Posts Tagged ‘heaven’

Mankind was Saved through Babel

Posted: January 25, 2015 in Heaven Bound
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WTBtower-of-babel2Some of you may have read the Old Testament before and remember the story of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11). To help you recall, this story comes right after the epic saga of Noah in Biblical sequence. What I have always found to be sad in this story is how in so few years after the flood, where we saw God destroy everyone and every thing because of evil everywhere on the earth (Genesis 6:5)… that here we see once again, the people of the earth essentially following the same path. When will they learn?

God had already promised to not destroy the earth again (Genesis 8:21) but when He comes down and sees what the people are doing and saying, I can only imagine what He was thinking, something like, “here we go again”. Possibly? But I would like to give you another perspective on this issue that I heard shared recently that I found enlightening.

All my life I just took this story at face value; In other words, God came down, saw these people full of themselves to the point that they decided to build a tower to Heaven. In their minds, they were working every day on this project and as it grew taller and taller, they hoped they would somehow meet God in the air? From our vantage point now, that idea seems extremely crazy but let’s go with it for a minute; In the meantime, God comes down, sees what they are doing and instead of wiping them out…again…He confuses them by changing their languages. In other words, one minute you can communicate with the guy next to you and the next minute he is speaking French. Very quickly after that happened, the people collected together in their language groups and then went off and settled elsewhere leaving the tower project unfinished.

I would like to submit the idea to you that on that day, when God confused them with different languages, He saved them from sure destruction. Think of this scenario this way:

  • These people were doing what THEY wanted to do and NOT what God wanted them to do…
  • By pursuing what they wanted to do, they excluded God.
  • Because their pursuit was for their own glory and NOT Gods, this is a quick ticket to a very bad place.

Guys, I share this with you because I know it is easy to get sidetracked along the way in our lives. The pursuit of what we want to do is a very powerful thing and can or will overwhelm us to the point of complete exclusion from God. That is exactly what these people from the tower began to say:

Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” Genesis 11:4

I am telling you that God saved mankind that day by confusing them with different languages. They were on their way to sure destruction with the intent inside their hearts…

I am telling you the very same thing today. If your existence is to make a name for yourself at the exclusion of God, you too are on the wrong road and I caution you right now to recognize this and refocus back on Christ.

Let me leave you with this verse in Proverbs:

Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:3

An easier way to look at this verse is simply this:

Commit your plans to God FIRST…and they will succeed…

 

Until next time Guys…

Heavenly Deposit…

Posted: December 27, 2014 in Heaven Bound
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I recently spent some time with an old work friend of mine who I hadn’t seen in a long time. At one point, we had worked together and saw each other every day for two years but once I left that company, not so much anymore. However I had the opportunity where we could have some dinner so I took advantage of the chance to get back together with him. As you can imagine, we talked about the usual work stuff and family stuff but somehow the topic bent toward winning the lottery of all things. To be clear, in my mind that topic is just wasted mental energy because the chances of winning are not worth spending the time thinking about what you would do with all that money. But as I sat there and listened to my friend talk, I realized he had taken this lottery-planning topic to a whole new level. Honestly, the amount of detail he had already planned out was utterly amazing. He knew where he would invest, who he would give money to, and how much. He knew what upgrades he would make to his home, where he would take his first vacation, how he would quit his job, and the list went on and on. He even worked out a plan to help his son pay off his student loans, buy his parents, brother and nephews new homes…and guys, I could keep going. I finally interrupted him and asked him why? Why would you invest so much of your time and brainpower on a topic that will never happen? He replied simply, “ah, but it could, and I want to be prepared”

“Prepared”, I thought. “Interesting concept.”

From your perspective, what does it take to be prepared for anything? Investing time, thought and effort towards something helps one be prepared…However Christ told us to prepare by storing up for ourselves, treasures in Heaven…in other words, preparation for eternity…not preparation for a fictitious event, or for that matter, anything else here on earth.

