Category: Gods Truth Series

Reflection 8: The Power of God's Love

An Easter Message

As I reflect on this Easter holiday, or season depending upon your faith, I am forced to correlate the words God used in the Bible, with his actions he expressed within Jesus Christ his son.  I am forced to review what God meant by the word “Love”, and the power it holds coming from God. I also have to admit that I am very humbled by the potency to which this word works its miracles. I am humbled by how many ways God uttered it in the bible, always teaching us to love each other as he loves us. I am amazed how merciful God has been, and by being merciful he illustrates his perfect love he holds for us, even in his wrath when he punishes us. In fact the very notion of his power can be summed up by this most powerful word, “Love”. That is ultimately the true story behind Easter, God fulfilling yet another promise out of love of all mankind. So I thought it proper to begin this Easter reflection with these words of our Lord, Jesus Christ, The Son of God,

“16For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not parish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men, loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God” (John 3:16-21).

Within these words eco’s the remainder of Jesus’s stay here on earth, it hints at the mission he was given by his father, our father in heaven. He speaks with reverence about his own life and death and what we would come to know as Easter, the day Jesus would be resurrected from the dead. All of these events where propelled not by Jesus, but rather by God, because God so loved the world. This is proven by what Jesus said in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus was praying,

“1Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began” (John 17:1-5).

Jesus speaks about the intervention of God on behalf of man. He sent his only son to save all of mankind. Without this act of divine mercy we all would still be condemned, without Jesus, and forever separated from God. His love knows no bounds; there is simply nothing he will not do on our behalf. Our Father in heaven loves us so much he gave to us his most prized possession. The very fact and proof that the Holy Bible it’s self is the very testimony of God, is simply found in the amount of times the word “Love” is   written into it, this single word is the backbone of every message found within it pages. But God from the beginning gave us the very definition to which we are to us and remember each time we utter the word, “Love”. God defines his love as being of a completely different nature, vastly different than that which we feel for our brethren, wives or husbands, our own children, and family. Rather God’s love is termed as being “Agape Love”. A love which is self sacrificing, loving the unlovable, and is seen through the acts of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, John the Baptist, and Jesus. Most clearly through his only Son Jesus Christ who gave his life in order to save every last person on Earth, who ever lived, or will ever live until the end of all days. God’s love is so complete, absolute, so powerful, that it is the basis of all life as we are created in his image. There is nothing more powerful, nothing more absolute, as God is love.

This Easter I ask that you simply look at the miracle of the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the glorification of Jesus, which Jesus had asked for in the Garden three days before. The complete healing of his body, as it was turned into a heavenly body, was an act of agape love on God’s behalf, made possible first by Jesus’s ultimate sacrifice. I ask that we look at our fellow man and try very hard to reach down inside and find that agape love of God’s, pray that God pours it out over you until your cup runneth over. Ask God to grant you this special mindset, and practice what Jesus preached in the loving of one’s neighbor, doing good to those who have done ill to you. For there is no other better example we could illustrate our belief, our faith in him, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on this holy of holy days.

Amen

If you have been moved by this blog I humbly invite you to leave a message telling me your thoughts and how this reflection has touched you. May peace and love be with you all the days of your life.  May God keep you and bless you. Amen.

Reflection 7: The Many Chances God Gives

When I look at my students who often times have the capacity to being hysterically funny, making me laugh so hard my sides hurt, then on the other hand, these same students can make me feel so frustrated. Some days I have no problem getting through to them, then other days I am talking but nothing seems to come out to which they are listening too and learning from. When raising children as a parent there are those moments that are burned into my memory as being absolutely awesome, then other moments where my child has tested me to the max and seemingly enjoys every second doing it. I say these things to illustrate how God must be looking at the entire human race. Some people must really give God immense joy, then others I know he wants to help but they have not yet come to him. I imagine God looks into each and every person’s face and sees’ the multitude of varying wants, needs, and beliefs and the miracle of this is written into their eyes. We all need the same thing, no matter our age, experience, sex, or placement on the economic food chain; we all desire three things more than anything else, that being: love, guidance, and compassion.

 Ironically all these things are given to us by God. The miracle is that he so freely grants us the ability to make up our own minds, which if you think about it is the ultimate test in faith. He allows us the right to search our own souls and begin this journey upon our own volition. But the most amazing thing besides all of the things which I have stated thus far is found in the amount of times God allows us to get things wrong, and it is his patience and mercy which allows us to retake the test so-to-speak. To sin is something which is hardwired into us as sinners needing God’s forgiveness and he is so good to nurture us by allowing us to fall down like a baby learning to walk, so that one day we might stand and be able to run. God does this by shedding a light on all of our sins, and faults, and by purifying us by his light.

 “There is nothing covered up now that will not be exposed. Nothing is secret that will not be revealed. Every secret you’ve kept will become known. What you have whispered in the hidden places will be shouted from the housetops” (Lost Gospel Q, Q45, P.79).

 In reflecting some of my worst blunders I remember how God watched me, hands off, and then when I fell I came to him. I remember he never gave me the answer, but he did give me multiple chances at getting the right answer. Some of these tests I flunked straight away, as I was either irrigate, or naive, impatient, or lax daisy about what he was guiding me to do next. In some instances he told me the test was coming, I could plainly see it was coming, but I ignored it. God is not above using other people to help us make the right decision, by moving them in such a way they cross our path, like two asteroids floating freely in outerspace. Other times I told God he better not, but he always did, with a vengeance. We are all in rebellion against God, but he is so lovingly patient towards us, holding off final judgment until the very last.

 “3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”(Romans 2:3-4).

 Without Gods patience and ability to love, forgive, show mercy, and to guide us on our journey through life, holding back his wrath, we would all most likely be condemned forever. As observes by William Barkley in the 1958 edition of  “The Daily Study Bible: Letters to Galatians and Ephesians” were he wrote, “If God had been a man, He would have taken His hand and wiped out this world long ago; but God has that patience which bears with all our sinning and which will not cast us off. In our lives, in our attitude to and dealings with our fellow men, we must reproduce this loving, forbearing, forgiving, patient attitude of God toward ourselves” (1958, p. 56).

 It is also important to understand that God is not a God based upon mercy which equals a second chance rather according to 2 Corinthians “The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians”,  is in fact a God which guarantees us success only through him.

