Monday, November 5, 2012

Why does God allow modern medicine?

Have you ever wondered why God allows modern medicine when He clearly is the power that can heal the sick and raise the dead?  I believe it is His desire to meet the needs the lost as well. 

God cares about everyone.  By allowing modern medicine people that don't believe in Jesus also have an opportunity at being healed.  At the same time, Christians, even though they believe God can heal them, have an opportunity to get the care they need if God chooses not to perform a healing miracle in their lives.

With the advancements made in modern medicine minor, and even some major, illnesses can be treated with a simple pill.  People can be, and have even been, brought back from the dead.  Now this is not to exclude God or imply that He is impotent in power.  Instead it should be celebrated that He has graciously allowed these advancements to be made and provided us with the knowledge and resources to do so.

For example, the average person living in the U.S. today lives to be about 78 yrs. old.  One of the major contributing factors is the advancement in healthcare.  As a Christian, this allows us more time to enjoy our lives and also preach the salvation of Jesus.  For a person who is not saved by Jesus, this also allows them more time to enjoy life and to hear the word and avoid judgment.  Lost souls who would have normally been terminally ill or have died and been condemned to Hell now can be cured and even brought back from death to live another day to hear the saving Word.

Again, if anything, we see God's grace and mercy by allowing the creation of modern medicine.

But why couldn't God just heal everyone who was prayed for?  First, here are millions more non-believers than there are Christians so access to a person with the gift of healing might not be possible (Mark 35). Also, as I stated earlier, not everyone has faith.  I would even go as far to say that some people might loathe the idea of being healed by God in that they would then have to acknowledge by their miraculous healing that there is indeed, God.

Ultimately, this thought is not to explain why God does, or doesn't, heal a person.  He made us and He can heal us.  It is to look at His healing, grace, and mercy in another way.

May the Lord bless you!

Kyle 
 

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Playing the lottery. God's best?

If you live in America you can walk into almost any supermarket or convenience store and see the lottery machines in the corner with lottery signs displayed on the outside and inside of the building.  If the jackpot rises to a considerable amount of money you will even start to see advertisements on the billboards and the news.  Around the nation people will be hyping up the riches to be won and salivating at the prospect of becoming the next multimillion and having all of their dreams fulfilled with a new life of luxury and ease.  The Bible does not specifically condone gambling but as a Christian, are we honoring God by taking a chance with Lady Luck?

As innocently as it seems in buying a chance at winning a sizeable amount of money, you are actually hurting your relationship with God.  I pose a question.

By seeking quick riches what is your true motivation?

a)  Are you trying to buy happiness?
b)  Do you want more things?
c)  Maybe you would like a better opportunity for you or your family?
d)  You're tired of working?
e)  Maybe your goal is to use it for something honorable like starting a ministry?
f)  Maybe it's some other reason?

God provides what you need in His time.  He knows what you need and what will hurt you.  By trying to seek a quick buck you are saying that:

a)      "God, I am not happy because you haven't given me enough money for me to be happy."

b)      "God, I need more things as you have not given them to me. I want to win the million  
dollars so I can get everything I want."

c)      "God, You have not provided enough for my family so I must now go out and try to do it  
myself."

d)     "God, I hate working and the job you gave me so now I want a life of ease free from  responsibility, growth, and potential witness opportunities." And finally,

e)      "God, I want to serve you but on my terms and my own strength so let me win the million  
            dollars so I can use it to serve you."

God wants to bless us but when we try to take short cuts we subvert what He really desires for us to have.  Around the world money holds many opportunities but it can come with a price.  Instead of seeking riches seek God, serve Him, and let Him reward you with what he thinks is best.  It may not bet what you expected but it WILL BE God's best for you.  Trust in Him to provide and do not seek the worldly way in striving for quick riches.



The Bible does hold references to money and wealth.  For example, Matthew 19:21-23 tells the story of a rich man asking Jesus what he must do to gain eternal life.  The rest of the story is as follows:

21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”  22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.  23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

Another famous scripture quote is 1Timothy 6:10.  It states:

10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Now this is not to say that having money or being rich makes you evil or it is a sin.  Jesus’ friend Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead, was a wealthy man.  God does honor and bless people with money through hard work and honest business practices.  Instead, it warns that the love (lust) of or the overwhelming desire maintain wealth can lead to idolization and other sins such as covertness, murder, lying, etc…  In Exodus 20:3, one of God's Ten Commandments is "You shall have no other gods before me."  God does desire for you to prosper, but within His guidelines.  For some people, God has bestowed great wealth.  Some manage it God's way while others do not.

In summary, the Bible clearly warns about money.  You look around today and society is based around it.  However, as Christians, we must constantly remember that everything is His, and not ours, and He is capable of meeting your every need, without money.

