I had recently heard a speaker on the radio preach about the story of the prodigal son. He pointed out that the first thing the prodigal son did after receiving his inheritance was to move out of his fathers house. Isn’t that a great analogy of what we do? We ask God for an abundance of blessings and pray for His favor. We live blessed lives, by the grace of God, and yet spend the majority of our time outside of the Kingdom of God. We take what He gives us and then we move out of his house until we’re in trouble and then we come crawling back praying and begging for His help. I wonder how many people that say they love God actually do? Do you love God just for who He is? Do you ever pray just to be in His presence? Not for what he has done for you and what he might do for you in the future? Do you ever pray without asking for something? If you haven’t thought about it, maybe it’s time.
I had also recently had a discussion with a friend about whether or not God wants us to live abundantly or meekly. I believe we are to live abundantly as kings and my friend believes we are to live in a lesser, modest manner. We both agreed that we are to be humble and giving, the difference lies in our personal lives and finances. To spare all of the details, we both quoted scripture to support our views. One in particular that he began with was the story of the rich young man in Matthew 19:16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
18 "Which ones?" the man inquired.
Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony,
19 honor your father and mother, and 'love your neighbor as yourself."
20 "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
I’ve often heard this story told for the premise of stating that we are to live almost as peasants to appease Jesus, but I say for the sake of that argument we don’t know the end of the story. This young man was offered treasures in Heaven! Isn’t this worth more than anything on earth? Didn’t God create everything on earth? Then I contend that He will manifest any treasures in heaven here on earth; we are the ones that don’t make it a reality by limiting our thoughts. I believe that is what Jesus was trying to convey when he went on to say:
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
At some point we need to let our faith take over. The Gospel is literally Good News! Love God, trust God, have faith in God. In the end I pared our discussion down to it’s finest point to search in your heart; if you admit that God loves you, do you think he wants you to have the best, or just barely enough to get by?
God speed!
Friday, May 25, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
The Ten Commend-ments:
This is to commend all of us who live by the word of God.
1. Thank you for doing our duty to God, as our creator, to worship Him.
2. Thank you for following our moral obligation to our fellow human beings, because God created all men "in His own image." If men are created in God's image, they also must be respected and loved.
3. Thank you for praising and respecting, and honoring the name of the LORD your God.
4. Thank you for remembering the Sabbath day, and keeping it holy.
5. Thank you for honoring your father and your mother.
6. Thank you for honoring every life.
7. Thank you for the faithfulness and fidelity to your spouse.
8. Thank you for being honest and trustworthy.
9. Thank you for only speaking about the good qualities of your neighbor.
10. Thank you for loving your neighbor, honoring and being happy for him for all that is his.
You are to be commended because on your journey to improve the quality of your life you’ve realized that the Bible is a guide for better living. Thank you for helping me to become a better person because you have become a better person.
God speed!
1. Thank you for doing our duty to God, as our creator, to worship Him.
2. Thank you for following our moral obligation to our fellow human beings, because God created all men "in His own image." If men are created in God's image, they also must be respected and loved.
3. Thank you for praising and respecting, and honoring the name of the LORD your God.
4. Thank you for remembering the Sabbath day, and keeping it holy.
5. Thank you for honoring your father and your mother.
6. Thank you for honoring every life.
7. Thank you for the faithfulness and fidelity to your spouse.
8. Thank you for being honest and trustworthy.
9. Thank you for only speaking about the good qualities of your neighbor.
10. Thank you for loving your neighbor, honoring and being happy for him for all that is his.
You are to be commended because on your journey to improve the quality of your life you’ve realized that the Bible is a guide for better living. Thank you for helping me to become a better person because you have become a better person.
God speed!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
My Own Lesson
I learned a valuable lesson recently; always operate out of love. Matthew 22:37 - 40 Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
If you think you know what love is, take the time to know for sure. If you’re unsure of what love is, take the time to learn. C. S. Lewis wrote a tremendous book on the subject called, “The Four Loves.” It is a thorough and thoughtful insight of the word love, which I recommend, but I can tell you that if you don’t want to put in the effort, there are alternatives. A place to start is if you love someone you wish them goodwill. If you don’t love someone, you still wish them good will. Of course you only get out of a relationship, what you put into it. We all might know what we should do, but without acting on it, nothing will ever change.
I heard a good story today about a new preacher that came and gave a wonderful sermon and the congregation was so moved that electricity was in the air. They lined up after the service to welcome the new preacher and thank him for the wonderful sermon. He graciously thanked them and encouraged them to return. Word of the wonderful new preacher spread fast throughout the community and the following Sunday service was standing room only. The congregation was excitedly anticipating the sermon and the new preacher stood and delivered the exact same wonderful sermon as the week before. Some of the parishioners that had heard it before thought that he must have delivered it to assist the people that had missed it the week before. The following Sunday the church was packed again and again the new preacher delivered the same wonderful sermon. After the seventh Sunday of the same wonderful sermon a stern committee of older women approached the new preacher and stated that though they loved the wonderful sermon, did he have any others he could deliver?
