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I have MOOOved

03.08.06 (7:10 am) [edit]

Looking for more articles? You won't find them here. I have started a new site that is not hosted by tblog GOTO: www.GraceHead.com Thanks!

"In," but not "of."

11.16.04 (10:40 am) [edit]

I am seated with Christ, no more on earth then in the heavens. In heaven I am a citizen. Of this world, I am no citizen.
Did you know that countries issue passports to people and then the people own the passport. ... except in America. In America, the passport owns the citizen. Countries should know that when they let a citizen of America into their land, that the terms of the passport that they accept state that the citizen is property of America, and everywhere they go, everywhere that person stands ... is part of America. America can come in and retrieve that person without violating any country that accepts that passport. After all, America only taking a citizen that belongs to America, standing in a place that also belongs to America. Fewer countries would accept an American in their borders if they really knew that to which they are agreeing.

So, here I stand on earth, but by virtue of my Eternal citizenship, the earth doesn't know the ramifications of me being inside its borders. Everywhere I stand, is no longer part of the world, though I am in the world none-the-less.

Homosexual Arafat Dies of AIDS.

11.11.04 (5:43 am) [edit]

Homosexual Arafat Dies of AIDS.

http://civildefense.blogdrive.com/archive/239.html" title="http://civildefense.blogdrive.com/archive/239.html" target="_blank"http://civildefense.blogdrive...
http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Diplomacy/43 48.htm" title="http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Diplomacy/43 48.htm" target="_blank"http://web.israelinsider.com/...
click links

I didn't make myself willing to serve the Lord Jesus.

11.03.04 (6:48 am) [edit]

I didn't make myself willing to serve ... the Lord Jesus.
Yet I have been willing none-the-less.

Whether one is reluctantly willing, or enthusiastically willing, they did not fashion their own will. They did not create their own will. They did not maintain their own will for any duration of time.

I am not the Author nor Finisher of our faith.
Neither is anyone else.

I like the resuscitation of Lazarus to drive this point home.

Here is what people say: "We are commanded to repent, so it must be something that we CAN do. If we couldn't do it on our own, then why would we be commanded to do it?"

Well, the answer is seen in all of the miracles of Christ (of which new birth is no different.) Lazarus was commanded to come forward. The lame were commanded to walk. The blind were commanded to see. Did Lazarus come forth because he had that ability? Did he obey? Sure, I guess he obeyed the command, but that doesn't mean that he could have done it on his own ... any more then the man with the shrived hand could have stretched forth his hand on his own ... any more then I could have repented on my own.

Yes, I am commanded to believe, and there are times when I do believe. Yes, I am commanded to repent and there are times that I do repent ... but I deserve no more credit for my obedience/faith/repentanc e then does Lazarus deserve credit for obeying Jesus' command: "Lazarus, COME FORTH."

To God be all the glory!

So, repent! Believe! Obey! You'll be better off as you do. If and when you do, I'll give the credit to where it belongs, and praise the Lord.

human effort

10.26.04 (3:22 pm) [edit]

For man to cultivate wood, takes human effort.

For man to cultivate hay, takes human effort.

For man to even gather stuble, takes human effort.

No effort of man can produce a single precious stone.

I have enough sin in me to damn a million souls.

10.25.04 (10:23 am) [edit]

I have enough sin in me to damn a million souls.

My illustration of this is blood. We have enough toxins in our body to kill 10 people, but we don't die. Blood cleans out the toxins ... non-stop. So, if I grasp my wrist and choke off the blood ... first it tingles, then it starts to burn, and before long ... it turns black and starts to decay. Soon, without the constant flow of blood ... my hand is lifeless. The toxins will do such harm that it cannot be repaired. Right now, my blood cleanses my physical body, just like the Blood of Christ is cleansing my spiritual identity. It is ongoing. It is by the blood, and there is little that I can do to stop it, though I never asked that it begin.

Remember when Jesus washed the feet of the disciples? He just did it. Nobody asked Him to ... in fact, Peter asked Jesus to stop! What is interesting is what Jesus said to Peter when Peter asked Him to stop. "If you do not let me wash your feet, then I can have nothing to do with you." Peter then, asked Jesus to wash him all over ... head to toe. Jesus explained, "You don't need a bath again, you just need your feet washed."

Notes of interest:

*The cleansing of feet is comparable to the daily need for forgiveness. It isn't optional
*The head-to-toe bath is like the need for the initial washing of rebirth (Titus 3:5)
*We don't need it over and over, like the foot washing.

The bath was voluntary, but the foot washing was completely the initiative of Jesus over and against the objections of those He was washing. Nobody asked Jesus for it, yet nobody was allowed to avoid it. (IMPORTANT)

We need ongoing forgiveness as we sin. It is done by Jesus. We don't have to ask (in fact none of us were around when it was provided,) but we can't do without it.

In all of this, I am not taking sin lightly ... I just am giving the blood of Christ, its due credit!

About asking God for forgiveness ...

10.19.04 (10:53 am) [edit]

It has been said (and I agree) that you don't rule your believing; your believing rules you.

So, if I convince you that a hungry bear is outside waiting to eat you, and you believe me and make up your mind to never go outside, then because you believe it ... it is AS IF that is true ... whether it is fiction or truth.

Here is the problem when it comes to believing that you must ask to be forgiven in order for you to be forgiven ... believing THAT makes it true for you in a real experiential way. When you work for what you have, it is AS IF you do not have it. And those that are hard at work trying to gain forgiveness ... it is AS IF they lack forgiveness ... even if they do not.

Here is a clue from the Bible: There is not a single person (neither sinner nor saint) that has been recorded ASKING for forgiveness after the death of Christ on the cross. Nobody at all ... yet this belief is central to many mainstream denominations. WHY? This false teaching is imprisoning people, and making a false notion AS IF it were true for them.

Is this a worthwhile distinction?

10.11.04 (12:33 pm) [edit]

There is a difference between self control (which is the fruit of the Spirit) and self-discipline (which is satans counterfeit.) The Word of God is sharp enough to divide between them and lay bare self-control as a manifestation of the Spirit, and self-discipline as a manifestation of the soul.

The difference is subtle, but I think that it is a worthwhile distinction.

A dieter is an example of self-discipline. They want candy, pizza, and cake ... you can cut the tension with a knife, when the ice-cream truck, drives by the fat farm. The dieters are not comfortable when they get to the "treat" section of the grocer. They are hindered, restricted, and of the mindset to say "no" at all costs.

Compare that to the athlete. The athlete does not have the mindset of the dieter, though they might have similar food intake. The athlete doesn't hear the music of the ice-creme truck. They don't even know where the "treat" section is. To them it is no sacrifice to give up candy, pizza, and cake. They have a different agenda. They have their eye on a prize, and whatever it is that stands in the way of that goal ... they WANT (key word) to be rid of it. It really isn't saying "no" to treats as much as saying "yes" to the prize.

Whereas self-discipline is a shackle from the outside placed over the wants ... Self-control (the fruit of the Spirit) is the free reign of spiritually motivated desires, unhindered ... because the wants of the self-controlled are holy, or being transformed to holiness by the Holy Spirit ... Who works in them to WILL and to DO according to His good pleasure.