Verses for study

Proverbs 13:4, 7-8, 11
4The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing;
But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.
There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing;
And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches. The ransom of a man’s life is his riches, but the poor does not hear rebuke.
11Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase.
Proverbs 28:19-20, 22
19 He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough! 20 A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
22 A man with an evil eye hastens after riches, and does not consider that poverty will come upon him.
Hebrews 13:5-6
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.
Luke 16:11
11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit   to your trust the true riches?
Proverbs 22:16
16 He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches,
and he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.
Matthew 6:13
13 And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Titus 1:7
For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money
Luke 12:15-21
15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness,[a] for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” 16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ 18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ 21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

May the Lord bless you!

Kyle

Monday, September 24, 2012

Was man Satan's tree?

Disclaimer:  This post is not fact but a theory based upon scripture, reasoning, and drawing conclusion based upon my personal opinion.  I have painted a hypothetical situation based upon what I currently believe could have happened.  Please do not quote this as fact or actual doctrine.

I have often thought about, and even written a post, as to why would Satan turn from God.  The obvious answer is pride but what led up to this pride?  If everything in Heaven is wonderful and perfect and Satan and the angels knew that they were created beings (by the God they physically were in the presence of since the moment of their existence), why would they choose the path they took?

I had planned to write this post a few months ago but held off because I wanted to be very careful what I post, as not to mislead people in thinking that I had a new revelation.  I ran it by my wife first and although she thought it was truly profound she even cautioned me to seek wise council before posting the thought.  It wasn't until I was listening to To Every Man An Answer on the 23rd of August, 2012 (http://www.csnradio.com/tema/archives/2012/08/23.php) that I heard what reaffirmed my thought so I am now comfortable to share it with you.

Sometime before Satan fell he was the most beautiful angel in heaven.  Not only was he beautiful he also had authority.  Next to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit there was none higher.  Angels do hold different positions in heaven as shown in the Bible.  Life was great!  Then one day God took Satan into counsel and showed him His master plan.  He was to going to create new beings that would someday hold higher position than the angels and the angels, and Satan, would serve this new creation called man.

Now, try and put yourself in this situation.  Life is great, you're in a top position at your job, you're a model employee and all of the sudden your boss calls you in and says "I want you to meet your new boss!"  You look across the room and it's a 22 yr. old kid fresh out of college with no real life experience and to top it off, it's the boss’s son.  Honestly, I would be furious!  Now back to the thought.

So Satan is told that he would serve this new creation.  Imagine how he must have felt.  Imagine his pride puffing up and saying "NO WAY!!!  I'M BETTER THAN THEM!!!"  HOW DARE GOD DO THIS to ME!!!"  I believe the angels in Heaven were given free will which allowed them to make a choice.  However, there has to be an option for a choice to be made.  Now up to this point why would they have a reason to abandon God for what they thought would be a better option when there wasn't the option to begin with?  Where was the temptation?  Now, with man, the choice, the temptation, it was all there.  This is not to say that God tempted Satan but that Satan allowed himself to be tempted instead of trusting God and His judgment for the future.  Does this sound familiar?

I imagine Satan going from that meeting with new emotions and ideas and then expressing his displeasure with God's new plan by sharing not only the problem with it, but also a solution!  It says in the bible that Satan said "I will be like the Most High!" (Isaiah 14:13-14).  I can envision him going around to the other angels and gathering those who also believed his deceit and joined with him in supplanting God.  There can be many questions as to how he accomplished this.  It also asks the question why God would allow Satan time to collect followers.  One of God's characteristics is to show restraint.  It could be that Satan was allowed to move through the heavenly host and preach his message of mutiny until the time came when the choice was made and sin was born in their hearts.  This would allow God to see which angels truly were His by allowing them to choose Him for themselves.  It could also be that Satan made a public announcement and the choice was made immediately at that time.  Personally, I lean towards the 1st choice.  As we do not know the complete workings of heaven there is no sure way to know.  Either way, a choice was allowed and a choice was made.  This is the evidence of the angels having free will.

Satan was already the "head angel" apparently over the entire host of other angels but if that was the case, why would he make the statement "I will exalt my throne above the stars of God"?  "Stars of God" is used to represent the angels but Satan was already over the angels.  If you look closely at this statement Satan uses the word "throne".  This clear statement he is making is saying that he will rule over the angels but under his OWN authority, separate from God.  Therefore, whoever chose to follow Satan obviously reasoned that Satan's way (based on lies and deceit) was the better way separate from God's authority. The Bible states in John 8:44 that Satan is called "the father of lies".  This is where he earned one of the many names he holds.
It may be that Satan thought if he could gather enough followers he could overthrow God, but I doubt that. 

