I've neglected my blog for a while now. I partially blame this on Facebook, because I can make instant "posts" to what is affecting me in this world at any particular time. That one thing has severely hindered my will to write blog posts for a couple of years now. It's not that I don't have anything to say, I just say it multiple times a day, through a different outlet.
Saying that - some things require a different outlet, as a small comment window on Facebook, filled with blog post worthy ramblings will often go by unread, even if the content is spot on. People are just too lazy to read. But, that doesn't mean that God will not draw the attention and focus from those who He would have read the post, even if it is only one or two people.
I made such a rambling just now and knew that I had to put it in blog form, as my Facebook feed will go largely unseen. So here is my post, copied and pasted for the whole World Wide Web to possibly see, instead of my current 563 friends on Facebook alone. This is my heart right now, in light of the recent things happening in my world, in our world.
Sinners are going to sin. Period. It's not our "job" to call them out on it, it's our "job" to continue loving them. Period. This is the same as Christ's example of dining with tax collectors and prostitutes, because it was so radical in His day to do so.
I have friends who are sinners. I enjoy their company. I enjoy talking to them and building friendships with them. I may not have the bond with them as I do with a brother or sister in Christ, but there are bonds there.They do not agree with me on everything, and they still love me (like, some may call it because the term "love" is strong for some folks). I do not agree with them on everything and I still love them.
The world is our mission field. Our command is to "go, make disciples", not "go, tell people that they are sinners", although that topic will come up from time to time. God has placed each Christian within their very own, personal mission field no one else has your scope of influence, no one knows everyone in your circle, do not take it for granted.
The recent events in Kentucky have given me new perspectives. I am firm on my definition of marriage, because I know from God's Word what marriage is to Him- It is the earthly picture of Christ's love for His Bride, the Church and anything contrary to husband and wife is a distortion of that picture. But, the world is going to be the world. Those who do not know God are not going to follow God. That does not mean we cave or bend to the world, it means that we continue to stand on God's Word and show the world Christ's example. We do not say "yes, you're correct and we need to re-examine our stance in this time and understanding place in time" - We continue to say "This is what God says and even though I disagree with you I still love you, I still call you my friend, my brother, my sister, my mother, my co-worker, my son, my daughter, my boss, my server at the restaurant, my check out person at the grocery store, my tax collector, my banker, my ........".
We are salt and light to this world. We are to show how God has made us different. I have seen this example in others and have learned (discipled, if you will) into a better understanding of what Christ meant when He said those words. This doesn't mean that I condone any sinful lifestyle, this means I love my friends regardless, even when everyone else turns their back on them. This means that I extend my hand any time they fall and not say "I told you so". It doesn't matter the particular application, we are to simply be Christ to this world. Period. How that looks to each member of the Body will vary, but all will have the same goal - To glorify the Father through Christ.
I always stand on God's Word as authority, even in these dark days, with major issues in opposition to God here in the USA; especially in these days. I will not bend, I will not waver, but I will continue to love my neighbor just as Christ did.
I could go into the implications of standing firm for God, being called a "hater" a "bigot" ,etc. but nothing could be further from the truth. The reaction from the world should not deter or make us waver. Continue to love. Continue to extend your hand. Continue to be Christ, even to death if that is the final outcome, with the words of Jesus ringing true from your mouth, in hopes that some will be saved "Father, forgive them. They do not know what they do".
It's official. This country has gone to hell in a hand-basket. Why is that? Because Obama was just called as the winner of his second term? No, because if Romney were to have won I would be saying the same thing.
The fact that these two men were the ones chosen by their party was a judgment of God. One is a professing Christian that sides more with Islam than his professed religion, promotes greatly the murder of babies, blasphemes God and mocks His Word and has sent this country into a tailspin. The other is a professing Christian but is a Mormon, which means he cannot be a Christian since that religion believes in a different god, Jesus, atonement, salvation, gospel, scriptures and so much more that has already caused Mormonism to appear more viable. Sure, each candidate has other issues, but those mentioned are enough to show that God has turned this country over to it's evil desires.
As I set watching the results through the night I was shaking my head at every state that was "called" for either candidate. I did start to realize that I am not a fan of the Electoral College system. It is not a true consensus of the true vote. It is what it is, but that doesn't mean it is a good thing. Is it really "fair" that a handful of states be able to elect a President for the other, larger portion of the country? I think not, especially if the popular vote for the "losing" candidate is higher than the "winning" candidate. It's a very faulty system.
