What is your attitude toward serving God?

Should we be truly humble….yes. Should we be servants….yes. Is our life to be His alone? YES!!

This is something which most of the world would call crazy. Why would you give your life, daily to someone who is dead! Well, He isn’t dead! That is the point, really. All of the other so-called “gods” are dead. Buddha, Krishna, Mohammad, they have been dead for hundreds of years. Jesus is alive and sitting at the right of God the Father and always has been. We are His creation. Not only us but the entire universe including all of the stars and galaxies and the plankton and bacteria.

Nothing “evolved” in our cosmos, it was all created with the “age” that it seems to have because that is the way God wanted it to be. He did not create Adam as a baby but as a grown man and He did the same with everything else. If He chose to do it now, He could. Science doesn’t believe this because it seems too simple to explain, but it is true because He said so in His word the Bible.

I have read accounts of so-called “carbon dating” of freshly cooled lava which showed an age of hundreds of thousands of years and sometimes more. Scientists would say it was due to the rock coming from the interior of the earth but I don’t buy into that.

Our lives and the life on this world was put here purposely by the will and word of God, nothing else. Evolution didn’t happen and has been proven, although many would deny it, to be impossible. It is statistically impossible for all of life on this planet to have evolved from a single-celled organism which grew from a pool of amino acids that just happened to come together to form protein molecules which then organized themselves into DNA. Even scientists know that life and death tends to go from complex to simple not the other way around. Things break down they don’t build up on their own. If that was the case I could take some eggs and flour and sugar and throw them into a blender and come out with a cake with decorations and candles on it.

Our service to God doesn’t happen all at once when we decide to follow Him. Our Spirit has to teach us something about Him and our service to Him and when we are mature enough, the service is a natural part of our being. It is not hard but it isn’t easy either. It is a process just like planting a field and it takes time. Nothing is ever gained by fast growth except a field full of weeds.

Good crops, like mature Christians, take time to grow, but you have to invest the time in Bible study, prayer, fasting, and more prayer. Living a true servant’s life to Christ and for Him is not the easiest way but it is the most rewarding. Part-time Christians are not what Christ wants. How would the gospel have been spread if Peter, James, John and Paul decided to work only on Wednesday’s or Sunday? They wouldn’t have gotten very far would they? The Good News of Jesus wouldn’t have been spread to most of the known world if they had been part-time servants.

Our lives, short though they may be in comparison to eternity, are given to us to serve Him while we are alive on earth. Even though we will serve Him for eternity He desires our service here in order to bring others to Him. We are called to go and tell and if we don’t we are not being faithful to our calling as Christians.

Ain't God Good!!

Our lives would not be worth much if it weren’t for Him and the grace that He gives us each day. He gives us the grace and strength to get up each morning, the air we breathe throughout the day, our minds and our health to serve Him in whatever job we have and the grace to know when we have messed up so we can confess it and leave it with Him.

God loves us all, not just the ones who serve Him willingly. He created every living being on this planet but he gave us humans the ability to know Him and that is very special. Our lives are special to Him because He created each of us and knew us before we were even born!

Our experiences in this life, good or bad, are our own doing. He doesn’t cause us to fail or stumble, we do. Even in our Christian walk with Him there are going to be days that are tougher to stay focused on Him and His purpose for us. Our enemy in this world is satanic in nature but it is everything that can draw us or our attention away from God.

Truly, that is a lot of STUFF!! But with His strength and guidance, as long as we persevere in our walk with Him daily, we can be overcomers and bring Jesus and His love to the world. Not in a “holier than thou” attitude, but by loving those who would otherwise not be loved or not see or feel loved. In 1 Corinthians it says that all the gifts in the world are useless if we don’t have love to back them up and that is the truth.

Ain’t God Good!!

Are you in dial-up mode or broadband?

In our society and our world almost everyone is connected somehow to the Internet. Whether it is by dial-up or broadband really doesn’t matter except when you are trying to do something on the Internet. If you have dial-up there is a LOT of waiting involved regardless of where you may live. If you have broadband, whether it is by cable, satellite, or DSL, as soon as the computer is turned on you are online.