Being that God is eternal, infinite, and not a created being the angels would've understood this.  I would suggest that Satan intended to install a kingdom separate from Gods, in Heaven, which he would rule.  In other words, he wanted to do his own thing.  As we know, God does not allow this. In His original 10 commandments the first one, Exodus 20:3, states "You shall have no other gods before me."  It applies to us and it applies to the angels as well.  One could assume that by taking this route Satan and his followers probably thought they could avoid punishment, sidestep God's plan. and live independently.  No harm, no foul, and no serving this new creation called "man".  Unfortunately for Satan and his followers, this would not be a choice.

Instead, God passed judgment on their actions.  They were now doomed to spend eternity separated from God in a lake of fire and brimstone upon the final judgment of mankind.  Until that time different, immediate punishments were handed down.  Some fallen angels are bound at the Euphrates River while some are bound in the bottomless pit restrained in chains in the darkness.  Still many others are presently confined to earth tormenting people today.  Apparently Satan, though doomed, still is allowed to hold a place of authority and still has limited access to God (Job 1:6,Job 2:1, and Luke 22:210).

When God placed the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden Adam and Eve were told not to eat of it.  However, for Satan to have continued authority, prolong the final, eternal judgment, destroy God's creation, get back at God, etc..., he had to get man to also disobey God by having him commit sin.  When Eve was tempted in the garden Satan used the same lie that originally came from his "humble" beginnings.  In Genesis 3:4-5 the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  He tempted her with the option of "being like" God.  This is exactly what Satan wanted to be!  Instead, the exact opposite was true and man now suffers the same fate as Satan and his demons, EXCEPT, we were given the one thing they were not allowed, grace.

Though we deserve the same fate as Satan and his demons, God made a way through Jesus Christ's death on the cross (John 3:16).  The grace he gives us is so easy to receive and it's completely free!  All one has to do is believe that Jesus died on the cross for his/her sins, confess with their mouth their sins and their need for a savior, and turns from their sins.  This is followed by a public proclamation and baptism.  This is man's free will, although our choice can be a more difficult one with all of life's struggles, suffering, temptations, and satanic attacks.  I would even be so bold to offer that maybe this is why we were allowed grace but Satan and his demons were not.

I believe that because of this grace, Satan became more enraged at mankind and God.  The Bible says that Satan does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy (Part of John 10:10).  Not only can he not stand that he would be subject to mankind but I believe even more so he takes out his wrath upon us because he blames us for all of his problems and wants to make mankind, and God, pay.  Also, at the same time, for a short time, he wants show God that he still holds authority (although limited which is what he stole from man at the fall in the garden) separate from God even though God would not allow this in Heaven.

I hope that this post has not discouraged or confused you but instead helped you to see how God does not only love and care for us, but that He is also a Holy God.  God wants to be loved for Himself just like you and I would want to be loved for who we are.  Love involves trust as well.  He asks us to trust Him because He knows what's best for all.  However, when we don't trust him and choose to do things our way the consequences can be detrimental to our relationship.  Ultimately, the choice we make will have an eternal consequence, either way.  As you can see what happened to Satan, choosing not to trust God led to eternal separation and destruction.  If you are not a Christian please choose to trust God with your life and develop a loving relationship that will last for eternity.

May the Lord bless you!

Kyle



References for review..

Isaiah 14:12-14
For you have said in your heart:
‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;
I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High.’

Job 1:6 and 2:1
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan[a] also came among them.

John 10:10
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Gates of Hell

I was thinking that if the gates to the New Jerusalem are made of a single giant pearl are the gates of Hell made from a giant single piece of fruit that Eve and Adam took a bite of which they were commanded not to?  :)  Just a funny thought but it would be a simple reminder.

Monday, July 23, 2012

What is true happiness?


What is happy about life?  We are born, grow old, and die.  But what truly is the happiness we are searching for?  For me, as a Christian, I find life hard to enjoy, especially when compared against being in Heaven with God.  I believe this is where true happiness is.

I know that Heaven will be an amazing place that my finite mind cannot possibly comprehend.  First, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit will be there.  I look forward to the relationship building that will continue to grow with my heavenly Father and the other residents of Heaven for ever.  I look forward to seeing the New Jerusalem.  I think about all of the new experiences such as the sights, colors, emotions, and sensations that I will be able to have for eternity and wonder about the millions more that I can't possibly image.  I'll bet a few words that will continue on forever are Ooooo, and Ohh, and Ahh, and Wow! 