“Of course,” the preacher happily stated, “I have many that are just as wonderful.”
“Then when can we report to the people who sent us, that you might begin delivering them.”
The new preacher smiled and responded, “As soon as I see you doing something about this one I’m delivering now.”
God speed!
If you think you know what love is, take the time to know for sure. If you’re unsure of what love is, take the time to learn. C. S. Lewis wrote a tremendous book on the subject called, “The Four Loves.” It is a thorough and thoughtful insight of the word love, which I recommend, but I can tell you that if you don’t want to put in the effort, there are alternatives. A place to start is if you love someone you wish them goodwill. If you don’t love someone, you still wish them good will. Of course you only get out of a relationship, what you put into it. We all might know what we should do, but without acting on it, nothing will ever change.
I heard a good story today about a new preacher that came and gave a wonderful sermon and the congregation was so moved that electricity was in the air. They lined up after the service to welcome the new preacher and thank him for the wonderful sermon. He graciously thanked them and encouraged them to return. Word of the wonderful new preacher spread fast throughout the community and the following Sunday service was standing room only. The congregation was excitedly anticipating the sermon and the new preacher stood and delivered the exact same wonderful sermon as the week before. Some of the parishioners that had heard it before thought that he must have delivered it to assist the people that had missed it the week before. The following Sunday the church was packed again and again the new preacher delivered the same wonderful sermon. After the seventh Sunday of the same wonderful sermon a stern committee of older women approached the new preacher and stated that though they loved the wonderful sermon, did he have any others he could deliver?
“Of course,” the preacher happily stated, “I have many that are just as wonderful.”
“Then when can we report to the people who sent us, that you might begin delivering them.”
The new preacher smiled and responded, “As soon as I see you doing something about this one I’m delivering now.”
God speed!
Sunday, April 29, 2007
The Law
God first created the universe and perpetually, the laws of the universe. These are the laws of energy, matter, space, and time and the interaction among them. There are laws of magnetism, gravity, cause and effect, nature—the change of seasons, life and death; all of these types of laws that create and hold our universe together and allow its perpetual growth. I do not understand it all, but I thank God for it.
God’s law is also a body of principles and precepts held to express His divine will. This law was dispensed over time, given to us throughout the creation of the bible. Mosaic Law, beginning with the Ten Commandments was given by God, through Moses, to the Israelites. These include many rules of religious observance given in the first five books of the Old Testament. One of the first laws can be seen in Genesis as God tells humanity the purpose of their lives.
Genesis 1:27-28
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Well, we all know that that didn’t work out so well. However Jesus came and returned our ability to live under the authority of this law. With the birth of Jesus and thus Christianity, we became saved and redeemed. Jesus gave his life to absolve our sins and therefore changed much of the spiritual patterns of the Old Testament, yet in Matthew 5:17-18 Jesus says, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."
We can see that Jesus knew the law and abided by it, as we should. And what did God mandate to us? Genesis 1:28 “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
Remember when asked by the Pharisee’s which Old Testament commandment was the greatest Jesus recited Deuteronomy 6:5 "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." This, Jesus said, was the first and greatest commandment. The lawyer only asked about the greatest, or first, commandment; but Jesus volunteered the second, which emanated from the first. He again quoted Scripture, going to Leviticus 19:18 "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Obviously we cannot each have dominion over the earth if we don’t first live in love, peacefully live together, and take care of one another.
The law of love, the greatest law of all, is a simple law: when we love someone, we do whatever it takes to support them with peace and joy. We love our spouse and act on that by giving them positive support and encouraging them to find joy. We love our children and act on that by giving them positive support and encouraging them to find joy. We love our friends and act on that by giving them positive support and encouraging them to find joy. We love strangers and act on that by giving them positive support and encouraging them to find joy. We love our enemies and act on that by giving them positive support and encouraging them to find joy.
When we love Jesus it is easy to act on because he tells us exactly what gives him joy; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself.
When we love God it is easy to act on because he tells us exactly what gives him joy; “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” He gave us life on earth because he loves us so to return that love we are to take care of the earth and all who live on it. Simple!
God speed!
God’s law is also a body of principles and precepts held to express His divine will. This law was dispensed over time, given to us throughout the creation of the bible. Mosaic Law, beginning with the Ten Commandments was given by God, through Moses, to the Israelites. These include many rules of religious observance given in the first five books of the Old Testament. One of the first laws can be seen in Genesis as God tells humanity the purpose of their lives.