 “17 Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, that with me there should be Yes, Yes, and No, No? 18 But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us- by me, Silvanus, and Timothy –was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. 20 For all the promises of God in him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”( 2 Corinthians 1:17-20).

The many chances God gives is found with our own search for God, for he is like a good sheppard looking after his flock. He is the light we are all walking toward, searching for, and longing to get to. We fail, fall, and make grave mistakes, but when we abide in Him, he guarantees us success through Him, with Him, in Him.

Amen

If you have been moved by this blog, I humbly invite you to leave a comment, and may all your days be filled with peace, love, and God’s eternal joy.

Reflection 6: Moving Heaven and Earth

In the darkest of my days I will admit I was blind to faith, I demonstrated a lack of  belief  in what God wanted for me. There is a series of questions in the hardest of times all people  face which leave the lingering taste of doubt in our voices, as we voice our concerns. I know I asked God for improbable outcomes, solutions I felt would work in my life and would solve the problems which suddenly arose unexpectedly. But none of my suggestions was consistent with God. None of my wants were inline with his wants for my life. At the time I knew God was going to change every aspect of who I was as a person and I was completely terrified of who I would be on the other side of that change. What did it for me was I woke up and saw that our God was willing to move Heaven and Earth to show me his will. Up to that moment I had seen nothing but my sin, that was God working in my heart to purge me of my sin. I saw things which I had done that was hypocritical to my own beliefs, and God took the time to show me his outcome, his vision for my life. I woke up to his truth, his plan as it was coming to fruition within one interview. To be more specific I saw God working his miracle in my life as I was being interrogated by a short, round, cheerful nun, as she asked me a serious of questions for a job as the schools Technology Teacher. This particular Archdiocesan school serviced underprivileged children of the inner city of Los Angles. The question which hit me, which stirred my soul while God was showing me the need, the thirst which surrounded me was, “Why do I want to be a teacher? What do I have to offer Gods children?”

The truth about God’s will is simple, he wants the best for each and everyone one of us. He want’s us all to live peaceful lives, filled with his love and wisdom. God wants us to grow and to become the best we can be and to flourish into children filled with faith and obedience for his will. But despite all of these wonderful things we fight with him, kicking and screaming all the way until we get to the deepest of despair. It makes no since to me why we do this but nevertheless we do. During this contest of will’s God shows that his is constant, consistent, never failing to be there when we need him, and always willing to show that he has a plan. It is within our submission will we see fully this plan.

Mark 4:40; And he said unto them, “Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?”

To see that God does move Heaven and Earth to show us his will we only have to understand that he is a loving and caring God before anything else. This sets the stage for us to begin to ask questions, to search for him in our life. This sets the path we must follow in order to find his will. For some of us it is our deep dispare of unfulfilled dreams and selfish indulgences. For these people are so unhappy they ask the question, “Is there nothing better for me in my life?” To their surprise they find God answering back, “Yes.” To the trained ear the whispers of God are all around us, we can see his divine messages written on everything and everyone we see and meet, as if they had been printed in a book in black and white. But for most it is a struggle which ends with them asking God, “Why must I submit to you? What have you done for me lately?”

God has a way of shacking the very fabric of our beings, he has a way of reaching out to us with so much love the questions, and arguments fall away and become irrelevant in our lives once we become completely obedient. So it is important to understand how God moves Heaven and Earth, and how we become obedient.

Step 1: “Acknowledgment “ We are to come on our face to God, but this can not happen if first we do not acknowledge we are filled with sin. We need to also understand the only way for our sins are to be forgiven is to acknowledge Jesus died for our sins and our sin debt is paid in full.

“Everyone who acknowledges me in public will be celebrated by the angels.”(Lost Gospel Q, Q47, P.81).

“21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus”(Romans 3:21-26, KJB).

Step 2: “Acceptance” Peace with God begins only with your willingness to accept that Jesus died on the cross, for there is no other who can stand with you before God. When we die and go before our father in Heaven and are asked to account for our sins our friends, family, loved ones, or even our lawyers are not going to be there with you to testify on your behalf. Holding your hand however will be Jesus.

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5, KJB).

Step 3: “Commitment” Upon acknowledging we need God in our life, and accepting that he sent his only son to die on the cross for the redemption of our sins, we then are ready to make the same commitment to God that he has made to us. We then can justifiably stand and be counted as one of his followers.  We then can start to live a Christian life filled with rewards and faith.

“Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace? No, I have come to bring the sword of division. My message will divide father and son, mother and daughter, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Those who prefer their father or mother to me are not deserving. Nor are those who prefer their sons and daughters. Unless you carry your cross and follow me, you are not worthy.”(Lost Gospel Q, Q57, p.91)

Step 4: “Active Prayer” There are many tools a true Christian has at (his or her) disposal. One of the strongest and most direct is leading an active prayer life. Most people pray only when bad things happen. But God wants to hear from you daily as he is active in your life daily. Thus as we begin to pray every day we being to see how God works in our daily life as he moves mountains, that seemed to be immovable, accomplishing the impossible. We begin to see that God wants to show us his will, so that we may participate in his plan for our lives.

“9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10: 9-13, KJB).

“One day it happened that Jesus was praying in a particular place. When he finished, one of his disciples said, ‘Lord, teach us how to pray just as John the Baptist taught his disciples.’ He responded, ‘Say this when you pray: ‘Father, may your name be honored; may your reign begin. Grant us the food we need for each day. Forgive our failures, for we forgive everyone who fails us. And do not put us to the test.”(Lost Gospel Q, Q34, P.68).

Step 5: “Appreciation” A true Christian will appreciate all things given to them, no matter the size, look, or cost. The very fact that someone else gave them anything is enough to through a party in appreciation to God. Everything which God gives is a gift and we are to appreciate that gift by giving thanks to God. A Christian will not expect others to give them anything in return for they know their reward is in Heaven. Follows of Jesus tend to live a life of giving, humbly doing what they can for those who ask of them, for a true Christian knows that even the air they breath and the length of their life are all given to them by God.

St. Paul the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ said in 1 Thessalonians 5; 12-22; “12Brothers, we ask you to show your appreciation for those who work among you, set an example for you in the Lord, and instruct you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard, loving them because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14We urge you, brothers, to admonish those who are idle, cheer up those who are discouraged, and help those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. 15Make sure that no one pays back evil for evil. Instead, always pursue what is good for each other and for everyone else. 16Always be joyful. 17Continually be prayerful. 18In everything be thankful, because this is God’s will for you in the Messiah Jesus. 19Do not put out the Spirit’s fire. 20Do not despise prophecies. 21Instead, test everything. Hold on to what is good. 22Keep away from every kind of evil.

