I was thinking about Chronicles, Numbers, Ezra and other portions of the Scriptures where name after name and begat after begat are listed; names that we cannot pronounce and that really mean nothing to us personally. Why are they there? Why did God put these strange names in the Bible? To make it boring, to confuse us, to see if we could learn to pronounce them? No, because every word was put there to teach us, and every person named was important to God; even the unnamed ones like the woman at the well and the poor widow were important and loved by God. These are not just names, they are people close to God’s heart.
The sinners who never repented were also loved by Him, the Jews and Romans who spit in Jesus’ face and beat Him were loved by God and it breaks His heart each time He has to let an unsaved, unrepentant soul enter the gates of hell when they die. God is merciful, but He is also a righteous judge and cannot let a sinner into heaven; it is the person’s own choice to turn away from God and want to live their own way.
As a parent it tears us apart to see our child grow up and go into a life of crime; we did not raise them that way, but they decided to go that way or they were caught by addiction leading them that way. Everything that the parent does to try to help them or get them to change, does not work and the child continually rejects the parents and their help. To us, that wayward child is still ours and loved and important to us and although we try to help and protect them, we are rejected more and more because that child wants no part of us. We end up with a broken heart because there is nothing we can do, they have to make the decision on their own to stay on that path and they will have to pay the penalty for any crimes which they have done.
It is hard for the non-Christian to understand where a Christian is coming from when they tell them about Jesus because they believe in their heart and soul that they are “OK” and the Christian is just trying to shove their religion down their throat. True, there are some over-zealous Christians who may come on too strong, but they truly want what is best for the lost. Of course there are the cults who are not Christian at all, but say they are and promise all kinds of things to get a following.
Christians may be saved by grace, but they still sin and when they do, the world (or neighbor) watches and thinks they are no better than themselves. That is true, Christians are not better than anyone else, they just love their father, have given their heart and life to Jesus, and try to do what’s right. Because they are not better or not stronger, or not any different than anyone else, they still will sin. Let’s face it, doing something wrong is so much easier than doing the right thing - always has been and always will be; not one of us is able to stay free from sin; however, we do need to do things God’s way and we cannot do that unless we are His child.
As much as we love our children or spouse, our parents or even ourselves, we don’t even come close to how much God loves each of us. When Jesus says, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” He means NEVER; we are always the one who leaves Him and sadly some end up lost forever. That is not what God wants for you or me or any one; every single person is special to Him and loved more than we could possibly understand. Knowing what I do about myself makes it hard to comprehend that He could love me that much; but I understand even less how someone could walk away from that love into a Christ-less eternity.
In the end, we each have to make the choice of where we want to spend eternity; and if we go on living without God or acknowledging our need for Him, we are making the choice to stay away from Him and His love. We will have to pay for our sins if we don’t accept the gift of His Son who paid the price for us. If you think you are OK - just remember one little white lie will send you to hell, so you are not “home free” and on your way to heaven unless you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Why is Jesus also called The Mighty God?
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace,” (Isaiah 9:6)
”For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:” (Deuteronomy 10:17)
“The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.” (Psalm 50:1-3)
“Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name, Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:” (Jeremiah 32:17-19)
“And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” (Revelation 19:6).
Above are only a few of the references referring to the Mighty God, the best known is Isaiah 9:6 because it announces the birth of Christ. Some believe that Jesus was not the Mighty God until after His birth, death and resurrection; however, He has always been the Mighty God from eternity past because He is God. God is a Triune God and man, with his finite mind cannot understand or grasp what this actually means. Like a hand with a finger with a fingernail; still all part of the hand, but different in appearance – this is the closest I can come with an explanation of three-in-one. Who am I to understand the things of God? I can get a little glimpse of the meaning and can accept what it says, but if I could actually understand it, I would be God.
We have God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They are three separate entities, but still one God. All of the attributes of God apply to each one, thus the Mighty God is God the Father, but also God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The thing we must remember is that when the bible was written, the men were inspired of God to write. They did not always understand what they were seeing or what God inspired them to write so they described things the best way they could. For example explaining a nuclear bomb going off; this would be something they would have no words for because they had never seen such a thing; nevertheless that is just what was explained in Zechariah 14:12.