1 Corinthians 9
24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Paul's sentiment is a novel sentiment. Those that express likewise are likely holy, and seeking to be as they have become.

This stands is stark contrast to another of Paul's statements:

Colossians 2
20Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21"Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? 22These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

Is this a worthwhile distinction?

Can you say "i am," while God "is not?"

09.13.04 (7:02 am) [edit]

Can you say "i am," while God "is not?"
"Do you exist ..." seems like a off-point question, doesn't it? But the question goes to the heart of the matter.

The way that I see it, our world is surrounded by evidence to the contrary. I don't need basic evidence to prove anything to me. I know God personally ... better then I know you or even my family. But, you don't have to know Him as I do, to see the bombardment of His presence.

I know this: silence exists, and no relative noise heard today can distract me from the notion that silence is absolute and always will exist. Philosophically, the noise that I hear today is unique and relative to all other noises, but the silence that I might hear is the same silence that existed before me, and the same silence that will remain after I have turned into dust. There is no new silence. Silence is one, silence is absolute, and the main point is that all non-silence derives from and is contingent upon the existence of the absolute silence. Feel free to correct me, but to do so you would have to demonstrate that noise could exist if there was no such thing as silence.

I know this: absolute zero (in temerature) exists, no relatively warmer condition can distract me from the conclusion that absolute zero exists, and will always exist. Philosophically, any warmth that can be experienced today is unique, in flux, and relative. However, if there is any absolute zero to be found, it will be the same absolute zero that always existed, and the same that will remain after me. There is no unique and newer absolute zero. Feel free to correct me, but to do so you would have to demonstrate that relative warmth could exist if there was no absolute zero.

I know this: the wind exists, there is breath in my nostrils but it does not distract me from the conclusion that wind exists and will always exist. Philosophically, any breath is relative, organic, in flux, and unable to last, however, if even a breath is still, it can feel the wind, the same flow that has always moved over the earth. There is no new wind, because it has never ceased. Breaths come and go, and are eventually effaced by the wind, like warmth is effaced by the absolute zero, and sound is effaced by silence. One is self-generative and absolute, the other is contingent, derivative and relatively in flux.

Yet you say "i am," and God says "I AM." Who is absolute and self-generative, and who is derivative and contingent? While you are turning from dust to dust again, you delude yourself with superior existence then even God. But look around you. Doesn't the grass fade and flower wilt? Are they not forgotten and replaced? 1000 years ago, where was your identity then? Where will it be 100,000,000 years from now?

God is one, and the same, always and forever. He is like the silence waiting to consume the sound. He is like the absolute zero waiting to efface the warmth. He is as the wind waiting to envelope your breath. God is a consuming fire, but not because He is retaliatory or something, but your nature and His nature cannot exist together without a miracle.

john3:7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."-Jesus

Are Christians Elite?

08.23.04 (6:40 am) [edit]

I have a warehouse full of bags (for the sake of discussion.) Some are sent out to be filled with scap metal. Others are sent to be used by brink's security deposit trucks to haul money. One might point to the sack of refuge and say that it is not worth anything. Someone might point to a sake of cash and say that is a fourtune. But it is the same sack.

Thus it is written that it is not what goes into a man's mouth that defiles him, but what comes out of the mouth.

Let us grateful to be filled with treasure, so that we may be given the noble task of the good works prepared in advance that we should walk in by our Lord, among many neccessary tasks for which a human soul may be put to use. (Lets not forget that it the objects of God's wrath are useful in glorifying "what God is NOT like" as well the ransomed are useful in glorifying what God is like through the Spirit.)

Are we elite? That term would imply inherant nobility, that we do not have.

2 Corinthians 3
4 Such confidence we have through Christ toward God.
5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,
6 who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant,

The Lesser Will Give Way to the Greater

08.22.04 (8:04 pm) [edit]

If I say that anything is greater then God, then I have just worshipped that thing while slandering God.

You have heard people do this, and you may not realize it.

The other day someone told me that Jesus has no power over me if I am not walking in obedience. In other words, I can restrict God with disobedience, or hinder God with my decisions. If God can hinder me then God is greater then me, but If I can hinder God then I am greater then God. Which message was implied? I was being told that I am greater then God, because the lesser will always have to give way to the greater.

A friend of mine asked a Jew in the airport about the thing on top of his head. "I've always wondered what is it with those beanies?" The Jew explained that the head covering makes it possible for God to bless him. Well, what was this guy saying? Who was he worshiping? So, my friend asked directly, "Do you mean that God can't bless you if you don't wear that thing?" When the young man agreed ... "Well, I don't think that I want a god that is weaker then bennies, and so easily hindered."
If the bennies can limit God then the bennies are greater then god, for the lesser must always give way to the greater, and the Jew thought that god was hindered by a hat or lack thereof.

Christianity has its own beanies. Only they go by different names: "devotion," "quiet-time," "study," "prayer," "church attendence," etc. I am not saying that we should avoid these things. I am saying that we do those things because God has brought us near to Him, not so that we can bring God near to us. We do not lay those acts of devotion before God and cash-in on blessings. We respond to God; not He responding to us.

This is part of the point of the story of Job. Who are we to worship? Can we prevent God from allowing evil to happen to us, by carefully living upright? If we fall for that lie, then we have ascended above God in our mind, to be in control of Him, and obligating Him to bless us based on our worth.

Ascribe worth to anything but the one true living God, and you are worshipping an idol, whether it be yourself, or a bennies, or even the devil - making him out to be some kind of worthy foe that can hinder the work of God.

God is not fighting the satan, He is using him. When God decides to fight, then the battle will be over before it began. Until then, God holds satan together with His might along with the rest of creation ... storing up wrath until there is no more use of the evil one.

Nothing and nobody is greater then God. All things must give way to Him and His will.

Saved at a Christian Concert

08.11.04 (8:47 am) [edit]

Lake Arlington Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas is where I saw my first Christian music concert by "Gabriel." The lead vocalist went to that church and formed the band to help lead people to the Lord.

It was February of 1983, and I had been going to Lake Arlington for about 6 years. Christian music had recently seen alot of changes with bands such as Petra, Whiteheart, Degarmo&Key, and IdolCure. Our youth group had album covers on the walls, so I was curious to see what the hubbub was all about.

It was "adult contemporary" music and not as cool as I thought it would be. There was no drummer, just two guys with synthesizers and a programmed drum beat. A couple of years later the band got a drummer, but at that time they only had 10 songs and were pretty small-time.

I don't remember much about the concert except the songs were about Jesus, and the cross, and stuff that I heard all the time at Sunday school.

At the end they had us bow our head and pray to make sure that if we died that we would go to heaven, or something like that. We were singing "Follow Jesus" an old Baptist Hymn:

I have decided, to follow Jesus,
I have decided, to follow Jesus,
I have decided, to follow Jesus,
No turning back, no turning back.

Though none go with me, still I will follow,
Though none go with me, still I will follow,
Though none go with me, still I will follow,
No turning back, no turning back!