Can you imagine talking with your creator?  What it must be to listen to Him talk about you so intimately that it would make you wonder if you even knew yourself at all. How about sitting on His lap while He explains mysteries of the universe to you?  Or image getting an embrace from your Father who truly loves you unconditionally.  What must that feel like? What if you were afraid of flying your whole life and now you are freely exploring the universe?  What about being free of sin?  No more sin forever!  No more temptation, or guilt, or persecution, or pain but freedom and peace!  This is what I want.

I look at my life today, and in comparison to God and Heaven, how can I be truly happy?  To help you better understand my dilemma you must understand my situation.  I am a Christian not only in name but actions also.  I truly have a love for God and a relationship with Him too.  I am extremely happy being married to my beautiful wife who I have had three children with and adopted her oldest from a previous relationship.  I also have 3 other children from a previous marriage.  I can honestly say that it has taken God quite some time to get me to truly appreciate family but I am so grateful for all of them. I have a steady job that sustains our simple lifestyle and one vehicle that so far God has kept running for almost 10 yrs. without any real issues.  We attend a great church that has excellent leadership and the worship music is incredible.

Unfortunately, my three children do not currently live with us.  Although they have given their lives to Jesus it is difficult for them to grow their relationship because their mother and stepdad do not attend church.  Also, 2 of our babies have been diagnosed with ASD or Autism Spectrum Disorder.  My oldest still live at home trying to get his life together.  He is a Christian but is frustrated with still living at home when he so badly wants his music career to take off.  We currently live on one income in a 2 bedroom duplex that still has the original carpet (40 yrs+ old), metal frame windows, and a single heating unit near the hallway that runs on gas.  We have one vehicle which makes it hard for my wife to get out of the house.  Our parents are unable to help with our situation because of distance, illness, financial woes, and neglect.  I don't make enough money to better our situation and we live in one of the most expensive areas in the United States, San Jose, California.  Because of my children with ASD I am limited in my job search for a better opportunity in lower cost of living state because of the lack of services and because of what my skill set is I a m limited in positions I can apply for, not to mention the economy is horrible.  My wife and I never get alone time and forget regular vacations.  Lastly, It is extremely difficult for us to participate in any church activities on a full time basis.  No community groups and no ministries.  Actually, we both wanted to serve as missionaries but that doesn't seem possible anymore without a miracle.

So in case I have misled you, my previous paragraph was not intended to explain why I am not happy with life.  In fact, these are things that I am dissatisfied with in life but truly, even at my happiest of moments I feel life dull compared to what awaits me when I die.  The point I am trying to make is that we, as Christians, need to go through life and realize that life does have its good and bad moments but it doesn't bring true happiness.  In fact, they are but distractions.  True, some people are happier than others due to their circumstances but even people who seem to have it all end up being the most dissatisfied.  If you have ever heard of Owen Wilson that you know he tried to commit suicide a few years ago.  But why you ask?  He had everything, money, girls, fame, attention, but he still felt empty.  He needs God to fill that void.  But even if Owen does find God he will still long for the day he can be with the Father.  As Christians, we all do!

I want to go home, but it is not my time yet.  So I go through life longing for that true happiness I will only know when I die (or raptured) and am in eternity with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and all of my brothers and sisters who gave their life to Jesus.  Therefore, until that day I will get through life by the grace of God.  I will never be satisfied until I finish the race.  I just hope that He will provide a few more happy "distractions" to help us with our current situation.

Verses for reflection:

Psalm 84:2

2-My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

Philippians 3:20

20- But our citizenship is in heaven.  And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Revelation 21:21through Revelation 22:5

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Coffee

I'm not a big coffee drinker but I hope when I'm in Heaven that coffee tastes like it smells.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Do you really want to know?

Christian or not, I'm sure that everone who has an understanding of God has asked these questions at one time in their lives, "God, why did you let this happen?' or "God, why am I going through this?" It's an easy question to ask but would you be able to accept God's answer if He told you?

If you lost a loved one would you be able to accept God's reason for the loss if it didn't line up with what you believed was the right course of action for their lives? Or what about the job you REALLY wanted but didn't get? Would you accept God's answer of "It's not the right one?" What if you saw your friends getting ahead in life. They live in a big house, drive nice cars, wear the latest fashions, go on expensive vacations over and over, and have all the nice, new toys? Would you be able to accept God's answer of "You don't need those things; you only need me." I would like to share with you of my life experiences.

Before working at the company I am currently employed with I was hired as a contractor for a tempory position in a field that I had previously worked in for 5 yrs. At the time, this was my first real job in a long while that I enjoyed doing, was familiar with the work, and payed me a fairly decent wage. A few months into the job I was given the opportunity to interview for a full time position. I had almost 5 yrs. direct experience in the industry, a bachelors degree in a relative field, military experience that was applicable, and was the only real potential candiate amongst my peers. The interview went extremely well and I was sure that God would give me this job. Also , I really needed a full time job and I REALLY wanted this one.  I was giving it to God in prayer and everything seemed to line up perfectly!  However, the position was given to another peer who was fresh out of college with no real on-the-job experience. Needless to say I was infuriated! I was so angry with God! I wanted answers! How could He let this happen to me! What did I do to be punished?!  I learned a few valuable lessons over the next few weeks. 

