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.

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

How people change with sudden riches- http://gma.yahoo.com/california-lottery-winner-sues-son-commandeering-winnings-180649780--abc-news-topstories.html

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 3^rd 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.""

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!"

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.

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. ^{2 3 4 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.

⁵ 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.”
⁶ 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. ^{7 8 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

⁹ 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.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_people_could_live_in_a_1960000_square_mile_area

http://www.freewebs.com/watchman4wales/the4squarecity.htm

Customer Service Sucks!

How you ever noticed how so many companies advertise that they care so much about you and that their product is so great?  However, once you subscribe to/buy the product and things go South the great and wonderful customer service department is no where to be found?  You go to the website to file a complaint and you get the old "click 1 for customer support" and you click "1" and it takes you back to the previous menu to CLICK 1 FOR CUSTOMER SUPPORT!  It's a sick cycle.

Did the owner of the company forget he/she is a customer too?  I know they don't like it when they don't get customer support.  Instead of paying a ton of money for maintaining a non-existant customer service department at each company why don't they all just pitch in and buy a telephone with an answering service and a high volume phone line with one phone number that the whole world can call and get SCREWED!!!


1 Timothy 6:9

"But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. "