What Does "Holy" Mean?

For the last few days, I have been fascinated with the word "Holy".  What does it really mean?  The word can be translated as separated.   I have looked up the word and what different people say about it.  It means more than just being good or separated from the world.  To say that God is "holy" is similar to saying that God is great, powerful, merciful, just, wise, loving, ect.... 

I really feel like Holiness is even more.  I do not know what Holiness is or how it relates to my life in its completeness but I want to find out.  So for the next few days I am going to concentrate on what Holiness is.  I won't be writing post for a while.

If you have any ideas on holiness, please tell me.  This is a quest I need to fulfill.

Living Waters

"Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." John 7:38

Living water does not mean that it is some kind of creature.  Living water is flowing like a river or stream.  The Jews would baptize using living water and not a tank of water like we usually do.  That is why John the Baptist would baptize people in the Jordan River.

Living water is a source of life.  Fish thrive in rivers and streams because it is aerated and clean.  Stagnate water has little air and is a pool where parasites and diseases can thrive.  It literally becomes a pool of death.

You are a reservoir meant to contain the living water of God.  The living water must continually flow in you by the Word and Spirit of God.  If you were to stop the flow by not listening to God and reading His word, your reservoir of living water would quickly dry up and you would spiritually thirst to death.  You would be living a worldly life instead of one of blessings and life from God.

If you were to stop the outflow of the living waters in your life, the world around you would thirst to death.  You were meant to water the lives of those around you.  You are full of the Life of God.  It was never meant to be dammed up inside you.  You might be the only source of the life-giving water of God that your friends and loved ones ever see.

Only living water will satisfy the thirsty soul.

The Non-Prodigal Son

The story of the prodigal son tells of him taking his inheritance, squandering it in wild living, and returning to a loving father.  The elder son is seldom talked about in sermons, but he is key to your life.

You as a Christ redeemed, Bible-believing Christian who seeks to do God's will in your life are the elder son.  You have done the father's will and stayed true to His word.  Hopefully, unlike the elder son in the story, you have rejoiced when others come to or return to God.

One of the first things said of the elder son in Luke 15:11-12 is that the Father divided his property between the two sons.  Did you catch that?  It was not only the younger son who received his inheritance but the elder son as well.  One-third of the estate would have gone to the younger and two-thirds to the elder. 

Wisely the elder son honored his father and cared for the estate, but he never utilized it as he could have.  He could have killed the fatted calf and held a grand celebration with his friends because he was now rich.  The father, in Verse 31, said, "...everything I have is yours."  Everything! The son held in his power all that the father owned.

We have not possessed Heaven yet but we have inherited from the father great riches while still in this world.  There is great power within our reach.  When we pray, we are calling down the power of God to work in this world.  The power of God to heal.  The power of God to protect.  The power of God to comfort.  The power of God to provide.  The power of God to guide.  The power of God to do the miraculous in our lives.

The power of God who sits on the Royal Throne of the Universe has given you Heaven and the power of God who is enthroned in Heaven.  Soon you will claim Heaven but until then all the power of God is your inheritance now.

"And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." John 14:13-14

What to Say When You're Speechless.

I have been thinking and praying about what to post today but have not felt comfortable about anything until now.

Instead of telling people something of God, I want to tell you Lord about us.  We are a sinful and rebellious people who seek out comfort and the easy way of life.  We are selfish and prideful.  We are not worthy of you and your love.

Thank you for loving us anyway.  Thank you for giving us your son.  Thank you for all the blessings you give to us even when we forget to thank you for them.

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." Psalm 107:1

The Revolution

Throughout history, we admired the rebel who stood up to the corruption of an evil government.  We in the United States admire Geoge Washington and those who fought the war for independence from England.  The Scottish admire William Wallace's rebellion against England. And who can forget the slave Spartacus who led Roman Slaves in revolt against Rome?

There is a revolution in this world that covers the whole globe.  A revolt that permeates the very fabric of existence here on Earth.  This rebellion does not have noble leaders to admire.  It is the rebellion against God which started with Adam and Eve and continues to this day.

Christians are not rebels against the world. Just because there are much fewer Bible-believing Christians than there are non-Christians, does not mean we are the force rebelling against the evil of the world.  Christians are the loyal subjects of the eternal King of the Universe.  The world is rebelling against God, not the Christian against the World.

When a person commits a sin, Christian or not, they are committing rebellion against the King.  Every sinful act is an act of treason and punishable by death.  It does not matter how small or big we think a sin is, it is still rebellion and treason.

Are you a rebel?  Do you think a little white lie, a small piece of gossip or stealing that pen from work is too small to matter?  God takes our treasonous actions serious.  Shouldn't we?

"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft..." 1 Samuel 15:23a

No Faith in Heaven

If you stop to think about it there are a lot of things that you can do right now which you will never do in Heaven.  One is that you will never be able to live by faith in Heaven.  In Heaven, you will know God face to face. 

In Heaven, you will not be able to stand up against Satan, the world and those who oppose God.  You will never be able to choose to stand with God against the forces of evil.  You can never again bless God by turning your back on sin and self.  On Earth, you have the privilege and honor of telling the lost about salvation being found only in Jesus Christ.  In Heaven, you will never again experience the joy of praying with someone to accept Jesus as savior.

There are no needs in Heaven.  You will never have to trust God for your next meal, enough money for rent, or for anything at all.  You will not have the privilege of reaching out to those in need.  There are no charities in Heaven.  You will not be able to sacrifice anything of yourself to help meet the needs of others.

Heaven has nothing more to overcome.  There is nothing more to be victorious over because the victories are all won.  The place, for all those things, is here on earth, at this time and this time only.  Earth can be painful and hard.  There is much evil here and suffering, but this is where you have the awesome ability to express your faith.