In Isaiah 9:6 it says, “and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” We tend to think that "shall" means He is going to be called that in the future, when it only means that is what “man” is going to call Him. His name IS Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, and The Prince of Peace already. We did not give Him those names; they have been His names ALWAYS. Humans are only a blip on the scale of eternity and really very insignificant. What we think is not important, nor is what we believe or interpret always correct.
To answer the question of why is Jesus also called the Mighty God, the only reasonable answer would be because that is who He is. When He comes back, men are going to fear and hide begging the mountains to fall on them because He will be coming back in judgment. We cannot look at Jesus Christ as just a meek little man, a teacher, or even as someone who walked the earth doing a miracle here and there. We must see Him as God, as our Savior, as a Righteous Judge; His attributes are so far beyond man's comprehension, it is only possible to see a glimpse of who He is. When Jesus left His home and became man, it was so that we would get that glimpse and understand who He is, then to realize our need for a Savior and accept His sacrifice on the cross in our place. Had He not come, not only would He have not conquered death and hell for us, but we would not have known we needed Him; and so would have been forever lost.
He is The Mighty God, the one with the power to save us and the one with the power to exact judgment should we not accept Him. He the Righteous Judge to those that are lost and a Loving Savior to those who accept Him; it is up to the individual to choose what He is to them. He is still who He is and no matter which we choose, His attributes will not change, the only thing that will change is our relationship with Him; the Mighty God, the Prince of Peace is our personal Savior, our first love, our guide and our God. Do not let the wrath of the Mighty God fall on you, repent and accept Him today.
”For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:” (Deuteronomy 10:17)
“The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.” (Psalm 50:1-3)
“Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name, Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:” (Jeremiah 32:17-19)
“And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” (Revelation 19:6).
Above are only a few of the references referring to the Mighty God, the best known is Isaiah 9:6 because it announces the birth of Christ. Some believe that Jesus was not the Mighty God until after His birth, death and resurrection; however, He has always been the Mighty God from eternity past because He is God. God is a Triune God and man, with his finite mind cannot understand or grasp what this actually means. Like a hand with a finger with a fingernail; still all part of the hand, but different in appearance – this is the closest I can come with an explanation of three-in-one. Who am I to understand the things of God? I can get a little glimpse of the meaning and can accept what it says, but if I could actually understand it, I would be God.
We have God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They are three separate entities, but still one God. All of the attributes of God apply to each one, thus the Mighty God is God the Father, but also God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The thing we must remember is that when the bible was written, the men were inspired of God to write. They did not always understand what they were seeing or what God inspired them to write so they described things the best way they could. For example explaining a nuclear bomb going off; this would be something they would have no words for because they had never seen such a thing; nevertheless that is just what was explained in Zechariah 14:12.
In Isaiah 9:6 it says, “and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” We tend to think that "shall" means He is going to be called that in the future, when it only means that is what “man” is going to call Him. His name IS Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, and The Prince of Peace already. We did not give Him those names; they have been His names ALWAYS. Humans are only a blip on the scale of eternity and really very insignificant. What we think is not important, nor is what we believe or interpret always correct.
To answer the question of why is Jesus also called the Mighty God, the only reasonable answer would be because that is who He is. When He comes back, men are going to fear and hide begging the mountains to fall on them because He will be coming back in judgment. We cannot look at Jesus Christ as just a meek little man, a teacher, or even as someone who walked the earth doing a miracle here and there. We must see Him as God, as our Savior, as a Righteous Judge; His attributes are so far beyond man's comprehension, it is only possible to see a glimpse of who He is. When Jesus left His home and became man, it was so that we would get that glimpse and understand who He is, then to realize our need for a Savior and accept His sacrifice on the cross in our place. Had He not come, not only would He have not conquered death and hell for us, but we would not have known we needed Him; and so would have been forever lost.
He is The Mighty God, the one with the power to save us and the one with the power to exact judgment should we not accept Him. He the Righteous Judge to those that are lost and a Loving Savior to those who accept Him; it is up to the individual to choose what He is to them. He is still who He is and no matter which we choose, His attributes will not change, the only thing that will change is our relationship with Him; the Mighty God, the Prince of Peace is our personal Savior, our first love, our guide and our God. Do not let the wrath of the Mighty God fall on you, repent and accept Him today.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Why Christ died for us
There are many that do not believe Christ is God and many that believe even though He is God; He did not die for our salvation. Why on earth would He waste His time, leave His Father and come to this earth to suffer and die for no apparent reason than to change the way religion is practiced? He is God and He really does not care how religion is practiced because religion has nothing to do with Him, it is man’s invention. Most of so-called “Christianity” in this day and age is following after false teachings and becoming a religion instead of a group of “Christ-like” worshipers.
