What about the Bible

The Bible contains both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament is primarily a historical account of God working in history from creation through the message of a Savior to be born of a virgin in Bethlehem a town located in Judea. The New Testament covers the time just before and the events surrounding the birth of Jesus the Son of God through his death burial and resurrection. It continues with the establishment of the church, the giving of the Spirit of God to all followers of Christ and concludes with the revelation of that which is still to come at the end times. The Bible shows us that God is the ultimate source and sum of all history. It reveals His plan for the salvation of mankind through repentance of sin with confession of Jesus as Lord believing that God raised Him from the dead. Therefore the Bible is not only sacred scripture but one story, with the Old Testament being the foundation for the New Testament redemption and revelation by God of what is to come. Some may not believe in God and God Himself states that all who come to Him must do so by faith believing He is and that He will reward all those that seek Him. Without faith it is impossible to please Him.
The Bible warns us that there is a way that seems right to mankind but the end of that way is death. The Bible states that everyone will give an account of themselves to God. It is appointed unto men once to die but after that is judgment because the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. Many do not believe the Bible and therefore they do not care about what it has to say. However it is written those that believe on Jesus are not condemned but those who do not believe are condemned already because they have not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God. Jesus told us that He was the way the truth the life and no one could come unto the Father but by Him.
Some wonder about the God who gave us the Bible and whether to acknowledge Him as God because of the Old Testament accounts of Judgment for sin. Many take issue with the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of sexual perversion. God shows Himself to be Holy and therefore sin must be judged and God demonstrated His Love for us in that while we are sinners He gave His son to die for our sins. Many will still say what a harsh God but I say what a loving God who was willing to pay our sin debt so we could be free from the bondage and penalty of sin. God does not force Himself on us but has made a way for us to escape the punishment for our sin but allows us to choose. Harsh would be God not giving us the facts and cover for us the ramifications of our choice. He warns us that we are condemned already if we do not accept Jesus as our Savior. He also warns us that those who retain their sin will spend eternity separated from Him in lake of fire with total darkness. Jesus said it was a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. The Bible also tells us of a place called Heaven. All who accept the payment made by Jesus for sin will be allowed to live for all eternity because of acceptance of His redemption plan. Forgiveness of sin is possible because of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Now we can believe or not the choice is ours, we get to decide. we can reject God and His plan for our redemption for whatever reason/excuse we find convenient but do not blame God for where you spend eternity. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen and through faith we understand that everything that is was created by God so that things which are seen were not made of things that are visible. As for whether you have sinned or not remember even unbelief is sin as we are told to love the Lord God with all of our heart, soul and mind. This is the greatest commandment & the second is like it - we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Consider well the cost of not accepting the Bible as the word of God.

Home?

It is nice to get away with family and change the pace for a while. Great to be home from trip south and back to sleeping in own bed. However the thought hit that really am not home yet. The home, bed, etc really are not mine but on loan from God. When my last breath is taken or God determines someone else should have them they will be passed on. We brought nothing into this world and will take nothing out when we leave. Life truly is short and it is amazing how good God is to us. When we consider how Holy God is and how much He hates sin, all the good that comes our way is definitely due to the grace of God. The Bible(check out John chapter 3) tells us just how much God does in fact love us and am one who is grateful that we do not have to do anything to merit His Love or grace. Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift! May the grace of God fill your journey through this life.

A season for everything

To every thing there is a time. A time for life and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to tear down and a time to build, a time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to mourn and a time to celebrate, a time to recycle and a time to collect. A time to gain and a time to lose, a time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to rip apart and a time to mend, a time to love and a time to hate. A time to feast and a time to fast, a time to sleep and a time to be awake. A time to sit and a time to stand. A time for war and a time for peace, a time to keep silence and a time to speak. There is a season and time for every purpose under Heaven. As you look around at the events of our day, do you know what time it is? I submit that is time to wake up and time to speak up so that our land may hear the roar of the chains of debt and the silence of lost freedom. It is time to repent of our sins and apathy. It is time to pray that God would heal our land and bless our nation again. It is a time of action, to stand up and be counted. It is time to take our country back from those who seek to destroy all that is right or holy. May God give you the boldness to speak up and be silent no more!