What also is faulty is the "evangelical church", small c. It is also called the visible church, or the perceived church because it is what the majority of people see as the Christian church. Sadly the visible church is not the true Church of God, not that some of the visible church are not part of the true Church. Most of the public look at Osteen, TBN, Obama, Romney and Oprah as Christians, which shows that the public do not know what true Christianity is. Oh, they may have seen it, but they label it as "extreme" or fundamentalism, trying to discredit those that actually adhere to the bible.
Most professing Christians have jumped aboard the Romney wagon and are now left dejected and feel duped. I do not disparage anyone that voted for Romney, but still can't understand why so many professing Christians back(ed) Romney at the level they did. Because I cast my vote for candidate other than the "main 2" I was seen as weird. Not that my vote mattered anyway, as Kentucky was the first state called for Romney but I voted my convictions and my vote went to a man that holds biblical values and professes to know the True God, been changed by the true Christ of scripture. Of course my candidate had no real chance to win, but why was that? I say it is a shame, since a lot of what I heard was "The 3rd party candidates had no chance of winning. Oh, it would be nice if they did, but it won't happen". I would say that it is because of that mindset and those that said that could have voted for the "better" candidate and could have campaigned and promoted a 3rd party. A huge chunk of the USA professes to be Christian, so if they pulled a "Chick-Fil-A" and stood up for something there could have been a much different outcome.
So, what is the answer? Reform, of course. Reformation of the Church, making the visible church into the true Church of Christ. Not that we would make a theocracy, but that God fearing men would be put into leadership positions and actually turn this country around. That's the only way this country will survive. Right now God has shown His disdain for "us". His judgments are many and most folks just brush it off or try to explain it away somehow. Not me, I see God's hand of judgment against us. I am not scared, for I know whom is really in charge. God. My faith is in the Lord, not men, not elections, not our President or the Electoral College.
(This is my latest post at the Treasuring Christ website. Please take a moment to look over the website. There are many great resources available there.)
If you take a look at my avatar you will see E 5:25. Not that you may have noticed it before, or if you have you may have just thought it was the number on the back of my favorite sports player’s jersey or something similar. The fact is that means Ephesians 5:25, a verse that gripped me a few years ago and refuses to relinquish its grasp.
Ephesians 5:25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her........
Today I found myself doing some yard work on my last "official" day of vacation. I still have the weekend and the Labor Day holiday, but today is my last "paid" day off.
During the process of moving a brush pile out of my yard, the thoughts of last-night's Republican National Convention were running through my head. I started to truly seek God on how I should vote. I have, recently, been anti-Romney and have always been anti-Obama. I've wanted to do the God pleasing thing and vote for a candidate that has the moral convictions that I do, based on Biblical standards. The thing is, although there are candidates out there that do match my personal beliefs, they, in all actuality, stand no practical chance of winning this years election.
Here are my (perceived) choices:
1) Vote for Obama
2) Vote for Romney
(For many it ends there, but that's not reality)
3) Vote for a 3rd party candidate that may/ may not stand the chance in winning the election.
4) Don't vote
So there is the dilemma facing all Americans. Laid out in 4 choices. For the political liberal it is a no-brainer, vote Obama and keep heading toward full blown Socialism, keeping a man in power that sidesteps the Constitution, who spends Trillions more than we have as a nation, record unemployment, record (extended high) gas prices and so on. For the political conservative it is clear, vote for Romney who promises a lot of things in opposition to the current administration. But, what about the conservative Christian vote? Or should I say Christian vote, because liberal and Christian should not really go together unless you're talking about love, forgiveness and helping others (all of which shouldn't be a mandate, but done freely).
I find myself perplexed. I had 100% committed myself early on to vote whoever the Republican nominee would be. I was in the "anybody but Obama" camp, firmly. I still am, but now with Romney being the GOP Nominee things change. My perspective has been changing of late anyway, leading up until last-night's nomination. I have been searching out 3rd party candidates that more closely match my belief structure than Romney. I guess it boils down to the following statement:
"Can I, being an Evangelical, Bible believing, conservative Christian place my vote on a Mormon who drags the Name of Christ through the mud with his false god, trying to fulfill the LDS's White Horse Prophecy, while giving credence to his false religion as millions of other professing Christians clamor to support him."
It's really a decision that needs to be weighed in light of the Word of God, not that there are not any decisions that shouldn't be.
This decision should be a tough one for any Christian. It baffles me to see that a lot of Christians are gung-ho behind Romney. True, I do not want Obama back in the White House, un-tethered by that pesky term limit thing, free to further destroy the fiber of this country. I can't stand that thought, at all. Which is my true dilemma. Do I vote for the "other" party, the one with the only foreseeable chance of dethroning Obama? Or do I vote for a 3rd party candidate, such as Virgil Goode, who actually would make the best choice to lead this country going forward?