You DO NOT become a Christian when you are born into a family of Christians, when you are baptized as a baby or are confirmed in your faith at age 12. You are NOT sure of heaven if you believe that God is good and full of love and you are a decent person. Because God is perfect and His home is perfect, He cannot allow any sin to enter into heaven or into His presence. If the only thing wrong you ever did in your life was to say no to your parents when you were 5 – then you are not perfect and will not get into heaven.
We are ALL condemned to an eternity without God because we are not perfect like He is. This being said, God put a plan into action that would allow us to be saved from hell and a plan that would make us perfect in His eyes. You may not like this plan, but it is all we have got; the one glimmer of hope to eternal life is in this plan that was devised before the foundation of the earth. Remember in the garden when Adam and Eve sinned? They tried to cover their nakedness with leaves, much like we try to cover our sins and say they are not as bad as some. God came into the garden and killed an animal to make clothes for them, because there is no remission of sins without a blood sacrifice. Again, this was only a cover, but it was an accepted cover because it looked forward to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the shedding of His blood for their sins. They accepted this sacrifice and were saved, but their sin had consequences. They were kicked out of the garden and because they were no longer perfect they would pass their sin on to every generation born on this earth.
So in the fullness of time, Jesus left His home in heaven and came to earth (born of a virgin) as a man. He was fully God, but was also fully man; He was sinless and stayed sinless for His entire short life on earth, no one but God could do that. The plan of God was that He would be the sacrificial lamb for the sins of the entire world. He willingly gave up His throne and came here to do so even though He knew what He would have to suffer. It is true that not all people will accept this sacrifice and many will go through life believing that they can get to heaven by their own merits. This is a lie of Satan, the same Satan who beguiled Eve in the garden. He hates God and hates you and me; he will do everything in his power to deceive us so that we miss heaven and end up in hell. He does not rule hell, but he will be just as insignificant as everyone else and will suffer forever in the hell that was created for him and his angels (demons).
Enough of my ramblings, the proof is in the Scriptures should you decide to look for it. Start your reading in the Gospel of John then read the entire New Testament several times before you begin reading the Old Testament. Some start with the Old Testament and get discouraged before they get very far. I recommend the King James Bible as it is the closest translation to the original scriptures. I know, the thee’s and thou’s are old fashioned but they are not as confusing as some of the easier-red versions that leave out or add to what God originally wrote.
John 3:16-21 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
To put simply, Jesus died for your sins, repent and accept His sacrifice and be saved. Do not repent, but wallow in your sins and not accept His sacrifice and be lost forever. Don’t make His sacrifice a waste of time for your soul; He loves you and thought you were special enough to sacrifice His life for; He is there waiting with open arms and does not want you to be condemned.
“If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9 & 10).
“For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
You DO NOT become a Christian when you are born into a family of Christians, when you are baptized as a baby or are confirmed in your faith at age 12. You are NOT sure of heaven if you believe that God is good and full of love and you are a decent person. Because God is perfect and His home is perfect, He cannot allow any sin to enter into heaven or into His presence. If the only thing wrong you ever did in your life was to say no to your parents when you were 5 – then you are not perfect and will not get into heaven.
We are ALL condemned to an eternity without God because we are not perfect like He is. This being said, God put a plan into action that would allow us to be saved from hell and a plan that would make us perfect in His eyes. You may not like this plan, but it is all we have got; the one glimmer of hope to eternal life is in this plan that was devised before the foundation of the earth. Remember in the garden when Adam and Eve sinned? They tried to cover their nakedness with leaves, much like we try to cover our sins and say they are not as bad as some. God came into the garden and killed an animal to make clothes for them, because there is no remission of sins without a blood sacrifice. Again, this was only a cover, but it was an accepted cover because it looked forward to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the shedding of His blood for their sins. They accepted this sacrifice and were saved, but their sin had consequences. They were kicked out of the garden and because they were no longer perfect they would pass their sin on to every generation born on this earth.
