word “love” as the meaning of this faith. True we are to love all, but we are to do good works as well and this is not only our actions but how we say certain things to be people.
You see we you say you love someone, but you allow them to live in a sin that will mean their eternal death, this is not love, but selfishness. For you do not wish to truly share the love of God with any other. You see if you did, in love, you would go to this sinner and show your true love for them and tell them that if they stay in their sin they shall be dead in the eye of the Lord. This action, these words, are works.
Note the last verse:
“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
This tells you in no uncertain terms that those without salvation are without a spirit and so are destine to death, which is the pit of fire. So you must through your faith act upon their sins and help them to find the true love of our Lord the Jesus Christ and to be reborn in true repentance, which is also works that are done with eternal love.
So in the future remember that it is not good enough just to love everyone, but you must love them enough to let them know how to get to God, through Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 4:1 – I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

What does it really mean to love your neighbor as you would love yourself?

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There is more to it than just applying the Golden rule of “Do unto other as you would do unto yourself.”
It is actually thinking of where you wish to get to in your relationship with God as well and helping others to achieve that same goal.
When you seek to have an eternal life with God you must ask Jesus Christ to be your Savior. You should then in loving your neighbor as yourself seek to have them also accept God as their Savior.
But to be saved you must repent of your sins:
Acts 3:19 – Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away
Repent – metanoeo – I repent, change my mind, change the inner man (particularly with reference to acceptance of the will of God), and repent.
Repent in the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (NTD) is defined as:
“It can then mean ‘to change one’s mind,’……. ‘to adopt another view,’ ‘to change one’s feelings.’”
When taught by Jesus Christ in the Aramaic it goes down to meaning “to convert” and “conversion”
Again from the NTD: “What John advances is the ancient prophetic summons of conversion, for a break with the ungodly and sinful past, for turning to God, because God, active in history, turns to man. But the summons is more categorical than it was on the lips of the prophets, for it stands under the urgency of the eschatological revelation of God. The term which John makes his slogan is familiar to his Jewish contemporaries. It is the epitome of their unwearied and manifold exertions to throw off sin and to fulfill the commandments. But the slogan gives the word a wholly new significance. Conversion is once and for all. It must be genuine and not in appearance only.”
There are many things in what I have just shown from the NTD. When you repent you are to leave your sin behind and never return to it. When loving your neighbor you should seek that exact same thing for them.
Now there are those that have fallen into this believe that “love” is all that is required for humanity to reach God. This came out of the hippie movement in the 1960s. It came from a culture that experiment in drugs and “sexual freedom.” Simply it was born from those sinning and wishing to spread sin.
So how can something that came from sin get you or your neighbor to God? It can’t. Especially when we are told we must repent or convert and leave sin behind.
The Bible shows us what is sin and even tells us outright that some sin especially if people maintain themselves in those sin will not be welcome into the eternal service of God.
1 Corinthians 6:9 – Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
So if you do not wish to live in sin and wish to make it into the eternal service of God how can you allow your neighbor to go into damnation?
If you truly love them you must tell them they sin and get them to repent of their sin never to partake of it again. That to me is truly loving your neighbor. For I would rather have someone I helped join me on my millionth birthday then to allow them out of “love” to instead be cast into the pit of fire and to live in eternal pain and agony.

Misuse of the word “Love”

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There is a big misconception going about that needs to be addressed. In one of my previous post “The hippie Jesus is alive and well but the true Christ is hard to find.” I tried to point out that love is not all happiness and joy and all is right with the world.
First we must remember that in proverbs it states that if a parent truly loves their child they would not spare the rod. I.e. spank them. Yet in today’s society that is something that is evil and taboo. It is amazing how what is right and good is suddenly the opposite. Big sign of troubles coming to this world yet most will just laugh it off and stop reading here just because I worded my sentence that way.
True love from a parent is not easy. They suffer as much as the child when they are forced to punish them, do you think God is any less upset?
When you allow a sin to grow. All those that allow it to grow actually say they hate the world and those they allow to sin. Now I am not saying go out and force people not to sin. That will never happen and then I would be the fanatic some of you already think I am.
A new awakening is now taking place. The world is now drawing the lines between those that will choose God and those that will choose sin. This line is not a straight line as many would assume but it cuts throughout groups that though themselves to be churches and those that have always thought they were not. It cuts across races, creeds and sexes.
What you need to understand is that those that are truly “Loved” by God avoid sin, for they have felt the guilt and discomfort sin brings into their lives. Those that deny God’s love embrace sin and embrace those that embrace sin. Once again the world is returning to black and white, sinner and saint, bad and good. Which side of the line do you stand upon?
If you stand with God and place Him first you have only one choice. Reject the sin and accept God.
Matthew 12: 30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

The Two Greatest Commandments revisited

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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.

True faith in God results in Love

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The true message of the Bible. The true message of Jesus. The true message of the Bible is truly love.
The theme of Christ’s teachings was to love all. This is not the teaching others say. This is not the teachings even those within the church teach.
Many teach that self-glorification and self-satisfaction is the road to God. However, this is not the truth at all.
To truly love you must be willing to place all others before yourself. If you do not or cannot do this, than is what you believe really of God? The answer is no.
Do you take what men say the Bible says to be real? Have you truly read the Bible yourself?
Then how can you tell who is telling you the truth. I challenge you to pick up a Bible and read it. I challenge you to see that the words I now type are those based upon the teaching of the true Bible. I encourage you to see that what I say is true. That it is filled with the love of God and His Son Jesus Christ the living Savior of all that come to understand and accept the true. That to truly love yourself means to place ALL others before yourself and to love them no matter what they say or do.
Start with the New Testament. Once you read that then expand to the rest of the Bible. For the entire Bible aims you toward Jesus Christ.