First, my attitude was wrong.  My expectations were that I SHOULD get that job.  I felt that I was the best candidate but that is only MY opinion.  I may have been more qualified but it still doesn't mean that I was the right candidate.  God knows me completely and He knows the job and the future of the position and the company.  Nothing escapes his attention.  I could only see the immediate gratification of what the job offered but it could be that God was protecting me from a bad situation.  Maybe the job would be eliminated a year from then or maybe I couldn't perform the job to the company's expectations.  When I gave it to God I handed it to him as though I need Him to give it to me, not to seek His wisdom and blessing.

Next, I truly wasn't appreciative of the position I was currently occupying.  I felt that what I was doing was beneath me and that I was more important and deserved better.  I was on my last month of unemployement when I got this contract job and it was definitely a blessing form God.  In the timeframe of 2 days I got the call and then was hired.  If this opportunity didn't come along I was out of money but God took care of me.  Instead of appreciating what I was given I was already looking to the next opportunity.  Just like a child who gets a toy and the next day they want a new one because the other one is old and boring I too approached God with this attitude.  My thankfullness was short lived and I expected more.

Finally, my expectations of our relationship were completely skewed.  I viewed God as a "gimme" God.  I felt that because I was going to church and serving in a ministry, was praying regularly, reading my bible, and generally being a good person that God should bless me, MORE!  Haven't you put God in this position before?  Can you hear yourself say, "I'm doing everyhting right, when is God going to bless me with what I want?"  Well, Serving God and getting blessed is not a straight 1 for 1.  Just because were good, doesn't mean we'll get.  That was the hardest lesson for me to learn, but I did learn it.  What I came to understand was that I was living the blessings he had already given me.

1) a job
2) a car
3) food
4) shelter
5) my health
6) money
7) family
8) friends
9) Salvation
10) A personal relationship with Him

I ended up losing the job soon after in the first week of my new marriage.  It wasn't because of anything I did, the contract ended.  I was on unemployement again found myself in the same position.  However, I believe the job I have now is a much better opportunity that what I didn't previously get..  I didn't even have to interview for the position!  This job has truly been a blessing as it has allowed my wife to be a stay at home mommy.  There are many other benefits that have come from this opportunity that looking back, may not have been possible with the one.

I will admit that I am not perfect and this post is in no way way going to be able to justify every situation as why we don't get an answer.  God has His reasons.  I wanted to have you step outside your comfort zone and be honest with yourself by asking the question "If God chose to give me the answers to the questions of my pain, would I accept His answer, trust that He knows best, and continue to maintain or increase my level of faith?"  One last thing, I hope I didn't discourage you from asking Him.  He is a loving Father who always is there for you.

Scriptures from the Bible

1) Proverbs 3:5-6

     5- Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6- In all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.

2) Jeremiah 29:11

    11- "For I know the plans I have for you," declares tthe Lord, "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

3)  Isaiah 55:8-9

    8- "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord..  9- "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts."

4) Matthew 7:7-11

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!


Sunday, May 20, 2012

Coming up next, It's Your Life!

Angels watch over us every day.  Matthew 18:10 says "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say  to you that in Heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in Heaven."  Have you ever thought about how interesting you are to them?

If we are like a living television program to angels I wonder how interesting our lives are.  A good example I could offer is the Truman Show.  Everyone around the world watches a television show called "The Truman Show."  It is of the life of one individual who, since birth, has been the star without ever knowing that he is indeed, the main attraction.  His whole world is in a giant studio set and everyone he interacts with are actors.  The shows run 24hrs a day, 7 days a week.  In the movie, Truman is actually a pretty nice guy who is an upstanding citizen.  People enjoy watching Truman.  Would we want to be a show that God and the heavenly host would want to watch?  Are we living our lives, the only ones we get, as pleasing entertainment for Him?

I was sitting out by the fire pit in our back yard last night with my wife when the thought about the angels came to me.  I asked her where she thought the angels would be sitting listening to our conversation.  She pointed to the bench next to us and I pointed to the top of the fence.  I then asked her if our lives were interesting to the angels.  It was more of a humorous statement in that I wondered if our angels (the ones who watched over us)were bored with our story and were jealous of other angels who got to watch more fun and exciting lives.  After a good laugh we moved onto to another subject.  After an hour when the coals were almost out we headed into the house for bed.  As I laid in bed in the darkness my mind began to wander back to our conversation beside the fire pit.