So in the fullness of time, Jesus left His home in heaven and came to earth (born of a virgin) as a man. He was fully God, but was also fully man; He was sinless and stayed sinless for His entire short life on earth, no one but God could do that. The plan of God was that He would be the sacrificial lamb for the sins of the entire world. He willingly gave up His throne and came here to do so even though He knew what He would have to suffer. It is true that not all people will accept this sacrifice and many will go through life believing that they can get to heaven by their own merits. This is a lie of Satan, the same Satan who beguiled Eve in the garden. He hates God and hates you and me; he will do everything in his power to deceive us so that we miss heaven and end up in hell. He does not rule hell, but he will be just as insignificant as everyone else and will suffer forever in the hell that was created for him and his angels (demons).
Enough of my ramblings, the proof is in the Scriptures should you decide to look for it. Start your reading in the Gospel of John then read the entire New Testament several times before you begin reading the Old Testament. Some start with the Old Testament and get discouraged before they get very far. I recommend the King James Bible as it is the closest translation to the original scriptures. I know, the thee’s and thou’s are old fashioned but they are not as confusing as some of the easier-red versions that leave out or add to what God originally wrote.
John 3:16-21 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
To put simply, Jesus died for your sins, repent and accept His sacrifice and be saved. Do not repent, but wallow in your sins and not accept His sacrifice and be lost forever. Don’t make His sacrifice a waste of time for your soul; He loves you and thought you were special enough to sacrifice His life for; He is there waiting with open arms and does not want you to be condemned.
“If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9 & 10).
“For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
WHERE DO FOOLS GO WRONG
"A fool hath said in his heart there is no God." The question is answered in that verse for the non-believer, but for Christians the answer would be from the first step away from the Lord. At one time the believers were not saved and hated God, and since no one was born without sin, we all started out as fools. Unfortunately, the Christian still has foolish leanings and has a tendency to act without thinking (or praying). Pride, the very sin that brought Satan to his doom, makes us believe that we can do it all; we are the king of our life and do not need help from anyone or anything - especially God. Isn't that how the world raises its children - teaching them to have pride in their accomplishments and build their self-esteem with praise, no matter how undeserved? By the time they graduate from college their subconscious mind has been reinforced to believe that to make it in the business world it is ok to cheat and lie in order to climb to the top no matter who they destroy in the process.
If I were a psychologist, I could blame the parents, the teachers, or their peers for damaging the child's self-esteem, causing a child to make poor choices and possibly end up as an addict or in a life of crime. The parents and the teachers that build a child's self-esteem would be equally to blame at the other end of the spectrum because the child grows up thinking he or she is invincible. However, the blame ultimately lies with the child and the choices they make growing up. I realize that children are foolish and they are going to try to get away with things, but that is because of the sin nature, and parents need to discipline them. When a child is allowed to do things that he or she shouldn't and are not punished for those wrongs, the child is stepping away from God and stepping further into sin. Each foolish choice becomes easier and easier and the right choices become harder and harder. It is a learned behavior and the more they get away with bad choices, their pride grows and their self-esteem builds. By the time they are in their teens, they believe that all their choices are good choices and will lead them to their goal of riches, power, love and respect. Without some type of consequences for wrong choices, they will keep going on the same downward path.
Many adults cannot make the right choices or fight compulsive urges simply because they were not taught to do so in their upbringing. Then there are the rest of us who were taught the right way to live, how to make the right choices, how to put God first and respect others. Satan will come to us like he did with Eve bringing temptation; he knows our weaknesses and how to make us stumble. We don't always listen to him, but when we do, you can be sure that we will fall into sin so fast we will wonder how we got there; sometimes we may find that there is no way out because the hole we are in is so deep. Thus, we have gone the way of the fool and not the way of the wise by yielding to our own lusts and pride.
Every once in awhile we see someone who has fought the odds, someone who was very poor, their parents were addicts in one form or another; maybe one or both ended up in jail. The child has had to fight his or her whole life to get an education and stay away from the bad influences. They studied and earned scholarships, and after college became leaders in their community. Something inside them fought to make the right choices, not that they weren't tempted many times, but they kept focused on their goals and achieved them. A Christian needs to remember to focus on the things of the Lord and when temptations come, they will not be so easily swayed, many of us lack the will to do so and it is usually because we have strayed from the Word and/or have become lax in our worship. Each day we neglect the Word or prayer & worship is another step away and it becomes harder and harder for us to get back on the path.