Ah, but Goode doesn't stand a chance. Why? Because the bulk of people in this country think we must conform to the strict guidelines of D's and R's. I've always fancied myself and Independent. I have voted for Republicans and I have voted for Democrats. Actually, since I turned 18 in 1986 my vote was for every elected President until Obama. I did not vote for Obama. That means I voted for Bush Sr. (R), Clinton (D) twice and Bush Jr (R) twice. I had a fairly strong voting record until Obama came along, but then again after voting for Bush Jr the second time and the following election which featured Obama I was radically saved by God. I saw things differently and knew that Obama was not the one for the job. I defaulted to McCain in that election, since he was, what I saw it, the only viable alternative. I was playing the game and was trapped in the 2 party mentality, but was rapidly being changed by God and thus developing a different view of the world. I no longer saw red and blue, I saw God and thus started seeing that even my vote should be done in accordance with God's Word and to honor Him. If I was no longer living my life, but Christ was living in me, then shouldn't I be voting to typify that?
So, here I stand (actually I am sitting). I can do no other, but try to seek God, use His Word, seek godly council, pray and ask for a clear understanding of whom I shall cast my single vote. I do know that I will not vote for Obama, since he believes in the slaughter of babies and actually promotes the idea of doing so and wants to use my tax money to do so. Then there is the fact that he tramples the Constitution under foot, doing as he pleases, by any means possible, executive orders, czars, blatant disregard to the Constitution.
Then there's the newly appointed GOP nominee, Mitt Romney. Third generation Mormon. Tightly ingrained in his false religion. Very moralistic, an upstanding and successful business man, believes in one man and one woman as marriage, doesn't believe in homosexual marriage, mostly pro-life (except for rape and incest, which is still murdering innocent babies), just a "good" man in the eyes of the world. But he is a Mormon. Electing him, with the support of evangelical Christians sends a very dangerous message to the world that Mormons have a viable religion that is Christian, just being a different denomination. I know the differences. I know how heretical the LDS message is. Sadly, most others do not and hence do not see this as anything to even be debating. The mindset is:
"Romney upholds the same values as I do, Obama doesn't. Therefore I will vote for Romney because he is not Obama."
That would be all well and good if there weren't more choices than the two.
If the only choices were Obama and Romney I probably wouldn't even cast a vote. As many have said; "The lesser of two evils is still evil". So, my faith would trump my Constitutional right to vote and I would vote for neither. But we have more choices than Obama or Romney. That is what's great about this country and the system that God has put into place here. We can vote for other candidates, with clear conscience before God, knowing that He directs the placing of kings and rulers (Daniel 2:20-23, John 19:10-11), He is sovereign and He is still in control, whether it's with Obama, Romney or another President in place. God is still God and that President is still under His reign.
Are we to separate our faith from our vote? That is the million dollar question. Do we leave God at the curtain when we draw it shut and cast our vote? Do we take into account that we should do everything to His glory (1 Cor. 10:31, Col. 3:17&23)? Or do we look at circumstance and what ifs? Do we think that casting our vote for a 3rd party candidate is a vote for Obama? Or is that a vote that honors God? Do we try to rally others FOR Romney, hence joining league with an anti-Christ that could ultimately send millions to Hell because of the thought that Mormonism is a true religion?
The most common argument I have heard is:
"If Daniel the Prophet could serve the pagan Nebuchadnezzar, and Joseph could serve Pharoah, you could vote for Romney."
I say to that, "Really? And just how did Daniel condone or help put into place Nebuchadnezzar and Jospeh condone or help pu into place Pharaoh?"
Daniel and Jospeh just did as God commanded and respected those that God did put into place (Romans 13:1-5, Titus 3:1, 1 Peter 2:13-17).