I started to reflect on my own life from my earliest memories to today.  It would definitely make for an interesting TV show mixed with action, drama, horror, romance, and even some science fiction thrown in.  However, the last 6 years with the exception of a few of years of my life are the ones I believe that have provided the best entertainment.  That is because God was writing, producing, and directing the script.  Even though most of the time I am a willing actor I have had plenty of diva moments.

I know someday God and I will watch the rerun of my life and I will have my hands over my eyes looking through the cracks in my fingers, especially during the 1st half of it.  My hope is that the ending of it will cause Him to jump out of His throne clapping and cheering while shouting "Well done!  Good and faithful servant!"  Until then, I hope that every day will bring plenty of entertainment.


If you want to listen to a good song, check out "Entertaining Angels" by the Newsboys.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Problems with prayer? Eat out!

Sorry to be away so long.  Been sick but I’m back J

I wanted to share a thought I had about prayer.  Lately my family and I are going through a rough patch with money, job, kids, living situation, etc. and all of the things that life demands of us.  God has sustained us thus far but we are at a point where we definitely need an answer to a very large prayer (I will share in another post our situation and what the results of our prayer were) and I’m sure that anyone who reads this can relate.  I know you’ve had situations in your life where you felt that the only one who could save you is God.  Well, hopefully this analogy will bring prayer into a better perspective.

If you live in America, I can safely say that everyone one has dined out AT LEAST once in their lives.  If you’ve ever gone to a sit-down restaurant like an Olive Garden or Denny’s or whatever your favorite restaurant is on a Friday or Saturday night then you know the routine.  You walk in through the front door, wait in line at the host desk, put your name on “The list” and then sit down and wait to be seated.  How many times have you done this and while you are waiting another couple comes in, puts there name on the list, and in a couple of minutes they get seated before you and all of the others dying of starvation in the waiting area?  Or, maybe you were the one who beat the odds and got a table right away?

Next, the same situation happens when ordering your meal.  You notice your waiter at another table taking their order ahead of yours or maybe you place your order first but their food comes out before yours does.  Have you ever noticed your waiter treating the other patrons better than you?  When it comes time to pay the bill do you feel as though the cost far outweighed the experience?

Now, imagine going to a restaurant with the same inconveniences mentioned above and the waiter brings you the food he/she thinks you should eat.  For example, you open up your menu and see all of the mouth watering, savior selections that tempt your appetite.  You see the 5 cheese lasagna dripping with sauce and cheese and start to salivate, or the mouth-watering double decker hamburger with a large side of french fries that makes your stomach growl with anticipation, or maybe there’s a hot fudge sundae with large scoop of vanilla melting over a warm, chocolate, walnut brownie dessert that you’ve been dying to try.  You order the lasagna with the hot fudge, chocolate, walnut brownie topped with the melting vanilla ice cream and a large soda and in 10 minutes your waiter returns with a chef salad, slices of fruit, and water.  Or instead, your order the hamburger with fries and get fish with mixed vegetables with an iced tea.  Maybe it’s the other way around and you order the side salad and the waiter brings you a thick, juicy, filet mignon with a loaded baked potato and a milkshake.  Now let me help you to understand this analogy.

The bible talks about coveting.  The bible talks about keeping your eyes on God and not on others. The bible also talks about blessing and rewards.  What I hope you understand through this analogy is that with prayer, like the restaurant, sometimes other people will get answers to their prayers before you do, but in other times of your life you will receive answered prayer, while those around you wait.  Also, you may ask for things you think you need, want, desire but it may not be the best thing for you.  But if you start to compare your situation with other people around you be prepared to accept the good with the bad.  More often than not we overlook the good but focus intently on the bad. 

God knows everyone, their hearts, and their situations.  As humans, we tend to focus on the outward but we truly cannot know what is going on with other human beings, even with family members, on the inward.  Only God truly knows what’s best for each individual.  For example, you may know someone who is in a financial bind and it would seem a blessing if they were to win the lottery, inherit a large amount of money, or be given a situation to make a lot of money.  However, if God, knowing all things, could show you that if that person were to have that opportunity, they would become lazy, inconsiderate, greedy, selfish, and ultimately end up losing it all along and destroy all relationships with those he/she loves (Note 1).  That is why even though you think YOU may know what’s best for you, it’s better to accept what God gives you and be thankful, even if seems painful at first.

As I stated before my family and I are going through a rough patch.  God may bless us with what think we need or He may not.  He might even bless us with something better than we asked for.  At times we (my family) have taken our eyes off of God and focused on others who seem to be getting whatever they desire.  Sure it hurts that we are still waiting for an answer and we have asked God why we are suffering, but in the end we remember that all suffer, but as Christians we count it all joy to suffer for Him.  I would rather be made strong through suffering than be weak with satisfaction.


