Numbers 11:1-15 Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when he heard them his anger was aroused. Then fire from the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the Lord and the fire died down. So that place was called Taberah, because fire from the Lord had burned among them. The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”
The manna was like coriander seed and looked like resin. The people went around gathering it, and then ground it in a hand mill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into loaves. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. When the dew settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.
Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents. The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors? Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”
Commentary from The Life Application Study Bible:
"The Israelites complained, and then Moses complained. But God responded positively to Moses and negatively to the rest of the people. Why? The people complained TO ONE ANOTHER, and nothing was accomplished . Moses took his complaint to GOD, Who could solve any problem. We need to learn to take our problems to the One who can do something about them."
"Dissatisfaction comes when our attention shifts from what we have to what we don't have. The people of Israel didn't seem to notice what God was doing for them- setting them free, making them a nation, giving them a new land- because they were so wrapped up in what God wasn't doing for them. They could think of nothing but the delicious Egyptian food they had left behind. Somehow they forgot that the brutal whip of Egyptian slavery was the cost of eating that food. Before we judge the Israelites too harshly, it's helpful to think about what occupies our attention most of the time. Are we grateful for what God has given us, or are we always thinking about what we would like to have? We should not allow our unfulfilled desires to cause us to forget God's gifts of life, food, health, work, and friends."
"Every morning the Israelites drew back their tent doors and witnessed a miracle. Covering the ground was pale, yellow, fluffy manna- food from heaven. But soon that wasn't enough. Feeling it was their right to have more, they forgot what they already had. They didn't ask God to fill their need; instead they demanded meat and they stopped trusting God to care for them..... when you ask God for something, He may grant your request. But if you approach Him with a sinful attitude, getting what you want may prove costly."
Credit: Bible verse from the Bible app- NIV. Commentary from The Life Application Study Bible- NKJV
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Monday, February 1, 2016
A Christian FIRST
In the almost 3 years since I committed my life to Jesus I have been on an almost obsessive journey to know Him more. I have spent hours and hours reading my Bible, doing studies and learning about what God calls me to do as His loving and committed child. I love spending time with the Lord.
I have written a lot about how I see our world today through the lens of a born-again Christ follower. Some of what I have written has been strong in admonishing what I see as the drastic falling away of our country from it's Christian roots. Some of what I have written has been with the intent of sharing out loud what I have been learning to help solidify those learnings in my own mind. Most of what I have shared has been political in nature, focusing on what is going wrong with our country or with our legal system as it relates to God's word.
I found myself getting sucked into the emotion of it all; when the Supreme Court changed the definition of marriage, I started writing about how this is against God (on Facebook). When President Obama said that we will continue to bring Syrian refugees into this country even in light of what is happen with radical Islam I wrote about our responsibility to protect and take care of our citizens first. When "gun violence" became the topic du jour, I wrote about God's calling to us to protect and defend ourselves against evil and those who would kill us here and here.
To those who read what I have been writing, you probably have formed your own opinion about me. If asked to describe me you might start to use words that describe a political leaning due to some of the things I have posted (conservative, republican, right-winger, idiot, intolerant, racist). That's fine, we all form opinions about others based on the available information about them. Here is how I would describe myself, though:
I am a Christian FIRST.
Everything else that makes me who I am exists after this one fact. I am a Christian. My existence as a human being is completely and wholly because God created me. The world and everything in it exists solely because God created it. There is absolute truth and morality because God created them. Everything else comes from this.
So much of what gets my blood pressure up in this country has to do with what I see as deviations by both our governing body and our popular culture from God's laws. Now that we are in the thick of a Presidential election year I can't escape evidence of this. It also happens to be the culmination of a few years of deep soul searching about my place as a Christian and the very first time I have EVER paid this much attention to politics (by far) so my blood pressure is up A LOT (Lord, help me with this).
Now, I'm not saying I have this all figured out. I'm sure there are Christians who read what I have written and think I a misguided. Given my newness at this I would have to say that they could be right on some things. One thing I do not think I am wrong about, though, is my absolute conviction that our next President needs at a MINIMUM to be a true Believer.
Nations will come and go, as has been exhibited by thousands of years of history, but PRINCIPLES endure. What immutable principles has this country stood by over the centuries since we were formed? Any? I am having trouble thinking of a single one that hasn't been amended and/or mutilated, can you? Without a Christian in the highest office we will continue UNABATED down this destructive path.
I'll be the first to admit that I did not always have a core set of values and principles. When my husband first asked me years ago if I believed that there were moral absolutes I could not comfortably answer him because I lived in a world filled with gray and conditional thinking. I could say something might be wrong for me but how could I say that absolutely for everyone? Was that even my place?
Then, I accepted Jesus into my life and the Holy Spirit filled my heart and soul. I am CHANGED. With that change has come a changed way of thinking and a solid belief system based on Biblical teaching and God's laws. Yes there are moral absolutes and no one, not even the government, can change them.
This is where living in this world becomes a bit tricky or at least uncomfortable for us Believers. The law of the land has turned away from God now. We Christians are faced with a choice. Follow God, or follow the government. Increasingly there is no middle ground. Sure people argue that just because the law allows abortions, or the law allows gay marriage to be recognized as true marriage, that doesn't mean we have to do it. Riiiiiight.... except..... when it does.
What about Kim Davis who refused to issue gay marriage licenses because it was contrary to her faith? What about the owners of the bakery Sweet Cakes by Melissa who refused to bake a cake for a gay wedding and have been dealing with legal issues ever since (and have lost their business as well)? Think these are petty, ridiculous examples of people who took their "religious beliefs" too far? When it comes to following God's commands of us, what exactly is "too far"?
Did Abraham think God was asking too much of him when He told him to pick up and move all his people to the wilderness and wait for Him?
Did Esther think it was too much to ask her to go against the King's law to stop a mad-man from destroying her people?
Did Daniel think it was too much for him to live in a place where his love and worship of God was constantly being challenged; to the point where he was sentenced to death or threatened with death multiple times?