I want to do what will honor God in my vote. I do not really enjoy the thought of Obama sinking this country further. I do not like the thought that I may lose comfort if Obama is re-elected. I do not like it that he has potential to run unhindered over this country and set in motion destruction to us as a nation. But I must and will not let my comfort, nor my situation, nor public opinion, nor "don't throw your vote away" take precedence over honoring God through my vote. I must stand blameless before Him in my vote, without the blood of millions on my hands for casting a vote for either of the two main parties anti-Christ figures, who come in the spirit of anti-Christ to deceive and set in motion what could possibly be the emergence of The Anti-Christ (1 John 2:18,22-23, 1 John 4:2-3, Jude :4)
I know where my vote is swaying, it is, at this point, for Virgil Goode. As far as my research has shown Goode is a believer in God, he fears the Lord and he upholds biblical convictions, even further than Romney's false morality. So, my vote is FOR a person (Goode) and not AGAINST another (Obama). That is my convictions, this is the understanding that God has given me to this point. It would make it a lot easier if all of the evangelicals were to turn out in force, voting for Goode. Kind of like when everyone turned out to support Chick-Fil-A when the Dan Cathy came out in favor of Biblical marriage that sent liberals in a whirlwind. I know that it could be done. Plus shucking the two party system might, just might, bring a modern day revolution upon us.
Where do you stand? Why do you stand there? Is it in opposition against someone or is it in affirmation for someone? What has lead you to that decision? I assume that if you are reading this that you are a professing Christian, so how does your decision attest to God? These are not just rhetorical questions, I really want to know. I really need insight, other than my own, to Christ centered decisions in the area of voting. This will be me second election out of 7 that I have been a follower of Christ. My first as a Christian was on habit and worldly advice, but this time I need it to be out of Christ centered advice. Please leave a comment here and share where you stand and why. It will help me to understand better and may help impact others as they seek who they should vote for.
If I were to have started this blog
today, instead of years ago I would probably have titled it “That
Grace May Abound”. Not that I wasn't aware of God's grace(s) at
that time, but He was showing me so much truth from His Word and
about what I had been living for the bulk of my life. Today, my 44th
Birthday, as I reflect back over the past years of my life I see the
signs and evidences of God's grace throughout. Yes, even when I was
lost and in rebellion to my Lord, He was still pouring His grace and
His love out in my life. Grace is often attributed as "unmerited favor" or a reprieve of guilt and with those I totally agree with, but it is also the natural extension of God's love to His children.
I think about my childhood, about how
He put me in a church, to learn the bible stories that showed His
power and how He worked in people's lives like David, Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego, Noah, Moses and many others in the Bible. I
never really learned, though, why these stories were in the bible,
that they all actually pointed to Christ, but nonetheless, they were
laying groundwork in my life to point me to Him later in life. I
think of my “rebellious” years, which were actually all my years
until He saved me. But the ones that stick out are when I openly
flung my fist in the air and said, “I'm doing this my way, I'll do
what I want – when I want”. All the time thinking that I was
saved because of a profession as an 8 year old in that same church's
youth group.
The years passed and I can honestly
only think of only a single night that, as I lay down to sleep, I did
not pray to the god I had created in my own mind. The reason? I dozed
off drunk. I would always pray for forgiveness, for the same sins,
for the life that I lived and for the multitude of sins I committed
each day. God was still graceful to me, He kept me safe, He kept
those around me safe, He still allowed me the days until I would
finally and truly know Him.
I see the signs of God working my life
through the years. Even though, at the time, I didn't realize it was
Him. The things I prayed for that never came to pass, the things I
did pray for that actually did. The staying of His wrath against me
as I defiled His Name by professing to know Him, all the while living
in open sin to and with those I was making the profession to. I know
first hand the deception of a false convert, which is again by His
grace. I attribute this to my “zeal” for truth. I just so greatly
want others that live in deception to be awakened from their slumber
and meet the One True God.
I have in my recent past, since God
saved me, seen His grace in many ways. Today He has shown me that a
lot of times His grace is shown through people He has put in my life.
I think about people that for many different reasons should have had
their anger heightened toward me, in my zeal (misdirected zeal) said
and did things that I should have actually stopped to think about
beforehand. But God in His richness of Grace allowed these people to
react with the grace that I lacked. These occurrences have made a
huge impact on me and I now see that these, too, were an act of God's
grace in my life. God has used these people in many ways and without
that grace shown I would not be where I am today. I still have the
“zeal” for His truth, but also have a fresh zeal for His Grace.
It is through His grace that I have a better understanding of how to
interact with others better. Not perfectly by a long shot, but
better.
In 2010, on my birthday, I set out on a
year long journey on this blog titled “A Year In MY Life ThroughPictures”. It seemed like a good idea at first, but soon became
somewhat tedious. I do not regret doing the series, but it did leave
a sense of antipathy ($2 word alert) to me, I just didn't want to
write any longer. I was burned out and I was spent. I needed a break.
So, since finishing the year long series in 2011, on my birthday, I
have been sporadic, at best, with my postings. A few things here and
there have sparked me to bang something out, but no real inspiration.