I think that it is harder, sometimes, for a person (whether Christian or not) that has had an easy life to slip and make the wrong choices because they have never had to fight for what they wanted and took the easy road. Some of us are so used to having anything we want, that we do not even try to be moral or honest. You see this happening in the lives of politicians, businessmen/women, and the rich and famous; unfortunately it is becoming more and more commonplace in every walk of life. Even Christians are caught up in the self-gratification lifestyle and do not think of the consequences before they act on an idea. We are constantly bombarded with the "you are worth it" attitude and everything we might want is within reach by the swiping of a credit card and 72 easy payments.
Before ruined lives became so common, we would look at the bums lying in the gutter with either pity or distain not even wondering how they arrived in that position. Now, we just have to look next door, at our friends or our own family and we begin to see how easy it is for bad choices to ruin a life. It is almost without warning, we jump into the fire and are taken away by our lusts and greed. Of course we think we will get away with whatever it is that we have fallen into; we might be able to fool our family, our friends, and even ourselves; but God sees all and He says, "Be sure that your sin will find you out."
The heartache caused by an affair, a few drinks, lies, or some words spoken in haste have destroyed homes, friendships, and lives. There are never enough words or repentant sorrow to make up for the damage that was done; it is often too late to mend the broken lives. If we think we are getting away with something, we are only fooling ourselves and end up falling headlong into a pit of despair. We are living a lie and with each day the lie gets bigger until it finally bursts to destroy us like a bomb planted inside our very soul; the destruction of all involved is inevitable.
The Bible says that no one can tame the tongue, it also says out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks; I am paraphrasing to show that if our heart is not right with the Lord, there is no way that we can make good choices. Even if your heart is right with the Lord, your tongue can still spew poison, tell lies, flatter for self-gain, boast and slander if you are not constantly living for and trusting in the Lord. It is always easier to hurt family and friends than it is anyone else. If you are born again, Jesus is family and we are guilty of hurting Him every time we say or do something foolish.
It is heartbreaking to see your child (or spouse) go into a life of alcoholism or drug use; even though you try to get them help, often they do not come out of it. They will call when they are in trouble or need money, but until we say no, we are enablers and just prolong their suffering and ours. We choose to remember them as they were before and not as a junkie or drunk lying in the street or sitting in jail. We are helpless fix them and our pleading falls on deaf ears; somehow the more we try seems to make the situation grow worse. Praying for them to heal, praying for their safety, and above all praying for their salvation are the things that give us comfort and peace, knowing that the Lord will help them because He cares and loves them more than we ever could.
During my life I have done many foolish things, mostly when I was young and before I became a Christian. I had a praying mother and; therefore, many of the consequences of my actions were avoided.
I should have died a few times, been sent to jail a couple of times, and at the very least should have had more spankings growing up. However, for me those were probably not good results - except for not dying - because I really did not learn from my actions which made my Christian life riddled with stupid mistakes that could have been avoided had I learned anything at all before my salvation.
We have an amazing God and I am living proof that he protects His children when they do foolish things. Of course before our salvation, He still sees us as His and keeps us safe until we make that decision; after all, He knew us before the foundation of the world, and will not let any of those that will later accept Him slip out of His hand. I remain confused as to why He allowed me in His family at all, let alone that He stands by watching me dig myself into holes that I can never get out of without smacking me. Actually, I am not confused at the latter statement; I know He is waiting for me to let Him pull me out without my interference, and He does not ever force me to submit to His will. He is teaching me to have a hearing heart, to listen for His gentle voice, but I am not a quick learner. Sometimes I go so far as to ask Him why He gave me a brain at all because I certainly am not using it. Or eyes to see, or ears to hear, or a tongue to speak; all of those senses don't seem to be much help and I feel like a speeding train on a track that ends at the edge of a cliff.
The one thing I have learned in my 66 1/2 years is to have a heart that loves the foolish. My heart breaks for them because they once started out life with a potential to greatness and by taking one or two steps away, life led them on a completely different path of self-destruction that cannot ever be fixed without the Lord stepping in, taking them by the hand and leading them. God is the only one capable of repairing the foolish heart and He only will repair the hearts of those that will let Him do so.
When you look at the adulterous politician or the embezzler, the murderer, the prostitute or the drunk lying in the street; see the lost soul that once had the potential of greatness but lost their way by one or two foolish mistakes early in life and never stepped back on the right track. None of us are exempt from being a fool, but we can avoid being one if we stay safe in the Lord's hand; it is when we lean on ourselves, and not on Him, that we take that first step away to become a fool.