“Don’t pile up your treasures here on earth. They will be destroyed by moths and rust and stolen by thieves. Store your riches in heaven where moths and rust are powerless and thieves cannot break in. Wherever your treasure is, your heart will also be.”(Lost Gospel Q, Q54, P.88).

Step 6: “Obedience” To be obedient to God we must do more than just read and understand the many commandments of God, but also prove we are being obedient in the following areas:

1.) We must be convicted within our own heart. In other words know that what we are doing is bring peace to our heart and that it is inline with Gods will. If you question with your heart then it is a sign God does not agree. By following your heart you are exhibiting that God is first in your life and you are then able and willing to listen faithfully to him.

2.) We must be obedient in our will, so that we are not fighting God. In this we are committed to God in all aspects of our life, and we willingly give him the steering wheel in order for him to steer us in the right direction. By staying faithful to God we show him our willingness to obey him.

3.) We must be obedient within our own minds. In this we can make decisions which are difficult and could be painful. These decisions are made in order that they honor God. Because God comes first in our life, when contemplating we then pray for his guidance. Then based upon his will we show him obedience by making the right choice. By the act of praying we show him our willingness to consider his words in our life and their consequences. Thus we are joined with God within our heart, body, and soul.

“Ask and it’ll be given to you. Search and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for those who knock, the door is opened.” (Lost Gospel Q, Q35, P.69).

Thus the proof that God will move Heaven and Earth to show us his will is then evident in our own lives. It is made apparent to all who we meet, and to everything we do. With God first, we steer clear from sin, we are mindful of his wants and desires for us and this in return makes the heart stronger, and obedient.

Amen

If you have been moved by this blog, I humbly invite you to leave a comment, and may all your days be filled with peace, love, and God’s eternal joy.


Reflections 5: The Only True Choice Given by God

As I reflect upon my life as a parent, a believer, a teacher, and husband, now ex, I have come to understand one thing which I must admit brought tears to my face when it struck me. The realization that our God is so perfect, he hears us so clearly, that he affects every single person, on every continent, of every race on this planet. Most profoundly God has given all of us one true choice. Every choice we have ever made in our entire life boils down to this one truth, to this one choice. We as one people under the sovereignty God are commanded to make this one choice, to live our lives by this one choice. Our lives here on earth are not ones which we are to be filled up with things, possessions, and carnal desires. But rather a spiritual one, based on morality, kindness, tolerance, forgiveness, and love. We are to fill our lives full of the bounty which only comes from one source, we are made to accept it from that one source, that being God.  So in the light of these truths, our one simple choice becomes completely obvious, as plain as the nose on your face.

Each one of these strong statements will either make us ask more questions, to open doors we would have left closed, or we will ignore them out of ignorance and fear. Each of these statements is hard to completely understand, the simplicity of it, his eternal wisdom so absolute, so magnificent we shutter in his presence. The simple truth of God can be found within every word ever written that he has ever uttered in our entire history. Every story ever told shouts his one truth. His everlasting love is intertwined with in it.

The first two choices we are given, which if you are to live within God’s eternal joy and happiness, and see this as the only choice then your life will be blessed, filled with understanding and wisdom that only comes from a belief in God. This choice exemplifies Jesus who said, “Even if your faith is no bigger than a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘MOVE!’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Q78, Lost Gospel, p.113) This belief comes from the knowledge and understanding that there is nothing God cannot deliver. In simple English this is called absolute faith. When you demonstrate a heart filled with the fullness and trust in God, utilizing the most powerful ability he gave to us, that being absolute faith then your anxiety disappears, your worries dissipate as God works miracles within your life. This requires the ability to hear God, to listen faithfully, to accept what he says even when it seems humanly impossible, to simply envision his words spoken to you as his will, and absolute truth and to thank him for it when the glimpse of the future he has promised is revealed.

The second choice leads to a deeper darker path, one filled with sin, and the tolerance of sin within our own lives. We begin to teach that religion is not so important and we start to argue amongst ourselves, ignoring the bigger picture, ignoring the world filled with so much need which surrounds us. In a nut shell we become greedy, selfish, self serving, manipulative, and deceitful, willful, and practice the art of lying. This exemplifies a life unfulfilled, lonely, unhappy, and in pain. We create our own hell as we sink further and further within this quagmire of a life lead without faith, without purpose. This life ignores what Jesus said, “Don’t be blinded by the pursuit of food, clothing and possessions. Stop worrying about these things. Only those who lack spirit and soul pursue them. You have a Father who knows what you need. Set your heart on God and these other things will be given to you.” (Q53, Lost Gospel, p.87) Ironically somehow that message is lost on them. It falls off them as water from a ducks feathers. They quack about things in their life which have gone terribly wrong, ignoring the tug of God, who is like a good shepherd calling their name from within the darkness of the night.  They hear him, but fail to listen faithfully to him, showing their lack of faith that God can fix their problems because they are worthy of his love. The great lie of their life is that they feel that they are not worthy, they convince themselves they are beyond his forgiveness, mercy and love.

This line between these two existences is extremely thin, so much so it is impossible to walk its entire distance. For Jesus said, “Anyone who is not with me is against me. Whoever does not help me gather scatter.”(Q38, Lost Gospel, p.72)

The test or choice is ours to make because of free will. In truth there is only one choice, one path, one God. The line in the sand is absolute, Gods will is absolute. To choose faith is akin to choosing freedom, to pick faith in yourself absent of God is akin to choosing imprisonment.

“When Jesus was alone with his disciples, he turned to them and said, ‘Fortunate are the eyes that see what you are seeing. Many prophets and kings wished to see what you now see and never saw it, longed to hear what you now hear and never heard it.” (Q33, Lost Gospel, p.67)

Amen

If you have been moved by this blog, I humbly invite you to leave a comment, and may all your days be filled with peace, love, and God’s eternal joy.