The true goal of life to seek after and pass on.

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One of the things that I have had the hardest time doing was striving to be the head of a household. There are many reasons why this has been difficult. Primarily in today’s society has placed within women that they should dominate their men. There is also the fact that a true Biblical understanding of the rolls for both the husband and the wife within the marriage. In addition, the overall change in society as a whole because the society that existed when the Bible was originally written has changed. Also, I had a poor role model to learn from. Who in turn had a poor role model to learn from. This resulted in me being a poor role model and I do not deny this in anyway shape or form.
One thing I have always known is that being the head of the household does not mean to dominate and rule. You do not boss those in your home about like slaves. In fact, per the Bible the head of the household is the true servant. This does not mean you wait upon them as if you are a slave. As the head of the household, we are to team with your chosen partner when rearing the children we have been blessed with by God.
As the head of the household, we are to make sure that those in our care are fed, clothed and sheltered. We are to encourage them in their growth and cause them to love and honor God. This so they can be ready to pass on what is found pleasing the in the eyes of the Lord.
Too many generations, especially within the United States, have been told to know that you have done well is if your children exceed and prosper better then you had in your journey through life. This in turn has turned people away for what is truly worth pursuing. Instead they toward seeking after money and bigger and better houses. A race for an ever more distant goal that can never be truly reached has turned people to business, stores, and sports instead of what is truly good and glorious. What is this true goal? It is found within the teaching of the Bible. But what is it called? Love.
Who taught us to love in the Bible? Jesus Christ the living Messiah.

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: As I seek

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As I look about me for a new mate. I watch how ladies act. I find myself checking their left hand for a ring on a certain finger. I comptemplate how we might progress in our possible future as I am determined to work for only nine more years.
I also wonder if that retirement will be as I hope as I see the nation I call home falling apart about me.
I use to prefer ladies younger than me. Even at one point dating a nineteen year old when I was thirty-three. My last wife was even eleven years younger than me, to be honest. Now though that is not what I seek. Now they need to be much closer to my age. They should be looking forward to their retirement as I am. I so want to travel this country once again. I desire to camp within the Rockies and watch the sun change the shadows upon then as the day passes.
I know there is someone out there. But where? There are so many issues to overcome when growing a relationship. They are challenges I know I can overcome. I could have even stayed with my last wife if she could have overcome her selfish behavior. She did not. The stress she placed upon me would have continued to turn what hair I had left upon my head from grey to white as my beard is now.
How do you find a woman that does not smoke or only care for herself?
Dating sites are a joke because the ladies there are seeking a fantasy they will never find. I still laugh inside as I see that they will only give you the time of day if you look like a superhero, and have all their virtues as well.
Well I have the virtues. I am kind, caring, loving, but I have a beer belly even though I do not drink or smoke. I have worked hard my entire life for the most part. I even have damaged lungs because I insisted on being a hard worker. Yet I cannot get a worthwhile lady to even give me the time of day.
As I have stated before this corruptible body is only a temporary body. Used in this lifetime that will be like a blink of the eye compared to our real life we are promised by God. A life that will last billions of years in a body that will not only look like a superheroes, but also have the abilities of one. To be able to travel in an instant to anywhere in the universe, to be muscular and strong, and yet still have the kindness and caring you developed in the corruptible life. How humbling that will be to know that it took corruption to instill true kindness and thoughtfulness. The good man I am now will be the man then in the service of Christ.
Is it then that I will finally meet my mate or will she already be there at my side from this current life?

Confessions of a screwed up middle-aged man

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What is it to love a woman? What are the factors that cause you to choose one person from another? I have cared for several girls and women since I first realized I liked the opposite sex. How old was I? Four?
The first girl I cared for was in Great Falls, Montana. Her name was Wendy. She was a brunette and she had blue eyes. She was rather beautiful to a five your old boy, but then she was five herself.
My first full-blown crush was when I was fourteen. Her name was Sue. I was extremely awkward. I did not know how to act at all at that age. I was shy beyond all measure because of my gawkiness. I do remember dancing with her. She had long brown hair and dark brown eyes. She had one of the sweetest personalities, but due to my ungainliness, possibly I was not her type. Therefore, it was an unrequited encounter.
As I look back on my relationships, I come to the uncomfortable realization. I have loved the women in my live more than they have loved me. How can I say this? My first wife chose to look for older men then stay married to me. My second wife admitted to me that she tricked me into marrying her and that she did not love me. Was I naive? I guess so.
In a way, I feel I deserve to be without a woman in my life. My first wife I met in my years when God was not in my life. That did not happen until six years later. Of all the women in my life, I miss her the most. Mainly because she left me not the other way around like in my second marriage.
One thing I need to learn to do, and apparently have not is place this in God’s hand. I know due to free-will we must make some effort in relationships on our own, but still I feel I should be praying more before I act.
Only time will tell. One thing is for sure. I do not want to spend the next billion years without someone by my side. There will be so many adventures in that time. So many wonders to see and I want to be able to share them.