Did Paul think it was too much to ask him to give up EVERYTHING and preach the gospel even though it would eventually have him killed (but not before he spend ample time in prison and being beaten)?
We are heading into some dark days, I'm afraid. This isn't surprising to those of us who read our Bible. That doesn't make it any easier, though. God warned us that things will be difficult if we follow Him. Just a cursory understanding of Christian history confirms that we haven't always been the most popular people. I am hopeful that we can get a true Believer into the office of President in order to at least attempt to undo some of the damage that non-believers have brought upon our country. Regardless of what happens, though, one thing won't change.
I am a Christian first, last and everything in between.
I have written a lot about how I see our world today through the lens of a born-again Christ follower. Some of what I have written has been strong in admonishing what I see as the drastic falling away of our country from it's Christian roots. Some of what I have written has been with the intent of sharing out loud what I have been learning to help solidify those learnings in my own mind. Most of what I have shared has been political in nature, focusing on what is going wrong with our country or with our legal system as it relates to God's word.
I found myself getting sucked into the emotion of it all; when the Supreme Court changed the definition of marriage, I started writing about how this is against God (on Facebook). When President Obama said that we will continue to bring Syrian refugees into this country even in light of what is happen with radical Islam I wrote about our responsibility to protect and take care of our citizens first. When "gun violence" became the topic du jour, I wrote about God's calling to us to protect and defend ourselves against evil and those who would kill us here and here.
To those who read what I have been writing, you probably have formed your own opinion about me. If asked to describe me you might start to use words that describe a political leaning due to some of the things I have posted (conservative, republican, right-winger, idiot, intolerant, racist). That's fine, we all form opinions about others based on the available information about them. Here is how I would describe myself, though:
I am a Christian FIRST.
Everything else that makes me who I am exists after this one fact. I am a Christian. My existence as a human being is completely and wholly because God created me. The world and everything in it exists solely because God created it. There is absolute truth and morality because God created them. Everything else comes from this.
So much of what gets my blood pressure up in this country has to do with what I see as deviations by both our governing body and our popular culture from God's laws. Now that we are in the thick of a Presidential election year I can't escape evidence of this. It also happens to be the culmination of a few years of deep soul searching about my place as a Christian and the very first time I have EVER paid this much attention to politics (by far) so my blood pressure is up A LOT (Lord, help me with this).
Now, I'm not saying I have this all figured out. I'm sure there are Christians who read what I have written and think I a misguided. Given my newness at this I would have to say that they could be right on some things. One thing I do not think I am wrong about, though, is my absolute conviction that our next President needs at a MINIMUM to be a true Believer.
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders". Isaiah 9:6The Bible tells us JESUS is ruler of everything; not man. To the extent that God tells us to be subject to a human government in Romans 13, He also tells us that this government should follow God's authority as it forms its basis for governing, saying "the authorities that exist have been established by God". So many times I've read articles and blog posts by people that take this chapter completely literally and without context and say that no matter what if the Government rules it then according to God we are subject to it. No no no! There are multiple examples in history about God's wrath coming down on nations because they fell away from Him. The government of those nations started making choices and passing laws permitting things that were decidedly against God and His word, and thus God destroyed them. Babylon, anyone?
Nations will come and go, as has been exhibited by thousands of years of history, but PRINCIPLES endure. What immutable principles has this country stood by over the centuries since we were formed? Any? I am having trouble thinking of a single one that hasn't been amended and/or mutilated, can you? Without a Christian in the highest office we will continue UNABATED down this destructive path.
I'll be the first to admit that I did not always have a core set of values and principles. When my husband first asked me years ago if I believed that there were moral absolutes I could not comfortably answer him because I lived in a world filled with gray and conditional thinking. I could say something might be wrong for me but how could I say that absolutely for everyone? Was that even my place?
Then, I accepted Jesus into my life and the Holy Spirit filled my heart and soul. I am CHANGED. With that change has come a changed way of thinking and a solid belief system based on Biblical teaching and God's laws. Yes there are moral absolutes and no one, not even the government, can change them.
This is where living in this world becomes a bit tricky or at least uncomfortable for us Believers. The law of the land has turned away from God now. We Christians are faced with a choice. Follow God, or follow the government. Increasingly there is no middle ground. Sure people argue that just because the law allows abortions, or the law allows gay marriage to be recognized as true marriage, that doesn't mean we have to do it. Riiiiiight.... except..... when it does.
What about Kim Davis who refused to issue gay marriage licenses because it was contrary to her faith? What about the owners of the bakery Sweet Cakes by Melissa who refused to bake a cake for a gay wedding and have been dealing with legal issues ever since (and have lost their business as well)? Think these are petty, ridiculous examples of people who took their "religious beliefs" too far? When it comes to following God's commands of us, what exactly is "too far"?
Did Abraham think God was asking too much of him when He told him to pick up and move all his people to the wilderness and wait for Him?
Did Esther think it was too much to ask her to go against the King's law to stop a mad-man from destroying her people?
Did Daniel think it was too much for him to live in a place where his love and worship of God was constantly being challenged; to the point where he was sentenced to death or threatened with death multiple times?
Did Paul think it was too much to ask him to give up EVERYTHING and preach the gospel even though it would eventually have him killed (but not before he spend ample time in prison and being beaten)?
We are heading into some dark days, I'm afraid. This isn't surprising to those of us who read our Bible. That doesn't make it any easier, though. God warned us that things will be difficult if we follow Him. Just a cursory understanding of Christian history confirms that we haven't always been the most popular people. I am hopeful that we can get a true Believer into the office of President in order to at least attempt to undo some of the damage that non-believers have brought upon our country. Regardless of what happens, though, one thing won't change.
I am a Christian first, last and everything in between.
"I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
John 16:33
Friday, January 22, 2016
Why God, why?
Today my friend lays her 34-year-old son to rest. The sudden death of a child; what could be more devastating? At a time like this even the most faithful Believer finds herself questioning and quite possibly even being angry with the God of her heart.