Faithfulness not popularity

Take time to care about other people because they are important and loved by God Himself. However some will be offended because you dared to care. Therefore do not let it concern you if you are rejected or misunderstood. People have been given a freewill by God to believe and live as they choose. So show them love by at least challenging their thought process with the other side of the story regarding the choices made. Focus on God and the Bible, but allow them to make their own choices. We should continue to care about people and pray for them while honoring their request to be left alone. Each person is special and of equal importance no matter their age, race, nationality, or gender. So provide information about God and how His son Jesus the Christ died for our sins so we would not have to pay the price. Do not be offended if someone does not care enough about themselves to consider the ramification of rejecting God. Be ready to answer questions and always be ready to help, but when someone simply wants to be left alone then honor the request. Never forget that if you have been changed by God, you also wanted space and had to come to God when you were ready to accept His love not when others thought you should. Part of being created in the image of God includes having a free will to choose to accept or reject Jesus Christ as our Lord. The Bible tells us that there are two pathways and where they end, but we must allow people to choose for themselves even when they choose the wide path. God states that few will take the narrow path that leads to eternal life with Him. Be a light on the narrow path so others will consider and some will turn and change paths. God will always honor their choice so who are we not to respect their decision. Just pray, love and be light for those you come into contact with. Faithfulness not popularity is the goal.

HEALTH CARE COST

Health care with its skyrocketing cost and an irresponsible society is bankrupting our nation. Consider some the problems. Forget the need for tort reform or insurance and pharmaceutical company issues. Instead start with one of the most obese societies in the world and the foundation for high medical care cost is solid. With a high percentage of smokers, consumers of alcohol and other drugs, legal or otherwise. Mental health care has become a staple in most insurance plans. Sexually transmitted diseases of all types. How about the most expensive cost over the last 30 years in HIV/AIDS, brought to us primarily through the "gay" lifestyle. By the way remember that little lie that "what adults do in the privacy of their own home does not affect anyone else" so no harm no foul. Close to a trillion dollars later the public still believes that media supported lie.(Now the most devastating life style in history is being promoted as a normal healthy way to live.)
We live in a society that wants to pop a pill for every health issue they encounter. Some do not indulge themselves, they try to live healthy lifestyles by eating to live rather than living to eat and living moral lives. However they are expected to cover the cost of those who refuse to take responsibility for their own lifestyle choices. The failure to exercise any self-control is a leading cause of the health care problem in our country. The failure of the individual to take responsibility for their own actions has allowed the liberal elitist to use the political system and the media to hijack our republic. The elitist want to change our republic into a socialist nation with power maintained by those who control the government.

The only hope for our nation now lies with the Church. A spiritual awaking to Godly living from the pulpit to the pews could still influence our society to reconsider the cost of Godless living but time grows short. Those who claim to be followers of Christ need to repent so that God will hear our prayers and save this nation and her people.
Some choose to put their trust in man/government but I choose to put mine in God. Who do you trust?

Want to be Blessed?

Blessed are the merciful because they will be given mercy.
Blessed are the mild mannered, they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who mourn because they will be comforted.
Blessed are those who are humble in spirit, for they will know the kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are those who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness for they will receive full satisfaction of life.
Blessed are the clean of heart because they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers because they will be known as children of God
Blessed are those who are hated and falsely accused because of their love and service to God. They will receive a great reward in Heaven.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because they live a righteous lifestyle for of such is the kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are those who trust in God.
Blessed are those who help the helpless for they will be delivered in their time of trouble.
Blessed are those who give rather than those who seek to receive.
Blessed are those who read and follow the word of God.

How many people in your life not only are blessed but are a blessing to others.
Are you Blessed and therefore a blessing to those around you?
Being Blessed is a choice, choose to know God. Allow God to change you from the inside out through His son Jesus the Christ and you will live a life that is Blessed and pleasing to God.

Closer look

When we take a close look at ourselves, examine what we are about, and what is truly important to us we may be surprised at the answer.
First look at how we spend our time, how much time is spend watching tv, movies, playing video games or on the computer, what about reading books, magazines, taking naps, exercising, hobbies, sports, parties, the mall or just shopping, playing golf, etc. Do you spend time in prayer, studying the Bible, attending/involvement in church or related activities, helping others just because they need it, volunteering just to express love/concern for people. Not volunteering for any reason other than your spirit directs you to in order to build personal relationships with others so they know they are important.
What about your finances, when you review where your money was spent, how much for basic life necessities, then what about cable/sat tv, cell phone, newspaper, DVDs/Blu-Rays, Internet svc, entertainment, vacation getaways, fancy restaurants, new car/SUV payment, over extended house payment, boat, credit card interest, clothing to be in style, etc and saving/investments for whatever. Compare that to how much do you give to church, non-profit ministries/organizations that help others, donate to college scholarships programs,(not to name a building) or just help someone with a need.
How much mirror time, picking clothes, shoes, fixing hair, and hopefully only for ladies doing nails, coordinating of outfit with handbag, jewelry/ear rings and lip stick. (ie it's all about me)
Ever notice when someone says I just don't have time, what they usually mean is what is being talked about just isn't that important to them. (We make time for the things that do really matter to us.)
Now review to see what is really important to you and hopefully the answer does not reflect that you are first and follow your own path. Life is short and eternity is forever. There but two paths, our pathway and the pathway God would have us follow. If you are on the wrong path it is not to late to turn and seek the pathway God has for you. However time to change is growing short.