Until now. Why? I have no idea, but I feel the need to start posting
again.
Let me say something again that I have
said from the get-go on this blog. I AM NOT A WRITER. I hated English
class in high school. I hated diagramming sentences. I can't spell. I
do not properly punctuate. I make up words. I ramble on and on. I
lack sentence structure. I lack any sense of writing ability that
would characterize someone that anyone else would want to read. But I
think of Moses, who had a speech impediment, whom God used anyway. I
think of Jeremiah who tried to talk God into not using him:
Jeremiah 1:4-9
4 The word of the
Lord came to me: 5 I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I
appointed you a prophet to the nations. 6 But I protested, “Oh no,
Lord, God! Look, I don’t know how to speak since I am only a
youth.”
7 Then the Lord said to me:
Do not say, “I am only a youth,”
for you will go to everyone I send you
to
and speak whatever I tell you.
8 Do not be afraid of anyone,
for I will be with you to deliver you.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
9 Then the Lord reached out His hand,
touched my mouth, and told me:
I have now filled your mouth with My
words.
Not that I should be compared to Moses
or Jeremiah, but God is still God and I am still feeble. Moses and
Jeremiah tried to talk God out of using them and I have done that
too. But I see that God can use whoever He pleases, however He
pleases, whenever He pleases and I don't want to miss that. I want to
be aware when He is using me and actually, willingly and openly be
used of Him in whatever capacity that is. I don't want to miss God
like I did 38 years of my life.
So I ask anyone who ventures upon this
blog site to be graceful of my mistakes, I make them often. Please do
not hesitate to correct me grammatically or if I have something wrong
spiritually. I would actually prefer that you correct me, so I do not
continue in error. But some things you may be in error in as well and
I ask that you seek correction too. God is still graceful to the
humble, but not the prideful. I have learned that the hard way,
through my stubbornness and through my lack of grace to others. God
has been very good to me and has corrected me through His grace and
through His grace through others.
What better way to describe grace than
this:
Ephesians 2:4-9
4 But God, who is rich in mercy,
because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were
dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you
have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit
together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages
to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His
kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been
saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of
God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Pornography has probably been one of the most besetting sins of the past few decades. Why is that? Is it the proliferation of websites? Porn Shops throughout cities? Text messages containing provocative photos? Sure, those are gateways to filling the desire for illicit images, but they are not the real problem. The real problem, as with any other sin, is a heart issue and must be dealt with firmly and immediately.
While thousand people will have a thousand different "reasons" for indulging in porn, the root cause is still the same, selfishness. Selfishness is the root of all sin. From the Serpents first temptations of "Don't you want to be like God?" to the modern cry of "I'm a strong enough Christian to watch this movie or listen to this CD without it affecting me", it is still all the same - our desire above God's desire.
My dear brother in Christ, Whitt Madden, over at Be The Domino has a program starting this month that deals directly with the sin of pornography. This 40 day "awakening" is completely confidential and open to males and females just by signing up.
Starting October 17th, Be the Domino ministries will be launching a 40 day “awakening” called Emergency. These 40 days will be a time of deep personal reflection and prayer focused on Honesty, Integrity, and True Character.
There is an ugly truth about an addiction to pornography that no one wants to talk about. The effect it has on men is crippling them spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Let’s be honest about this guys. Sexual purity in our world today is a struggle. It’s a topic that no one wants to discuss, because we want to pretend that this problem doesn’t exist. But we all deal with it. Some of us deal with it to a greater extent than others, but as guys, we all deal with this. Our youth are dealing with it, I have talked to several who are struggling right now. I deal with it. I want to be completely honest about a topic nobody wants to touch.
Each day will be focused at getting to the root of this sexual sin that has plagued the lives of so many men. This will be an online study, each day the material will be posted. At the end of each day’s posted will be an anonymous comment box. We understand the importance of confidentiality, and how sensitive this subject matter is. We encourage you to use this feedback box, because God can use your honesty to help someone else. This site offers complete confidentiality.
Each day will focus on Scripture. Studies can be helpful, and accountability can help keep you honest, but the only true freedom comes from Christ. Emergency is Christ centered because any real change requires repentance. Repentance can only come from conviction, and that comes from the power of the Holy Spirit.
We will provide you with all of the materials that you need. Our prayer is that God will use this as a tool to draw you closer to Him, and that He will set you free from the bondage of sexual sin.