The world behind me, the cross before me,
The world behind me, the cross before me,
The world behind me, the cross before me,
No turning back, no turning back!

I am not sure why, because I had sung that song 100 times before, but it was different this time. The word stuck out with the synthesized accompaniment. "I still will follow?" I choked on those words. I could not say them. I knew in my heart that I would not follow Jesus if none went with me. I did not want to pray and sing a song that I knew was not true for me. So I sat down and put my face in my hands.

"Lord," I prayed, "I won't follow you if none go with me. You know that. I am just following the crowd, not you" I continued, "I want you to help me, come in my heart and change me into the type of guy that will follow you if none go with me."

By, the end of the song, I sung that verse with conviction instead of hypocrisy. I knew that Jesus had come inside of my heart and made me new.

Nagging homosexual impulses

08.09.04 (2:17 pm) [edit]

A stranger identified themself as a Christian and then asked me about if they should just accept the bisexual impulses that they have had, and quit fighting them.

Here is what I told them.

One of the best kept secrets in Christianity is that bisexual impulses/temptations is not unusual. Jesus had them.

It is written that He was "tempted in all things as we are" Hebrews 4:15. All things means all things. He was tempted to murder. He had perverse impulses come to him. How long does it take to be tempted in everything? I am guessing about 33 years, because that is how old Jesus was. But, this is only the first part of the secret.

Temptation does not equal desire.

That is an important revelation, because if you think that temptation equals desire, then you will look at your temptation to break natural law, and think that is your desire. That is exactly where the enemy wants us. He want us to think that our temptations are our true desires.

How evil would Jesus be if temptation equals desire? Pretty evil; perhaps the most evil, if that were the case. He was tempted in all things. But we read on in that verse: "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet WITHOUT SIN."

Now I can get pretty much any theologian to this point in agreement, but then I could ask them if they have ever been tempted in homosexuality, and they would be offended. Why? Because they still think that temptation equals desire deep down. This is a hard error to break and it is in fact a tremendous challenge.

If we truly begin to see that temptation does not equal desire, then we will want to act ONLY on our true desire rather then any temptation/impulse/ or urge. We will have to take every thought captive, and discern the source of that thought; does it abide with our true wants or is it crafted for our destruction?

We have lots of enemies: our dull mind, our crazy emotions, our unstable will, the fallen world, our deceptive flesh, the devil, unrighteous spirits, reminders of iniquitous past, etc. The list is pretty long, and if we dwelled on it ... we would find that I have only listed a fraction of what we are up against on a daily basis. Any of these sources can provide a thought or impulse. We need to judge our thoughts as they come to us, and weed out most of them as just crazy notions.

A friend of mine was about to get his hair cut, and laughed as he asked his hairdresser, "When you cut hair, do you ever feel like taking your scissors and slicing someone's head off?" She spun him around in the chair and put her hands on his shoulders and said, "How did you know?"

What do you think he advised her as he sat at her station? Should she just give into those thoughts and quit resisting them? Maybe she should just accept that she is a murderer by nature and act on that. After all, she has those impulses, so that must be what she really wants, right?

Wrong.

If she gave into those impulses, then they would not make her happy. There would be fear, distress, anger, depression overwhelm her as she stood in the middle of a crime scene. Those thoughts are not to bring a spring in her step and a lift in her countenance, and really they are NOT what she wants. Her true desires are to cut hair with scissors not kill people with them.

Lets encourage one another to not get involved in things that go against our heart that is washed and renewed by the Spirit. Lets encourage one another to not be led astray by our shifting emotions and insane minds, or by the enemies in our life. Lets not be ashamed that we are weak and that we can't resist the enemies in our own strength. Lets pray for deliverance from evil. Lets stand firm if that deliverance is not immediate ... so that we can reap the harvest that comes from moment by moment dependence on our Savior.

I can see how you can be blessed with this weakness, over someone else, as it will cause you to depend on Him greatly, and it may even cause you to stumble and fall, and you will get to see that God's love is greater then the fall. You will find a love so stubborn that you won't be able to resist drawing near to Him, and as you do you will find fulfillment that no sexual gratification can come close to.

just finding it easier to realize

08.03.04 (1:31 pm) [edit]

I think that you can tell just how far someone has fallen out with God, by how much they can do without Him.

Can we mature ourselves without Him?

Can we minister without Him?

Can we do anything?

I have found that I can do less and less without Him. Recently, I shared that I couldn't even handle a trip to Kinko's without Him.

That's how it has always been, but I am just finding it easier to realize.

Griping and grumbling (idolatry)

07.29.04 (7:24 pm) [edit]

Circumstance do not change what someone is, they reveal what someone is. ... and so it is written that as Paul was imprisoned unjustly - there was not a Roman that Paul saw at the other end of his chain.

Ephesians 3:1
"... I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus..."

Ephesians 4:1
"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you ."

Philemon 1:9
". I then, as Paul–an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus"

And so on.

Where others saw a roman guard at the end of the chain, Paul saw someone different. Paul saw Jesus as his prisoner, and he was happy to be wherever Jesus had him, whether on the open sea or in a dungeon - violating his Roman citizenship.

So trouble comes your way, as it does us all. That trouble reveals something about the others that have neglected decency, but our reaction reveals us, and God is not interested in dealing about anyone else but ourselves with ourselves.

Why try to change the circumstance by griping and shaming the offenders?
Why not be changed by the circumstance and soften the heart by running to the Lord?

Griping and grumbling is a false idol that I use to envoke a change or control those that make me uncomfortable. You can justify it all you want, but don't ask me to join you. There is no justification for me (or anyone else) to complain, for to do so is a complaint against Christ who holds the cosmos together with His might, and Who permits whatever circumstance that we might wish He would have prevented.

Here is my #. Call me!

07.26.04 (1:58 pm) [edit]

I understand that there are people from many different lands that might be reading this. Some places will cost me about $7-$10 per minute, but I don't care.
Call me collect. I don't mind.

Here is my number. It has a couple of sevens, and zeros and fours. There is a one, and a three, and a two and a six.
Call whenever you like.

You have the numbers, but I know that something is missing. There is a reason that I know I won't be getting many calls from Russia in the middle of the night. You have to have an order before you have a chance of completing the call. You can't do anything without order.

God has an order, and before we get to misbehavior or good WORKS, we must first address GLORY. Before we can talk about the WHAT we have to primarily address the WHY when we are talking about the things of God.

The battle is not between good and evil. The prime battle is between God's glory and those that want to claim it for their own as the evil one has done.

I have alot of glory robbing potential, because I am wonderfully made, as are we all. I might look at my strength, abilities, wisdom, beauty, etc. and think that I am reeeeally something ... and I am not yet even sure just how marvelous I am, because one day I'll stand before Him and see that I am just like Him. "... and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him,..." 1 John 3:2b

God has to shepherd me to make me safe for His glory. Lessons need to be learned. Understanding must be gained. Humility must be harvested, and God knows just how to accomplish this.