Over the last week, since I received her call about Ben's passing, I have found myself trying to imagine what my friend is going through. I, too, have a son named Ben. He is still a teenager, and not a single one of us is safe from a devastating loss such as this. I honestly cannot even imagine what it would be like to lose a child. Sometimes I think I can. I can picture it strongly enough that I have cried over it, but I know our imaginations cannot really go there until we have actually been there.
Since becoming a Christian I have spent many hours praying to God for the strength to get through just such a situation should I ever be faced with it. I'm not talking about the strength to remain upright in the days and weeks following a loss of this magnitude, although to be sure I would need that. I'm talking about the strength to be faithful to my Father. The strength to find His grace and mercy in something so catastrophic to me that it would threaten my relationship and belief in Him as my almighty King and Savior. My belief in a God that loves and protects us.
I believe with all my heart that pain and suffering does not come from God. God loves His children and walks with us through our time on this earth. He wants what is best for us, but He also wants us to persevere and lean on Him in a world covered with sin and suffering. Sin and suffering that comes from Satan. He let's us go through the pain of this world so that we will long for Heaven, which is our true home.
When we go through suffering here on this earth we are in good company. So many of the men and women in the Bible went through incredible suffering as they passed through this earth on their way Home. Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers. Job, whose suffering lasted virtually his entire life. Noah, being isolated from his fellow man, building an arc and then living on it with his family while all living things save the animals and his family on the arc were destroyed. Paul, giving up everything he had on this earth to preach the gospel, spending many years in prison, homeless, hungry, beaten. Mary, watching her beloved son Jesus be persecuted and then brutally and publicly crucified. Jesus.
These are but a few examples among many. Why do I bring these up now, at a time of such sorrow and suffering for my friend? Because as Believers we must continue to trust in God, even when our hearts are broken in a thousand pieces, and we cannot comprehend the unfairness of it all. BEFORE we go through something like this we really do need to prepare ourselves for the possibility that life is going to get really hard and be really unfair. We must not bury our heads in the sand that terrible suffering cannot come to us such that we do not prepare our heads and our hearts for it. Satan wants nothing more than to take every single person away from God. He waits for a time such as this to worm his way into our lives and plant seeds of doubt that could eventually destroy our love for God.
If you read your Bible you know that God warns us of this. He warns us that life on this earth will bring suffering. When sin entered the world with Adam and Eve so did death and suffering. But, it does not have to be in vain. God can use our suffering to help us be a light and beacon to others. God uses such things to glorify His Kingdom and bring others back to Him. We are not promised an easy walk here on earth, but we are promised that He will walk faithfully with us, and then bring us Home when the time comes.
I don't want to leave it here but am at a loss for more words. It is a little after 6am and I have to get ready for work. In a little over 8 hours from now I will be hugging my friend along with many others as we help her lay her son to rest. My stomach hurts thinking about it. I can't imagine how she feels right now, but I believe in our Lord's power to heal us. With all my heart.
If you aren't a Believer and you are reading this, I will be praying that the seeds of longing for our Lord placed in you at your birth to move you enough that you will be stirred. If you are a Believer who is going through a season of suffering that brings doubt, I will pray that you will be lifted up by others who can fortify your love for God and help you see His loving, merciful hand guiding you through the darkness. And if you are a child of God who has yet to experience suffering, I rejoice with you that God is so good and pray that you will use this time to gird your faith and your love for Him. Study God's word. Pray and prepare your heart for the trials and tribulations that will likely come so you can be strong in your love for Him and not give Satan one sliver of an opening into your heart.
The words from Luke above were spoken by our Lord, Jesus Christ. Even He called out to God in His suffering. In the garden of Gesthemane, Jesus got down on His knees and begged God to remove from Him the terrible suffering on the cross that was to come. Jesus knows first hand what we are going through when we face a cross that we believe cannot bear. Lean on Him, For he understands fully your pain.
Our suffering can bring us closer to God, if we let it.
Over the last week, since I received her call about Ben's passing, I have found myself trying to imagine what my friend is going through. I, too, have a son named Ben. He is still a teenager, and not a single one of us is safe from a devastating loss such as this. I honestly cannot even imagine what it would be like to lose a child. Sometimes I think I can. I can picture it strongly enough that I have cried over it, but I know our imaginations cannot really go there until we have actually been there.
Since becoming a Christian I have spent many hours praying to God for the strength to get through just such a situation should I ever be faced with it. I'm not talking about the strength to remain upright in the days and weeks following a loss of this magnitude, although to be sure I would need that. I'm talking about the strength to be faithful to my Father. The strength to find His grace and mercy in something so catastrophic to me that it would threaten my relationship and belief in Him as my almighty King and Savior. My belief in a God that loves and protects us.
I believe with all my heart that pain and suffering does not come from God. God loves His children and walks with us through our time on this earth. He wants what is best for us, but He also wants us to persevere and lean on Him in a world covered with sin and suffering. Sin and suffering that comes from Satan. He let's us go through the pain of this world so that we will long for Heaven, which is our true home.
When we go through suffering here on this earth we are in good company. So many of the men and women in the Bible went through incredible suffering as they passed through this earth on their way Home. Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers. Job, whose suffering lasted virtually his entire life. Noah, being isolated from his fellow man, building an arc and then living on it with his family while all living things save the animals and his family on the arc were destroyed. Paul, giving up everything he had on this earth to preach the gospel, spending many years in prison, homeless, hungry, beaten. Mary, watching her beloved son Jesus be persecuted and then brutally and publicly crucified. Jesus.
These are but a few examples among many. Why do I bring these up now, at a time of such sorrow and suffering for my friend? Because as Believers we must continue to trust in God, even when our hearts are broken in a thousand pieces, and we cannot comprehend the unfairness of it all. BEFORE we go through something like this we really do need to prepare ourselves for the possibility that life is going to get really hard and be really unfair. We must not bury our heads in the sand that terrible suffering cannot come to us such that we do not prepare our heads and our hearts for it. Satan wants nothing more than to take every single person away from God. He waits for a time such as this to worm his way into our lives and plant seeds of doubt that could eventually destroy our love for God.