Our life with Christ should be like broadband. As soon as you wake up in the morning, you should be in contact with Him. This connection should stay on all through your day so that you won’t miss His voice or wisdom when you may really need them. There are some who are in dial-up mode when it comes to their relationship with Christ and religion. They “dial-in and log on” with Him when they are in trouble or when they go to church. Then when the crisis is over or the service is over, they log off. Some log on daily but only for a few minutes and then log off again.

The dial-up Christian misses out on a lot that God and His Son have to say and on opportunities for witnessing that may come up during the day. If you were logged on and in touch with Him all day you would be able to respond when you meet someone who needs Him.

I confess, I have been reading a book by Dr. David Jeremiah called “Signs of Life”. His book did inspire me to write this post but God had touched my heart and mind while reading it. Our life and the lives of those we come in contact with would be blessed on a daily basis if we kept our line of communication open to Him all day, every day. He would bless us and the people we meet as well because our conduct would show that He was influencing our walk on a daily basis.

Give God your best, there is no telling what you will get in return! I guarantee it will be worth far more than you realize.

Faith, what is it? Does it work?

There are many in our country today who wonder at and ask these questions. Do you have an answer for them? In the book of James, he wrote that “Faith without works is dead”. This is one of the prevailing truths of the Christian faith but do we put it into practice today, in the 21st century?

Many would say that the church doesn’t do anything for their communities. Is this true in America? I do know of churches that help others in their community. Big churches and small churches, they all help in the way that they can. The church that came to life a few hundred years after our Lord’s resurrection did far more that we do. They did not rely on the government to help others, they did it. They took care of orphans, widows, those in need and others themselves, from what the church could do and from their own pockets!

The work that could be done by Christians today far exceeds what the early church could do but we don’t. Why? Are we waiting for someone else to do it? Are we waiting for permission? Jesus told his followers to go and do likewise meaning to do what He had been doing and more! So, why isn’t the church doing that today?

We give money to missions and to people who have lost their homes but what about the homeless, the sick who don’t have insurance, those who are less fortunate than us regardless of their circumstances? Our faith and belief in Jesus can save us individually but what about the work needed to get things done to show others our faith?

I have faith that a house can be built with the right tools and material. I also have faith that seeds planted will produce a garden and vegetables but if I don’t do anything, my faith will not produce those results on its own. The church is supposed to be the “body of Christ” in these times and yet if our faith doesn’t have works to go with it, no one will recognize us as any different from anyone else will they?

Just something to think about.

Father….Dad…Daddy, which one are you?

Those of us who grew up without a dad in our lives knew what we wanted from him. Even when we didn’t get it, the “it” was usually his love or approval of us in one way or another. The lives of those who had a father who was present in their lives were very different from ours. Sometimes for better and sometimes for worse depending on the type of father you had.

Jesus had a Daddy who was always with Him no matter where He was or what He was doing. That is why He called Him, “Abba, father”, which literally means Daddy.

Being a Daddy is one of the most rewarding and satisfying “jobs” you will ever have. Though it can be frustrating at times. In our relationship to our dads as well as the relationship between us and God, our Heavenly Father, we are rebellious. We are not truly able to be cooperative, no matter which father we are trying to please, at least not on our own. It just isn’t our nature to be that way.

Our job, as fathers, is to raise our children to know God and His Son. If you aren’t doing that, then you are not fulfilling your purpose. We are put here and gifted with children so that we can raise up the next generation to know God and His Son, Jesus. Though there are those who are teaching their children contrary to this. Christianity is the only way to get to Heaven and belief in and acceptance of Jesus is what makes us Christians.

You cannot buy your way or work your way into Heaven. You cannot do anything by yourself that will get you admitted into Heaven. You can easily go to hell, not by killing someone or by cheating on your spouse or on your taxes, just by ignoring God and leaving Jesus out of your life and the life of your family.  By doing this you have condemned yourself and possibly your family as well to an eternity in hell. This is scary stuff folks. Hell is not going to be a fun place and there will never be a time when you won’t be able to feel the heat. Once you are there, it is for eternity! There is no reprieve and no “Get out of jail” cards!