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust can consume, and where thieves can neither break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matt. 6:20-21

So what is a treasure in heaven? How can I have any connection with heaven while I am still here and living on this earth? Here is how I look at this; my friend was investing huge amounts of his time thinking about a fantasy event rather than thinking about how to make a difference now while he is here on earth. For example, how about spending more time with his kids, or his wife or both? What about focusing on or engaging with a particular subject that might make him better or even the people around him better? In my mind, all of these suggestions are treasures that are being stored in heaven for him. It’s like making a deposit in a bank or maybe better yet, it’s an investment in your eternal future.

Jesus said, “How will they know me? By how YOU love one another”

Pretty simple actually. If we take the time to be kind to someone, anyone…when you aren’t required to do so…YES… it helps them, but believe it or not, that is a treasure YOU have stored in heaven. What you do here on earth matters for your eternal future.

You see…everything we store up in heaven is safe…forever. There are not any malware or viruses that can wipe out your deposits in Heaven. Christ said this in the verse above, where neither moth nor rust can consume, and where thieves can neither break through nor steal.

NOTHING can destroy what you have stored there…It is safe for all eternity

My simple advice:

Lets just try to get out of our own way, focus on each other for a change, and watch what happens…

What I think you will find is a far happier group of family and friends because you aren’t 100% solely focused on you…or like my friend in the beginning of this post, who spent too much time planning for a fictitious event.

So as you begin to look and plan for this next year, 2015…my recommendation is to start making heavenly deposits sooner rather than later…

Honestly, your future depends on it…

 

Until next time Guys…

Letter to Kylie Wright, my daughter, who lives in Heaven…

Posted: June 20, 2014 in Father
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Today, June 21st, marks the anniversary of 10 years since you became a citizen of Heaven and yet there still isn’t one single day that goes by that I don’t think about you and who you would be today. I could tell you I miss you, but words can’t describe the gut wrenching feeling even now that I still feel.

It still hurts me so deep down inside but yet I am resolved to this feeling because I know I cannot change the past, only the future, and I can tell you that your Dad is a very different person now since you are gone. But I will not digress in this letter to you…I will stay the course and promise to hold fast to God because I know that in Him and through Him, I will see you again.

Kylie, I wanted to tell you that we finally moved from the home you grew up in and became the person we remember the most. Your mother and I agreed that it was finally time. Your older brother Jarrett, has moved out and become successful on his own now and although I don’t see him as much as I would like, I am thankful for the time I do have. But without him in that big house, it just felt different and frankly, it was time to move on.

But through that process of packing boxes and unpacking them in our new home, all those feelings of missing you came roaring back, many of which I had packed away, not planning on “feeling” them anymore….but they came in a giant wave and there you were, right back in the center of our lives again with your Mom and I trying desperately to control them and keep it together.

You see we found your pictures; your voice in video, your artwork, your backpack, your clothes…we found “You”, exactly the way “you” had left your things. I probably should say, “shame on us” for not moving your things out of your room sooner but in your case, we just never seemed to find the energy to take that challenge on…but when it’s time to move, well, it forced us to take that issue head on. I can tell you that it was not easy, but through the strength of family and friends, we overcame and I can see now that we are better because we worked hard not to wear that burden anymore.

Kylie, you would be very proud of both of your brothers. Your 12 years here truly impacted both of them positively. Jarrett has gone on to be a successful producer in a local prominent television studio. He is working to ultimately be the sports guy and if I know him, he will make it. When I see your little brother Kendrick, he reminds me of you. He has a crazy personality and enjoys being silly with all of us. He plays baseball and the piano just like you, and is very good at both. Sometimes he asks questions about you when he sees pictures of you holding him and I can’t tell you how much I enjoy talking about you to him.

It makes BOTH of us happy, even still…

You would be amazed at your Mom and what she has done since you left. She is a part of Umbrella Ministries that is instrumental in helping other mothers who have lost children in dealing with the grief and pain of child loss. In other words, she has taken her pain and worked it into a positive for someone else in the same circumstance…doesn’t that sound like something your mom would do?