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

Photo Credit: Faith by Art4TheGlryOfGod by Sharon

A Fool for Christ

One of the titles the world has given to Christians is "fool".  From the view point of the world we seem to be crazy, delusional people who will believe the most idiotic things imaginable.  To us it is rational but to them our beliefs are totally irrational.  Do these 12 things sound sensible?

1. Creation took six days and not billions of years.

2. Death began throughout all of the universe because a man and woman ate a fruit.

3. God became a man.

4. A loving God kills whole nations.

5. Jesus was killed, rose from the dead and lives now in Heaven.

6. By simply repenting and accepting Jesus as Savior anyone can go go Heaven.

7. Jesus is coming back to rule for 1000 years.

8. The Bible is inerrant.

9. The sun stood still so a battle could be waged.

10. Moses divided the Red Sea.

11. Jesus walked on water.

12. Jesus fed thousands with a few fish and loaves of bread.

Believing those things are actually true seems crazy to the world.  Believing that prophecies in the Bible are taking place today is also seen as crazy.

Am I crazy simply because I believe and trust in God and what He says?  If that is a fool then may I be the worse of fools. 

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18

Photo Credit: Easter_EmptyTomb by Donut_Diva

The Brink of War

I don't watch the news on TV but I do read the Newspaper. Very little is said about what is happening in the Middle East.  What is happening is that war is almost inevitable and the United States is in the Middle of it.  With the gassing of people in Syria by Assad, the United States is almost forced to strike back at the Syrian regime.  I won't go into details (you will have to do some research yourself or trust me) but Russia says it will defend its allies even to the point of using nuclear weapons.  Russia is backing Assad in Syria, as well as an alliance between Russia, Turkey, and Iran.

That alliance is in Syria and building up their military there.  They are eyeing Israel with covetous eyes.  Iran especially is setting up to attack Israel with plans to destroy it.  War is coming just as the Bible prophecied.

I fought in Viet Nam.  War is not glorious and should be shunned whenever possible.  It is death, destruction, and horror.  This Middle East war is going to be full of so much death that it will be a bloodbath.

In spite of knowing that, I am excited and not fearful.  I do believe that the Rapture will come very soon and this war is a sign of it being near, but that is not what excites me.  There will be great tribulation starting soon and it will be the fires of those trials which cause people throughout the world to seek God.  Sometimes you have to lose everything and be down in the lowest points of your life before you look up to find help from God.

Seeing the world today makes me sad.  People are so far from God and more people are walking away from Him everyday.  We are comfortable living in this sinful world and that is so sad.

The end is near.  Do not fear.  God is in control and will bring people to Himself so that they might know God and His love.  If you do not know Him, you need him now.  If you do know Him, you need to follow Jesus even closer.

"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed.  Such things must happen, but the end is still to come." Matthew 24:6

Get Rid of the Clutter From the Past

I just returned home from a five-day trip up to the Minneapolis area where my mother-in-law was moved from her apartment to assisted living.  It was great to see people up there but it is so nice to be home again.

It is amazing how much a small apartment can hold.  Books, pictures, souvenirs, pots, pans, magazines, clothes, lamps, and thousands of other things were all packed up and taken away.  The apartment was well cared for and not messy or cluttered, but there was still so much of it.

This got me thinking of the clutter in my life.  Oh, I do have clutter, especially on my computer desk, but I mean clutter in my spiritual life.  How many things from my past do I store away in my memory and bring out to view later?  Wrongs which were done to me by others as far back as elementary school I bring to memory and I still feel the pain.  I think of great successes I performed and bring to mind just to feel that pride again when I should be taking joy in successes of today.  Perhaps I need to get off my rear end and make those successes happen instead of glorying in the past?

Those things are all clutter.  Things which should not be brought out today but placed in the past and left there.  Today is a new day where God will lead and victories will be won.  Past victories, defeats, and pains are to be given over to God and not used to control us today.

"... But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13b-14

Why Would a Loving God Kill a Whole Nation?

Most people can not understand why God, who the Bible says is love, would command a nation of people to be killed.  Not just the soldiers, but every man, woman, and child were to be put to death.  It seems counter to what any caring and loving person would do.

In 1 Samuel 15, God orders Saul to kill all the Amalekites.  Every man, woman, child, and baby were to die. Even the animals were to be put to death.  Saul disobeyed God. You might think that Saul was more loving than God was, but that is not true.  God had ordered the death of the Amalekites because of His love for Israel.

God did love the Amalekites, but He also knew their hearts and what the future held if they were to live.  God looks not only at what is happening now but also what the results of today's actions will bring tomorrow.

Because of Saul's disobedience to kill every Amalekite, the people of Israel suffered.  A wicked man named Haman devised a plot to kill all the Jews in the Persian Empire.  Haman was an Amalekite. He didn't succeed because God used Queen Esther and her uncle Mordecai to stop Haman's plot.

God is the Great Physician not only of our bodies but of our lives.  When a Doctor finds a cancer it must be removed before it affects the rest of the body.  The Amalekites had a heart that was godless and dark.  Israel tried to befriend them, but their hatred for Israel brought them to war against Israel. God knew that this Amalekite cancer would only get worse.  Just as a Doctor would never want to remove an arm from a patient, God did not want to kill all the Amalekites.  But just as a Doctor does remove a cancerous arm before the cancer spreads and kills the patient; God ordered the Amalekites removed.

God never wants to cause pain in the world or in our lives, but because He knows what the future holds in this world, He does bring pain in order to save us.  We can not judge what God does because we can not see what He sees.  We can only trust Him and His love for us that it will all works out for good.