Ten years ago today the U.S. saw it’s most devastating terrorist attack, ever. Almost 3,000 people lost their lives as Islamic terrorists overthrew control of 4 airliners and used them as missiles to create as much destruction as possible. In the 10 years since the attacks of 9/11/01 not only has the United States gone through many drastic changes, but also the rest of the world. Security alerts, the Patriot Act, increased traveling guidelines and rules and most alarmingly the rise of this religion that brought forth these terrorists.
My day was like any other, until I heard the news of the first tower being hit. I was working in the factory, but had a TV in the same room as my desk, so I went into the office to see what was going on. I remember at first the reporters were saying that a pilot had made a huge mistake and had crashed into one of the buildings of the Twin Towers. I relayed this message to the line workers and went back in to the office to see the second plane hit the second tower live on the TV. I then knew that these were not accidents, but done purposefully. Then came news of the Pentagon and Flight 93 and the world was ever changed.
That day I also remember falling back onto what I had always been told and taught about God, “Just ask Him into your heart and you will be OK”. That’s what I did several times, realizing in the minutes after the attacks that life can end at any moment and I wanted to be “right with God” if I were to die that day also. Thing is, I had said this exact same prayer hundreds of times through my life, first at 8 years old and then countless times through my years. I remember reading the “Left Behind” book just the year before the 911 attacks and doing the same thing, feeling the same emptiness and knowing that I did not really know God.
Something was happening to me though. God was working in my life to reveal Himself to me. Over the next few years I got married, got a promotion and lost my father to complications from a stroke. Death became very real to me and so did the fact that I did not know God. This is when He started to really work in me and allowed me to start hearing some really God centered men speak of the grace that God has extended to me, to the whole world. I had always seen myself as a “good” person, after all I had never killed anyone, I worked hard, never stole anything and was even the designated driver when I went out with the guys. In relation to the rest of the world I was indeed a good person, but in relation to God I was sin filled and in condemnation. For the first time in my life God had revealed to me my heart and how me-centric it was. He began to show me my need of Him and just how much was sacrificed so that I could have a relationship with Him. The Cross became real to me and so did Jesus Christ. That is when I truly believed and “the prayer” was not even needed. I, for the first time, knew that I was so far separated from God, there was nothing I could ever do to deserve a relationship with Him and totally put my faith in His Word and in Christ and His sinless life, His sacrifice on Calvary, His resurrection and took the yoke off of me and placed it onto Him, once and forever.
So, the terrorist attacks of 911 will be forever a part of our history. We will always remember the horrible terrorist acts carried out that day. A day that seemingly turned the attention of this nation toward God, with many prayer meetings and crying to God for restoration, soon turned again to contempt toward God. Many now question, “Where was God on September 11th ?“ or “How could a loving God allow this type of thing to happen?“. This nation continues to legally kill more lives every day than this act of terrorism caused, in the killing of unborn children. Why or how, some ask. Because of sin, plain and simple. The sin that permeates the livelihood of the majority of people today is what causes these types of things to happen, not God.
I will always remember that day and my initial reactions and how God used that for good in my life. I still get tears in my eyes seeing the images from that day, hearing the cries of people making phone calls to loved ones, hearing the desperation in the voices of fire and rescue personnel and even in the normally calloused news reporters voices as they speak of praying to a God that they do not even know. I was not saved because of the atrocity of 911, but those events made a lasting impression on me that God meant for good.
Psalm 37 is one that I have read on numerous occasions, but this week it has really been a blessing to me. Normally one will read it as David wrote it, when you are feeling like everyone that is ungodly seem like they are really living large and just skate by, while the Christian seems to always be under attack. So, in Jeffenese, when you are feeling like unbelievers are having a better life than you are and you are wishing you could just knock them down a few rungs on their ladder.
Admittedly I have read this wonderful Psalm that was a few times or ten, but most of the time I do not dwell on the "evildoers" or the wicked that David is speaking of. Believe me, this week has had some "evildoers" surface in my life and I have really prayed for God to rain fire down from Heaven (in a send these people to jail kind of way, not kill them). While I may have initially been drawn to this Psalm for that reason, to be reminded that God will ultimately judge those that sin against His children, I did not stay in this Psalm for that reason.
When I really began to read Psalm 37 this week I began to focus more on God's promises TO me and to His children, not on what the eventual plight of the lost and "evildoers" is. Just look at verses 3-6 Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.Delight yourself also in the LORD,And He shall give you the desires of your heart.Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as the noonday. Those promises alone can be dwelt on for hours, if not days. If we simply delight in the Lord, something that any Christian should be doing anyway, He will give us the desires of our heart. And a resounding NO! not that God will give me a new Dodge Challenger or John Deere tractor, but that God will place into our hearts His desires, namely that we rest in Him and delight in His handiwork and His love for us, which is circular actions, they cannot be separated.