Reflections 4: The True Requirement of Discipleship

Time combined with age is an extremely powerful combination that will bring life lessons so endearing they become permanent fixtures within our hearts and minds for as long as we live. For some of us these life lessons are marred with pain and anguish, of a life lead absent of God. Some of us were blessed beyond all belief and lead lives filled with wealth in every area; leaving the illusion that nothing is out of their reach, oddly the one thing they need they never receive. Some life lessons leave us filled with mixed emotions that push false impressions of what is real. These people find a fault in their heart so deep that they begin to believe in the dangerous lie that they can never be healed, that their fault can never be filled completely. Some of us for the same reasons conduct our lives as if we know everything all the time. The fear of the unknown drives an insatiable hunger which is fueled by the feelings that they are in some way en-antiquate, which builds up their insecurities preventing them from ever really knowing the one person they should have befriended, Our Lord and Savior. Some life lessons fill us with Gods Holy Wisdom, allowing them to overlook the sins of others and instead of retreating, reach out their hands in forgiveness again and again. The difference within these people from all those mentioned before is simple, they understood and was willing to comply with the true requirement of discipleship.

“If you love your father and mother, or your son and daughter, more than me, you cannot follow me. Unless you take up your cross and let go of all you possess, you cannot follow me.”(The Lost Gospel Q, Q69, p. 104).

Harsh words, radical words from a man who everyone flocked to for various reasons, most had no real clue why they followed him other than he would do miracles, pre-haps to quench their own desire to see before they could believing. Nevertheless, Jesus put forth a stern requirement that divided the people, shocked many, and made each and every one of them wonder to what he was saying. This requirement transcended all of his previous messages on love and forgiveness. It took the faithful to a whole new level of believing while at the same time drove out those who were not serious, and was along for the ride. Within his words he was reminding them that everything has a cost, and the cost for following him was extremely high. It was not a cost which would make him monetarily wealthy, but rather make that person wealthier than Kings, spiritually fulfilled.

26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-yes, even his own life-he cannot be my disciple. 27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 26-27).

Jesus wanted his disciples to fear not for their own lives because in doing this would create a roadblock to accomplishing Gods mission. Do not love anyone more than your God, is completely in line with the teachings of Moses, and the commandment set forth by God:

1 “And God spoke all the words: 2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 You shall have no other gods before me. 4 You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:1-6).

Within the words of God the father, now repeated in Jesus the son, the true cost of discipleship was given so as to allow the people to choose for themselves. So that we can estimate the cost. “Jesus did not want a blind, naive commitment that expected only blessings. As a builder estimates costs or a king evaluates military strength, so people must consider what Jesus expects of his followers before they commit their lives to him” (Notes: 14-28). His requirement was one of total surrender, just as God had told the Jews fleeing Egypt.

Total surrender is the hardest part of this requirement. It initials that you give everything up, all your possessions, worries, doubts, heartaches, preconceived notions, family, friends, and even your own worth of your own life. Jesus was telling us all these things belong to God anyway; we cannot take any of this to heaven when we die. The only thing which really matters is God. Living a life filled with God, a life which exemplifies God. A life where God comes first is a life which is filled with Gods divine love, and mercy. It is a life which is set upon a trek that is not defined by material wealth or possessions. It is a life built upon morality, wisdom, compassion, and love. Jesus was handing to the people, and still offers this to us today, the strength to do anything, work miracles in other people’s lives, to build up those in need, and to utilizes the most powerful tool ever created, that of faith.

A blind man cannot see, but walks across the street based upon faith he will make it to the other side. A child loves her parents, but must have faith all her needs will be met. Birds in the air forage each day, and it is on faith they find what they need. God takes care of the wild animals, so how much more will he love and take care of each one of us if he looks at us as the salt of the earth?

34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out” (Luke, 14:34-35).

For the twelve disciples Jesus warned them that each one would suffer greatly in his name, Jesus forewarned that the true requirement is found within the belief that all things are possible even when they seem to be hopeless, even until death. We live our lives with God, then our lives have meaning, purpose, and our mission then lives far beyond our mortal existence. We follow Jesus faithfully, who leads us to God, we serve as disciples so that our impact is far more powerful and outreaching than what we can contemplate, affecting thousands of generations after we are gone. Within this single requirement, our singular purpose is ex-hauled before our Lord our God. We fulfill the very words of God that which was spoken centuries ago in the deserts of Mt. Sinai. Our God is a gracious God; our savior is a loving shepherd tenderly watching his flock. In reality Jesus was not asking of us or those people who heard him that day, to do anything which he first was not willing to do himself. His requirement is obedient sacrifice which is rewarded with loving grace.

Amen

If you have been moved by this blog, I humbly invite you to leave a comment, and may all your days be filled with peace, love, and God’s eternal joy.

Reflections 3: The True Motivation of Jesus

The driving force of the majority of the world today in many ways is rooted in a deep since of selfishness, greed, and  intolerance, which tends to shape our motives to a singular word, “I”. Hence, when we see something happing that we know is wrong, which has a hint of danger to it, we stop and then ask, “What do I get out of this?” or “What if I get pulled into this conflict?” We tend to think it’s for our own protection that we do nothing when we see homeless people, the mentally ill, and the hungry, when they hold out their hands asking for help. In some instances they don’t ask, oddly leaving us with an empty, hollow whole within us which is quickly dismissed as we go about our busy day.  I have even heard housewives talk about their feelings of disgust when, “that beggar held out his hand.” Or claim how scared they were, “I didn’t know if he was going to hurt me…he looked crazy.”  Then in the same breath confess their allegiance to the church. I have seen men at work crack jokes about a dirty man on the street corner panhandling and how those people need to be put away or just get a job, discounting them as lazy or worthless.  Then in the next breath thank God for a short day on Friday or that they got paid. How many times have we looked the other way?  How many times have we made jokes about another man’s lack of good fortune?

Our own insecurities built up by many years of traditions and oral teaching which builds upon centuries of distrust, which in the end has severally tarnished the moral fibers of our society from within to the point we don’t help even if it is the right thing to do, even if it is a commandment from God the most powerful being in the universe. We don’t help our neighbors, friends, family, without first examining what is in it for me. I call this the self- first mentality, or sinister “I” generation, which is in every generation since before Jesus, infecting the human genome like a cancer.  We are all guilty; we all face these overpowering emotions, teachings, and ideologies which help to drive our own needs to survive through greed and selfishness every single day. We pass it off with such callus comments as, “Someone else will do it.” If this false statement is true and someone else will do it, why haven’t the homeless be given a home, the sick made better, the hungry be feed? Yes, there are non-profit humane and religious organizations which do what they can, but they are few. If everyone follows the examples of Jesus Christ our lord and savior then there would be no hungry child, sick mother, or homeless family.  So I humbly ask, “Who today will stand up and say I will help based upon faith alone?”