By the way, if you’ve ever wondered why your Heavenly Father comes to you every single evening and gives you hugs and kisses, it because every night, your mom signs off every family prayer with that request of Him…

Sometimes I think about how you’re not being here changed the overall course of our lives. In other words, what decisions did your Mom and I make while in our state of grief that caused our life’s direction to change? Your mother and I look back and see very clearly now that we were not the same people after we lost you and logic says that when you make decisions in a different state of mind…well…you are going to get a different outcome…Only God knows how our lives would have gone with you still here but that wasn’t Gods plan. His plan was to take you and although I am not angry with Him, I will never understand the “why”?

Kylie, I never would have thought that I would ever be a Dad writing a letter to any deceased child, let alone my own…but yet, here I am 10 years past your death, still trying to get a grip on you not being here. To help clarify, I miss who you would have been and the chances I would have had to be your Daddy…even now when you would have been a grown woman.

Being a father of a girl, well, it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Being the father of you, well, frankly, was indescribable…it just ended far to soon. Because of that statement, I can easily say that I do not take time spent with family and friends for granted as I did. Now, I just soak it all in…

Kylie, it’s been 10 years since you left and my observations are we are all very different but yet, we are all still that same in some ways as our memories drift back to our time spent with you. I have said this all along and will continue to feel this way until I’m gone…

 I am better person having been your Daddy and although I still miss you desperately, my faith in God tells me I will see you again.

I will always love you Kylie…

Your Daddy

Can there be Power in Weakness…?

Posted: June 9, 2014 in Something to think about
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Most of you who read this blog are guys and so I am going to give you an all guys blog today. So here we go…

Guys like strength. We like war movies. We like Captain America movies. We like old-fashioned football when a running back breaks 10 tackles and scores the game winning touchdown. Strength is something we can identify with as a man. We find ourselves measuring each other up all the time. That pick up game of basketball against the new guy or when we see some huge muscle-bound guy in the gym…we are always looking at strength…and deep down inside, we like it.

I believe that is part of the reason WHY we do this is because we have always done it. Throughout centuries, countries have fought other countries by using their strength to overcome one another. Men have always done the same thing. When you pick the starting lineup on any team you are on, for any sport, you always take the strongest, or at least the ones you think give you the best chance to win…

Strength. If you are a guy well then it is as a part of you as the air you breathe.

So here is my question to you…if strength is who we are as a human race, then why didn’t Jesus Christ use it when He came to this earth? In fact, I submit to you that rather than use Power in Strength, He used exactly the opposite…He used Power in Weakness. Think about it. He didn’t come on a horse with a broad sword, he came as a baby, in a simple stable. He wasn’t victorious in a battle while here on earth like we would identify with, instead, He went to the cross and died.

What kind of strength is that? Is that something we can all rally behind on the battlefield…Power in Weakness? Again, I submit to you…yes…

As I have said to you before, God doesn’t think like us. His plans will always be different from anything we would come up with…Moreover, the Apostle Paul wrestled with this very same question when writing to the Corinthians in chapter 1:18-31 when he said,

Jews demand signs (miracles) and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified; a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

And then Paul goes onto say:

For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

 But the question is still why? Why would God choose to proliferate the gospel using Power in Weakness rather than Strength, something we can all identify with?

The answer lies with Paul and his “thorn in the flesh” issue. You see Paul pleaded with God to take away what many think was that he was partially blind on 3 separate occasions and each time he was told no. Finally Christ responded to him directly by saying:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Did you pick that up? Christ’s power is made PERFECT in our weakness…which is completely opposite of how we “humans” would have created things had we been involved. God’s plan all along was to create a relationship with us whereby we are reliant upon Him for our needs. His plan was never to use strength to overcome all odds and capture our salvation like we see in the movies. God simply says trust in me and I will take care of the rest.

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 Look guys, I get it. This blog does not have the climax that maybe you thought was coming…and honestly, I find myself identifying with strength still…but the point is, part of my journey in my walk with Him involves learning more about Him and why God uses power in weakness primarily when dealing with us.