How to Find the Secrets of the Bible

Yes, there are hidden secrets in the Scriptures.  Many things of God are deeper and harder to find than just the surface information we read in the bible. So how do we find those deeper secrets?  It is very simple once you learn the key, but one truth that we must always keep in mind is that the Bible will never contradict itself.

God sent a tutor, the Holy Spirit, who will help you to find more and more, deeper and deeper truths of the Scriptures.  The Holy Spirit is the only one who can help you.  On your own, you might find some of those deeper secrets but without the Holy Spirit, the truth of them and the complete understanding will be lost to you.

How do you get the Holy Spirit to help you with finding and understanding Scripture?  God reveals Himself more to those who humbly seek Him and His Word.  The Christian who realizes that all he has is God's, the believer who puts all his trust in God, the one who gives all glory to God and not themselves is the person that God will entrust with deeper truths.

You read a section of the Bible and find a truth of God.  Later you read that same section and find even more.  Years later and having read that same section of scripture a hundred times, you can still find more of the truths of God.  This is because of the Holy Spirit revealing it to you.  1 Corinthians 2:10-16

God wants you to find out more of the hidden truths of God, but it requires you to die to self and trust God more.  It is in humility that we will find the heart of God.

"He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way." Psalm 25:9

The Most Important Chapter in the Bible

First let me say that every book, every chapter, every verse, word, and letter are important and integral to the Scriptures.  There is one chapter that I believe everything is founded upon and without it, the rest of Scripture would be weakened and much more easily warped by Satan and those who follow him.

Genesis chapter one is so important for the Christian to understand and believe.  Satan is constantly trying to tear this chapter apart and diminish the work of God.  Evolution is a Satanic tool to undermine God.  If Satan can get the world to question this one Chapter, then people will question all that follows.  If God was not telling the truth about creation, then what else is God lying about?

Throughout the Bible, the word "day" is translated as a 24 hour day, but some say that creation is an exception.  All of a sudden people translate that word as meaning eons.  No!  God is able and did create the world in six literal days.

Some say that God created everything using evolution.  Than God lied when he said that death entered the world when man sinned. Romans 5:12  Millions of years with no death would have put Adam and Eve in a world where animals completely covered the world several stories deep.  People accept evolution because they never search for the truth, but dismiss creation without even investigating it.  Many also know the fallacies of evolution but because they do not want to accept that there is a God, they allow their hearts and minds to be hardened.

Genesis 1 is key to all of Scripture.  This is where everything springs forth from.  This is where God reveals Himself and His work.  All the Bible events and people are founded on this chapter.  Read it. Believe it. Live it.

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correction and training in righteousness." 2 Timothy 3:16

Do you think a different chapter is more important? Do you disagree with what I said?  Leave a comment.  I would love to hear from you.

It is All About Jesus

It is all about Jesus.  Hmm.  What is "it"?  I have come to the conclusion that "it" is everything.  It has taken me many years to come to this conclusion, but I don't think there is anything in all of existence that is untouched by Jesus and his life.

The Bible is about Jesus from the very beginning because nothing was created without him. Even the animal skins used to cloth Adam and Eve represent the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to cover our sins. And it ends with Jesus saving the world from destruction and ruling for a thousand years before a new Heaven and a new Earth are created.

Your life is about Jesus.  You exist so that Jesus can bless you with salvation, spiritual gifts and care for you while in this world.  You also exist so that Jesus can guide you in telling others about salvation found in Jesus and to worship and glorify him.  You exist so that Jesus can love you and so you can love him. 

Everything in the world you see exists to be a part of God's Plan in this world.  In some way, everything fits into God's plan to bring people to Christ and to bless His people.  Many times something may be used for evil, but God will use that event for His purpose.

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."  Romans 8:28

Mystery Solved! Who Killed Jesus?

Did the Jews Kill Jesus?

After Jesus was arrested he was put on trial at night (illegally) where false witness was brought against him.  When the High Priest demanded under oath, by the living God, to say if he was the Messiah, Jesus told the truth and for it was declared a blasphemer.  They hit him, slapped him and spat upon him. Because Jesus told them who he was, they wanted him dead, but they no longer had that power.  They had to get the Romans to kill Jesus for them.

Did the Roman's Kill Jesus?

The Jews brought Jesus before Pilate charging Jesus with saying he was the King of the Jews.  That would have been a treasonous act since only Rome could declare who the King of the Jews would be.  Pilate found Jesus innocent but the Jews demanded that Pilate crucify Jesus saying, "His blood be on us and our Children."

Pilate had Jesus scourged 39 times which ripped the skin off his back down to the bone.  He was beaten, slapped, spat on, ridiculed, hit with reeds, and a crown of thorns placed on his head.  He then had to carry his cross to the execution point but was too weak from the abuse he had taken and collapsed on the way.  The Roman's hammered nails into his hands and feet, and hung him on a cross.  He hung there naked in the sun for hours before he died.  To make sure he was dead a soldier thrust a spear into his side.

Jesus said that neither the Jews nor the Romans killed him.   "No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.  I have the authority to lay it down and the authority to take it up again.  This command I received from my Father." John 10:18

No one could have taken the life of Jesus unless he willed it so.  Why would he do such a thing?

I killed Jesus.

I am the one who was condemned him to death.  Jesus was innocent but I was guilty.  I rebelled against God.  My heart was filled with evil.  I am the one whose death sentence was justified.

Jesus took my place and died so that I might live.  It was for me he was tortured and killed.  If not for my sin, he would never have needed to die.  The blame is not to be given to the Jews or the Romans, but to me.

"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to being you to God.  He was put to death in the body but made alive in the spirit." 1 Peter 3:18

The Goodness of Man

I remember what I was like before I was saved.  I was a good man.  I didn't drink.  I didn't smoke. I didn't swear.  I was a very good person.  I admit I was not perfect, but overall I was far from evil.  I thought of myself as a good Christian man.