Got Power?

Coming home this week to a house with no power(due to high winds) gets you to thinking of how easy it is to take something for granted. House was without lights, cooler, no computer, no TV, power water dispenser not working, etc. Of course the good news was it was not your typical winter day and there was sill some sunlight left to at least keep house from being totally dark. (Also thanks to the windows.) It is easy each day when we get home and every thing is as it should be to really remember to be thankful for electrical power.
In life we have to be careful not to take those around us for granted but to be truly thankful for them.(Yes that includes the in-laws also if you have some.) Many times it takes sickness, injury, death, etc to make us stop and remember to thank God for our loved ones. Also along those lines too many take the love, patience and grace of God for granted. God does love us and allowed His son Jesus to die to pay our sin debt so we would not have to. But if we deny Jesus and his payment in how we live our lives, he will be forced to deny us when we stand before God at the final judgment. Without God in our life we have no power and it will be evidenced by how we live just as my home reflected the evidence of no power. Does your life reflect that you are plugged into God and receiving power to live an overcoming life.

Pretenders among us

Driving home from work I heard spot talk promo ad by a morning national radio show host. It was one I do not listen to due to his crude, rude, debase behavior, ie I chose to exercise my right to listen to another station during his time slot.
What stood out was his promo talking about all the hateful email received because on his bashing Christians. He noted that the worst mail he received was from Christians. I doubt seriously if he knows any real Christians. Therefore could he even tell the differences between "christian" pretenders and the real thing. Some food for thought on the characteristic of the true Christian.
Many people do want to put God in an emergency box for use as needed and yet believe all is well since they have the "right" religion. What is forgotten is that Christianity is more than religion it is a relationship with God Himself through His Son. Christian actually means to be like Christ who loved us and died to pay our sin debt. The Point being a pretender is an affront to God and the Bible states that God will remove them in time as vomit is removed when one is sick. It is not sickening to God to deal with those who do not claim to know Him. But it is when those who have read and heard the truth of His love and grace, think they can in effect mock God with their lifestyles and conduct toward others. Claiming to love Him, they become barriers to others finding His forgiveness and love. I used term "christian pretender" rather then common use of the single word christian. When one claims to be a christian but is not Christ like they are in effect nothing more than an actor/actress. You see an actor/actress after all is simply pretending to be someone they are not but that does not make them who they are pretending to be. Only God creates the real Christian by remaking them in the image of His son Jesus the Christ. Faith hope and love always mark the life of the real Christian. Heaven is not for pretenders, even the best ones will not enter.

Troubled times

President Obama is always willing to lecture other countries on how they should conduct their affairs. Like now with Egypt telling Mubarak to do the right thing, ie step aside for the Muslim Brotherhood so 80 million can become controlled by about 5 million nut jobs. Obama would have you believe that demonstrators should be heeded when violent actions or rioting and looting is involved. Iran has its primary leader expressing the same sentiment noting the uprising is the appropriate response. Excellent company for President Obama to be in. When the people of Iran were demonstrating peacefully in the streets against their harsh government Obama had no words of support for them. He had no words of wisdom for Iranian leaders to do the right thing. What was his reaction to large number of tea party people organizing peaceful meetings in opposition to his great betrayal of his campaign promises? He called them every name in the book and refused to do the right thing. It must be that the peaceful demonstrators in USA and Iran were not heeded since they were not rioting and looting. Government purpose should always be to look out for the best interest of the people not the government leaders.
Correct position would too have been to point out problems in Egypt before the Muslim Brotherhood could take the streets. In Iran he should have spoken out on behalf of the oppressed Iranian people. In USA he should practice what he preaches by listening to and being the President of all the people not just the far left.
Troubled times are stirring around the world. Ongoing volcanic eruptions, major national flooding, severe winter weather with record cold and snow fall(global warming), combined with the violent unrest generated by radical Muslim groups the window for change is beginning to close.
It is not to late yet but the hour grows late, when will we learn. To find Hope for a better future check out the Bible.