Bottom line is this…

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” 1 Cor. 1:27-31

Brute strength will not get you to heaven…but a humble and pure heart before God is sure a great start…

Until next time guys…

 

 

Set Your Minds on Heaven and NOT on the things of Earth

Posted: March 30, 2014 in Heaven Bound
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Reality of Heaven

One of the hardest things any Christian must do is to try to block out all of the earthly distractions that we see around us and to focus on Christ and the things we “don’t see”. This very second, Satan continues to turn up the pressure on this world as we near what I believe are the “end times”. This means that we are constantly bombarded with things that are specific targets at your personal weak points. In other words, Satan knows what you struggle with and he will continue to give you even more to see. Guys, for those of you who struggle with pornography, drugs or alcohol…guess what? You will find yourself in circumstances with your addiction right in front of your face and you will be forced to make a choice.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3

I have spoken of this before because I believe it to be true. There is a war going on right now for your soul. Satan seeks to lure you by using what you can “see” because that is all he has to use against you. He will promise happiness and all the “whatever your weakness is insert here” that you can handle. It will sound great…she will look great but let me remind you that HE, SATAN…only possesses “temporary” anything. He has nothing permanent of value that he can attract you with…only what you can see…Remember that…

What I am suggesting as an alternative is simply a heavenly perspective. I am asking that you recognize that everything around you right now is only temporary. If you do not believe me, then I suggest you read Revelation 21:1-4 because this is where we are told about the New Heaven and the New Earth. Frankly, this is what you have to look forward to guys but you must seek Godly pursuits while here in earth. If your only desire is what you can take or what you can conquer, then I recommend you read Romans 1:18-25. God cannot be any clearer than this when he speaks through Paul in these verses. God hates wickedness…Even though you think you are wise and you may be “killing it” financially, it is only temporary…trust me, you cannot take it with you when you die…

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Here is the bottom line…a lot of us work hard to prepare for our eventual retirement so we can enjoy the last few years of our lives. We put away funds in order to live at the level we want to as seniors but the only problem with that thinking is what about your eternal retirement? Why not set your sights while you are here, living and breathing on earth, for your eternal future? Read this verse below:

Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

Again, I can’t be any clearer than this…seek Him first, set your sights on the things of Heaven, and God will bless you while you are here on earth. But the best news is still that He will provide you an eternal future like nothing your mind can possible imagine…

 

Until next time guys…

Adversity…

Posted: November 23, 2013 in Inspirational
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Adversity

Adversity….

We all face it…everyday…

It rises when we do each morning seeking to slow us down, or to knock us off our game. You see without maybe thinking about this, some of us like to get into a rhythm in our lives where we have a routine we follow each day which helps us know if we are efficient or not. For example, I know people who can tell what time it is each day by the task they are working on…seriously…

But when they hit a speed bump…an obstacle in their path…when they encounter adversity…everything; the routine and the rhythm all go out the window. Some of you practice fire management whereby you are dealing with the biggest fire at the moment…but let me remind you that the fires of the day and the problems you encounter all fall under the heading of adversity.

Adversity…I’m really not very fond of that word but I looked it up and found what the online dictionary said:

Adverse fortune or fate; a condition marked by misfortune, calamity, or distress:

A friend will show his or her true colors in times of adversity.

A condition marked by misfortune, calamity or distress…? When you put it that way it sounds terrible right?

So why does God allow adversity in our lives? Why can’t we simply face life without always having to deal with a problem or challenge? Wouldn’t life be far better if that were the case?

Let me easily tell you…definitively NO. Here is an example; When you find yourself in a scenario whereby you have to replace an employee because another one is leaving and you are faced with the choice of hiring a person with either experience or no experience…which one do you choose? This is a very easy question to answer right? You, like me, will pick the person with experience in order for the business to stay on track and not lose efficiency in training a new person etc. Well…Believe it or not, that is exactly how God feels too.