Today I am a born again, Bible-believing, Jesus freak Christian.  I read my Bible and spend time with Jesus every day.  I teach in Bible studies. I have led in prayer.  I have helped others find Christ as their personal savior. I have protested abortion.  I speak in tongues, comfort the hurting, give to the needy and try to always give glory to God.

What is strange is that today I see myself not as a good man but as someone whose heart is evil and in need of God.

Before I knew Christ I compared myself to others.  I saw where they had fallen short, but I didn't.  I was a better man then they were because I didn't swear, but they did.  I didn't steal, but they did.  It was easy to be better than most of the people I knew.

When I became a Christian I started to compare myself to Jesus Christ. No man knows how bad he is till he has come face to face with God.  I came face to face with the perfection and purity of God and found that my life was so far short of where God stood that I was actually evil in my actions and thoughts.  Maybe my life was better than others, but God does not compare me to others.  I am to be like Christ.  I am to be perfect and only Christ can make me the man of God I am supposed to be.

"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."  Philippians 1:6

Who are We?

We sit on a small planet spinning around one of the 200 billion stars in the Milky Way Galaxy.  Our Galaxy is one of an estimated 100 Billion Galaxies in the universe.  How insignificant are we humans who God created out of the dust.  Who are we compared to all the stars and planets in the Universe?

We members of this rebellious and sin riddled human race, are here today and gone tomorrow.  We are but a blip on the map of history and yet God does see us.  God knows your name.  God knows the number of hairs on your head.  God knows your every thought, your every word, your every pain and your every action.

God named every star that exist (Psalm 147:4) and he knows your name as well (John 10:3),  You are so important to God that He can not take His eyes off of you.  He created your inmost being.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made.  Planets, suns and galaxies are merely rocks and gas, but you were formed by the loving hands of God to be a unique and beautiful treasure of life. (Psalm 139)

We are who we are, and valued by God not because of anything we have done, but simply because of who God is.  God is Love.  Out of the love of God He has made you to be the apple of His eye.

Who are we?

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." 1 Peter 2:9

You are Like a Prophecy Being Fulfilled

Biblical prophecies are each created by God.  Every one of them unique and a mystery.  God's prophecies are precious and always with the intent of goodness. They come from the wisdom and love of God.  Many of these prophecies exist over hundreds and even thousands of years before the promise of them is fulfilled.

In the New Testament when a prophecy was fulfilled the Greek word "Plero'o" was used.  Plero'o is the word used for the filling of a cup.  So a prophecy is like an empty cup awaiting for the proper time for its plero'o; its filling.

Plero'o is also used in 2 Colossians 2:9-10  "For in Christ all the fullness (plero'o) of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness (plero'o). He is the head over every power and authority."

Your life is like a prophecy of God.  It, too, is unique and precious. With God's wise leading your life will bring about the goodness and love of God in this world. Your life in Christ is not empty, but filled with the Holy Spirit.  Before a person accepts Jesus as savior, they are empty, waiting to be filled.  People try other ways to fill their life's cup, but only God can plero'o it.

For thousands of years this world has waited for you!  At the proper time you came into this world to fulfill your life's mission.  Only you can fill your roll properly and completely.  You are a precious part of God's plan for the world.   You help to bring about the plero'o of God's work in this world.

The Destruction of Damascus

In Isaiah 17:1-3 God prophecies that Damascus will be no longer a city, but a heap of ruins where no one lives anymore.

Today Damascus, the oldest city in the world, still exists even though Syria is one big and confusing battleground.  Much of the city is in ruins but people still live there amidst the fighting.  Iran, Turkey, and Russia have troops in Syria and many of their weapons are pointed towards Israel.

The latest on Damascus comes out of Russia who says that "US Attack on Damascus is Imminent!"  Could this be true or could this be a hoax?  I don't know.  I think Russia might nuke Damascus and blame the US for the attack, but only God knows at this point what will happen.

If the US gets blamed for the destruction of Damascus that would put America in a bind.  International politics would probably cause the US to stay out of any military action in the Middle East so as to lessen the world's condemnation of the USA.

There is only one sure thing we can know.  God is in control.  Never fear the events of the world.  God has it all in hand.  Trust God and keep your eyes open for Jesus's coming.  The end times are not at the door any longer; we are living them.

For more on the US attack on Damascus click Here

God is not Man

Humanity has a tendency to make God in man's image.  Look at the Greek, the Roman, and the Norse gods and you will see mere humans living in the clouds, with all their faults, but with great powers.  Power does not make a god. 

Even today people foist humanity upon God.   Even we Christians think that God is like us.  We try to paint God with humanity so that we can identify with Him better.  We try to lower God to our level.

Lowering God to our level is the easy way to relate to God.  We want God to love us, so we make God accepting of our sins.  We want God to be peaceful and nice, so we make God weak and malleable.  We want a God who will make us comfortable and looked up to by others, so we make a God who is more concerned with material and social gains than spiritual ones.

Why do we settle on such a whimpy God?  Because we are too lazy to know the real God.  Because we want a God who lets us do what we want to do.  Because we want to be our own God.

We must never try to lower God to our level, but raise ourselves up to God instead.  We are to study the Scriptures because they tell us about Him. We are to live a life that reflects the nature of God and His righteousness. We are to tell others about Jesus Christ and the salvation he bought for us with his own life because it is in God's nature to sacrifice for others.  It is the nature of God which we must strive to learn and to emulate.

God is not a man, nor does He think like a man.  He knows man.  He knows the weaknesses and faults of man, but God's nature is nothing like ours.  His nature is what makes Him God. A nature that is foreign to fallen man.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9
 

5 Tips for Dating Jesus

At this present time, you are dating Jesus.  You are his betrothed.  He is the bridegroom who will soon come and take you, his bride, away to the wedding feast.  Until then you are to get to know Jesus and fall in love with him.  Just as there are some dos and don'ts in dating others in your life, there are some dos and don'ts for dating Jesus.