I humbly offer this example of Jesus’s character:

“24 Jesus went to the district of Tyre. He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, but he could not escape notice. 25 Soon a women whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoencian by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. He said to her,27 ‘Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.’ 28 She replied and said to him, ‘Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.’ 29 Then he said to her, ‘For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.’ 30 When the women went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone”(Mark, Chapter 7:24-30).

This condition of faith is exactly what Jesus was addressing with this woman. In this scripture Jesus is faced with a request for help from a non-Jew, who has shown incredible faith to come to him, a Jewish man. In examining this we also find that she as a woman was not allowed to confront a stranger, particularly a male, but did so anyway. She broke with tradition, centuries of teaching and did so based on her belief, which translates into faith that Jesus could do something for her child. Another prospective found in the bible on this topic of this woman, is found in Matthew, it reads as follows:

“21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession.’ 23Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, ‘Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.’24He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.’ 25The woman came and knelt before him. ‘Lord, help me!’ she said. 26He replied, ‘It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.’ 27 ’Yes, Lord,’ she said, ‘but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ 28Then Jesus answered, ‘Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.’ And her daughter was healed from that very hour”(Matthew, Chapter 15:21-28).

In this portrayal of these events the disciples would have not helped her. Like any of us today, they did not want to get involved. Furthermore they asked for Jesus to send her away, citing that she was pestering them. I want to bring a light to this fact because it is very indicative to human behavior, and how Jesus dealt with it as a human being. In both stories Jesus is confronted with a request. This request comes from a woman, who is for all intense and purposes a non- Jew, or pagan. I also want to point out that this is not the first time a non-Jew, or a woman had asked Jesus for help; in fact he never turned them away when they came to him in this manner, faith first. Those who came to Jesus did so out of faith that he could do something for them. Thus,  out of this [faith-driven-perceptive] was Jesus motivated to grant them mercy.

The other important aspect to this character trait of Jesus is his ability to ignore requests from his disciples. He did not have to help this woman, he owed her nothing, but he helped her anyway. He was not afraid to break rules and challenge beliefs of his generation. He respected this woman for doing the same for the right reasons. Again she came to him out of faith. She came to him out of compassion for her daughter.

So Faith is the first example Jesus set in stone that day. The second was compassion. Jesus was moved by her answer to his responses which was a test. Jesus tested her, as he tests each and every one of us today, not unlike we test our own children. In both stories he seems reluctant to get involve to the point his disciples urges him to not get involved. Her answer proved to him that she was coming from the right place, from faith first, then from compassion. This motivated Jesus to feel compassion for her. It is from this combination does Jesus work his miracles. Remember always when looking at Jesus as a human being he chose to come and save us, then he was born into the world. He accomplished his mission from a place of absolute faith in God. It was from this place God poured out his companion onto his son.

To exhibit these two qualities each and every person alive must first ask the question, “Do I have faith?” We need to ask ourselves “Why we should have faith?” When we say, ‘Yes’,  that we do have faith, then we are really saying yes to God. Because whether we like it or not having faith is a pre-requisite to believing in God. The very existence of Jesus is our proof that God does exist, does care, does hear us, and is filled with compassion for us.

With compassion second Jesus poured out upon the women and her daughter his divine love.  It is at this point I would like to highlight for the record that Jesus did not need to go to the child, lay hands on her, or perform any special ceremony and by doing this he set his last example of the power of faith. He healed the girl from long distance, based upon the faith of her mother. He did this as a direct response of the illustration of faith, which filled his heart with compassion, and the outcome was a miracle preformed out of love. As I have stated in past blogs love does not originate within our imperfect bodies, but rather is a gift from God. The chain of responses from God, unbroken, is the most powerful thing in creation. Faith + Compassion = LOVE. I illustrate it in a formula because trillions of people just don’t get it. They need to see before they believe. Having blind faith is out of the question.

“Even if your faith is no bigger than a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move!’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Lost Gospel Q, Q78, P113).

So perhaps if we first exhibit faith that all things are possible in the name of the Lord, and step in to help those who need it most, without question, then perhaps our hearts will become less callus and be filled with compassion, and then God would respond by filling us with  his gift of  love. We see within Jesus’  words and actions his true motivation to work his miracles, and to sacrifices so much for us, before he gave his own life on the cross. Through our faith, is God motivated by compassion, in return releasing his love.

Amen

If you have been moved by this blog, I humbly invite you to leave a comment, and may all your days be filled with peace, love, and God’s eternal joy.

Reflections 2: The Truth about Christmas

The traditional Christmas season consists of a Christmas tree in the living room with gifts underneath, the smells of good food being prepared, music made with bells and stringed interments, and the story of old St. Nick. Family spending time together is the theme, the giving of gifts the main attraction.

Sadly and ironically we symbolically act out the biblical traditions of the three wise men, but many could not explain the significants of it.

We hear all the time, the reason we celebrate Christmas as it was the day Jesus was born. But Christmas is much more than that, it is the event which Rabbi’s preached in the synagogues, prophets proclaimed to countless generations, men and women of faith clung to in the harsh days of exile, and it became the motivating factor which stirred many to rebel against their Roman oppressors. The power of hope in a savior that would come to liberate them from taxation, cruelty, disease, and a corrupt system of religion and government forever changing our world.

Rebels clung onto this idea of a savior in such a way that the land had been filled with false messiahs, men who were nothing more than military leaders and religious zealots long before the birth of Christ, and yet within this confusion, God found a way to make his son, Jesus Christ so recognizable and tangible that there was no mistaking him for anyone else, fulfilling prophecy.

“6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

Christmas is also a story of sacrifice, hardship, perseverance, loyalty, and love. To believe in the biblical Christmas, you have to first believe that God sent an angel to Mary, that she gave birth to Jesus as a virgin, and that Joseph really had a prophetic dream. Christianity demands that this be at the core of the belief in Christ.

The truth about Christmas however is even greater than our interpretations of history, our faith in God, and it transcends our modern day customs. Because the truth is, that the human race after two thousand years still celebrates the birth of Christ, that he holds such an exulted place in every society on Earth. The gift, the miracle is more about our acceptance in Jesus, than it is about whether all the circumstances of his divinity can be proven true or false.