Bible verses


Matthew 7:7-11

7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened
to you.8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who
knocks it will be opened.9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for
bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?11 If
you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will
your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!


Matthew 6: 5-15


5.And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.8 Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.10  Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.11  Give us this day our daily bread.12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.13  And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 6: 25-34

25 Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?31 Therefore do not worry, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

James 1: 2-8

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

John 21: 20-22

20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, Lord, who is the one who betrays You?21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, But Lord, what about this man?22 Jesus said to him, If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.

Note 1


Wednesday, April 11, 2012

What is a missionary?

What is a missionary?

This post is dedicated to all Christian Missionaries. We love you!

 I believe that if most people are asked what a missionary is they would probably think of the typical Hollywood stereotype.  Their idea would be a tall, skinny, pasty-skinned, Cheeto haired, narrow minded, nerdy type individual who wears round, wired-rimmed glasses, Birkenstock sandals, brown cargo pants, a green t-shirt, Boonie or jungle styled hat, and clutches a Bible while traipsing through a dense jungle in search of a lost native pagan tribe in need of conversion.  At one time, although possible today, some, most, or all of these characteristics applied to what a typical missionary would be.  However, this is so completely limiting and not reflective of what a true missionary is.

So again I ask "What is a missionary?"

A missionary is like,

A fireman who rushes into a burning building to save the lives of people he may, or may not know or a doctor or nurse who cares for the sick, injured, and dying.

A CEO of a company who is in charge of the growth and welfare of a company and its employees or a banker who must manage the accounts of others.
 
A network marketer who must build his company from nothing or a salesman who forges through rejection after rejection until he meets the one person truly interested in his product.

A civil engineering responsible for the development of the land area in a building project or a construction worker who builds dwellings so others will have a home. 

An explorer who treks off into foreign lands facing possibly untold danger and peril in search of discovery.
 
A lawyer who must know the local laws and customs to perform his job effectively or a mediator who resolves conflicts between others.

A soldier who charges into battle to face an enemy who is often not seen and usually on their home territory. 

A farmer who grows food to feed the hungry. 

A water technician who makes sure people has clean water to drink. 

A tailor who makes and mends clothes so the naked will have something to wear and keep them warm. 

A teacher who devotes their life to teaching the uneducated and inspiring them to learn. 

A musician who enjoys spending time entertaining others with song.

A therapist/counselor who listens to the problems of others.

A parent who loves, nurtures, and cares for their children.

A homeless man who must feed and care for himself.

And finally, a shepherd who tends to his flock making sure they do not stray or get attacked.  


I’m sure you now realize that missionaries carry many responsibilities.  If anything, only a resume with all of the outlined criteria above would qualify for a position such as demanding as this.  Missionaries, in fact do rush into danger to rescue others, both physically and spiritually.  Missionaries are responsible for managing their own business which they usually start from nothing relying on the financial support of others.  They face constant rejection.  They are responsible to not only feed themselves (physically and spiritually) but also feed, cloth, and tend to the poor, sick and dying.  Missionaries educate others and must also educate themselves in the laws and customs of the land. They must counsel others in the way of discipleship and like a good shepherd, they must watch over their flock. Most of the people listed above earn a regular salary, and some are even quite substantial.  A missionary, however, survives by the grace of God and the generosity of others.  He does not do it for wealth, or personal gain, or fame, or glory.

So why do they do it?

 Jesus the Christ suffered and died on the cross and on the 3rd day rose from the grave defeating death for all eternity.  His death and resurrection became the atoning sacrifice for all sins.  This sacrifice is not something you earn, but instead a free gift.  Every true Christian missionary has received this gift and now, with joy, wants to bring that free gift to the world for all of those who wish to receive it freely, and willingly.  Therefore, just as Christ sacrificed Himself for others to bring that free gift, so does every Christian missionary sacrifice themselves for others.

I hope that this topic has helped to bring clarity to your perspective.

Oh, and I almost forgot!  If you have received Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior then you are considered a missionary too! 

Huh?!  What do I mean? 

I said in my opening statement that the definition I provided is limiting.

In the Bible, Mark 16:15, Christ commanded every Christian to “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.”  As Christians our calling may not require us to fill the actual position of a missionary but our mission field does not necessarily lie in a foreign land.  Instead, our mission field is our friends, family, neighbors, and even our workplace.  As Christians, we to carry with us the free gift to give to those who will receive it freely and willingly.

Now, I ask you again,

What is a missionary?


Free gift
Romans 4:16

“So the promise is received by faith.  It is given as a free gift.  And we are certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s.  For Abraham is the father of all who believe.