If you read your Bible you know that God warns us of this. He warns us that life on this earth will bring suffering. When sin entered the world with Adam and Eve so did death and suffering. But, it does not have to be in vain. God can use our suffering to help us be a light and beacon to others. God uses such things to glorify His Kingdom and bring others back to Him. We are not promised an easy walk here on earth, but we are promised that He will walk faithfully with us, and then bring us Home when the time comes.
I don't want to leave it here but am at a loss for more words. It is a little after 6am and I have to get ready for work. In a little over 8 hours from now I will be hugging my friend along with many others as we help her lay her son to rest. My stomach hurts thinking about it. I can't imagine how she feels right now, but I believe in our Lord's power to heal us. With all my heart.
If you aren't a Believer and you are reading this, I will be praying that the seeds of longing for our Lord placed in you at your birth to move you enough that you will be stirred. If you are a Believer who is going through a season of suffering that brings doubt, I will pray that you will be lifted up by others who can fortify your love for God and help you see His loving, merciful hand guiding you through the darkness. And if you are a child of God who has yet to experience suffering, I rejoice with you that God is so good and pray that you will use this time to gird your faith and your love for Him. Study God's word. Pray and prepare your heart for the trials and tribulations that will likely come so you can be strong in your love for Him and not give Satan one sliver of an opening into your heart.
“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” Ephesians 6:11
“We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:3-4
"Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me. Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done." — Luke 22:42
The words from Luke above were spoken by our Lord, Jesus Christ. Even He called out to God in His suffering. In the garden of Gesthemane, Jesus got down on His knees and begged God to remove from Him the terrible suffering on the cross that was to come. Jesus knows first hand what we are going through when we face a cross that we believe cannot bear. Lean on Him, For he understands fully your pain.
Our suffering can bring us closer to God, if we let it.
Monday, January 18, 2016
Marco Rubio- take 1
How many Republicans/Conservatives reading this think that maybe Marco Rubio could be your candidate? I'll admit, I find him to have debated extremely well, he is very well spoken, and I would put him above Trump but below Cruz on my list right now.
That said, this "gang of eight" amnesty bill keeps coming up, as do comments about his inconsistent record, so I thought I'd do some checking since I don't know anything about it (the bill). If you are curious here is an article for you. The following is quoted from the article and really sums it up:
Now, I don't know about you, but I am unwilling to trust anyone seeking the highest office in America who hasn't been honest in the past, or changes their entire stated belief system (like Trump) and doesn't come out and admit it and then fully explain why. Even then, I'm going to want to wait a period time (we are talking many years for someone seeking the Presidency) after the change of heart to see if not only their actions demonstrate a true change, but that the change stands the test of time. On this issue in particular Rubio hasn't met those standards for me.
That said, this "gang of eight" amnesty bill keeps coming up, as do comments about his inconsistent record, so I thought I'd do some checking since I don't know anything about it (the bill). If you are curious here is an article for you. The following is quoted from the article and really sums it up:
"Put another way, if Marco Rubio becomes the President of the United States, the future of our republic depends on Rubio telling the truth this time after he already lied about the same thing to people who walked over broken glass to get him elected.
So now, are you ready to walk over broken glass to get Marco Rubio elected? Choose wisely because if Rubio becomes President and he’s lying about immigration again, it will be the end of the road for conservatism in America."
Now, I don't know about you, but I am unwilling to trust anyone seeking the highest office in America who hasn't been honest in the past, or changes their entire stated belief system (like Trump) and doesn't come out and admit it and then fully explain why. Even then, I'm going to want to wait a period time (we are talking many years for someone seeking the Presidency) after the change of heart to see if not only their actions demonstrate a true change, but that the change stands the test of time. On this issue in particular Rubio hasn't met those standards for me.
Monday, January 4, 2016
Your will be done... except....
I just read something by Beth Moore in the Esther Bible study that I just had to share. It really hit home for me because for almost my entire life until recently the only time I ever prayed was when I was praying either for something NOT to happen (please don't let my Mom die from the colon cancer) or for something to stop happening (a rough time in my life that felt like hell on earth).
She is talking about how often our weak faith in God gives the Devil all the information he needs to get to us. You see, once we are in Christ, Satan no longer has the power to to destroy us so he settles for the next best thing- THREATENING to destroy us and planting seeds of doubt against our Father's faithfulness toward us. The example she uses has to do with our fears... those fears we harbor, often against the loss of a loved one, that threaten to undo us should they ever happen. Be honest, no matter how strong your faith, at one time or another you have found yourself with thoughts no matter how fleeting such as: "if something ever happens to this precious child of mine I would just DIE"....
She says, "Our natural human defense is to grovel before God and plead with Him not to let those things happen. Our conditional trust not only makes us an open target for enemy torment; it also positions us as negotiators and beggars before God instead of secure children who trust their lives to their faithful Father."
In a later paragraph, "The most critical breakthrough of faith you and I could ever experience is to let God bring us to a place where we trust Him- PERIOD. We don't just trust Him to let us avoid what we fear most. We determine to trust Him no matter what, even if our worst nightmare befalls us. We have no greater victory and can render Satan no harsher blow."
Now, she isn't saying that we shouldn't ever pray for what our heart wants. When we are in a relationship with God our Father we are free to go to him with prayers such as these. What she is saying, though, is that it is our FAITH in God that will carry us through no matter what; NOT THE OUTCOME. Satan has no hold on us when we trust God has our best interests at heart. Remember, even Jesus went to Gesthemane to pray, asking His Father if He really had to go to the cross and suggesting that maybe it didn't have to be... but in the end, after His prayers He said "Your will be done".
I'm just as guilty, which is why I spend so much time reading my Bible and studying His Word. I am enjoying a relatively calm season of life right now, but that has not always been the case, and I know it likely will not always be the case. I want to be ready if one of the things I pray against and dread happens. I am girding my heart and soul against the enemy attack that will surely come if such a tragedy occurs. Remember, God is good. Pain and suffering is here because of sin, not because of God.