The simple truth is, God can do anything he so desires, yet he chose to be with us, to be like us, to walk among us. The revelation is not that Jesus was simply born, but rather he chose to be born, chose to breath air, chose to live and die for our salvation and redemption. The miracle wasn’t that an angle came down from heaven to tell Mary about what God wanted to do, but rather God was still interested in our welfare. The miracle is that our one God, after two thousand years still wants our salvation, he still loves us, and he has not given up hope on us. That God sent a savior as he promised, as all of his promises he will fulfill in his own time.

So this Christmas celebrate the birth of Christ from the perspective of our gracious God bestowing a gift which can never be taken away, it can never be over shadowed, and will always be the reminder of our God’s affection. Remember that Jesus had a choice, that God had a choice. If this is how we view Christmas how much more love could we find in our hearts to give to those who are in need. Just as Jesus gave to us the gift of love and graced us with his birth.

Amen.

If you have been moved by this blog, I humbly invite you to leave a comment, and may all your days be filled with peace, love, and God’s eternal joy.

God Bless and Merry Christmas,

Reflections 1: What is the Truth?

In a world that is filled with such deceit and lies it is hard to understand why we would every believe in God and the Bible in the first place.  From the first man who ever walked on planet earth to the millions who live today, Satan has been about proving God a liar,  a false God,  someone we should never trust.  Satan has unleashed such hatred in the world that which has kept mankind at war for thousands of years separating us from God without peace, all based upon faith, veiled by the term “Holy”.  Truth has become so maligned that we can not see the most basic things, such as:  “How can the killing and the shedding of blood be Holy?” or even:  “How is using the very words of God justified in the persecution of others, when his message is of peace, love, and forgiveness?”  But then again what is truth?

The word “truth” in the free online dictionary, (Dictionary.com) means the following; 1. Conformity to fact or actuality.2. A statement proven to be or accepted as true.3. Sincerity; integrity.4. Fidelity to an original or standard.

a. Reality; actuality.

b. often Truth That which is considered to be the supreme reality and to have the ultimate meaning and value of existence.


In all these definitions truth is defined as our own perception.  What we see, feel, think, as a group as being excepted as real, is thus the truth.  It is our own reality of existences which defines truth.  So anyone then can make the argument if you believe it to be so, others believe it to be so, then it is within your perception of being the truth, whether or not it is, does not matter because it is an excepted reality by more than one individual.  With that logic we have based our laws, our judges have sent innocent people to death, and parents have lost their child only to have them become the ward of the state.  If a lawyer can argue his case the best, use the most trickery and slightest of tongue then he or she wins, be it right wrong or indifferent. This system does not care about what is the truth, but rather what fits with a logic which is based upon cold and Grey peaces’ of information which may or may not be based in truth.  This very thing is what makes any human system unjust.  The very fact we do not know truth, is the very thing which makes all of us susceptible to sin, and to Satan’s lies.  In fact Satan’s argument is so convincing he fooled one-third of all the angels to follow him, that would be equivalent to looking up into the night sky and then suddenly watching one-third of all the stars disappear.  Satan’s argument is so convincing that how do we really know that he, himself, is telling the truth.  If God is not telling the truth, and Satan is not telling the truth then how can we trust Jesus is telling the truth, or any of the prophets, and saints are telling use the truth?  By calling God  a liar, then we are bringing into question everything which is, which we think, feel, and believe to be true, is suddenly false, and we are doomed to fail without hope,  absent from God.  Under this logic anything a person does, says, or believes can be called into question, anyone can turn anyone else in be them family or neighbor, friend or foe.  Under this logic our faith is eroded and we become visual beings, believing only what is in front of us, and blind faith in God disappears as akin to a distant memory, or like the stars in heaven or the fallen angels turned into Satan’s demands.  But more than all of this is simply the quest for the truth strikes at our very core, our values, and our entire way of life, it is preprogrammed into every living being to recognize the truth when we see it.  Thus it is free will which allows us to ignore it or to accept it, in this we are driven to ask, “What is the Truth?”

The Bible defines truth as:  God our creator, his very word is the definition of truth.  God’s truth is shown in many ways but none so perfect as;

“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17, p. 1664, NIV).


These words spoken by Jesus in the sanctification of his disciples, describes the very nature of God, and of himself. It closes the question forever to who is, and what is truth as being one in the same.  There is no greater testimony than that which is spoken by the mouth of God.  There is no truth more pure, and holy than the words uttered by the dieing Jesus on the cross. Truth therefore is God, and God is truth.

So based upon this logic, we can then begin to see the error in our human logic, our sin is revealed, and we become ashamed of our denial of the truth.  In the eyes of God we also are clearly guilty, and thus God had no other recourse than to sacrifice his only son in the forgiveness of man sins. In this act we see God’s truth, his wisdom, and his undying love.


“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:2-3, p. 116, NIV).

God spoke his name to Moses from the burning bush when Moses asked him who shall he say sent him to free the slaves in Egypt, and God Answered,

“I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM’ has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14, p.92, NIV).

With this declaration God has drawn the line upon the idea of truth, and defined it as being himself.  There is no other truth than that of God himself.

Amen

If you have been moved by this blog, I humbly invite you to leave a comment, and may all your days be filled with peace, love, and God’s eternal joy.

Reflections 17: Destructive Nature of Accusations (Relationship Series)

In examining this word, “Accusation”, and to understand its effects on peoples relationships, it is prudent to look it up in the dictionary. So the meaning of this word is defined as: 1 : the act of accusing : the state or fact of being accused 2 : a charge of wrongdoing. This word comes to us from 1250-1300’s, meaning: to call to account. So when you stand up and accuse someone, then you are making an accusation of guilt. The problem with this is in our modern day society of rules and regulations, the accusation must meet the burden-of-proof.  Thus if one is merely repeating what someone else said to them, believing without investigating, then that person has not meet this test. But there is a large segment of our society which has no problem ignoring this test, some have dangerously ignored not only the burden-of-proof, but have ignored the evidence they have amassed in their own investigation, in doing so they have perpetrated a grievous act, one which God told us to avoid; “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” In plain English God commanded us not to lie! The problem of course becomes evident when we seek to uphold this baseless accusation regardless of its outcomes, regardless to whom it destroys.