Then skip down to verse 11, which Jesus quoted in His Sermon on the Mount. "The meek shall inherit the Earth". Then on to verse 18, The LORD knows the days of the upright and their inheritance shall be forever which is eternity with God. On down to verses 23-26 , which once again show that God will direct His children's paths, and thereby delighting in us in that path. How awesome is that? The God of the Universe, Creator of all things delighting in our path of obedience that He has set before us. That is good stuff right there. And verse 24 lets us know that when we do fall and sin that He still holds us up and sees us through the times when we even might have doubt for whatever reason. This reminds me of Peter when He walked on water, as he took his eyes off of Christ and started to disbelieve Jesus still reached out to him and pulled him back up, refocusing Peter's gaze on Him.
Verses 27-31 are rich in promises that when we turn from evil, stay fixed on the Lord, which is the natural thing for a Christian to do, then we will stay fixed in our walk with Him. Right into verse 34 which promises us that when we wait on God's timing that He will take care of everything for our good. Often times we try to persuade God to do things our way, but that is looking internally instead of looking to Him.
Then skipping to the closing of the Psalm in verses 39-40 39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked and save them, because they trust in Him. - Again the promise of God's saving grace, not only in saving us from hell, but also Him saving us from persecution from the evildoers.
So, this Psalm is full of promises to us as believers, not only against persecution and the workers if iniquity, but also promises that stand alone, without contrasting them to the plight of the lost. Sure, David had a lot of enemies and he often called out for God to strike them down, but he also knew that God was in control and was always there directing his path. May this be our joy as well, to totally rest in knowing that God is firmly in control and we need to firmly have the faith that no matter how bad things look or how bad circumstances are that God is bigger than them all and He has you in the palm of His hand and all we need to do is look up and fix our gaze upon Him.
Day 349 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series
Winding it down now. My birthday is almost upon me this year, which will finish out this series. What better way to help close it out than by telling a little bit about a place I used to visit when I was younger.
My picture today is of a place that happens to be the same building I used to frequent, but not the same establishment. Back when I would go there to waste time and just hang out it was called "Pete's Place". It was a large pool hall/ game room and I wasted many Saturday nights and many quarters there. I was never good at pool so I mostly played pinball or the newest video games like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong or Galaga. I would also play pinball, which I never was good at either, but it was fun as far as I can remember. I'm talking almost 30 years ago and my memory is so shot that I can't even remember what clothes I had on yesterday.
This building now houses "The Pony" with the tag line "The Ultimate Strip Joint". I will not go into much detail, but it is a strip joint. Women take their clothes off and men give them all of their money. It is one of those "wages of sin" things. I have not been to the Pony and never will, unless it is to pass out tracts or pick up someone I know that might need a ride. I wish I could say I never have been in a strip club, but I can't say that.
Speaking of "wages of sin"... Romans 6 tells us about those wages that we earned in our sins. We actually earned our place in hell by our sinfulness. To put that into a better understanding, look at your job, you work and you expect to earn a wage for your labors. Now put that on your sins, laboring in sin to earn death and hell. But that's only the bad news. The Good News is that God has a gift for us, which means it is something that we cannot earn, we cannot deserve it and it is not owed to us for any reason at all on our part. It is a gift, which means something that is given freely regardless of anything we may have done. If it was given to us out of obligation then it would be a payment, which would mean we worked to get that as well, but Paul's language here is wonderful. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
One of those well known verses that people gloss over, but yet so rich in the love of God. Even though I earned my place in hell through my working for damnation, in an ever constant state of rebellion to the God of the universe, He loved me. He gave me the gift of His love, His Son shed His blood for me and granted me the gift of eternal life. Good news indeed.
You know what is sad? That even though I have this free gift, I still try to buy my destruction by sinning against my God. Do you know what else? The gift is unconditional. God gave me something I did not deserve and because He gave it to me, He will never take it back. If He did it would no longer be a gift and instead would become a payment for as long as I was "good". A lot of people call that "once saved always saved" and others call it "perseverance of the saints" I call it amazing.
Day 347 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series
A very bright moon lights the sky tonight. You can't really tell by the picture just how bright it is, but anytime the moonlight casts shadows and you can read a newspaper by it - then it's bright.