I have shared many times before about how this life, the one you and I are living right now, is preparation for eternity. It’s like a “dress rehearsal” before the main event. We get to live our lives, make mistakes, sin, figure out our problems, repent and do this all over again…time and time again.

My point is this; adversity brings us an opportunity to become battle-tested in this life. Are you going to fold your tents and go home at the first sign of trouble? Or are you going to simply say, “I have been here before with my God and WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER”. That is what adversity brings guys.

Let me remind you of the story of Joseph in the Old Testament back in Genesis. He faced unbelievable adversity (and I thought I had problems) he was sold into slavery by his brothers, was falsely imprisoned for years in Egypt, was in the palace and kicked out of the palace for more false accusations…he faced nothing but adversity…

But he never turned away from God…he stood strong, not really understanding why all of this was happening to him but knew that God was still his best option…and as the story goes, God had NOT forgotten him but rather was with him the entire time while he was in trouble. Eventually, Joseph became second in command of all of Egypt because he was faithful to God…If you have never read this story, look up Genesis, chapters 37-45…

On the surface, this may seem hard to understand, but please know that God wants you to be a faith tested Christian and to do that you must face problems in your life. Without adversity, how will you ever become spiritually tough? As I mentioned before, God prefers battle-tested people who have faced challenges head on and were successful because only then are you capable to really help someone.

The reality is what is God preparing you for? What you are facing right now that may seem too difficult is simply preparation for your next challenge. He is always honing and sharpening you.

My challenge to you today is to stay strong in the midst of this battle you are facing. Yes, it is adversity and it may be very painful. Look up to Heaven guys, just like the greatest warrior in the Bible Joshua did and remember those words that God spoke to him…

No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Joshua 1:5

Hang in there guys; we are all in this together…

Top 5 reasons You should Consider becoming a Christian

Posted: October 11, 2013 in Heaven Bound
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top-10-list1Lists. The top 10 “this” and the top 10 “that”…We are surrounded by them. Some of them are great information or funny and I might even find them compelling now and then…but in thinking about “lists” it got me thinking about something else. What if I could create a list that was more eternal in nature? Maybe I could create a list why I think you should consider making a free choice that would affect your personal forever? So that is what this list is about…Give it a read and maybe even give it some consideration…so here are my:

Top 5 reasons you should consider becoming a Christian

1. It’s free…and YOU get to make the choice…

In this day and age of self empowerment, freedom of choice, self-help and the “just do it” mentality…Christianity offers YOU, the individual, the ultimate Free choice of your personal lifetime…You get to choose where you would like to spend eternity.

2. Salvation is an amazing thing…it gains you eternal life.

As mentioned above, you make a very free choice and personal for salvation and that choice gains you citizenship inside a heavenly kingdom…unmatched and incomparable to anything mankind could ever imagine…

3. When everything around you fails…Jesus never does

News Flash: You are surrounded by failure. The washing machine fails, the car fails and even your spouse fails now and then. But what if I told you that one person will never fail you even in the worst of times? Would you consider listening to me? This is a very simple answer to a very tough question…Jesus Christ will NEVER fail you…

4. We are never alone…especially during the tough times

Loneliness is the worst feeling. It will suffocate you if you can’t control it…With Christ you are NEVER alone. We are promised that He will never leave us or forget us…When the going gets rough (and it will get rough), sometimes we find ourselves all alone, deserted…It is right then and there that Christ will meet you…He will NOT desert you because He is your anchor during your storm.

5. It doesn’t cost you your life…it just saves it.

Do you know where you are going when you die? I mean definitively? Not what you hope…but what you know…? Can you answer that question honestly to yourself? If you say yes to salvation you not only saved yourself from a painful existence here on earth, but also guaranteed a forever that can’t be compared to anything you could ever think of on your own…

So that is my top 5. Simple, but hopefully effective. I hope you will take a moment to look at your own future and determine for yourself if my simple list above might be worth examining closer…

Until next time guys…

Am I really Intolerant?