We not yet brought to the feast, to participate in the wedding. We are sent on a side trip to earth, so that can loose our self-confidence, manifest weakness, fall into decay, be shown our ignorance, and ultimately be shown a grave. The willing will embrace the grave, because we have not simply followed Jesus' behavior thinking that we can muster the courage and fortitude to mimic Him, bur rather we are following Him to be wind up WHERE He did ... the place of humiliation, the spectacle of weakness, and the moment of abasement. In that place, we abandon taking the glory for anything, so that even if we are one day lifted to the heavens and placed in splendor with crowns on our heads and thrones next to the Lamb, our only thought will be to take off the crown and cast it to Him. It will be our instinct, our drive ... to give all glory to God.

The spiritual walk always is a walk to the place of death with a cross in tow.

Then we will be safe, even in splendor, for limitless glory, as even now we gain the understanding that our limited glory, strength, wisdom, beauty, and "life" is really not our own, but a deposit ... only an illusion of something that belongs solely to us.

Surrendering Two Hours Too Late

07.08.04 (8:37 am) [edit]

I was out of town at a training, and running a bit behind. But if everything went well, I could roll out of Kinko's having sent an important fax before class started. .... If everything went well, that is.

Ever notice the Kinko's clerks? They never notice you. It is worse when you are in a hurry, because they just stand there trying to look busy.

So, I am behind the counter, trying to burn holes in the backs of their heads with a "please me if you can" angry-customer stare, while everyone is ignoring me. The only person that notices me is the cashier, who won't lift a finger to help me, because she can't leave her general area near the register. Finally, a dude notices me and then takes his time finishing whatever meaningless task he was doing to look busy before slowly walking over to the counter.

"Yes, you can help me." I urgently reply, "I emailed two pages to be printed, and confirmed that they would be ready to pick up this morning?" Without trying to even look like he gave a darn, he started to look around and scratch his head, then mumbled something before disappearing into one of the back offices. That is when I see it, right behind the counter ... the two pages that I emailed.

So, I pick up the pages and start waving them over my head, intensifying my angry-customer stare. But, I can't stare at him when he is behind the wall in the back office, I am just hoping that he is looking out of the tinted glass. Finally, he re-emerges to actually retard his normally sluggish pace while walking to the counter. I describe the fact that I found the prints, and giving up on sending the fax .. I request to pay. The clerk-o-the-month, scribbles something on a sheet of paper and says to take it to the cashier. "Oh, that is great!" I think to myself "... another line!"

The cashier seemed to be the only person to care, so I gave her the benefit of the doubt and explained that I called for a quote when I sent the order, and the total that was quoted to me was $0.25 ... thinking that the information might make her job easier, with the relief that at least I had part of what I came for.

"ten-sixty-six," the cashier mumbled.

Immediately time stood still as I pondered a thousand different possible meanings of the words coming from this nice young woman's mouth. Is it a code? Is she trying to tell me something important or making conversation, I actually had no idea, and thought that I misunderstood.

"ten cents?" I asked.

"ten-sixty-six." she nodded.

What does this mean? Is this a riddle? The quote was for 25 cents and she is not saying that the total is ten cents, so what could she be trying to tell me? To clear up the ambiguity, I asked the following question without really thinking about it: "Do you mean $10 and 66 cents?"

Unfolding in slow motion as my temperature immediately went through the roof, "Yes, ten-sixty-six."

AGHAHHGHAGH!!!

I let her have it, she relented, and I threw the receipt at her head. (Well, actually I didn't do throw it, but I wanted to.)

There I am, flushed with emotion, as I speed off ... late to training class. ... and I still haven't sent my fax.

Here is my prayer as I am am undone, "Lord, I can't even handle a trip to Kinko's, I can't even handle loosing a buck or two without loosing my composure. I am weak and I should have realized that when I woke up instead of two hours later. If I only would have prayed this before, but I pray it now: with my hand over my heart - Lord, you are welcome in my heart today, I want my wants to be your wants, because today is too great of a day for a man, it calls for divinity. Lord, I am out of love, you come be my love today. I am out of peace, you come and give me your peace." And with that I re-gained some of my peace. The rest of it returned when I went back and apologized for being a jerk.

Angry 'cause I fear/Afraid 'cause I fake

07.06.04 (8:42 am) [edit]

Angry 'cause I fear/Afraid 'cause I fake

We have this little joke around my family: "That makes me angry" we say with a smile. The toll road is now 50 cents more ... so "that makes me angry" we tell each other. Whenever something bad happens, we joke that it makes us angry. The reason that it is funny to us, is because we know that we are in charge of our own temperance, and it is not up to the world to prevent our anger.

Circumstances do not change what I am; they reveal what I am. Thus, it is up to myself to prevent my own anger.

I really do get angry sometimes. It seems like every time that I am angry, it is because I am afraid about something ... afraid that I will miss out, disappoint. loose, etc.

And the top reason that I have fear, is because of pretense. As I try to hold things together and keep up appearances, then I am highly stressed, because someone might find out that I am faking it ... and I want them to think that I really do have it all together. So the fear of unflattering disclosure of my limitations can quickly put me into a position where my anger is revealed. (I say 'anger is revealed', because that is what is really taking place. Nothing can make me angry, but many things can reveal my anger.) I want them to approve of me, but I think that will only happen if I am reliable.

With one hand I beckon them closer because I live for their smile, and with the other I push them away, so that I can hide my true condition ... all for the sake of my own kingdom.

For example:
Often I am angry when circumstance may have me arrive late. Why? Is it not because I am afraid what people will think of me, who are counting on me, or for whatever reason might be disappointed if I don't show up on time? What if I do show up late, and what if they do think badly of me? What if they don't trust me anymore and turn to someone else who shows up on time? What if I am cut out of something because of the accumulation of blown expectations upon me? Do you see how I might make "anger" into my little friend to control the situation so that won't happen? I'll just be angry enough to intimidate those around me so that they won't risk making me late and I can maintain my image.

Angry, because I fear. Afraid, because I fake.

Freedom is knowing that you no longer live for others approval, because you know that you are approved by God. Those that know that I have Christ living in me, would honor me for His sake even if I am always the last person to show up. If they cannot find it in themselves to do that, then so be it. I do not require them to do that, and instead I will honor them for the sake of Christ. They don't have to be lovely to earn my love, and I can choose to abandon the pretense and let them know what is always true: I am unreliable. I cannot be counted upon. In fact, it is a bit of a release to know that at least one group of people no longer has unrealistic expectations on me. Now, they know the truth, that I won't always do what I say, nor be where I said I would be at the time that I said that I would be there. So be it.

To walk in the light is to simply abandon the image building. In such a walk you will find alot less fear, and alot less anger. Wouldn't you agree that this is a more excellent way?

For years, I had tried to earn my share of God's love.

06.16.04 (1:04 am) [edit]

I had just turned 14. As a new member of the youth group, I was nervously excited to go on my first church retreat for the weekend. It was February in Texas, and that meant perfect weather: warm sun, cool air and not much rain. I could not wait.