1. Don't meet Jesus in just one location.
    The church should not be the only place you meet with Jesus.  How would your date here on earth  feel if you only took them to church but never anywhere else.

2. Meet with him more than once a week.
    It is hard to learn what someone is like when you only see them once a week.  Jesus wants to be  with you all the time so you can learn more of who he is.

3. Be yourself.
    Jesus does not want to only see your smiles.  He wants to be with you during the good times but also in the bad.  It is the hard times of life that we truly learn what a person is like.  No matter what you might think about yourself, Jesus will stay with you to comfort and help you.

4. Talk.
    Talking is essential in your relationship with Jesus.  He wants to hear what you are thinking about.  He wants to share your burdens and your joys.  Talk with him about the concerns you have and never be afraid to ask him for help.  There is nothing too small or too large for him to lovingly help you with.

5. Do not be ashamed of Jesus
   Take Jesus with you everywhere and never be ashamed to be seen with him.  Strangers, friends and family, whether they like him or not, need to come second.  Jesus needs to be the love of your life and soon you, the bride of Christ, will be with him forever.  How would you feel if your fiance never wanted to be seen with you?

Rivka's Wedding Day

Rivka sat up in her chair and leaned towards the window.  The darkness of the night hid the person outside but his voice came to her clearly.  "The Bridegroom comes!  The Bridegroom comes!"

She sat there stunned.  Just over a year ago she was betrothed to Nathan the weaver.  How could that year be over so quickly? She wasn't ready.  She looked forward to being married to Nathan.  He was a good man who was kind and generous.  He was a godly man and gave to the poor and needed. But she was not ready for him now.

Rivka's sister rushed into the room squealing  "Aaaaah!  Rivka! Rivka! He is coming!  He said he would be coming soon.  He told us it would be at this season when the apple trees were budding and he kept his promise.  He is coming.  I will go gather your bridesmaids.  You get dressed."

Rivka sat there in shock as she saw her sister run out the door and into the streets to find Rivka's friends.  What was she to do?  She still had not finished the sleeves on her wedding dress and had not even started to make her vail.  Her hope chest was maybe half full of the things she would need at her new home.  She had kept putting off buying the jewelry for her wedding day.  The simple brass necklace with a ball hanging from it was the only jewelry she had and it just would not do.

Jesus is our Bridegroom.  The signs which he told us to watch for are here today.  Any day now Jesus will be coming and we do not want to be a Rivka.  How embarrassing it would be for us if Jesus comes to take his Bride and we are not ready.

"So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."  Matthew 24:44

Photo disclaimer:  The picture is of my daughter Dawn  She is not a Rivka.  She was very ready for her wedding day.  I just used her picture because I think she makes a beautiful bride.

The Greatest Moment of My Life

I look back on my life and see some pretty low points and some joyously high peaks.  The greatest moments of my past would have to include my marriage and life with my wife Kathy, the birth of my three daughters and of course accepting Jesus as my savior.

The greatest moment of my life though is yet to come.  That is the day I come face to face with God.  I am sure I will be trembling in awe of Him.  I will fall down on my face and probably just stay that way for a long, long time.

God, the all mighty.  God, the all knowing.  God, the awesome.  I can only imagine what my eyes will see and I am sure it will be far more fearful than that.  To be before the most powerful force in all existence, a person who could wipe me out with a single word or gesture.  God!

But I think what will amaze me the most is not His awesome power, but His love.  I would shun all safety so I could be in the presence of the awesome and fearful God because He is the most loving being in existence.  A love for me that is greater than my fears.

I truly feel homesick for Heaven.  I feel such a desire to be living with my God.  God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are my greatest desire, and seeing them I am sure will be my greatest moment in life.

"My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When shall I come and appear before God?" Psalm 42:2

What Does Amen Mean?

The Hebrew word for faith is Emunah.  The root of this word is Emun which means truth, solid, sure, support.  Faith is a surety of what is not seen being true and solid.  Emunah also means steadfast, established, and stable.  The more faith you have, the more established and stable the object of your faith becomes in your life.   When you have faith in God, He becomes stronger and more established in your life.

Another word that comes from the same root word is amen.  It sounds like emun or emunah.  To say amen is to say "That is true."  "Yes, I have faith in that."  Faith is to say amen to God. It is to say amen to God's salvation. Amen to His love. Amen to the reality of God.

Saying Amen is to say, "My whole being, my heart and my soul stand steadfast in the knowledge that what God says is true.  I stand on His word which is a solid rock that shall never fail me.  Here I stand, I can not do otherwise."

The Saddest Death

Mortal life is nonexistent.  I am sorry to burst the bubbles of people who think that they will live a few years on this earth, die and that is the end.  You do not have a mortal life.  No one has a mortal life and no one ever did.

It is true that your life on earth is temporary, but your life does not end once your body dies.  Your body is mortal but your life is immortal.  Even if you go to eternal judgement, your life will continue on forever.  

Eternal life is not just for Christians.  Everyone gets to live forever.  The problem is that those who never accepted Jesus as Savior will live in eternal torment; cut off from God.

The Bible talks about our bodies being mortal but not our lives.  It is sad that people look upon this world as the only place they will ever live.  This world will end but they shall not.

"He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might." 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9

The saddest event in history is not the crucifixion of  Christ, but the death of an unbeliever.

The Cursed Crown of Christ

A crown is placed on the head of the person who is to rule.  It symbolizes how the weight of the kingdom now rests upon his head.  He is the one who now has the authority over those who the crown represents.