There is an evil temptation to take the words of children; whose perceptions are immature to start with, as if they are the gospel. Social Workers do this in the name of protecting the innocent children, as does Teachers, Principles, Lawyers, Judges, and Commissioners, but upholding this underscores the parents authority in the eyes of the child, destroys trust, and overwrites the bond which was God given. Any time the full body of the evidence is ignored or twisted and manipulated to uphold a baseless accusation from no matter who it comes from, remember then it is done in a manner which is destructive. Husbands and wives are separated, and their trust in each other is utterly destroyed. Families are ripped apart, loving parents are forced out of the home, and our family unit is slowly being devoured by this one word and its effects on our hearts and minds, “Accusations!”

So I am completely justified, as anyone else who this has happened too, when baseless accusations have been leveled in the most hurtful manner possible. In fact I despise the way people come bulldozing their way into other people’s relationships, assume they know what is going on as if they had lived that person’s life, or had walked in their shoes. Then make baseless accusations that tear that relationship apart. Or when people say that something was said, when in fact they were never in the room, the house, nor on that same side of town when the remark was supposed to have been made. My personal favorite is when the accused stands up to defend themselves, to speak the truth, no matter how negative the incident was. Knowing all the facts because they lived it. Then have a trained accuser tell the accused that indeed they have not been robbed, when in fact they have been, and with the slightest of tongue condones the robber.

9 “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds” (Colossians 3:9).

I say to you that indeed we are in good company, as this was the case of Jesus Christ, King David, John, Paul, Mark, Matthew, Job, and let us not forget, The Jewish People under Adolf Hitler, and the Christians under Roman occupation.

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12)

We human beings have a capacity for getting involved in other people’s business, when they should just stay out of it all together. It is no secret I am not a fan of third party intervention, especially when the third part is as much responsible for hindering the growth of the relationship they are supposed to be helping. In fact it is impossible for that third part to help if they have made baseless accusations, for the sake of exercising power, illusive as it may be. See God does not want us at odds with one another, nor does he condone usurping power from any relationship. No in fact Jesus stated quit clearly:

Q77 “If a companion does something wrong to you, go to the person and point it out. But do it privately. If your friend listens and says, ‘I’m sorry’, forgive and your bond will be strengthened.”

What Jesus was saying to do was to keep it private, one-on-one, friend to friend, sister to sister, brother to brother, mother to father, parent to child. We are commanded to forgive first, for the sake of our relationships, as our Father in heaven has shown us grace, and mercy enough that He has forgiven us our transgressions. As I have stated before in past postings, forgiveness is the hardest pill to swallow, especially when you have been wronged by a third party, who has spouted baseless accusations.

God despises accusations, or better known as baring false witness against your neighbor. The truth of the matter is, it goes beyond the words which were exchanged, the hurtful manner which the blood was spilled, it transcends our mortal existence, and it leaves a boil upon our hearts, separating us from God. Baseless accusations are the work of the devil, because he wants you alone and vulnerable, this makes it easier to pick you off like a week sheep. But it does something else, which is needless, it puts you in jeopardy.

“1You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. 2You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after many to pervert justice. 3You shall not show partiality to a poor man in his dispute” (Exodus 23: 1-3, NKJV).

Morality in our day and age has become so perverted, as people become more spiteful. Gossip harms the person it has targeted, and often times inflict more wounds which run deeper than had you used a sharp instrument. Gossip and accusations destroys relationships, hardens the heart, and makes people not want to forgive. Satan knows this, and he uses this every chance he gets.

Medically speaking accusations causes stress and anxiety. The longer a person is exposed the more the likelihood of the effects will have on the human condition. When nervousness and anxiousness become panic, fear, skepticism, and leads us to build up phobias which are subconsciously connected to our exposure of the traumatic experience which was brought on by the accusations, and lies. It is real, the mental attracts as well-as the spiritual attracts which is being played out in our lives as Satan battles for every last soul. This in the mental health profession is known as: Anxiety Disorder; which is a serious mental illness. “For people with anxiety disorders, worry and fear are constant

and overwhelming, and can be crippling” (WebMD, 2009) Found Online: http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/mental-health-anxiety-disorders

God does not like those who deal in this dangerous art of winning no matter the cost, by using bits of information which have been taken out of context, melded into a clever lie, or accusation, for the purposes of attaining something which did not belong to you in the first place. For in this God does not let it stand, he smites it with his power of righteousness and love. If there is one message I would hope one could take from this reflection it would be this; God and Satan are at odds, and the weapons used in this battle are both real and spiritual. As Christians we are commanded not to fall into the trap of lies, and make baseless accusations against each other as this serves the purposes of Satan. But also know that with this treachery comes a heavy cost, and it will devour our minds, body, and souls, forever spoiling the love God holds for us. It will destroy our relationships, families, society, and our nations, as it has done so many times in the past; we only have to look at past civilizations to understand this drama, for it is nothing new.

Amen.

May peace be with you all the days of your life? If you have been moved by this blog I invite you to become a follower, and learn to Listen Faithfully to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflections 16: The Trap of Rebellion (Relationships Series)

Historically speaking, we have idolized people who have rebelled against what they saw to be an unjust, or  oppressive situation, thus they rebelled, using their call to war that singular wrong, or perceived hardship as justification. However, we Americans have taken this idea  to the next level, we pay homage to outlaws, and glorify mobsters. We make movies which glorifies violence, and dumb-downs horrific accounts of sexual perversion, and if the hero is doing the killing, or raping, it is seen as self defense or is otherwise justified, but if the villon should do the same thing then we become incensed. Consider those who feel the terrorists of 911 where courageous, as it took belief in their god to do what they did, vs those where killed by the terrorists. It all becomes shades of gray, and we are becoming immune to the real threats, the real evils which surround use.To those who ignore this real threat and glorify self interest and continue to blur reality from fantasy I say this: so did Satan, believe he was the mightiest, most beautiful, most wise, in all of creation, and thus became selfish. So also did Satan feel stifled, putting self first, and thus committed a grave sin, thinking himself above God, his creator. So also did Satan convince with his powers of persuasion one third of all the angels in heaven to fall into the same trap he had fallen into, that being the trap of rebellion.

This week I would like to talk just a bit about rebellion, and show how this word can utterly destroy everyone, and everything that was “once” the most important things in your life. I say, “once”, because within the act of rebellion, priorities seem to change as the justification of rebellion consistently needs new fuel, and thus needs new ever evolving reasons to maintain it. Because of this fact, the word “rebellion”,  is very much a sink hole, that has no bottom.