My parents just joined the church and being a younger member of the 100+ youths in the church should have made me afraid that I would be picked upon. But, my brother was two years older and he was going also. So, bursting with curiosity, and bridled by the shyness that comes with unfamiliar territory, I headed off for the weekend.

I thought that retreats were about fun, but I soon learned that our minister would have an intense lesson in store. The theme of the retreat was "Asking God for Forgiveness." Sounded fine to me. Well, at least it was a teaching about something to do, which meant that we weren't being given a bunch of stuff that we ought not do. (I was a typical youth that had very little interest in learning what I should not do.)

I was told that sin separates me from God, and that as long as I have unconfessed sin, I would be separated. I was told that if I want to be near to God, then I should endeavor to remember each and every sin that is in my life. Sins of commission and sins of omission. Sin, sin, everywhere a sin-sin. I took it very seriously, and when it was time to pray, I would pause and recollect all of the sins of the day, and ask for forgiveness for each one.

Well, the retreat ended on Sunday, and that Sunday night I decided to practice what I was taught. I started off, with a few sins that I could remember, and then a few more for good measure. By now, I had been praying for about 10 minuets. I wanted to stop, but I keep thinking about the sin separating me from God, so I thought harder. I wanted to make sure that I remembered all of them, and asked for forgiveness for all of them so that I would not be separated from God. In a panic I said, "Lord, please forgive me for everything that I did that was sin."

Suddenly, I heard what I was saying as something very familiar. This is what I prayed when I became a Christian. Had I lost my salvation? Had each unconfessed sin moved me closer to hell? If I sinned and forgot to confess, would that sin separate me from God forever? According to what I had learned: YES.

I became angry and began to lash out at God. "What kind of salvation is this? What a joke! If it is up to me to maintain it, then count me out!" I shook my fist toward heaven, "I don't even want your 'salvation' it is a ridiculous curse."

"I am through with you, God. You can deal with me when I die, but not here on Earth."

Yes, I cursed the Gospel. I slammed Jesus and what He did on the cross. I rebelled and told God to shove it. I did all of this, serious as a heart attack.

By mentioning death and after I die, I thought it best to continue. "If you want me in Heaven then fine, but I don't want you in my life."

At this point I was upset, and I cried and clutched my pillow, saying all of this in my heart so I would not disturb my brother sleeping in the same room. A darkness flooded my heart.

I felt empty and shattered. Giving up on the religion that was so important to my upbringing and family was tough, and I wondered if I had made a mistake. And yet I knew that I wanted nothing to do with asking for forgiveness. I am not going back, and that is what made me despair all the more.

I sat wondering if my weakness is what kept me from God. Why could I not be as strong as I thought others were? My creator can never forgive me and it is because if my inability. So, were the thoughts of a burned out 14 year old.
In desperation, I wept even more bitterly. With the same ferocious nature as my curse, but now with more passion and stubbornness, I lifted my eyes once more to heaven. I cannot say what flooded my mind as I sobbed, but I can only remember begging God to show me the Truth. "God! WHAT! IS! I T !?!?!?"

"What is it?" … have you ever asked God that question? What is the point, what is meaning, why am I here, and where did I go wrong … rolled up into one.

No sooner had I asked and the reply came. So loud and pure that a thousand trains could not drown it out … in a voice as brilliant as the white light of the sun. In clarity that four-stories of speakers could not represent … the answer came from the mouth of God, and shook my soul, as it had never quaked before. Deafened in the sound of …

"TRENT, I LOVE YOU!"

That is all that He said and that is all that needed to be said. It echoed for hours in my mind, and made such a lasting impression on my soul that I cry at the drop of the hat, and 14 years later, I cannot even bless the food without weeping like a baby. "I love you, thought you curse me," "I love you, though you shake your fist at heaven." "I love you, though you want nothing to do with me." I love you and there is nothing, nothing, nothing that you can do to stop me!" "You can forsake me, but TRENT, I LOVE YOU!" It plastered me to my bed, and I curled up into the fetal position, exposed and unafraid - basking in the radical love of God.

How do you perceive the love of God? Is it stubborn or fickle? Does it have anything to do with your behavior, or does it spring spontaneously from our Creator? Can you impeach the love of God by what you do? Can you invoke the love of God by what you do?

What was revealed to me is tugging at your heart, you want to believe it and rely upon it. Believe it. Rely upon it. Let God love you.

For years, I had tried to earn my share of God's love. But, trying to do that only pushed away the understanding of it. God's is love. It is not about how lovely I am, it is about what He is. God is love … the most concise and profound words ever uttered. God does not have love, He does not offer love, He does not fall in love, but God IS love.

The love of God will always spring spontaneously from Who He is.

"... If I marry again ,Am I an adulterer and doomed to hell?"

06.14.04 (5:27 pm) [edit]

Subject: Remarriage

Question: I divorced my wife (we both are Christians) a few years ago(I was unfaithful, she forgave me but I still wanted out), and now found a new love. We want to marry (she too is Christian), but I am worried that our marriage would be wrong in God's eyes. If I marry again ,Am I an adulterer and doomed to hell?

That is what I was asked: Look below for my answer. How would you have answered?

MY ANSWER

I spent the last couple of days thinking about what to tell you. I have a lot of opinions about this topic. So hold on to your seat.
:-)

I want you to be imbued with the notion that there is not a monolithic viewpoint on the subject of marriage and divorce and remarriage. Even scholars find it difficult to find common ground on the Biblical interpretation of the topic. You should search your heart and find the Truth that sets you free. Do not be satisfied with confusion. Trust that the Holy Spirit will lead you to the Truth. My part, is not to replace the faculty of the Spirit, but organize thoughts toward the truth so that as your thoughts approach it, you can be touched with a revelation. Spiritual revelation belongs to you, don’t ever say that “Trent says that …” because Truth does not belong to me. If it touches you, then own it for yourself as a gift from God, OK?

;-)

I hope to render two things that must be carefully brought together, so that there is no overlapping. Hopefully, you will be able to see how these things work together, and yet remain separate. I want to help you understand: 1) The Biblical revelation of God’s will concerning the keeping of vows, AND 2) The way a Christian should think, and decide complicated issues of life. And through this discussion I hope to impart liberal portions of deep understanding of God’s unlimited grace, and His unconditional love.

The thought occurred to me, that your questions might be better answered in reverse order. So, I will start by commenting on the last part of your question:

You wrote:

[name], you are an adulterer. Yes. Even if you do not remarry, you are STILL a deprived sinner in need of mercy and grace. So am I. Jesus said that lust is the same as adultery, and who among men can claim innocence? Nobody. That is why Jesus said it, only the sick need a physician, and many are deceived about their alleged spiritual health and therefore have pushed away God’s miraculous salvation. Among those, that are doomed to hell, is the self-righteous person that says that they are innocent and sinless. Do not be illusioned about your wickedness, [name]. Your righteousness is as filthy mistral rags. Though our sins be as scarlet, they will be as white as snow, for anyone that stands before God trusting fully upon what Jesus did, rather then what they did. Have you any confidence in the flesh? Will you stand before God depending on your works, or the works of Jesus?