Romans 5:16

“And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin.  For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.”

Romans 6:23

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Great Commission

Mark 16:15

And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the entire gospel to every creature.""

Monday, April 9, 2012

Will the newness wear off?

Do you think once we get to Heaven we'll get tired of saying "WOW!  I CAN"T BELIEVE I'M HERE!"

Thursday, April 5, 2012

A day in the life of Adam

Imagine what it would be like to have been created instantly.  One day you were nothing and the next you are something.  Imagine the sudden stimulus we take for granted every day that took years to analyze and develop being thrust upon your mind at once.  How would you process this?  What would be your first reaction?  What emotions would you experience?  I challenge you to truly put yourself in this scenario and explore your feelings. 

Imagine.  One minute there is complete darkness, void of everything and the next light with color, smells, sounds, emotions, objects, and textures.  What would your first thoughts be?  How would you react to suddenly seeing your hand and realizing it is attached to you arm?  Then, you follow your arm up to your shoulder and look over your chest.  After that, you look down at your feet and wiggle your toes.  If you were able to see your reflection what would be your response?  Would you be comfortable with your shape and all of its parts?  What about breathing?  Would you, at first, try to stop breathing?

 What about the new smells?  How would you describe a smell if you didn’t know what things were called?  What about speech?  What sounds would you make?  What would you call things?  Would you attempt to create a language to describe everything you saw?  Would you not care to name anything at all?

What about colors?  Would you express emotion over certain colors?  Would you have a favorite?  Would colors represent a good thing or a bad thing?  For example, if you like the colors orange and red and you touched fire, would the colors orange and red initially be associated as a bad thing?

Imagine textures.  Imagine the softness of a kitten or the roughness of tree bark.  Imagine the grittiness of sand when rubbed in your hand and then the slight scratching sensation of letting it drain through your fingers.  Or imagine the cool sensation of dipping your hand into a gently flowing stream and feeling the smooth resistance of wiggling your fingers under the water or the sudden pressure from turning your hand to stop the flow. 

What would you think of a cool breeze or the warmth from the sun?

What would you like or dislike?

Would you fear anything?

Would you be happy?

Would you want to understand how you came about?

Would you realize that you were indeed created?



I wrote this to inspire you to think of Adam, the first created man on the earth.  Although Adam did have God present to comfort and guide him I still do wonder what he would have experienced at the instant of life.

When God created Adam the Bible says that God created him from the dust and breathed life into him.  It does not specifically say what intelligence Adam was initially given although it appears that he was able to communicate and reason.  We also don’t know how long Adam was on the earth with God or even the time span between his creation and the creation of Eve.  God did let Adam name all living creatures which would allow him to become more familiar with them and it shows that God spent time developing Adam.  He also gave Adam almost unlimited freedom in the garden even though God was the ultimate authority.  Although Adam was created instantly, I believe God used true wisdom in allowing Adam to develop gradually so he would become an individual, not separate from God, but an individual with his own likes and dislikes and understanding of who he was and what his needs were.

Read Genesis, chapters 1 and 2.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

What if Heaven was like this!

Imagine!  Some day those who are Christ’s will live with Him in the New Jerusalem brought down from heaven to the new heaven and earth.  This city with be 1,500 x 1500 x 1,500 square miles and God’s glory will be the source of light in the city.  To get a better understanding of how large an area this city will be I’ve included a couple of links at the bottom of the page as reference but it will easily hold over 10 billion people!

So my wife and I were talking about how we love the history of the earth and its people.  It was not so much of a classroom historical discussion, because we are by no means anywhere near being any kind of historical experts, but more of a general one about how we both like different time periods and how the people looked and lived and what their culture was like. So as we were talking I came up with the idea that what if the New Jerusalem city had districts based upon time periods?  For example, one district could represent the time of Christ while another could represent the Dark Ages and another could represent today.  The people that lived during those time periods would inhabit the district they were representatives of but if they chose to visit, or even move, they would be able to experience a new time period, culture, and way of life.  The transition between the districts would be subtle enough not to overwhelm a person in the transition and at the same time not take a substantial amount of time to get from one district to another.  To put it more plainly you could walk through time and a living museum. 

Revelation 21:

New King James Version (NKJV)

All Things Made New

21 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. Then I, John,[a] saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me,[b] “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
And He said to me, “It is done![c] I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. But the cowardly, unbelieving,[e] abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”He who overcomes shall inherit all things,[d] and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

The New Jerusalem

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me[f] and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”[g] 10 11 12 13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy[h] Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names[i] of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.

The Glory of the New Jerusalem

22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 24 25 26 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes[o] an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.[n] Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And the nations of those who are saved[l] shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.[m] The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it,[j] for the glory[k] of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.