It amazes me how God placed the moon, sun, stars and every other "thing" within the Universe. He placed each point of light to show His glory to us. Psalm 19:1 says that the heavens declare the glory of God... and I really believe that. I can set outside sometimes and just look upward at the stars. I would really like to go out in the country somewhere where there is no light pollution so that I can be even more amazed at God's handiwork. That's what He wants us to do - look at His creation and be amazed at Him, not the creation itself, but Him.
We should only be enamored with something as far as it points to God. Just as a child holding more affections for a toy that hi mother might give him than the giver of the toy can be seen as wrong, then how much more wrong is it for us to be flabbergasted by creation and not the Creator? We shouldn't. That's why I try to see God in everything, big, small, in nature, in man's gadgets, in animals, the stars, the good times and the bad times, in every time we should look to God and praise Him for His undeserved favor to us. If you are reading this right now, Christian or not, God has shown you mercy unbound! The fact that He allows you to live is astounding since you continually sin against Him.
Rest assured that one day everyone will meet Him. You will either meet Him as your Savior or you will meet Him as Judge. Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, whether they are saved or not
Day 343 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series
So, one of those major things happened today. You know, the kind of "thing" that totally changes your life in every way. Matt and Emily welcomed baby Elliott into the world today. So that makes them, officially, parents and Chandra and I grandparents. Yeah, I know you're probably saying, "Jeff, you look so young. There is no way you can be a grandparent". That is true, but I will now be known as Grandpa, papaw, Pops, Granddaddy, Grandfather or something else that Elliott makes up for me. Whatever it is I will be fine with it, but I do kid a lot about just wanting to be called "Jeff".
Although I was not in the room when he was delivered, I was there during his first moments of life. The thought kept running through my mind of him thinking, "Okay, this is enough, put me BACK in there!" His world is now more than the comfy little apartment of Emily's belly. He is a wonderful creation of God, made in the image of God. We all are and we all scream and cry like baby Elliott has been doing since emerging from his dark, former home. Everything will be knew to him. The sights, sounds, smells, tastes and anything else that his senses perceive are all new to him.
Childbirth is what Jesus likened salvation to in John 3. Looking at this newborn baby just brings that to life for me. When God saves us we too experience things in a new light. The darkness that we were comfortable with is now but a memory and the Light of Christ exposes everything in our life. He exposes things and we begin a new existence. Our old self is dead and our new self has been born. We are no longer lifeless to the things of God and we seek nourishment from His Word. We need Him to sustain us and to supply our every need just as a newborn must have all his needs supplied by someone. That reminds me of Matthew 7:11 when Jesus says "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!" Amazing stuff right there. The Father pours out His love on us, even though we will never deserve an ounce of His mercy.
I'm sure that pictures will abound here and on Facebook of Elliott. This will not be the only time you hear about him. I'm sure I will learn much from the role of grandfather. I have already learned, "Here, he's your son, you change his diaper". Pretty good, huh?
Day 342 in my "Year In My Life Through Pictures" blog series
Extra? Extra! Yes, this is the only gum that I chew. Just like Diet Coke is the only soft drink I drink and Gillette is the only deodorant I use. I am a creature of habit and when I find something I like I stick with it. You can say I am loyal to the core, which I realize, but it is more of a "if it's not broke don't fix it" mentality. I like the things I mentioned and they still do and still are what I originally liked about them and now many years later I still like the same things.
The Extra gum did change its packaging a year or so ago and I did not like it at all. I was used to just carrying around a 5 stick pack of gum in my pants pocket, it didn't take up much room and was enough to last wherever I was going. Then they started the mega packs of gum with 15 or so sticks to a box and I was very put off by it. I know they decreased the pieces in the packs in relation to cost, so they increased profit. What I did not like was the size of the pack. I still don't and I would still like to see them go retro and do the 5 stick packs again. Other than that the Polar Ice is still the same. The flavor lasts for as long as you want to chew the gum and if your nose is a little clogged it will usually clear your nasal passages when you sstart chewing a fresh piece.
I do like things to be a certain way and I do certain things the same way everyday. When that routine sways then I get uncomfortable. Not angry, mad or upset, but just uneasy and "agitated" because things are not the same. Not that I don't see the need for change in a lot of areas, but just not in my areas. I know I need to be out of the comfort zone on a lot of things. I know that I am a quiet and semi-introverted person and that I need to speak up more. Not that I want my voice to be heard, but that I want people to hear about my God and what He has done for me ans what He continues to do every day. That is a change that I desire, but often times cower back into my comfort zone. Yet again, one more way for me to seek God, so that He can show Himself and that others will know that it is not me speaking, but God speaking through me. That would be a good change.