If you make the faith-choice to depend on God, rather then self, then your reward will be great. You will have the very life of God imparted and intermingled within your innermost being. As a partaker of the divine nature, you will stand in Christ’s righteousness, His perfection, His holiness, His godliness, and His sinlessness. If you would give Jesus a perfect 10 in those categories, then it would be disbelief to give yourself a lower score. Let that soak in. If it is true for you, then you have much reason to give thanks! It takes faith to say “Thank You.” Have you said “Thank You?”

You also wrote:

Do you remember you vows to your first wife? I know that God does. I bet it went something like this: “ … for better or worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do we part.” Is that correct? Notice the last part “until death do we part.” That is the way out, is it not? You did not say “until my taste changes do we part.” You did not say “until you dump me.” You did not say “ until you divorce and remarry someone else.” You made a vow, promise, oath, contract, and solemn sober covenant until death. *gulp* So did I when I married.

The scary thing about making that promise is that you don’t know all there is to know about the person that you are making the vow to. They may have deceived you, and really be something evil and mean. They may embarrass, and harm you, but that was not the way out either. It is until death. So, we may want to change them and control them and make them a factor of non-disturbance in our life. We want them to be the same as us, or at least always on our side. We might merely see them as a possession and unruly subjects of our kingdom on earth. But, Oneness is never accomplished as the result of forced sameness. Committing to someone that may harm or hurt you reveals deeply how God loves us and seeks our oneness.

There is an interesting custom in Jewish weddings. Before the ceremony, the groom visits the bride and covers her head with a veil. Then he leaves her to wait for her to come forward. Traditionally this is explained as the groom "making sure who the bride is." Why? Because Jacob was tricked by his father-in-law, who traded Rachel (who Jacob was fond of) for Leah, his other daughter. Jacob consummated with Leah in the dark before he realized the deception. Jacob accepted his fate, and later also married the woman of his choice, Rachel.

The "traditional explanation" is weak. The tradition of the groom and veil is NOT a way of making sure of whom the bride is. If that were the case then there would not be a veil and the groom could examine her during the ceremony. No, the veil is a way to describe love. The groom may not know whom he is marrying and indeed will not know everything about her. But, he will commit to love and learn to make room for all that he does not know about her. That is the meaning of the veil, for we read that Jacob made room for Leah in his life and later was buried with her, instead of the bride of his choice.

The point is that many people have not learned the love of God. His love always makes room for others and commits to do so. Indeed I want to know His love fully and pass it on to others. To do so, I must commit to accept others, even though I do not know all there is to know about them. As a man and woman commit in marriage. I must make room for their differences and achieve oneness apart from taking on a conquest of sameness. Marriage is the commitment of that love, and God intends to fulfill the commitment through anyone yielded to Him.

You also wrote:

[name], you are conflicted and worried that you might be making a mistake. And you might be making a big one. The thing is, that you are looking to man (me) for approval, rather then asking God for direction. Without a firm conviction, you are on shaky ground.

Here is the advice that I usually give with regard to marriage: Marry the person that you have in mind, if and ONLY IF, to not marry them would be an abominable rebellious sin against the clear and direct command of God as LORD of your life. * double gulp *

I know that hit you hard, but do you think that you would be in this stressful position if you applied that principle in your life with regard to your first spouse?

If you are not sure that God can give a clear and direct command, then trust me … HE CAN! Wait for Him, be honest about your doubt. Doubt is the natural state of a mind has not been impressed with the spiritual instruction. If you agree that He can do it, then demand that He does it. He can give you the grace to wait, and He will instruct anyone that is still and listens.

And while you are waiting, please think about this:

I personally know three people, that have trusted God and been given the grace to keep their vows, even though their spouse has long ago broken their vows. That is to say that they wear their wedding ring and forsake all others until God brings about the end of their oath, on the day that the other dies. I have spoken to each of them about this, and each have said that it has been more then hard, But God has been more then sufficient, and that they have only the regret of making the vow, but no regrets that they kept their end of it.

Are these people cursed or blessed? What charge can be made against these that illustrate God's character as they abide in Him for the strength to be true? Hasn’t He been more longsuffering in keeping His promises to us?

God will not bring you to a problem that He cannot bring you through. I dare you to prove me wrong.

:-)

"... I want to Be DELIVERED OF ALL SEXUAL THINGS ...."

06.14.04 (5:57 am) [edit]

On occation, one of the questions that I am asked is permitted to be reposted for the benefit of others.
The following question and answer are one of those occations
Reference this one if you want an example of how temptation does not infer desire.

Question:
I'm a proud Christian who is struggling with sexual immorality. I have learned that by watching different things that it allows those demons to transfer into your spirit. I have never been attracted to woman and now when I give a girl compliment on clothes then satan starts talking to me and I rebuke him every time but it gets on my nerves because I think is so stupid for him to try to influence me and something that I have never thought about before. Secondly, recently a close friend of mines let me know about her being Lesbian. I am very scared and know that the devil is trying to attact me through her. Now I feel I can't talk to her because I'm afraid of what might jump off in my spirit. I want to minister to her but also do want to be around her. She thinks I'm neglecting her but I'm not I'm trying to save myself and just talk to her over e-mail. I don't want curiousity to take over my mind. I think that what its all about with her. I want to Be DELIVERED OF ALL SEXUAL THINGS. I'M A FIGHTER AND WON'T GIVE UP! I PRAY THAT GOD HEARS MY CRY. I ALSO learned that this nasty spirits can be transfered from someone you had sex with in the pass and those are his or her spirits in you now and you have to get rid of them. I slept with 3 people in my life and I want to be delivered from their soul ties. I feel so disgusting when sexual thoughts come to my mind. I'm asking your opinion of whats going on and how what can I do as a fighting Christian trying to save my life from destruction. Please left me up in your prayers and I will also pray and fast for myself. I really need someone to talk to me about this. Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! "Courage is not just the strength to go on, but to go on without strength" AMEN :)

I got this one on a message board. I'll go ahead and post my answere here.

Did you know that because of this trial you may never have to wonder if you are a Christian ever again. Think about it. - You are not acting as an unbeliever. An unbeliever would not care to about sinning as you do. Remember this trial.

I have better news though. Ready? (drum-roll) God made you weak! Isn't it marvelous! What you are feeling is your weakness responding to the temptaion. You will always feel that pull. There is nothing wrong with being tempted and there is nothing wrong with being weak! Here is a scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:5 "Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God" But wait....

I have better news even still. Are you sitting down. God has given you everything that you need for life and godliness. Here is a verse: 2 Peter 1:3 "seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence." Did you know that Christ lives in you and He is not afraid of temptation? He has fulfilled the law. All of God was in Him and He now lives in you! Col 1:19 "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in Him," verse 27 "... the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." You have a hope of glory! It is Christ in you! But you will never beat temptation in your own strength. Let me show you a more excellent way!