Maybe you are suffering with a fear of losing someone close to you in your life right now, or maybe you have recently lost a loved one and are not sure how you will get through it. Maybe you have hit a rough patch in life in other ways and wonder where God is right now. Our Lord loves you and grieves with you, my friend. He never leaves us. It may hurt now, but our destiny is not shaped by NOW. Our destiny is shaped by our faith and trust in the Lord. Eternity in Heaven without pain and suffering waits for us, we just have to stay the course and follow Jesus' lead. Remember, Your will be done, Father. I will pray that we all have the strength to utter those words and believe in our Lord when faced with the unthinkable.
She is talking about how often our weak faith in God gives the Devil all the information he needs to get to us. You see, once we are in Christ, Satan no longer has the power to to destroy us so he settles for the next best thing- THREATENING to destroy us and planting seeds of doubt against our Father's faithfulness toward us. The example she uses has to do with our fears... those fears we harbor, often against the loss of a loved one, that threaten to undo us should they ever happen. Be honest, no matter how strong your faith, at one time or another you have found yourself with thoughts no matter how fleeting such as: "if something ever happens to this precious child of mine I would just DIE"....
She says, "Our natural human defense is to grovel before God and plead with Him not to let those things happen. Our conditional trust not only makes us an open target for enemy torment; it also positions us as negotiators and beggars before God instead of secure children who trust their lives to their faithful Father."
In a later paragraph, "The most critical breakthrough of faith you and I could ever experience is to let God bring us to a place where we trust Him- PERIOD. We don't just trust Him to let us avoid what we fear most. We determine to trust Him no matter what, even if our worst nightmare befalls us. We have no greater victory and can render Satan no harsher blow."
Now, she isn't saying that we shouldn't ever pray for what our heart wants. When we are in a relationship with God our Father we are free to go to him with prayers such as these. What she is saying, though, is that it is our FAITH in God that will carry us through no matter what; NOT THE OUTCOME. Satan has no hold on us when we trust God has our best interests at heart. Remember, even Jesus went to Gesthemane to pray, asking His Father if He really had to go to the cross and suggesting that maybe it didn't have to be... but in the end, after His prayers He said "Your will be done".
I'm just as guilty, which is why I spend so much time reading my Bible and studying His Word. I am enjoying a relatively calm season of life right now, but that has not always been the case, and I know it likely will not always be the case. I want to be ready if one of the things I pray against and dread happens. I am girding my heart and soul against the enemy attack that will surely come if such a tragedy occurs. Remember, God is good. Pain and suffering is here because of sin, not because of God.
Maybe you are suffering with a fear of losing someone close to you in your life right now, or maybe you have recently lost a loved one and are not sure how you will get through it. Maybe you have hit a rough patch in life in other ways and wonder where God is right now. Our Lord loves you and grieves with you, my friend. He never leaves us. It may hurt now, but our destiny is not shaped by NOW. Our destiny is shaped by our faith and trust in the Lord. Eternity in Heaven without pain and suffering waits for us, we just have to stay the course and follow Jesus' lead. Remember, Your will be done, Father. I will pray that we all have the strength to utter those words and believe in our Lord when faced with the unthinkable.
Thursday, December 24, 2015
"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord"
Merry Christmas, everyone! This time of year can be one of such joy and also one of such sorrow. Missing loved ones who or are gone or away from us, feeling lonely or alone, being reminded of pain in our lives, all of this can be magnified at this time of year.
As a Christian who spends a lot of time in prayer and loves God more than I ever thought possible, I think I'm beginning to understand why this time of year, especially, can be so dicey. You see, God, and by extension Christians, have one giant enemy. Satan has so much hate for anything of God. Satan's number one goal is to destroy everything God loves. To take away everything and everyone from God. It has become so apparent in everything that is happening in this world, and most notably in this country, how influential Satan is. This time of year must be especially hard on him, after all we are celebrating the birth of the Savior of the world!
The birth of Jesus Christ is the biggest thing that has ever happened because it brought us the Man who would sacrifice His life thereby assuring all those who believe a place in Heaven. The birth of Jesus effectively means, for Believers, that Satan cannot have us. Ever. No wonder he gets so mad this time of year and unleashes so much fear, anger, and sorrow on so many, trying to tear them away from God and make them forget the reason for Christmas.
Please don't forget the reason we celebrate Christmas. Please don't forget that you are a child of God. Please don’t forget or doubt that He loves you and through the birth and death of His Son Jesus has reserved a place in Heaven for you. Please remember that your suffering here on this earth is not endless; that even though life on this planet can be hard, so hard sometimes you aren't sure how you will make it, you do not have to suffer alone OR forever. Suffering is a by-product of sin; of a fallen world. It is not a product of God, and, if you will accept Him, God will walk with you through it all until such day that He calls you home. It is because of Jesus that no matter what you go through here on earth, if you have faith and commitment to the Lord, He WILL call you to a glorious home reserved just for you where there will be no more sorrow, no more pain, and no more Satan who is the real cause of all that pain and suffering. Stay faithful, pray, and lean on other Believers who love you and know God. Hebrews 3:14 “For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.”
I’ll leave you with what I consider to be one of the greatest readings of the greatest news in the Bible.
Luke 2:8-14 “….for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord….”
Merry Christmas, friends! May God's love FILL you with the Holy Spirit this Christmas and in 2016 and beyond!
As a Christian who spends a lot of time in prayer and loves God more than I ever thought possible, I think I'm beginning to understand why this time of year, especially, can be so dicey. You see, God, and by extension Christians, have one giant enemy. Satan has so much hate for anything of God. Satan's number one goal is to destroy everything God loves. To take away everything and everyone from God. It has become so apparent in everything that is happening in this world, and most notably in this country, how influential Satan is. This time of year must be especially hard on him, after all we are celebrating the birth of the Savior of the world!
The birth of Jesus Christ is the biggest thing that has ever happened because it brought us the Man who would sacrifice His life thereby assuring all those who believe a place in Heaven. The birth of Jesus effectively means, for Believers, that Satan cannot have us. Ever. No wonder he gets so mad this time of year and unleashes so much fear, anger, and sorrow on so many, trying to tear them away from God and make them forget the reason for Christmas.