Posted: September 14, 2013 in Heaven Bound
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There is a word the media is using today that is beginning to drive me crazy. It is a word that we all know and have used throughout our lifetimes but in the last few years it has come to be known as the mantra for everyone who chosen, as I call it,  a life of gray. The word I am referring to is tolerance, and if you aren’t tolerant, then you aren’t a good person…or at least, that is what we are being led to believe.

I actually had this conversation recently with a coworker who called me intolerant when I had the audacity to say, “that is wrong” about the subject we were discussing. As I queried him further, I realized that right and wrong were NOT definitive in his life…they were simply guidelines. In other words, if someone came along saying they believed in Zombies, rather than tell this person how ludicrous believing in Zombies really is, he simply says OK…if that’s what you believe then I am tolerant of that fact. I know this may come across as harsh, but I don’t believe in Zombies and in my life, there is a very clear black and white line in this world that equates to wrong and right…there is absolutely no gray involved.

As a Christian friend, if I share the truth with you as a brother about your life as I see it…about how you are moving away from God and going in the wrong direction, is that is an intolerant viewpoint? Because according to this “tolerance” way of thinking…that is not “being loving” towards you.

In my opinion, this “tolerance mentality” began with people only wanting to believe certain sections of the Bible rather than taking it as a whole.  We don’t like the part about judgment, or sin, and condemnation because some of it uses very strong language and frankly, it makes us uncomfortable…But we do like the part about love…only rather than the type of love Jesus refers to when He says “Greater love hath no man than he lay down his life for another”, we change that version of love into what we believe about God…not that God is Love but rather, love is god and when that happens (and it is happening), we also change how we define love…love becomes more tolerance than real love.

We Christians need to be careful that our definition of love is not like above, but rather, full of the examples of Jesus and what He did for us.

Remember that God loves us and He welcomes us to Him JUST AS WE ARE but His love is so great for us that He can’t let us remain that way. The “way” I am referring to here is “being in sin” which God hates but yet He loves you and me…and as we begin to experience His amazing love, we begin to change inside. God’s love doesn’t just tolerate us…it changes us. We become something that we couldn’t be on our own…someone who recognizes right and wrong yet can love unconditionally.

Believe it or not, those two can coexist…and when they do…there is real change.

Remember guys, it is NOT that I’m intolerant, but rather I only want the best for you…and when I call something out to you…It’s because I want you in eternity…

Until next time guys…

Satan has a plan for you…Part 2

Posted: August 26, 2013 in Heaven Bound
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the-stranger1(Continued from previous post)

We, you and I, can only grasp small fragments of who He is.

As I mentioned previously, what we see being put on display before our very eyes is NOT a mistake…it is a part of Satan’s master plan in the process of being unfolded. Did you know he has also has a plan for this world? It is a plan that you and I have the advantage of watching from ringside seats…and we are right in the center of the action. (Please note: I refer to above as an advantage simply because I believe I know how this story ends.) Let me just say very clearly that his plan does NOT have your best interests in mind. Remember what Peter said:

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

I don’t know about you but the word, “devour” is very clear to me what the end looks like for someone who stays on the path of least resistance, or in other words, the path that has no accountability. Guys, what do you see each night on television that gives you hope in this world? I am NOT trying to be negative but from my vantage point, there does not appear to be very much “positive” going on out there…and for that matter, coming in the future. So far, it looks the same to me. Has what I see now happened before?

Is History is repeating itself? Do you remember the Children of Israel?

Have you ever heard the word crescendo? Its definition is “the peak of a gradual increase.” Crescendo is seen mostly in musical pieces where the orchestra will start softly and gradually grow louder as they crescendo to the finish. If I were to apply the “gradual increase” to what I see going on today, I would say (and I think we would all agree) we are seeing the speed of the world-changing to a rapid pace. Look around you…Why is this happening?

A.W. Tozer quote from the “Spiritual Warfare” book:

“How different it is today. The fact remains the same, but the interpretation has changed completely. Men think of the world not as a battleground, but as a playground. We are not here to fight; we are here to frolic. We are NOT in a foreign land; we are at home. We are NOT getting ready to live; but we are already living, and the best we can do is rid ourselves of our inhibitions and our frustrations and live THIS life to the full.”