Jesus was crowned with a crown of thorns.  Thorns are the result of the sin committed in the Garden of Eden.  The thorns represent the curse of sin.  No man in all of history has had authority over sin. Sin has wrecked havoc over the entire human race, until Jesus came.  Jesus wore the crown of thorns which was placed on his head to mock him, but instead Jesus wore that crown of suffering and death as a true king.

Jesus does have authority over the curse of sin.  He is the King over injustice. He is the King over suffering and death.  Jesus Christ is the King over all sin.

The Cursed Crown of Christ has become the Blessed Crown of Life.

Photo Credit: Crown of Thorns by Doug1021

OMG

You hear the phrase "OMG!" or "Oh my God!" all the time.  Even many Christians use it and perhaps you use it as well.  I am not trying to lay a guilt trip on you, but I don't think people who use that phrase really think about what they are saying.

Exodus 20:7 says "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."

The key to understanding this verse is found in the word "vain."  The Hebrew word for vain is shawv. Shawv meant destructive evil, to ruin morally, vain, lying, false and uselessness.  It is an interesting word.  Cursing someone such as "God damn you!" would definitely be classified as evil and destructive.  It is also very vain to think that you can command God to cast someone into eternal torment. Using God's name to swear falsely or to lie something like "I swear to God!" is assuming that you have the right to swear on God, or have Him as your witness.

OMG falls under the heading of uselessness.  Saying "Jesus!" or "Jesus Christ!" also is using the name of God uselessly.  God's name is more than just some words.  Have you noticed that names have a meaning?  A person's name represents not just the person, but the essence of that person.  My name is David which means beloved. Most people don't think of the meaning of my name, but to me it says that I am God's beloved.  It has helped to remind me of my place with God and I have striven to please the one who loves me so.  It has helped to make me who I am today.

There are rules on how to honor the American flag.  You do not let the flag touch the ground, or the floor. You stand up and take off your hat when it passes by.  You honor the flag because it represents the United States of America.  We are to honor the name of God just like that.  Just as you would never use the American flag as a rug to walk on, you don't walk all over the name of God with useless or vile words.

Would you dishonor your loved one's name? This blog is about mysteries and the mystery here is: "Why do we dishonor the name of our God?"

Photo Credit: no cartoon swearing by AdsitAdventures

You are a Poem of God

I am terrible at writing poetry.  A poem flows smoothly, with rhythm and structure. It can bring laughter or tears.  A poem can make you think deeply or help you to just enjoy life.   It expresses emotions from the heart and can be a beautiful masterpiece of the spirit.

Do you know about the Poem of God?  In Ephesians 2:10 the word workmanship is the Greek word Poihma.  Poihma is where we get the word Poem.  So Ephesians 2:10 then would read. "So we are His poem,..."

You are a poem of God.  He is the author of your life.  He is creating you as a poem filled with love, peace, goodness, and His Spirit. As you let God write your poem, it enhances the flow with His Spirit in all that you are. Your heart will then beat with His heart.  You are the Poem of God. You are a masterpiece of God.

Nearsighted Christianity

Christians need to be aware of the needs of people here and now.  The neighbor who lost a loved one.  The man sleeping on the streets.  The poor who have little food for their family.  These are all people who we are to support and encourage, but let's not be nearsighted and only take care of what people need today.

We need to be farsighted in our Christian life; looking at the future of every person and not just their present needs.  What does everyone need in the eternal future?  Jesus Christ.

We do need to take care of the widows and the orphans.  The poor and the sick need to be a priority to the Christians, but never leave it there.  Your actions are of Christ but so must your words be of Christ.  Have you told those you help that it is because of the love of Christ that you are there? Have you helped to prepare them for the eternity that is their future?

Helping those in need in this world is good.  Helping them find Christ and eternal life is infinitely greater.

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."  Colossians 3:17

The Later Rain Mystery

In Israel they have two rainy seasons.  The former rains which comes just after summer, and the latter rains which occur just before spring planting.  These rains are essential to life in Israel.  Without the rains the land of Israel would be a dry desert where nothing could live.

In the book of Joel, God promises to send both the former rain and the latter rain, but He also promises to send His Spirit to His people and on those who serve Him.  There was a spiritual rain which was poured out in Acts 2 at Pentecost.  Jewish believers and people from all over the known world were blessed by this former rain of the spirit, which brought life and strength to those who followed Christ.

The latter rain is promised to come at the last days.  The pouring out of the Spirit will bring life and strength to serve God.  It will embolden believers to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, just as it did the first time.  And just as it started in Israel and spread throughout the world, I believe it will do so again.  144,000 Jewish evangelist are prophesied in Revelation to preach Christ and the world will hear from them and others who come to Christ.  Israel is where God does His greatest works.

Does this mean we are to wait for the out pouring of the spirit today?  Heaven forbid! We are to seek out The Spirit every moment of our lives.  We do not need a great revival of thousands in order to have a revival of our own heart.  Stop seeking the movement of God in a great revival and seek the movement of God in your own heart.

How to Know Your Love for God

Love and sacrifice go together like Paris and the Eiffel Tower.  When you find love for someone you will also find sacrifice for that person.  You will never find love without the willingness to sacrifice.  "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son...." John 3:16a
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us..." 1 John 3:16a
"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." John 15:13

Do you want to know how much you love God?  Make a list of what you sacrifice for God.  When you make the list do not confuse who you are truly sacrificing for.  People do good things that seem to be for God but they actually are sacrificing so that they get the credit.  They teach the Bible so others look up to them.  They give money and goods so that they appear to be gracious to others. You could even sacrifice your life but with the intent of becoming a martyr that others look up to. 