If I asked you how you are responding to the temptaion. you would say "How do you think I am responding? I say NO! No, I must not do this!" But did you know that this lonely life of you against temptaion is exactly what God saved you from. You were a slave to sin becasue Christ did not live in you before. Now, your hope of glory is not yourself anymore. You are not alone. You can rest and stop saying "NO" to temptation. You have already lost the battle when you rely on your self. Try saying "YES" to Jesus instead. It takes more that courage. It takes faith. Can you rely on God enough to let Him overcome the temptation in you? Is He reliable? Read for yourself : James 4:7 "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."

You have been "resisting the devil", but have you been submitting? That is my advise. From someone who has been there, Christ will have to win this battle. He is the commander let Him live through you.

READ THIS UNTIL YOU UNDERSTAND IT!
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."

Where have I erred?

06.13.04 (12:22 pm) [edit]

Where have I erred?

The Christ is in the creation, but not of it. When the being of God penetrated the envelope/membrane of the creation, then rather then mingle with the creation the membrane is stretched around the being of God so that thet creation forms around Him ... and this is the Son - begotton of the Father. The same Being/Spirit of which created this cosmos and the heavens, is truely beyond the cosmos, except that of which penetrates the cosmos and is wrapped by it, called the "Son." The Son was born of a virgin and dwelt among us within a human temple for 33 years. Within the man we call Jesus is that Being/Spirit that created all. He is the Christ - the only begotton of the Father.

But to us He is the VINE ... and we can be braches grafted into Him. So, there is an umbilical cord that connects the Eternal Life of God with the Son, and that Son can attach Himself unto others like braches being grafted into a vine. We (the grafted braches) are part of the divine organism that is the body of Christ, and His life-sap or "Blood" is flowing into us making us alive and positiing to us all of the divine attributes. Where we once were "dead" or detached from this Eternal Life of the Spirit/Being of God, we are now "alive" as His blood is flowing through us. Indeed we have Eternal life.

So the picture is one of God, the Father - beyond the cosmos - then below (but attached) is the Son, whose Spirit flows constantly into Him as God among us - the advent of God into the cosmos - Jesus. Below Jesus are the Seeds of the Kingdom who, are grafted into Him and are nourished by the same Life that is beyond the cosmos and comes to the cosmos through the Son. This is the Spirit of God - the Holy Spirit that quickens us, and quickens the Son - but belongs with the Father.

We are attached to the Christ, not to the Father. The Christ is attached to the Father, so we share in the ministry of the life giving Spirit of God.

On the last day, all that is holy will be revealed by the Fire. And all that is unholy will perish. The Fire will reveal all things and that which is ETERNAL will remain, and this Life that is within us will travel to the Source to be ONE with God the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit - in perfect unity. This Holy Spirit that is within us is a long way from Home and it calls out for a return. We belong in the City of God - the uncreated realm of God's being ... and in the consumation of all things - this is where we will be found - just as this was before the world began.

" in my head but not my heart ... I just feel like quitting!"

06.13.04 (12:11 pm) [edit]

On occation, one of the questions that I am asked is permitted to be reposted for the benefit of others.
The following question and answer are one of those occations

Question:
I first became a christian when I was 16 (12 years ago) and then I was baptised at 21 and then when I was 22 I turned my back on God big time! Last July I made a recommittment to God, I gave my life back to him. Since then I have been really struggling. My question is How can I make my personal relationship with God become a reality? Its like I have it in my head but not my heart and at the moment I just feel like quitting! Help!

Well, Here is how I answered it. I think that God really used me. For the words that I spoke to her, are still speaking to me.

Please read it.

_____--

I know what you mean by feeling like quitting. I have been there and I know what you are going through. After coming to the end of myself, I have one bit of advise for you: I strongly recommend that you do yourself a favor and GIVE UP. QUIT. SURRENDER. EMPTY YOURSELF.

If you are at the end of your religious rope, THEN grease it! Let go!

Now before you think that I am steering you wrong, let me explain what I mean. When the Christian life is characterized by struggle, then something is desperately wrong. The Christian life is victorious life in which Jesus Christ empowers and fulfills you. When you taste of Him “you will thirst no more!” As He saturates your heart with joy and peace insomuch as it spills over to others around you giving glory to God and joy unspeakable, then you will know true meaning and purpose and fulfillment in your Christian walk. However, there are many obstacles that the enemy will use to prevent you and others from finding out the Real Living Water. The number one obstacle is a slight perversion of the Gospel. It may seem right, but something is missing. You may feel guilty and frustrated that you cannot be acceptable because your end of the bargain is compromised by your weaknesses. Sound familiar?

I live in Texas and there is a true story about a farmer in west Texas who made a fortune in oil. However, most of his life was lived in destitute poverty. Mr. Bates (I think was his name) was a pig rancher. He couldn’t make ends meet and struggled to survive. One day an investor asked if Mr. Bates would allow him to drill for oil on his ranch. At a very shallow depth, the largest oil reservoir in America was discovered under Mr. Bates ranch! He was rich all along, but he did not know it. When the oil was discovered, he realized all of the wealth that was his for all of the years that he was struggling.

Guess what? He quit farming pigs.

This story mirrors many other people who for years struggled to make the Christian life work. In my case (as well as theirs), God was frustrating my enjoyment of pig farming because He wanted me to search for something deeper. He wanted to introduce me to the fullness of life and the limitless resource of spiritual blessing. He wanted me to KNOW that He loves me.

His love was a key ingredient. During my years of wandering in the wasteland of religious practice, I knew nothing of God’s love. My warped understanding of devotion was pushing understanding of His love further and further away. I thought that I could influence God’s love for me. If I jumped through the hoops that my church put before me, then I thought that God would favorably appraise my acts of devotion and reward me by making His love evident in my life. Conversely, I also thought that if I failed in any way, God would be disappointed in me and find that my weaknesses would prove to make me unworthy of His love.

the best kept secret in modern Christianity is that God’s love for us is never based on us! It is based on Him! We cannot extinguish His love nor can we inspire or manipulate it. He loves us, because He IS love. “God is love.”

For the longest time, I thought that I had to be lovely. Get it? It was based on me. I was pig farming. Would God be doing me any favors if He rewarded pig farming? No, He loves you and me too much to encourage SECOND best. He wants OUR HIGHEST good, not some cheap imitation. His love for me during those lean years was to never let me see His love as something that I could inspire by my own acts of devotion. Only when I gave up on all of those mirages of merit, did I come face to face with God’s wonderful and unconditional love.

Maybe the love thing is key for you too. If so, I think that I can help. I would love to share more with you about what the Bible has to say about God’s love and encourage you with some resources from ministries devoted to helping burned-out Christians. I want you to find the treasure that you have in Christ! This will happen as you loose faith in what doesn’t work and determine for yourself that you don’t want the pig ranch anymore.

"...there is no god that would let that happen."