Be a true, strong, loving Dad or Daddy. Get on your knees and ask Jesus into your heart and then lead your children to Him as well. Our strength comes from the one we trust and who could possibly be stronger than God!!

I am not sure what to do with my life

There are many answers to this question although very few of them seem to be the right answer at the time. The answer that most people are looking for is one that is very subjective and dependent upon the individual.

If you are a teen this question is put to you by your parents, your school counselor and your teachers as well as your peers. Adults ask this question after they have been working for a while and seem to have hit a wall that their career won’t go over. Kids younger than thirteen ask it, but it is a very confusing question since they aren’t sure what they might be interested in later on.

For older adults who have retired, they usually are looking for something to relieve the boredom since they left the workplace. Is it possible for you to consider volunteering at a shelter or your local church? I know that volunteer work is not a very lucrative way to have meaning in your life but it would expose you to other people and possibilities. Being of service to someone or performing a service at a shelter or church is an unselfish way to open up to other people and their needs. Helping someone with their grocery shopping or with their computer may show you that you have gifts and talents in other areas.

Our life is hard enough when we don't have problems but when someone needs help and you can help it is very gratifying. Jesus was the ultimate helper and His example is one we should all follow. I know that we can't do it on our own without His help and strength but if you ask for the strength from Him to do what needs to be done, He will answer. There are many ways that we can be more like Him, but only if we let Him work through us. Won't you give that a try and ask Him into your life? Your life will be so much more with Him in your heart and you will be too!

It is just the way life is but how can we live it?

Today, with all of the violence, abuse of all kinds, wars, etc., it is truly miraculous that we can live our lives period. When we look at the television and the internet it seems that all of the news is bad, regardless of what channel you may be watching or where you live. But, there is hope for all of us.

The way to live it fully and completely can only be found in the Bible and by faithfully walking the Christian faith daily. I know that this is an unpopular topic these days, but listen and you may learn something. I was sleeping soundly when I was awakened with this message and was compelled to get up and share this with the world.

God’s wisdom, found in the Bible or the Talmud, is timeless and applies now just as much as it did when it was written. Some of the concepts from the Old Testament may be a bit dated, like slavery, but the whole Bible points to the end of the age which we are living in now. I don’t know how much longer this world has because Jesus said, “Only the Father knows when that time will come”. I don’t claim to be a prophet, just a messenger. I don’t and cannot predict anything, only God knows when things are going to happen because nothing takes Him by surprise.

The books that are supposed to be “self-help” books just re-package the wisdom found in the Bible. None of these so-called “gurus” came up with this on their own. The ideas and concepts have been with us for centuries and were handed down by those who read the Bible and put it to work in their lives. God’s wisdom is timeless and no amount of advertising or marketing is going to change the core of the beliefs that most of the world has heard they just didn’t know exactly where it came from.

Please, if you are reading this, pick up a Bible somewhere. Read it, especially the book of Romans in the New testament. It outlines the way to salvation and peace with God and eternal life with His Son, Jesus. Here is a link to an important part of this book, I hope you will read it and read more after that:  Romans 8

God loves all of us and does not want anyone to perish in the pits of Hell. That is why the Bible and its message have not gone away like the courts and may others would like for it to do. It is the Living Word of God and therefore timeless. When someone goes to Hell, they do so not because they are being punished by God but by the choice that they made during life by not accepting God’s free gift of salvation through Christ. Yes, salvation is a gift although some see it as a binding or a curse. It is neither of these! If you are to truly live the Christian faith, it is a daily and at first it can be an hourly walk with Him. Because our nature is sinful and we are prone to follow it because it feels good or because that is what all of our “friends” are doing. This life is temporary and only lasts for a small amount of time compared to eternity. Our souls and the bodies that we are given for eternity never die, regardless of where you go after your earthly body dies.

Give yourself the chance to live fully because only through faith in Jesus and the message brought through Him can you be saved. The things you do on earth, regardless of how good they may be, will never be good enough to get you into Heaven. Rejecting Christ and His message is all you have to do to go to Hell. Think about it! Before it is too late.