Genesis 1:27-28
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Well, we all know that that didn’t work out so well. However Jesus came and returned our ability to live under the authority of this law. With the birth of Jesus and thus Christianity, we became saved and redeemed. Jesus gave his life to absolve our sins and therefore changed much of the spiritual patterns of the Old Testament, yet in Matthew 5:17-18 Jesus says, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."
We can see that Jesus knew the law and abided by it, as we should. And what did God mandate to us? Genesis 1:28 “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
Remember when asked by the Pharisee’s which Old Testament commandment was the greatest Jesus recited Deuteronomy 6:5 "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." This, Jesus said, was the first and greatest commandment. The lawyer only asked about the greatest, or first, commandment; but Jesus volunteered the second, which emanated from the first. He again quoted Scripture, going to Leviticus 19:18 "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Obviously we cannot each have dominion over the earth if we don’t first live in love, peacefully live together, and take care of one another.
The law of love, the greatest law of all, is a simple law: when we love someone, we do whatever it takes to support them with peace and joy. We love our spouse and act on that by giving them positive support and encouraging them to find joy. We love our children and act on that by giving them positive support and encouraging them to find joy. We love our friends and act on that by giving them positive support and encouraging them to find joy. We love strangers and act on that by giving them positive support and encouraging them to find joy. We love our enemies and act on that by giving them positive support and encouraging them to find joy.
When we love Jesus it is easy to act on because he tells us exactly what gives him joy; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself.
When we love God it is easy to act on because he tells us exactly what gives him joy; “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” He gave us life on earth because he loves us so to return that love we are to take care of the earth and all who live on it. Simple!
God speed!
Friday, April 27, 2007
Oh, The Humanity
Our humanity puts blinders on us to the life that God has given us. From the dawn of time our free will has led us away from God through distractions and thinking that we know all the answers. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a prescribed way of categorizing this manner of thinking. 
As we can see from the diagram, the first two levels of Physiological and Safety are basically what we need to survive. The third level of Love could be included in our basics needs, which I would say separates us from animals so I would include it as a basic need. Since the time of Adam and Eve, mankind has applied their own intellect to achieve these levels of need and as a human conglomerate, we can point back to the fact that, though it hasn’t been easy, we have survived and in our survival we have collectively made our lives transcend survival to levels of luxury. Aren’t we an incredible species?
When the blinders come off, we can see that God created the universe for us. He created the raw materials and resources and he gave us our intellect and physical abilities to use these resources to survive and better our living conditions. I don’t doubt that in reading this that there isn’t a little voice telling you that this is true, and yet we’d rather not listen to it because that might open doors that we’d rather not. If we did, we’d have to change the paradigm by which we live our daily lives. And after all, we’re happy with the way things are, aren’t we? Sure we live by extravagance, lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride because in our intellectual free will we perceive that this is what is necessary to retain the higher levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy. This is the way the world operates; however to achieve spiritual transcendence, which would begin at the tip of Maslow’s triangle, we need to reconnect to God on a personal level through the assistance and guidance of the Holy Spirit. God is everywhere, in everything whether we want to see Him or not. I urge you not to set your sights too low and settle for what the world has to offer. Make the joyous choice to build a relationship with God and open the flood gates to the energy of the universe—it was created for you.
So what if I do, what’s in it for me? Good news; for starters, peace on earth and goodwill towards men.
God speed!
As we can see from the diagram, the first two levels of Physiological and Safety are basically what we need to survive. The third level of Love could be included in our basics needs, which I would say separates us from animals so I would include it as a basic need. Since the time of Adam and Eve, mankind has applied their own intellect to achieve these levels of need and as a human conglomerate, we can point back to the fact that, though it hasn’t been easy, we have survived and in our survival we have collectively made our lives transcend survival to levels of luxury. Aren’t we an incredible species?
When the blinders come off, we can see that God created the universe for us. He created the raw materials and resources and he gave us our intellect and physical abilities to use these resources to survive and better our living conditions. I don’t doubt that in reading this that there isn’t a little voice telling you that this is true, and yet we’d rather not listen to it because that might open doors that we’d rather not. If we did, we’d have to change the paradigm by which we live our daily lives. And after all, we’re happy with the way things are, aren’t we? Sure we live by extravagance, lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride because in our intellectual free will we perceive that this is what is necessary to retain the higher levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy. This is the way the world operates; however to achieve spiritual transcendence, which would begin at the tip of Maslow’s triangle, we need to reconnect to God on a personal level through the assistance and guidance of the Holy Spirit. God is everywhere, in everything whether we want to see Him or not. I urge you not to set your sights too low and settle for what the world has to offer. Make the joyous choice to build a relationship with God and open the flood gates to the energy of the universe—it was created for you.
So what if I do, what’s in it for me? Good news; for starters, peace on earth and goodwill towards men.