Please don't forget the reason we celebrate Christmas. Please don't forget that you are a child of God. Please don’t forget or doubt that He loves you and through the birth and death of His Son Jesus has reserved a place in Heaven for you. Please remember that your suffering here on this earth is not endless; that even though life on this planet can be hard, so hard sometimes you aren't sure how you will make it, you do not have to suffer alone OR forever. Suffering is a by-product of sin; of a fallen world. It is not a product of God, and, if you will accept Him, God will walk with you through it all until such day that He calls you home. It is because of Jesus that no matter what you go through here on earth, if you have faith and commitment to the Lord, He WILL call you to a glorious home reserved just for you where there will be no more sorrow, no more pain, and no more Satan who is the real cause of all that pain and suffering. Stay faithful, pray, and lean on other Believers who love you and know God. Hebrews 3:14 “For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.”
I’ll leave you with what I consider to be one of the greatest readings of the greatest news in the Bible.
Luke 2:8-14 “….for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord….”
Merry Christmas, friends! May God's love FILL you with the Holy Spirit this Christmas and in 2016 and beyond!
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
God help this nation.... again
San Bernardino. Another tragic example of rampant evil and the loss of human life as a result of it. Another tragedy that could not be arrested or prevented because no one in that building was armed and able to defend himself or herself. Not one. Why? Because lawmakers in this country, and seemingly more and more of our citizens, would rather lay down for evil than fight it.
People crying out for gun control in response to the violence in the United States are starting in the middle of the story. They are starting from the place where violence happens. That is far too late in the story to be problem solving and coming up with solutions. Gun control is a misguided, middle of the story solution.
What ever happened to looking at the root cause of a problem? Our current administration and the blind sheep that are following them would like us to believe that guns are the root cause of this problem. Less guns, less deadly violence. Really? So the evil that has grown unchecked for the last multiple decades as morality has gone the way of modest clothing and following the Ten Commandments could somehow be thwarted, abated or even destroyed if guns were removed from the picture? Or, is that not the real reason they are crying for our guns?
I do not trust our federal government and more specifically our current President. I have not seen an example of their commitment to what is important to me, my family and many people I know since I started paying attention. All I see is big government getting bigger, taxing us and taking more than 50% of the money we work hard to earn, creating more and more dependence while less and less people seem to be better off because of it. Now they want to take away our God given right to defend ourselves using false flags and taking advantage of the epidemic of ignorance that plagues this country to blind us with fear driving rhetoric about "gun violence". Nothing that is happening in this country has anything to do with the availability of guns, but with the mainstream media in their pockets (or beds, whichever you prefer), you wouldn't know it. History has shown us over and over again that when a government takes away its citizens' right to bear arms oppression, unchecked government control over its people, and genocide is not far behind. Don't roll your eyes, it HAS happened, over and over in history, which means it CAN and likely WILL happen again.
To be fair, God did warn us of all this. Matthew 24:1-14 gives us a pretty clear picture of some of the things to come before Jesus returns to us. He warns us that there will be many false prophets and messiahs. Check. Just look at the proliferation of Christian preachers who want us to believe that the only thing we have to care about in the Bible is loving one another and absolutely nothing more. He warned that there will be an increase in wars and rumors of war, with nations rising against nations. Check. Where have our efforts to bring peace to this world gotten us? The United Nations is a disaster; war in the Far East, Middle East, Africa, South and Central America have continued and increased. What about the War on Terror? Seems to me terrorism is on a huge upswing and even affects the United States on our own shores. How about war on our own streets (race wars and people warring against our police to name just two)? You can argue that the 24 hour media cycle just brings more attention to things that have always been there, but I believe those who really believe that are simply ignorant or blind to reality. Yes, we learn about things quicker to be sure, but to say that evil in this world has not increased is ludicrous. Here is why:
Until God comes again there will always be evil. That is the sad truth of living in a fallen world. It appears that Satan is getting more and more anxious. Could it be because he knows that God is coming sooner rather than later? Possibly. As a new Christian I am suddenly seeing things through eyes changed by God that I never considered before. I wrote a post about America being a modern day Babylon recently because of this newly acquired vision. We have often been referred to as a Christian nation, but I am having a harder and harder time seeing the truth in that description. Our pop culture is more often than not extremely anti-Christian and blatantly sacrilegious (case in point, multiple new network and cable TV shows coming out glorifying Satan ("Lucifer"), fallen angels, wayward preachers... or just subjects that glorify sin. Our laws and many churches continue a quick downward ascent toward sanctifying things that are the exact opposite of what God commands us to do in His word and law. Things are not heading in the right direction for a supposed Christian nation, and God help us for that.
What does all this have to do with San Bernardino? Well, first of all, I do not think it is any secret that I am very pro second amendment. After all, I did write this and this. I am also completely committed to Jesus Christ and want to spread His message and live my life in accordance with His desire for His believers without exception. I have spent a lot of time reading and praying about a Christian's responsibility to protect himself and fellow citizens. From everything I have read on both sides of the argument, I do not believe for one second that Christians are called to simply lay down for evil and let it have us.
To take away good people's ability to protect themselves from evil is the absolute essence of evil. It is Satan's work. Satan wants to destroy good people. Satan would love nothing more than to see Christians completely wiped out, and we cannot bow down to that. Some have tried to paint Jesus' death on the cross as an example of what he calls us to do- to sacrifice ourselves and our lives for God. I would like to submit that this is not what the Bible teaches us. Jesus died because he needed to die. The only way we were ever going to get to Heaven was if someone paid for our sins. Face it, you are a sinner. I am a sinner. WE are sinners. It is who we are because of Adam and Eve's choice to disobey God. We can no more control this truth or change it than we can control the weather. Jesus did not die for any other reason than to save our sinful selves and open the door to salvation. For us to throw our lives away needlessly and refuse to defend ourselves and others against evil men and women would be not only wasteful but irresponsible. It would not be honoring the sacrifice Jesus made in order to save us. We may be called to be martyrs for our faith, but that doesn't mean we make it easy for those who would kill us.
