The Struggles of a Christian 2: My Christian Life, #2

His-story. Learn from it

God has put several things on my heart to read and study lately. The latest of these is: 3¶The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? 4Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.

If I did not tell you whom these verses were concerning, you could almost say it was

America today. However, it was Obadiah talking of Edom. It is truly amazing how things never change. Even then people were people. It is amazing how many of the Old Testament prophets paint a picture of things that could be said of today's world. Obadiah is a book of 1 chapter, 21 verses. A short book but a necessary one. It is an eye opener. I could not help but see today's world as I read through it. I do not know why God has laid these things on me, but truly it is quite Beneficial and ,at the same time, sorrowful to read the prophets. Perhaps the greatest benefit is the history, yet the greatest sorrow is that we have not learned from this history. Now while we have revivals, meetings, And things of God still going strong here in America, we have lost our national voice. We have given up our place of leadership and have allowed ourselves to be marginalized. There is plenty of Good News in America on the underside but looking at the topside will depress you if you let it:

Gender identity? Bathroom usage now a debatable thing? Perverts running rampant in the open. Violence. Earthquakes. Famine. All these things will depress a true christian mainly because sin grieves us. Pain, death grieves us as we worry about the lost. As we worry about the state of our nation's collective soul. There is Good News, God is still on the throne. There are people who still love God and work for Him. His Spirit is still at work. His Word is still preached.

But we must read and learn from History, His-story. For the sake of 10 righteous men Sodom and Gomorrah would have been saved. Yet they could not find 10.

Read the prophets. Learn from history. Before we become history.

So why?

Sometimes thoughts hit me at weird times. Last night out of the blue the law of grace and the law of Moses was bumping around in my head.

Now of course I have asked myself many times why did God wait so long to send Christ, why did we need so much to happen first? God's timetable isn't ours, I know this yet never understood it. He is God after all trying to figure Him out is impossible for us. Now saying these cliché answers doesn't really cut it for me. I need reasons, I need facts, data. We (humans) sinned in the Garden of Eden. We brought about the curse, even in Paradise we were unable to curb the sin inherent in us. God knew this so why did He create us knowing good and well the cost it would be to Him? God had a plan before He made us. So why? God is not given to naivete, or ignorance He knew what was coming. So why? God knew Lucifer would try to overthrow and subvert Him. So why? God then gave us the Law of Moses, a standard to measure ourselves against knowing we would not be able to reach it. So why? We as men then subverted the law and made it even harder than God intended. We (the religious sect) then used it as a tool to further our own power, our own control. We have taken everything He has given and we have perverted, twisted, added to, and taken away from it. We have truly been a disappointment of epic proportions. So why? We (the church) have made men saints, something, someone to look to, to pray to instead of looking to God. We have taken the instrument used to deliver us a savior (Mary the mother of Jesus) and made her the focus. We have taken our need for a tangible, seeable, touchable god and have ignored the big G. We have taken Him and what He has done for us for granted.

We throughout history have grumbled, murmured and complained about God when it was us forgetting Him that caused our troubles. So why? Knowing we would fail, knowing we would reject His Son, knowing the pain and travail of the future why would He still go ahead and make us? What was the point? Perhaps we can liken it to our own relationship with children. We know it won't go well, there will be pain and suffering as we raise them. We teach them right and wrong. We teach them (in most cases) to do good. Yet they still go astray, they still make bad choices. I love my kids (Jeff, Jess, Jarrett) with a love that is fierce and overprotective. Knowing they have flaws, knowing they will make mistakes. I laid down the law for them - what to do, how to do it, to achieve a good life yet they do not always listen. I would die for them if need be to save them pain, suffering. God has done the exact same thing. Yet not only has He done it, He has put it into writing for us to see and learn of Him experientially. Perhaps the strangest part of this isn't knowing why He did what He did but knowing our own love for those beings we (with God) brought to life why we can't accept Him in the same way. We in our finite capabilities love and sacrifice for our kids, can God do any less? I think not. We call God Father and He is just that the Father of all creation. The one who gave us life, who gave us purpose. We may have perverted that purpose. We may have made bad choices. We may have caused the distress. Yet He loves us. Do you remember the times your kids looked at you and smiled and for absolutely no reason you were happy with them and the joy they bring? God looks at us the same way, knowing the few times of joy, the few successes we would have, the few moments of happiness, of fellowship. God gave us life, we messed it up. God gave us the Law we messed that up. God has died for us, taken our pain, and we have messed that up. The single greatest love is the love of a parent. Only a parent can love that selflessly, that generously, and never look for payback, Or have an angle. God gave us the law to teach us that we are unable to stand on our own. That we could never reach His standards. Just as my children will never reach my level of maturity, or wisdom until they are my age and have gone through all they must. So it is with God. He has tried to keep us from the pain of bad choices, sin. Yet we do so anyway. The real question then is - why? Why would He continue loving us knowing full well we are a mess? The simplest answer is - As I love my kids no matter what, So too will God always love us. If you dwell on these thoughts, these processes of thinking it will surely bring to life the Love of the Father and the answers to why. We have a simple picture of God's love for us in our love for our kids. Yet His love is far greater, far deeper. That is why. He loved us. Looking at your kids (or any kids) as they grow the absolute joy in a child's smile, the joy when you teach them, and they learn and grow. The pain when they mess up, when they think someone is cooler than their dad or mom. The joy when they do good out of love, the pain when they think they don't need you. All this fully explains why. All this tells me what God intended and why. God is awesome in His power and wisdom. He has given us all the answers if we just look. This is why.