As mentioned above, we are all in a spiritual battle and frankly, if you don’t see that I am worried for you brother. Things may be going well for you now and I say, “good for you” but I also know, “This too shall pass”. Unfortunately, “things going well” may only be for a season and when the good is gone, then what? My response to you is look up and see what God has for you especially during this time of certainty. Jesus said, “if you seek me you will find me…knock and the door will be opened unto you” Please remember this;

This earth is NOT Gods plan for you!

Pastor Rick Warren said, “Earth is simply preparation time for Heaven” which means that Earth is not your final destination. There is something far more fantastic in your future than your existence upon this earth.

Right now, in the middle of all this chaos of the world, God is trying to get your attention but guess what? So is Satan…

I will end this post with another A.W. Tozer quote:

“There is a glorified Man on the right hand of the Majesty in heaven faithfully representing us there. We are left for a season among men; let us faithfully represent Him here.”

Guys, I know I gave you a whole lot in these last two posts or in other words, a whole lot of “meat” to chew on. I pray that His words will rest upon your hearts so the Holy Spirit can use them to soften your mind to His what He has for you…

What He offers is Eternal Life…

Until next time guys…

Satan has a plan for you…Part 1

Posted: August 22, 2013 in Heaven Bound, Tough Times
Tags: , , , , , ,
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the-stranger1

NEWS FLASH…If you think that Satan is a myth…you are sorely mistaken. If you think Satan is a pacifist, you are dead wrong. If you somehow think that Satan doesn’t know who you are…that will be the death of you…

Do I have your attention?

What I am about to share with you is not a new revelation. These are NOT new ideas or concepts because I have found them written in the Bible. They are however, very important because they profoundly affect all of us. In the past, I have written about these topics in posts but today finds me more passionate and frustrated with the direction I see our country moving. To be honest with you, and please pay attention to me here because this is becoming more clear to me everyday why America is not mentioned in the book of Revelation…why?

Because, when Revelation finally happens…America is NOT relevant…

Does that matter to you? Have you ever heard someone say that before? Guys I have a sense of urgency as I write this to you. I believe that from my vantage point, America appears to be in some sort of trance. Things that should matter to all of us…things that we know are wrong…continue because there is no resistance.

So why don’t we wake up? What will it take before we care?

My diagnosis; this is all a part of Satan’s plan. Right now, he has man completely transfixed with himself. A.W. Tozer said, “The concept of Majesty has all but disappeared from the human race. The focal point of Man’s interest is in himself” as evidenced by the nineteenth century poet Swinburne who wrote, “Glory to man in the highest! For man is the master of things” we have become a race of self-absorbed, narcissistic humans with no other focus other than ourselves. We are so smart, talented and athletic that it almost seems like we don’t need God or maybe God isn’t the same as He was before. It almost seems like the smarter we get, the dumber God gets…like His power has been diluted.

Has God changed since I became an adult?

I believe that part of the reason is that man is trying to make God look like himself. As we continue to gain more insight into the world that is around us, we become more and more egotistical rather than humble. We try to fit God into something that He isn’t…Conceivable. I see this every time I hear an atheist speak. Because God does not humble himself down to their level whereby they can comprehend Him, then he does not exist.

God doesn’t need us…we need Him.

The God of the Bible cannot fit inside the human mind nor does He want to. Isaiah said, “His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.” Psalms 50:21 says, “You thought I was altogether like you?” God’s job is not to bend down to us, but rather for us to reach up to Him. The Bible says “Humble thyself in the sight of The Lord and He shall lift you up.” NOT the other way around. The Bible also says “Pride goes before the fall.” Again, mankind’s view of himself is the reason why the relationship between God and man is broken. He is God and not us.

Please understand that I speak of a God who is the Majesty in the Heavens, God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, the only wise God, our Savior. Not the picture version inside the pages of your kids Bible.

(Continued in 2 days…stay tuned)

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