People crying out for gun control in response to the violence in the United States are starting in the middle of the story. They are starting from the place where violence happens. That is far too late in the story to be problem solving and coming up with solutions. Gun control is a misguided, middle of the story solution.
What ever happened to looking at the root cause of a problem? Our current administration and the blind sheep that are following them would like us to believe that guns are the root cause of this problem. Less guns, less deadly violence. Really? So the evil that has grown unchecked for the last multiple decades as morality has gone the way of modest clothing and following the Ten Commandments could somehow be thwarted, abated or even destroyed if guns were removed from the picture? Or, is that not the real reason they are crying for our guns?
I do not trust our federal government and more specifically our current President. I have not seen an example of their commitment to what is important to me, my family and many people I know since I started paying attention. All I see is big government getting bigger, taxing us and taking more than 50% of the money we work hard to earn, creating more and more dependence while less and less people seem to be better off because of it. Now they want to take away our God given right to defend ourselves using false flags and taking advantage of the epidemic of ignorance that plagues this country to blind us with fear driving rhetoric about "gun violence". Nothing that is happening in this country has anything to do with the availability of guns, but with the mainstream media in their pockets (or beds, whichever you prefer), you wouldn't know it. History has shown us over and over again that when a government takes away its citizens' right to bear arms oppression, unchecked government control over its people, and genocide is not far behind. Don't roll your eyes, it HAS happened, over and over in history, which means it CAN and likely WILL happen again.
To be fair, God did warn us of all this. Matthew 24:1-14 gives us a pretty clear picture of some of the things to come before Jesus returns to us. He warns us that there will be many false prophets and messiahs. Check. Just look at the proliferation of Christian preachers who want us to believe that the only thing we have to care about in the Bible is loving one another and absolutely nothing more. He warned that there will be an increase in wars and rumors of war, with nations rising against nations. Check. Where have our efforts to bring peace to this world gotten us? The United Nations is a disaster; war in the Far East, Middle East, Africa, South and Central America have continued and increased. What about the War on Terror? Seems to me terrorism is on a huge upswing and even affects the United States on our own shores. How about war on our own streets (race wars and people warring against our police to name just two)? You can argue that the 24 hour media cycle just brings more attention to things that have always been there, but I believe those who really believe that are simply ignorant or blind to reality. Yes, we learn about things quicker to be sure, but to say that evil in this world has not increased is ludicrous. Here is why:
- NBC news reported in June on a State Department report that there had been a 35% increase in terrorist attacks worldwide and an 81% increase in total fatalities since 2013
- The Guardian reported that there has been a 5-fold increase in terrorism fatalities since 9/11
- The Global Terrorism Index recorded almost 18,000 deaths related to terrorism last year, a jump of about 60% over the previous year
- ABC news out of Australia reported just last month that global terrorism is on the rise
Now, contrast that with the trends of gun homicide here in the United States. Gun homicide rates have decreased SHARPLY since their rise from the 1970's-1990's, despite a sharp INCREASE in population. Pew Research data:
- In 1981 there 6.6 gun homicides per 1000 in the US
- In 1993 this number peaked at 7.0 per 1000
- There was a steady decline over the next decade and a half, with 2010 showing 3.6 gun homicides per 1000 people- 49% lower than it's peak less than 20 years prior!!!
Even CNN- traditionally fairly liberal, reported on this, stating:
"The new study found U.S. firearm homicides peaked in 1993 at 7.0 deaths per 100,000 people. But by 2010, the rate was 49% lower, and firearm-related violence -- assaults, robberies, sex crimes -- was 75% lower in 2011 than in 1993, the study found... In fact, gun-related homicide rates in the late 2000s were "equal to those not seen since the early 1960s," the study found."As for mass shootings, which have taken on an urgency and increased concern over the last few years, well, according to a Bureau of Justice Statistics review, homicides that claimed at least three lives accounted for less than 1% of all homicide deaths from 1980 to 2008. These homicides, most of which are shootings, increased as a share of all homicides from 0.5% in 1980 to 0.8% in 2008, according to the bureau’s data. A Congressional Research Service report, using a definition of four deaths or more, counted 547 deaths from mass shootings in the U.S. from 1983 to 2012.
82% of Americans don't even know this, saying that homicides have either increased (56%) or stayed the same (26%). Why is this? Could it be that there is a certain NARRATIVE driven by the government to help drive an AGENDA to disarm honest Americans? To be fair, there is much debate and little agreement as to WHY this is. While the why is helpful information, it doesn't change the fact that the narrative being fed us by the media sure doesn't match up with the facts stated above.
Now, take that information and think about how this relates to you and me in the United States. President Obama and many in his administration would like us to believe that "gun violence" is the biggest problem we face in this country (next to "climate change"). If you listen to this, then you might lean toward agreeing with him that we need to either take all guns away from people, or put in place such restrictive requirements that most people won't be able to get them. BUT- if you use the brain God gave you, and a little common sense, you would see those statistics and realize that it isn't guns we need to fear at all. While there is a need to protect yourself from the common thug or criminal with guns in this country, I would like to argue that much greater than that is the need to protect our COUNTRY from the terrorists who seek to destroy us the first chance they get and OURSELVES from a government that is out of control with power. This shouldn't come as a surprise. After all, Scripture warns us often of what will happen to us when we follow God.
Matthew 24:9 "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me."Additionally, in verse 6 Jesus says that we are not to be alarmed because such things must happen, but the end is still to come. The end is still to come. While we know and believe that Jesus is definitely coming, we are charged with living for Him now, following His commands of us, and living His truth through our lives today. Even though we know how all this ends, that doesn't give us permission to stop fighting for His people who are here with us now.