“12Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Trye, and say unto him, Thus says the Lord God:
     “You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.”
“16By the abundance of your trading, you became filled with violence within, And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing, Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones.”
“17Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you” (Ezekiel 28:12,16-17, NKJV).
Satan committed the original sin of pride, and because of this his rebellion against God, forces him to make all of us have doubt in God, in his word, and in his actions. Thus when we fall into rebellion against whatever the unjust, or oppressive situation is we also fall into rebellion against God, and we begin to have doubt that God can really help us, or that he really cares at all for our situation. But rather than to speak in generalities let me be more specific; How many times have you rebelled against, say, your parents, (one or both of them), husband or wife, teacher or professor, a police offer when they have pulled you over, or anyone in legitimate authority over you? How many times have you chosen to do exactly what you where told not to do, or did something knowing all the time it was wrong?How many times have you rebelled out of anger, or pride? Or worse yet, how many times have you rebelled because you where told to it, out of coercion, thus being threatened to do so? How about rebellion out of peer pressure? How many times have you rebelled then later, many years later asked yourself why did you rebel in the first place, or had simply wished you had not done it, and sought forgiveness? Satan, the deceiver is the master of lies, making his rebellion against God, our rebellion against God, and disguising  it to make it look like our own rebellion, our fight for what we have perceived is right, when in fact it was a hugely profane, unjust, needless war which destroyed all your relationships with all those around you, and in the end helped to push you farther away from God. 


Lying is a form of rebellion, as is manipulation, envy,  hypocrisy, slander, and reproach, self-righteousness, pride, lust, anger, laziness, the lack of humility, faith, hope, forcing others to feel fear, guilt, and shame, and the inability to exhibit comfort, charity, grace, love, compassion, forgiveness, kindness, or worse yet, to purposefully shut off your own faith in God and willfully teach others to follow you. In all these ways Satan uses our humanistic, wants and desires so that he may cast you into rebellion, tempt you into a pit that which is next to impossible to climb out of. The same shameful pit he has been cast, and lead millions of other angels, and people alike, lost souls which shall be tormented forever. Satan knows how we tick, what we want most, and as the author of SATAN and His Kingdom, Pastor Dennis McCallum explains, “People need a sense of purpose, and goals toward which they can strive. Failure to develop and pursue spiritual goals produces apathy and spiritual depression that makes the world’s playthings irresistible” (McCallum, 2009, p.117).Thus Satan’s goal is to tempt you with the things of this world, so you ignore the riches of heaven, and the never ending love of God, by sucking you into a needless rebellion.


How exactly is this done you might ask? By allowing Satan to have a place to which to work from. By ignoring the commandments of God.


“29Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.31Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.32And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:29-32, NKJV).



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By not praying, and by ignoring the wisdom of King David, 

“3Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.4Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies”(Psalm 141:3-4, NKJV).

By ignoring the none violent, peacemaking words of Jesus Christ:

“27But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.29To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. 30Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. 31And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise” (Luke 6:27-31, NKJV). 
Ultimately by not knowing your bible, and by refusing to listen to your own heart when it tells you to go the other way no matter what.
Rebellion is an act which you exhibit by force, and thus reject what others have said, done, or suggested. The taking to arms to a teaching, idea, or ideology, suppressing faith. When you are in rebellion you can not openly love yourself, or others, and can not control the out come. Rebellion takes on a life of its own, and feeds off the negative thoughts and feelings which are lite within your heart. There is no peace, balance, order, but only chaos, mayhem, and destruction. Rebellion breads hatred, anger, violence, and thus separates you from God. The open justification of rebellion is the bate to which Satan uses to reel you in like a fish caught on a hook.The blinders he fashions to your head like a horse so you shall never see what is going on behind, or to the sides of you. Thus becoming ignorant of the hell you are in, or that you are causing. 
This then begs the question; How can I tell if my actions are in Christ, and my rebellion is justified by God? Is there really such a thing as a good rebellion? To answer this completely I will say this, a rebellion lead by Christ is preceded by the word of God, as it is illustrated by the birth of John the Baptist who preceded Jesus. 
“3For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, 
 “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 

  ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight'”(Matthew 3:3, NKJV).

“28For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he”(Luke 7:28, NKJV). 

Because Jesus
did not lead an army, nor took up arms he did not lead a rebellion. Though the religious leaders at the time would like to have accused him of this, thus history records it was the religious leaders who where in open rebellion against Christ. 

 This is a two edged sword which is extremely hard to justify, being in rebellion. One could argue, for example, that the early Americans where in Christ for rebuking the English, or the North defeating the South, or America taking up arms against her enemies in WWI and WWII. One could even say Americas defense of the people in the two battles zones in the middle east is justified in Christ. When in reality, to the Kingdom of God, these examples are not as much viewed as rebellion but more to the fulfillment of Gods larger plan, as it was with the creation of the new State of Israel on may 14, 1948. It is more of a case of freewill which God bestowed upon all living things. It is freewill Satan also distorts to prove his case against God, and forces you to actively seek to disobey, and to become disobedient.
The trap of rebellion that which I have described is a personal, and spiritual rebellion, the domain of Satan. It is the interplay that which will either bring you closer to God, or leave you destitute and helpless continually at the mercy of Satan. Satan would so distort Gods perfect truth that nothing is sacred in his fight for your soul. He would go so low as to make one parent force their children to hate the other parent, set husband and wife against one another, make girlfriends doubt their boyfriends truthfulness.The evidence is all around us, and permeates out twenty first century society. Satan seeks to confuses the issues of abuse, child endangerment, and sets the social systems at war against innocent parents, and grand parents. The perversions of  Satan so stains our hands once we buy into it, that only by the mercy of God are we cleansed. 

In an attempt to clarify the mark of righteousness, and Godliness, I will simply state: if you are helped by walking away from an abuser, then your personal rebellion to your oppression was justified in Christ, as Jesus does not want anyone to be held hostage. But if you forsake your family, or friends, and this act was done buy coercion, forcing you to give away your freewill which God so graciously had given, then it will not stand and is not of God. For this too is a form of rebellion. 

“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1Timothy 5:8, NKJV). 

Amen
May peace be with you all the days of your life. If you have been moved by this blog I invite you to become a follower, and learn to Listen Faithfully to our Lord Jesus Christ.