06.12.04 (8:08 am) [edit]

On occation, one of the questions that I am asked is permitted to be reposted for the benefit of others.
The following question and answer are one of those occations

BEGINNING O QUESTON_____________
I've heard that you can do no wrong in God's eyes. That he loves you no matter what. I've never understood that. If I always have god's love, Why cant i do what i want? or can I? Why are the things that i want to do the most always so looked down upon by the church?
Mostly i live my life doing things i like to do. I dont really worry about if its right or wrong. I figure if i wanna do it then its gotta be ok atleast for me.
I want to know the mind of god. Is that so wrong? When people die young i want to know why. When some thing really #### happens for no reason, I want to know why god did that OR i want to believe there is no god that would let that happen. Does he really have a some master plan? If so why cant i know what it is?

ok i jump around a bit. Please let me know what your thoughts are. Thanks.

END O QUESTION______________

Here is what I wrote to him.

-----------------------10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Actually, this is only true from a certain point of view. Let me try to explain.

Consider this truth: "We can do nothing right in God's eyes." This is also true from a certain point of view. Think about that. It may be hard to imagine that both could be true from certain points of view, but the Bible agrees with both statements.

First, lets look into the statement that I brought up: "We can do nothing right in God's eyes." ***NAME***, we were intended to present a representation or image of God in this world. That is our design. Our creator wanted to make a creature in His image; so that, if anything observed us behave then they would observe what God is like by what we do and do not do. Man (Adam) was to rely on God to abidingly instruct him on HOW to live, so that God was the origin of His own image and the dynamic of His own demands. So, Adam could not reflect God's image with out God. We were designed to be reliant on Him.

An illustration of this is the moon. The moon has no light of it's own. The moon reflects the glory of the sun. Man was designed to reflect or bear (not produce) God's glory. But we cannot do this by ourselves any more than the moon can produce light by itself.

Another illustration of this would be a light bulb. The light bulb glorifies electricity by design. It brings an image to the invisible force of electricity. That is what we are designed to do. But, what would happen if the bulb were disconnected from the electricity? Would it cease to function? Yes! The creature that God created (man) has ceased to function as designed. Like dirt that interrupts the flow of electricity to the bulb, SIN has interrupted our reliance upon God to fulfill our function.

You might remember what happened to Adam in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve decided to reject their design and fell for the lie that they could be like God all by themselves and they would not have to rely on God to function. This would be like the moon saying that it could shine as bright as the sun or the bulb saying that it could glow without electricity. Impossible.

So the statement that we can do nothing RIGHT is true from if viewed as us doing it with out dependence upon God. Jesus tried to explain this to people. However, they did not understand how the moon worked anymore than they understood how a light bulb works. He used a different illustration:

John 15 "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me YOU CAN DO NOTHING. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

The most comprehensive definition of sin is "falling short of God's glory." However, it doesn't matter how noble or otherwise commendable or pious our attempt to not sin is, all we can do is sin. All we can do by ourselves is nothing. All that the moon can do by itself is fail to glorify the sun. All the bulb can do apart from the electricity is fail to glorify the power. All that a branch can do apart from abiding in the vine is whither. Without a vital abiding relationship with God, NO MAN will ever know how to live as the creator intended. They will never function and will always seek for meaning and purpose in life because there is none without God.

Now lets look again at your statement: "I've heard that you can do no wrong in God's eyes."

This is true too from a certain vantage point. God has taken away the sin of the world. It is not that the sin was "OK." It was due to the fact that we could do nothing to rid ourselves of it. Even our best efforts still fell short of God's image. So God fixed that particular problem. He came in the flesh without sin to eliminate all of the world's sins all at once for all eternity. All of your sins all of mine were taken away 2000 years ago as Jesus Christ sacrificially laid down His life for us to do away with sin. Hebrews 9 "But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself."

So now that all of your sins God has promised to remember no more, what could you do that would be wrong in God's eyes? NOTHING. Why? Because, your sins are behind the back of God and they are separated from you as far as the east is from the west if you are willing to believe your reconciliation. If you stand before God to be judged by what you did on Earth, He will judge you according to that. If on the other hand you appropriate through faith that the Gospel is the only means to be out of the wrath of God and to be restored to functionality by Christ indwelling your heart teaching you how to abide and rely upon Him, THEN you will have a new birth into a new life that God will not ever judge. Never will you have to worry about how God perceives your actions because neither of you will ever have a need to bring it up. He won't keep record of your wrongs and you will never tell God that you are good enough on your own to be judged by your actions. You will then stand in the imparted righteousness of God through Jesus living in you and you will know that you are AS acceptable to God as Jesus Christ Himself!! I hope that you choose to stand in His righteousness and not your own. I hope you taste and see that the Lord is GOOD. And that the deep abiding relationship with a living God can restore your life and give you meaning a purpose. He can give you a peace that passes all understanding so that when the same "####" things happen to you, your response will be different. You will be at peace and know that God belongs to you and you belong to God. You will know that He will supply everything that you need for life and godliness. You will never be alone again.

1 John 4 "In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.

I know that you think that you can do anything that you want right now. But, let me ask you if you can love your enemies? Can you seek their highest good without out worrying about revenge? When you have Jesus living inside of you could seek revenge on your enemies. That wouldn't shock me. But, it is the miracle of regeneration that truly frees you to do anything that you want to do. That is right, you will be able to say "no" to ungodliness. That is impossible for you to do now. Christianity is not coming under rules of do's and don't do's. Christianity is Jesus living inside of you and showing you life more abundant. Life in Him. He can empower you do the miraculous things such as love your enemies and turning your other cheek. You will be so fulfilled inside as you fulfill you function as the Creator designed that you will never want any other life.

I want you to really do what you want to do. But Christianity is the only way. Until, you let Jesus live inside of you and make Him lord of you life. You will be a slave. You will not be able to even know what you want to do; you will be a slave to sin. You will have no ability to fulfill you design as a vessel of God's love.

I want you to know that He can fill you up with his love so that you thirst no more. Rivers of living water can overflow your soul and even quench those around you. Until then, you will never be able to "do what you want."

_________END O ANSWER_____

"Why does God love us? We are imperfect..."

06.10.04 (8:50 am) [edit]

On occation, one of the questions that I am asked is permitted to be reposted for the benefit of others.
The following question and answer are one of those occations

Subject:
Question -
Why does God love us? We are imperfect so why does a perfect love love a
mortal man?
END O QUESTION***
I just got this one the other day. How would you answer it?

HERE IS WHAT I WROTE
God's love is not like our love. The highest human love is a selfish love to aquire the object of our affection. It is the result of our appreciation for something that qualifies as lovely to us. It is generated by the object and how lovely the object of our love seems to us
at the time.

In order for me to love in the human way, something must first be lovely to me. For me to continue to love it, it must remain lovely to me. God's love is not like this at all. He loves based on [Who He is] not based on [who we are]. *let that soak in* God IS love. His love is not based on who we are. God IS love. His love is based on Who He is. The closest that we can get to that kind of love is the love that a mother has for a baby. Does the mother quit loving a baby, if it cries, or if it messes it's diaper, or if it pulls mommy's hair? No, the baby can not make the mother stop loving it. But, even that is a mere shadow of God's love. Take a mother's love and multiply it by 10000000 times and you might get
close to God's love for us. Here is a verse about that:

Isaiah 49:15 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!

some parts deleted---------------

Do not settle for less than knowing God's love for you. Let God love you.