When you sacrifice to God it is a humble sacrifice with no intent on gaining glory or benefit for yourself.  Do you sacrifice time to be with the Lord every day?  Do you tithe to the lord?  Do you go beyond 10% to offer help to God's work or to meet the needs of others?  Do you put God's commands before your own desires?

Humble sacrifice is the fruit of love for God and others.

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship." Romans 12:1

An Oily Name

The Song of Solomon is about a bride and a groom, but it is also about God and us.  Jesus is the groom and his church is the bride.  In the Song of Solomon the bride says "You name is oil poured forth."

Oil had multiple uses including healing, cooking, cosmetics and many other things.  It was beautiful, soothing and had a sweet fragrance.  Oil was an essential part of everyday living.

When the bride says his name is oil, she is saying that she loves him so much that even his name is beautiful.  His name brings joy and healing to her heart.  His name soothes and comforts her.  His very name is a sweet fragrance to her ears.

There is one whose name is linked to oil.  The title Christ comes from the Greek translation of the word Mashiach or Messiah. The title Messiah comes from the word Mashiach which means the Anointed One.  When someone was chosen by God for a holy task such as a priest or king, they would be anointed with oil.   The name we call Jesus is Jesus the anointed one.

Jesus is our beloved.  His name is oil poured forth. We are to love him so completely that even his name is a beautiful fragrance which lingers in our hearts.  The name of Jesus soothes and comforts us. His name should be a essential part of our everyday living.

Our Footstool World

Isaiah 66:1 says that God's throne is in Heaven and the Earth is His Footstool.  Why would the Earth be God's footstool?  It seems like a strange thing to say.  One thing we can be sure is that God never says something nonsensical.

The throne is where the weight of God resides.  The word for weight in the Hebrew is Kavode. Kovode also means glory. So Heaven is where the weight and glory of God is found.  The earth could not contain the glory of God. The Earth is where you will find the footprints of God.

We live in a footstool world where only the imprint of God and His work is found.  Christians also are imprints of the work of God. and His glory is not found completely in the life of a saved person. The weight and glory of God can only be found complete and full in Heaven.  That is where a true believer will be complete.

Until that day we are to lightly rest our feet on our footstool world.  We can not sit here relying on the world to hold us.  We must follow the example of God and rest fully in the heavenlies and not in this world.

Photo Credit: More evidence of the carnage but look! Footstool! Yah! by Nikki Hunt 

Who is Baal?

In the Bible, Israel keeps running away from God and turning to worship Baal instead.  They would sacrifice to Baal so that Baal would not bring earthquakes, droughts and other means  of destruction upon them.  They feared Baal so much that they even sacrificed their Children to him.

Baal had many names and one of them was Baal Zevuv.  The name Baal means "Lord" and Zevuv means "Flies".  So Baal Zevuv is "Lord of the Flies".  The Greek translation of the name is the more well known name for Baal Zevuv.  Beelzebub!

Beelzebub is a name for Satan himself. The leaders of the law, in Mark 3:2, accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons.  The Devil has many mask and Baal is just one of them.

The Baal of Germany was Nazism.  The Baal of Russia was communism.  Both Nazism and Communism killed millions of people as a sacrifice to their God, the government.  Baal can be a government, but it can be anything which we put before God.

Who is your Baal?  Baal Money?  Baal Job?  Baal Fashion?  Baal Popularity? Anything outside of Jesus Christ which you are putting first in your service to God is your Baal.

"Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."  James 4:7

The Mystery of the Wilderness

Has your life ever seemed barren, hard and forbidding as if you were walking through one of life's wilderness experiences?

The Hebrew word for wilderness is called midbar and comes from the root word davar.  Davar means to speak. When you see people in the Bible out in the wilderness many times it is where God calls them so He can speak to them.  Moses was in  the midbar when the burning bush spoke to him. Elijah heard the still small voice while out in the midbar.  The children of Israel where out in the midbar when they received God's law.

There are few distractions in the wilderness; rock, sand, a few shrubs and you. This is where God brings us so that we might hear His voice.  This is not a time to despise and find distractions to fill your life with, but a time to listen to God's voice.  Draw near to God.  Open your heart to hear what He has to tell you.  Seek to hear what He has to say and God will speak to you.

This is where you will find the Holy Ground of God's presence.  This is where God will call out your name and tell you what is on His heart.  The midbar of life is where God draws you away to so that you can experience the heart of God for your life.

Photo Credit: Sunrise over the Negev desert in Eruz, Israel by JSW186

I'm Tired of Living in this World of Evil

I am so sick of living in a world of selfish pride and evil.  A world where good is evil and evil is good.  I love Jesus Christ and because of my devotion to Him, I am hated by the world.  If I were to say that Islam is a religion of death and evil, (which it is) people would get up in arms.  Say that in a college and the students will protest you and try to get you kicked out. But if someone wants to say anything about Christianity being evil, they are welcomed with cheering and approval.

Jesus said this would be the case for all those who follow Him, because they hated Him and so they will hate us.  I understand that and it will not deter me from doing what I believe the Lord desires of me, but I still get tired of it.

I am not the judge of this world.  God is the rightful judge and He is the one who says that Homosexuality is evil.  He also says that sex outside of marriage is wrong, taking His name in vain is wrong (OMG for example), sex as entertainment in movies and TV (No I am not talking about Porn sites but your regular shows.), drug addiction including caffeine,  gluttony and greed are all against what God has decreed in Scripture.

I am as guilty as the next person in some of these.  The world is drowning in more and more evil every day.  You would have to be locked up in solitary confinement with no outside influence in order to not be affected by all the temptations in the world.

Life is like walking through a land mine and I am tired of this war.  I am tired of seeing people suffering in the world because of sin.  I am tired of people dying in their sins.  I am tired of seeing the truth of God being presented to the nonbelievers of Christ and ignored.