Until God comes again there will always be evil. That is the sad truth of living in a fallen world. It appears that Satan is getting more and more anxious. Could it be because he knows that God is coming sooner rather than later? Possibly. As a new Christian I am suddenly seeing things through eyes changed by God that I never considered before. I wrote a post about America being a modern day Babylon recently because of this newly acquired vision. We have often been referred to as a Christian nation, but I am having a harder and harder time seeing the truth in that description. Our pop culture is more often than not extremely anti-Christian and blatantly sacrilegious (case in point, multiple new network and cable TV shows coming out glorifying Satan ("Lucifer"), fallen angels, wayward preachers... or just subjects that glorify sin. Our laws and many churches continue a quick downward ascent toward sanctifying things that are the exact opposite of what God commands us to do in His word and law. Things are not heading in the right direction for a supposed Christian nation, and God help us for that.
What does all this have to do with San Bernardino? Well, first of all, I do not think it is any secret that I am very pro second amendment. After all, I did write this and this. I am also completely committed to Jesus Christ and want to spread His message and live my life in accordance with His desire for His believers without exception. I have spent a lot of time reading and praying about a Christian's responsibility to protect himself and fellow citizens. From everything I have read on both sides of the argument, I do not believe for one second that Christians are called to simply lay down for evil and let it have us.
To take away good people's ability to protect themselves from evil is the absolute essence of evil. It is Satan's work. Satan wants to destroy good people. Satan would love nothing more than to see Christians completely wiped out, and we cannot bow down to that. Some have tried to paint Jesus' death on the cross as an example of what he calls us to do- to sacrifice ourselves and our lives for God. I would like to submit that this is not what the Bible teaches us. Jesus died because he needed to die. The only way we were ever going to get to Heaven was if someone paid for our sins. Face it, you are a sinner. I am a sinner. WE are sinners. It is who we are because of Adam and Eve's choice to disobey God. We can no more control this truth or change it than we can control the weather. Jesus did not die for any other reason than to save our sinful selves and open the door to salvation. For us to throw our lives away needlessly and refuse to defend ourselves and others against evil men and women would be not only wasteful but irresponsible. It would not be honoring the sacrifice Jesus made in order to save us. We may be called to be martyrs for our faith, but that doesn't mean we make it easy for those who would kill us.
To take it one step further, I believe that the United States of America exists because of God's plan for Christianity. There is no other plausible explanation for how the people who fought the Revolutionary War against the greatest army in the world could have ever succeeded without God's divine intervention. None. Untrained, unprepared, without proper weapons, supplies, or clothing against thousands and thousands more of the best trained, prepared and outfitted soldiers in the world? It would not be the first time God would step in and help His people win battles against all odds.
Look, I know this stuff is tough to hear. For those of us who have believed that being passive, non-violent, non-confrontational and full of love was what we are called to be, this is especially difficult. Think about it, though. Why would the Bible say things to us like Matthew 10:22 "And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved" if God didn't call us to be a bit tough and confrontational? What would there be to hate of people who sit quietly and passively in the corner loving everyone and standing up to no one? Yes, we are called to love, but love can take many forms. I do not believe that burying our heads in the sand and never sharing the true gospel, God's true laws, or never fighting against the evil that threatens us, our families and our fellow man is true love. Do not let people trick you into believing that taking away your ability to protect yourself against evil will make evil go away. Evil isn't going away. Men who would kill us at the first opportunity are not going away.
I know this is a scary world. I know that every time you hear about a shooting on TV you wonder if maybe guns really are the problem. Given the narrative of the media, our President and your fearful American citizens that is not exactly a tough leap to make. But please do not let yourself be blinded by fear. Something very sinister is taking place that is trying to convince us to put our trust in a government that has not behaved in a trustworthy manner. If they were so prepared to protect us, where were they when San Bernardino happened? Where were they when any of the other mass shooting events in recent history took place? Where were they on 9/11? Don't you ever ask yourself why all these shootings happen in places where guns are prohibited? Don't you ever for one second ask yourself why the times when honest armed citizens thwart the bad guys because of their guns and training don't make the front page news as well? Don't these omissions and discrepancies seem fishy to you?
God gave us many unalienable natural rights when he created us. He gave us the right to free will, to make our own decisions whether they be for our good or not. He also gave us the right to self-defense. You see it in the animal kingdom, and you see it in the human world. It is a natural right because it was created to keep order in nature. The greatest property we have is our own life. It is a great gift from God and as such we must defend and protect it. If those who would take our lives have guns then it only follows that those who would protect their lives should, too.
Look, I know this stuff is tough to hear. For those of us who have believed that being passive, non-violent, non-confrontational and full of love was what we are called to be, this is especially difficult. Think about it, though. Why would the Bible say things to us like Matthew 10:22 "And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved" if God didn't call us to be a bit tough and confrontational? What would there be to hate of people who sit quietly and passively in the corner loving everyone and standing up to no one? Yes, we are called to love, but love can take many forms. I do not believe that burying our heads in the sand and never sharing the true gospel, God's true laws, or never fighting against the evil that threatens us, our families and our fellow man is true love. Do not let people trick you into believing that taking away your ability to protect yourself against evil will make evil go away. Evil isn't going away. Men who would kill us at the first opportunity are not going away.
I know this is a scary world. I know that every time you hear about a shooting on TV you wonder if maybe guns really are the problem. Given the narrative of the media, our President and your fearful American citizens that is not exactly a tough leap to make. But please do not let yourself be blinded by fear. Something very sinister is taking place that is trying to convince us to put our trust in a government that has not behaved in a trustworthy manner. If they were so prepared to protect us, where were they when San Bernardino happened? Where were they when any of the other mass shooting events in recent history took place? Where were they on 9/11? Don't you ever ask yourself why all these shootings happen in places where guns are prohibited? Don't you ever for one second ask yourself why the times when honest armed citizens thwart the bad guys because of their guns and training don't make the front page news as well? Don't these omissions and discrepancies seem fishy to you?
God gave us many unalienable natural rights when he created us. He gave us the right to free will, to make our own decisions whether they be for our good or not. He also gave us the right to self-defense. You see it in the animal kingdom, and you see it in the human world. It is a natural right because it was created to keep order in nature. The greatest property we have is our own life. It is a great gift from God and as such we must defend and protect it. If those who would take our lives have guns then it only follows that those who would protect their lives should, too.
"The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such a nature. They disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.... Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."
- Thomas Jefferson, Commonplace Book
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