God speed!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
The Power of God
Today I took a few moments to rest my mind. I went outside under the patchwork quilt sky of brilliant blue and random white and grey clouds. I kicked off my sandals, lay back in my chair, closed my eyes, and took a deep cleansing breath. The sun was behind a cloud and a constant breeze wafted across my skin, sometimes kicking up enough muster to flap the leg of my shorts. I lay there quietly. Suddenly the sun came out from behind the cloud and its intensity instantly cooked my skin. My eyelids glowed reddish orange as little specs floated in front of my eyes. My skin actually tingled from the glowing heat and I thought, if the energy of the sun is that intense, how intense is God in heaven who created the universe? It’s comforting to be a part of something so powerful.
God speed!
God speed!
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Suffering?
The idea of suffering is a relative subject. I propose that hardly a person who ever lived and considered the existence of God has wondered how suffering can exist if God is merciful and all knowing. I have considered this myself many times and will share my understanding of this worldly anomaly.
When observed from the point of view that our lives are not meant to be “all about us”, but to serve others, it is easier to see how God’s plan works. If one were to reason that all of the accomplishments of mankind were intended for the good of all mankind and not just a means to an end, then we may be able to recognize the concept that God has laid out for us. Do you suppose that all of the accumulation of knowledge that we gain over the course of a lifetime dies with us? Many people spend years learning at the university level, for what purpose? Do we not learn to improve our circumstances and thus benefit those of us that follow the same path? It’s no happenstance that the word university is derived from the Latin word ūniversitās meaning the whole. A whole universe of knowledge gathered together to advance the whole universe.
In spiritual terms, if we look at the greatest commandment as stated by Jesus, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40, we know that love of our neighbor is a priority. So our arrival here on earth is, by all means, for the benefit of others. The major portion of our disconcertion is our application of our own manmade logic to God’s system. We can wrestle in our minds to try and make these two agree but you will eventually reach the point at which you realize that it doesn’t work. Again, this is a part of faith—acceptance of things unknown. Remember Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Now if we apply these ideas to the subject of suffering, we can see that our perception of suffering can be witnessed as one’s service to humanity. Is it fair? Not to us in this world. Does it make us that may be more fortunate feel guilty? Absolutely; but know that guilt separates us from the Holy Spirit. Is it necessary? Yes, as a service to man and thus to God. Just as a soldier sacrifices his or her life for our protection and freedom, the unexplained suffering innocent human beings are our spiritual soldiers. We owe them gratitude.
This is not an easy concept, yet it is a crucial one. There is a passage in the bible in which Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2:14 about the Holy Spirit that, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” I encourage you to keep moving ahead in the kingdom of God with guidance from the Spirit and get past this to progress into spiritual enlightenment. If you let these difficult issues to stop your progress, at the very least you are doing a disservice to the suffering. Praise God for our blessings, serve Him with all of your heart and enjoy your life.
God speed!
When observed from the point of view that our lives are not meant to be “all about us”, but to serve others, it is easier to see how God’s plan works. If one were to reason that all of the accomplishments of mankind were intended for the good of all mankind and not just a means to an end, then we may be able to recognize the concept that God has laid out for us. Do you suppose that all of the accumulation of knowledge that we gain over the course of a lifetime dies with us? Many people spend years learning at the university level, for what purpose? Do we not learn to improve our circumstances and thus benefit those of us that follow the same path? It’s no happenstance that the word university is derived from the Latin word ūniversitās meaning the whole. A whole universe of knowledge gathered together to advance the whole universe.
In spiritual terms, if we look at the greatest commandment as stated by Jesus, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40, we know that love of our neighbor is a priority. So our arrival here on earth is, by all means, for the benefit of others. The major portion of our disconcertion is our application of our own manmade logic to God’s system. We can wrestle in our minds to try and make these two agree but you will eventually reach the point at which you realize that it doesn’t work. Again, this is a part of faith—acceptance of things unknown. Remember Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Now if we apply these ideas to the subject of suffering, we can see that our perception of suffering can be witnessed as one’s service to humanity. Is it fair? Not to us in this world. Does it make us that may be more fortunate feel guilty? Absolutely; but know that guilt separates us from the Holy Spirit. Is it necessary? Yes, as a service to man and thus to God. Just as a soldier sacrifices his or her life for our protection and freedom, the unexplained suffering innocent human beings are our spiritual soldiers. We owe them gratitude.
This is not an easy concept, yet it is a crucial one. There is a passage in the bible in which Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2:14 about the Holy Spirit that, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” I encourage you to keep moving ahead in the kingdom of God with guidance from the Spirit and get past this to progress into spiritual enlightenment. If you let these difficult issues to stop your progress, at the very least you are doing a disservice to the suffering. Praise God for our blessings, serve Him with all of your heart and enjoy your life.
God speed!
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