Sometimes I just feel down because there are so many lives being lost.  It can be depressing knowing that they will be spending eternity in The Lake of Fire.  I thank the lord that in spite of the works of the world, I will not give up.  I will not surrender.  I will still tell of the Love of Jesus Christ.

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
Psalm 73:26

God Fulfills His Promises at Exactly the Right Time

From ancient times the Jewish synagogues would read a scheduled portion of the prophets every Sabbath. This is called the Haftorah and every synagogue reads the same scripture as all the others. Do you think God might have a hand in what scripture is read on what days?  Of course He does.

May 15,1948, when Israel was resurrected into a nation, was a Sabbath and the Haftorah for that day was Amos 9:11-15.

Part of that scripture reads:"I will restore David's fallen shelter- I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins- and will rebuild it as it use to be,...They will rebuild the ruined cites and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,"

Coincidence?  Not with God.  On the day He fulfilled the prophecy in Amos, He had every synagogue in the world reading that very prophecy.

Photo credit: Torah by Lawrie Cate

The Grave of Hope

The grave is a forbidding place full of sorrow and hopelessness.  It is one of the most depressing places on earth where despair and pain are found in abundance.  This is where families are eternally torn apart.  The grave is a site for tears, heartache and helplessness.

But, there is one grave in all of history that is the exact opposite.  It brings hope to the hopeless, joy to the sorrowful, and healing to all who acknowledge it.  This is the one grave where tears are wiped away, heartache becomes joy and helplessness becomes hope.

The grave of Jesus Christ is where you find life instead of death.  The grave of Jesus is not the end, but the beginning.  This is not where life ends, but where eternal life begins.  This is a grave for our old lives of hopelessness to lay buried forever, and where our new lives are born to live with love, hope and the blessings of God every day.

How to be a Jonah

Jonah was a Jewish prophet called to preach to the people of Nineveh.  What you need to understand is that Nineveh was hated by the Jews because of their cruelty and wickedness.  The Ninevites would carry home from war pieces of their enemies bodies as souvenirs. They would skin people alive and think nothing of it.   Jonah feared the Assyrians and wanted nothing to do with their sadistic empire. He was delighted that God would destroy them in forty short days.

He also knew that God was a God of mercy, and if the people of Nineveh should repent then God would relent and let them live.  He couldn't take the chance of them repenting so Jonah ran.  God had called Jonah and Jonah purposely disobeyed.  A big fish swallowed Jonah, and Jonah suddenly decides he would love to go visit Nineveh.

Jonah told the people in Nineveh that God was going to destroy them and, much to his dismay, they listened and repented.  Jonah got mad because thousands of lives were spared instead of having God destroy them.

It is easy to be a Jonah and many of us do a great job at being a Jonah.  Christians are to show God's love, but we think it is fine to be happy at the death of a murderer, terrorist, pedophile  or anyone who does something we consider evil.  We want those people to die, face God's judgment and go to Hell.

God wants everyone to repent of their wicked ways and follow Him.  Does that mean capital punishment is wrong?  No.  Capital punishment is the result of actions we have done in this life. What God desires is for us to be more concerned about the souls of men than judgment.  We are to look past the evil actions people do and out of love, reach out and bring them to God.  There is no sin so terrible that God is not greater.  His mercy can cover any and all sin.

Is there an enemy in your life that you are hoping meets face to face with God someday and get thrown into eternal damnation?  God's hope is that you will help bring your enemy to live forever in Heaven with God

Photo Credit: Jonah watches Nineveh under the booth by Evans E

Your Special Name for God

God has many names.  YHWH is the only proper name for God and is translated as LORD in English Bibles. But He also has names which show His attributes such as:

Adonai means "Lord" and is used in place of YHWH
El Shaddai means "God Almighty"
Yahweh-Jireh means "The LORD will provide."
Yahweh-Rapha means "The LORD who heals."
El-Olam means "Everlasting God"
Yahweh-Tsidkenu means "The LORD our righteousness"

But there are special names for God that speak of His relationships with people.

The God of Abraham
The God of Israel
The God of Moses
The God of Joseph

Each name talks about the same God but a totally different relationship which only God and that person knows all about.  The relationship between God and Abraham was a close friendship which we can never understand.

I have a special name for God.  The God of David.  He is my God.  He understands me better than anyone else.  He has blessed me in ways no one else could ever understand.  How I feel about God and how He feels about me is only known by the two of us.

You have a special name for God.  The God of (your name).  He is your God.  The two of you have a relationship with each other that even the closest person in your life could never completely understand.  This is the name of God that only you can use with complete understanding.

"The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.  He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing."  Zephaniah 3:17

Mystery of the Temple Doors

If you have read the story of the crucifixion of Jesus, you know that the curtain dividing the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies  was torn from top to bottom.  This was a very thick, strong curtain and yet at Christ death, it tore on its own.  Of course it was God who tore it to show the separation between  man and God no longer existed, because Jesus had reconciled them.

Did you know that the curtain being wrent in two was not the only miracle.  For the next 40 years, every night, until the destruction of the temple, the temple doors would open on their own.  It is recorded in the Jewish Talmud at Yoma 39. 

There were two barriers to the Holy of Holies, where God sat, and man.  One was the curtain and the other was the two temple doors.  Every night after Jesus was crucified those two doors would swing open as if inviting all people to enter the presence of God.

Why would the Jewish leaders report such a thing happening when they were so hostile towards Jesus and his followers?  By recording such an event in the Talmud they are being a witness for Jesus and the importance of his death.  They do not mention Jesus of course, but the timing is too great to ignore. 

Even the enemies of Christ bear witness of him.  God opens doors with His power that man meant to be closed.  Even the door of hearts firmly shut to the gospel can be opened by his power.

Photo Credit: Gold Door by annie