If I were a psychologist, I could blame the parents, the teachers, or their peers for damaging the child's self-esteem, causing a child to make poor choices and possibly end up as an addict or in a life of crime. The parents and the teachers that build a child's self-esteem would be equally to blame at the other end of the spectrum because the child grows up thinking he or she is invincible. However, the blame ultimately lies with the child and the choices they make growing up. I realize that children are foolish and they are going to try to get away with things, but that is because of the sin nature, and parents need to discipline them. When a child is allowed to do things that he or she shouldn't and are not punished for those wrongs, the child is stepping away from God and stepping further into sin. Each foolish choice becomes easier and easier and the right choices become harder and harder. It is a learned behavior and the more they get away with bad choices, their pride grows and their self-esteem builds. By the time they are in their teens, they believe that all their choices are good choices and will lead them to their goal of riches, power, love and respect. Without some type of consequences for wrong choices, they will keep going on the same downward path.
Many adults cannot make the right choices or fight compulsive urges simply because they were not taught to do so in their upbringing. Then there are the rest of us who were taught the right way to live, how to make the right choices, how to put God first and respect others. Satan will come to us like he did with Eve bringing temptation; he knows our weaknesses and how to make us stumble. We don't always listen to him, but when we do, you can be sure that we will fall into sin so fast we will wonder how we got there; sometimes we may find that there is no way out because the hole we are in is so deep. Thus, we have gone the way of the fool and not the way of the wise by yielding to our own lusts and pride.
Every once in awhile we see someone who has fought the odds, someone who was very poor, their parents were addicts in one form or another; maybe one or both ended up in jail. The child has had to fight his or her whole life to get an education and stay away from the bad influences. They studied and earned scholarships, and after college became leaders in their community. Something inside them fought to make the right choices, not that they weren't tempted many times, but they kept focused on their goals and achieved them. A Christian needs to remember to focus on the things of the Lord and when temptations come, they will not be so easily swayed, many of us lack the will to do so and it is usually because we have strayed from the Word and/or have become lax in our worship. Each day we neglect the Word or prayer & worship is another step away and it becomes harder and harder for us to get back on the path.
I think that it is harder, sometimes, for a person (whether Christian or not) that has had an easy life to slip and make the wrong choices because they have never had to fight for what they wanted and took the easy road. Some of us are so used to having anything we want, that we do not even try to be moral or honest. You see this happening in the lives of politicians, businessmen/women, and the rich and famous; unfortunately it is becoming more and more commonplace in every walk of life. Even Christians are caught up in the self-gratification lifestyle and do not think of the consequences before they act on an idea. We are constantly bombarded with the "you are worth it" attitude and everything we might want is within reach by the swiping of a credit card and 72 easy payments.
Before ruined lives became so common, we would look at the bums lying in the gutter with either pity or distain not even wondering how they arrived in that position. Now, we just have to look next door, at our friends or our own family and we begin to see how easy it is for bad choices to ruin a life. It is almost without warning, we jump into the fire and are taken away by our lusts and greed. Of course we think we will get away with whatever it is that we have fallen into; we might be able to fool our family, our friends, and even ourselves; but God sees all and He says, "Be sure that your sin will find you out."
The heartache caused by an affair, a few drinks, lies, or some words spoken in haste have destroyed homes, friendships, and lives. There are never enough words or repentant sorrow to make up for the damage that was done; it is often too late to mend the broken lives. If we think we are getting away with something, we are only fooling ourselves and end up falling headlong into a pit of despair. We are living a lie and with each day the lie gets bigger until it finally bursts to destroy us like a bomb planted inside our very soul; the destruction of all involved is inevitable.
The Bible says that no one can tame the tongue, it also says out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks; I am paraphrasing to show that if our heart is not right with the Lord, there is no way that we can make good choices. Even if your heart is right with the Lord, your tongue can still spew poison, tell lies, flatter for self-gain, boast and slander if you are not constantly living for and trusting in the Lord. It is always easier to hurt family and friends than it is anyone else. If you are born again, Jesus is family and we are guilty of hurting Him every time we say or do something foolish.