Victimology and Christ

Last night at work a man and wife came in of course we were talking, the conversation turned to victims and the society we live in.

He said the true victims were those that didn't know Christ. Of course I took a harder line as usual. Creation cries out about our Creator, the Bible, the Law, history all speak to God. Victims are those who are terrorized, robbed, shot etc. NOT those who through their own choices end up where they are. Abraham told the rich man in Hell that Moses and the Law spoke to them.

A true victim is not one who sees and knows but ignores or rejects that salvation freely offered to them.

The history and witness of Christ is evident throughout the world. The facts point to Him, the evidence decries those that fail to believe. Christ is revered and taught by ALL. No other figure in History has so influenced so many facets of culture False religions acknowledge Him, and His place in history. Though they deny His deity, and His virgin birth, and try to marginalize Him. I have posted a link below that gives secular historian accounts of Christ. One speaks of the sun going dark during a full moon, just as the bible says on Christ's day of crucifixion.

http://www.agapebiblestudy.com/documents/Historical%20evidence%20on%20the%20ex histance%20of%20Jesus.htm

What is truly intriguing is that we have accounts (yes plural) of Christ, His actions, and His life yet today some claim He didn't exist or do what is said of Him and they use modern thinking to justify their thoughts. As if we can just dismiss history because we don't want to believe it. Yet we have one witness of Socrates and no one disputes his existence or history. We have 4 historically accurate accounts of Christ. They state His name, His accusers, Pontius Pilate, and Herod. All real historical figures.

I have said repeatedly and will reiterate here - choice. That is the heart of the matter. Christ is very God. Look for Him. Search for Him. He is not far. Truth will testify. He is Truth.

There are no victims in the rejection of Christ. There are those who choose to believe and those who choose to reject Him.

That Moment When

I had an encounter and during it, I was kind of in a surreal state. Then after, in the thinking of it, I was thinking of that moment. The moment when I realized Christ is all the answer we need. That moment when - you realize the pleasure of sin is of no moment. That moment when - you realize that you can do nothing for you. All we strive to achieve, all the material things we gather, all the things we pursue.... That one thing or one person that will finally make us happy. That moment when - all is vanity, As Solomon says, you finally realize that 3000 years later he was right. Ecclesiastes 1:2-4KJV 2Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. 3What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? 4 One generation passeth away, and

another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

That moment when. Our lives are made of moments, split second decisions. Many times, we have epiphanies - moments of clarity that usually give some type of insight. Usually our opinions and thoughts are shaped by moments. The compilation of these moments makes us who we are, what we think etc. One moment, a life changer for such a very small amount of time. One moment - the blink of an eye. The time between death and Hell or death and heaven. It takes a moment to accept Christ. The thief on the cross didn't get baptized or attend seminary. He had a moment. Luke 23:42-43KJV 42And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. It takes a moment to reject Christ. Acts 26:28 KJV 28Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

It takes a moment. Is it that moment when for you? That moment when - you reject the call of the Spirit? That moment when - you turn your back, harden your heart and walk away?

That moment when - you finally realize that Christ is the only option. You open your heart to God, you surrender your life to Him and His purpose.

You will have that moment of reflection. That moment when - you have rejoicing or regret over that decision. You will have an epiphany one day, one that brings greater clarity, greater meaning than any day before it. Is this that moment when? The final moment you have? The last chance to reflect? The last chance to accept a salvation freely given, of no burden, but of great reward. That moment when?

Stop the signs of the times!

I am so sick of hearing of this portent of doom and that sign of Christ's return!

All the predictors are doing is hurting the cause of Christ. They are making us look stupid, fearful, and medieval. Christ is a message of hope and joy, not a doom-ology. Yes He will return, yes He will judge, but we do not, can not know when He will return. It may be the next moment or the next century or the next millennium. He Himself tells us no one knows the day or time of His return. We have mercury passing close Christ is coming back! We had 4 blood moons Christ is coming back! We have had some try to put a date to it, even the minutes and hour predicted, yet still Christ has not returned but has given mankind more time to turn to Him.

Matthew 24:42-44KJV 42 ¶Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

So we are told exactly when He will come, at a time we know not, nor expect it. Stop the sign soothsaying. Stop making us look like idiots. All you are doing when you prophesy these false statements is hurt the cause, give satan room to work, and harden men's hearts. Christ wants us to look for