It is heartbreaking to see your child (or spouse) go into a life of alcoholism or drug use; even though you try to get them help, often they do not come out of it. They will call when they are in trouble or need money, but until we say no, we are enablers and just prolong their suffering and ours. We choose to remember them as they were before and not as a junkie or drunk lying in the street or sitting in jail. We are helpless fix them and our pleading falls on deaf ears; somehow the more we try seems to make the situation grow worse. Praying for them to heal, praying for their safety, and above all praying for their salvation are the things that give us comfort and peace, knowing that the Lord will help them because He cares and loves them more than we ever could.
During my life I have done many foolish things, mostly when I was young and before I became a Christian. I had a praying mother and; therefore, many of the consequences of my actions were avoided.
I should have died a few times, been sent to jail a couple of times, and at the very least should have had more spankings growing up. However, for me those were probably not good results - except for not dying - because I really did not learn from my actions which made my Christian life riddled with stupid mistakes that could have been avoided had I learned anything at all before my salvation.
We have an amazing God and I am living proof that he protects His children when they do foolish things. Of course before our salvation, He still sees us as His and keeps us safe until we make that decision; after all, He knew us before the foundation of the world, and will not let any of those that will later accept Him slip out of His hand. I remain confused as to why He allowed me in His family at all, let alone that He stands by watching me dig myself into holes that I can never get out of without smacking me. Actually, I am not confused at the latter statement; I know He is waiting for me to let Him pull me out without my interference, and He does not ever force me to submit to His will. He is teaching me to have a hearing heart, to listen for His gentle voice, but I am not a quick learner. Sometimes I go so far as to ask Him why He gave me a brain at all because I certainly am not using it. Or eyes to see, or ears to hear, or a tongue to speak; all of those senses don't seem to be much help and I feel like a speeding train on a track that ends at the edge of a cliff.
The one thing I have learned in my 66 1/2 years is to have a heart that loves the foolish. My heart breaks for them because they once started out life with a potential to greatness and by taking one or two steps away, life led them on a completely different path of self-destruction that cannot ever be fixed without the Lord stepping in, taking them by the hand and leading them. God is the only one capable of repairing the foolish heart and He only will repair the hearts of those that will let Him do so.
When you look at the adulterous politician or the embezzler, the murderer, the prostitute or the drunk lying in the street; see the lost soul that once had the potential of greatness but lost their way by one or two foolish mistakes early in life and never stepped back on the right track. None of us are exempt from being a fool, but we can avoid being one if we stay safe in the Lord's hand; it is when we lean on ourselves, and not on Him, that we take that first step away to become a fool.
Friday, February 12, 2010
What is Salvation?
“The act of saving; preservation from destruction, danger or great calamity; the means or cause of saving, as: His agility was his salvation. Theology: The redemption of man from the bondage and penalty of sin; redemption.” - Grolier Dictionary.
That quote answers the question, so the question here should not be “what is salvation” it should be “Salvation, where do we stand?” It is this point that greatly offends people because most think they are good and fine, and living the best way they can so that they will not go to hell when they die, because; after all, they did the best they could with what life handed them. So when they are told, they are still going to hell, they tend to get a bit angry and tell us that we are judgmental and self-righteous – and what makes us so special that we are saved and they are not?
I can understand their anger because before I accepted the Lord, I would physically chase everyone away who came to the door trying to “sell” me their god. That is what I thought at least, I did not realize that I resented God because I was lost and did not want to be found. I wanted to live my own way and do what I thought was right, and eventually I would work my way to heaven.
Years later I began going to a little non-denominational church and was “saved.” I seemed to have a life-change and hungered for the Word. Today, I can hear a few words of a verse, recall most of it, and easily find where it is located in the Word; so I got the knowledge, but that does not mean I am saved. The parable of the sower comes to mind, AND it comes to mind often, so I am left wondering, am I really saved? Many people doubt their salvation, it is part of the work of Satan to make you doubt your salvation; however, sometimes the doubt is there because deep down, you know you never accepted Christ and yielded yourself to Him. Your life shows it, no one thinks you are different; you look and act like everyone else, you really believe you were saved at one time – but everything seems so wrong. Do you dare question your salvation? Will you be crucifying Christ afresh? Will you be calling Him a liar because you know you repented and you had a life change – maybe you have just become carnal and are a backslider? Probably not.
“18~Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 19~When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 20~But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21~Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 22~He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23~But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty;” (Matthew 13:18-23).
So, I am looking at the parable of the sower and remembering back. I always thought I was one of the ones in verse 23, but the more I read it I am leaning to any verse but 19 & 23. Why is this? I know I received it with joy, so the wicked one did not rip it away; and when looking at verse 23, there seems to be very little fruit during the last 30 or so years. Sadly, no fruit – no salvation; I did not want to hear that – what a wasted, hypocritical life! All this time I have been batted about thinking that the Lord is chastening me when in reality, He has been trying to pull the wool off my eyes to show me that I was not His in the first place and need to yield myself to His will.
Thank the Wonderful, Eternal God that He is patient and long-suffering. I can still repent and be forgiven. He will still accept me as His child after all this time if I repent and turn my life over to Him. All these years I really thought I was a Christian and I actually had quite a bit of discernment. I could listen to sermons and spot wrong teaching for the most part, but just like works, knowledge does not save you. Only Jesus Christ can do that; it is only when you accept His death for you and for your sins. It is only when you look at yourself and see a sinner totally undeserving of God’s love and forgiveness that you will seek repentance.
The Holy Spirit draws you and sometimes it takes thirty years after you think you are saved; because there is nothing worse than a false profession. The false professor believes they are saved and no one except the Holy Spirit’s witness can show them the truth and bring them to the Lord. You might be like me and think you are saved, when in fact you are not. If you have any doubts, please look back to see the kind of fruit you are producing; are you living for the Lord or are you going through the motions? You need to repent today, tomorrow may not come for you.
That quote answers the question, so the question here should not be “what is salvation” it should be “Salvation, where do we stand?” It is this point that greatly offends people because most think they are good and fine, and living the best way they can so that they will not go to hell when they die, because; after all, they did the best they could with what life handed them. So when they are told, they are still going to hell, they tend to get a bit angry and tell us that we are judgmental and self-righteous – and what makes us so special that we are saved and they are not?
I can understand their anger because before I accepted the Lord, I would physically chase everyone away who came to the door trying to “sell” me their god. That is what I thought at least, I did not realize that I resented God because I was lost and did not want to be found. I wanted to live my own way and do what I thought was right, and eventually I would work my way to heaven.
Years later I began going to a little non-denominational church and was “saved.” I seemed to have a life-change and hungered for the Word. Today, I can hear a few words of a verse, recall most of it, and easily find where it is located in the Word; so I got the knowledge, but that does not mean I am saved. The parable of the sower comes to mind, AND it comes to mind often, so I am left wondering, am I really saved? Many people doubt their salvation, it is part of the work of Satan to make you doubt your salvation; however, sometimes the doubt is there because deep down, you know you never accepted Christ and yielded yourself to Him. Your life shows it, no one thinks you are different; you look and act like everyone else, you really believe you were saved at one time – but everything seems so wrong. Do you dare question your salvation? Will you be crucifying Christ afresh? Will you be calling Him a liar because you know you repented and you had a life change – maybe you have just become carnal and are a backslider? Probably not.
“18~Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 19~When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 20~But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21~Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 22~He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23~But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty;” (Matthew 13:18-23).
So, I am looking at the parable of the sower and remembering back. I always thought I was one of the ones in verse 23, but the more I read it I am leaning to any verse but 19 & 23. Why is this? I know I received it with joy, so the wicked one did not rip it away; and when looking at verse 23, there seems to be very little fruit during the last 30 or so years. Sadly, no fruit – no salvation; I did not want to hear that – what a wasted, hypocritical life! All this time I have been batted about thinking that the Lord is chastening me when in reality, He has been trying to pull the wool off my eyes to show me that I was not His in the first place and need to yield myself to His will.
Thank the Wonderful, Eternal God that He is patient and long-suffering. I can still repent and be forgiven. He will still accept me as His child after all this time if I repent and turn my life over to Him. All these years I really thought I was a Christian and I actually had quite a bit of discernment. I could listen to sermons and spot wrong teaching for the most part, but just like works, knowledge does not save you. Only Jesus Christ can do that; it is only when you accept His death for you and for your sins. It is only when you look at yourself and see a sinner totally undeserving of God’s love and forgiveness that you will seek repentance.
The Holy Spirit draws you and sometimes it takes thirty years after you think you are saved; because there is nothing worse than a false profession. The false professor believes they are saved and no one except the Holy Spirit’s witness can show them the truth and bring them to the Lord. You might be like me and think you are saved, when in fact you are not. If you have any doubts, please look back to see the kind of fruit you are producing; are you living for the Lord or are you going through the motions? You need to repent today, tomorrow may not come for you.
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