I Love To Learn God's Ways!

 

 

 

 

 Isaiah 56 : "9Come, all you beasts of the field, come and devour, all you beasts of the forest!"

 

 

 

Can you imagine a cow attacking a tiger? Well, then how about a sheep feasting on a bear? Or a pig about to eat a mountain lion? Of course not...however, in the Kingdom of God this is exactly how things are done.  Metaphors and Opposites, and more.....all to give us clear pictures of God and how He does things!

 

 

Isaiah 55: 8“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. 9“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts."

 

 

When God says His thoughts and ways are as high as the heavens are from the earth, He means it! Therefore, they are so much higher than we can even imagine! Yes?  

 

 

 

When we think of the heavens, we think of the night sky that are filled with twinkly stars...but no, the heavens are way past what we can see. Therefore, the contrast here is immeasurable.

 

 

 

God is light...and He has no dimmer switch! He lives in "unapproachable light"(1 Tim. 6:16). In the following section of Exodus, God allows Moses to see just the back of Him after He passes by...because He is just too bright to look at - to the point where Moses would die.

 

 

 

 

 

So, think about the sun, it is millions of miles away, yet if we look at it for too long we can go blind. This gives us a perfect picture of God's brilliance...a brightness that darkness can not even look at, let alone be anywhere near! So, if we think we can willingly partake of the things that reside in darkness (as in Gal. 5: 19-21) and it would be OK with God...then we don't understand Him, His word or how different His ways are!

 

 

 

Meaning, if we do willingly partake, then in due time we'll be lovingly disciplined unless we decide to judge ourselves and do an about face in the opposite direction ~ and give our attentions back to God. 1 Cor. 11: 31"If we were judging ourselves correctly, we would not be judged. 32But when the Lord judges us, he disciplines us so that we won't be condemned along with the rest of the world."

 

 

 

 

Exodus 33: 17 "The LORD answered Moses, 'I will do what you have asked, because I am pleased with you, and I know you by name.' 18Then Moses said, 'Please let me see your glory." 19The LORD said, 'I will let all my goodness pass in front of you, and there I will call out my name 'the LORD.' I will be kind to anyone I want to. I will be merciful to anyone I want to.

 

 

 

 

20But you can't see my face, because no one may see me and live." 21Then the LORD said, 'Look, there's a place near me. Stand by this rocky cliff. 22When my glory passes by, I will put you in a crevice in the cliff and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23Then I will take my hand away, and you'll see my back, but my face must not be seen."

 

 

 

 

Something I find so wonderful about God, and what I read in His written word...and see in His Son Jesus, is that when He says something, anything...it is heavy with meaning. His words are weighty. He is thrifty and therefore packs a lot of meaning into each word. Weighty to the point where He clearly wants us to understand the reasons He makes these contrasts about Himself!

 

 

 

OK, so, what are the reasons? For one, that He is nothing like the human-fallen nature, and thinks nothing like our human nature thinks. In fact He is the opposite. Therefore, if the world is going south, then He is going north, for no better way to put it.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take any given set of verses...and you will most likely see some of these contrasts and words heavy with meaning that God has made about Himself and His ways. The following section of scripture in 1 Timothy verse 11, there are many such verses in scripture like this one instructing us to 'flee from', or 'lay aside', or 'make no provision for', or 'turn from', and 'die to'...the ways of sin and the flesh. 

 

 

 

 

Victory comes when things are done God's way. Man's way (and the reason we could not successfully keep the law) of dealing with sin is to set our minds on working hard at trying not to sin...but because of the weak human nature we have to try very hard over and over and over again to get even a little success! But then the law said that even one sin is too many! So, it is a hamsters wheel going no where!!

 

 

But our human nature still wants to give a lot of our attention to the sin we are struggling with....urgh!...to think and talk about it, muse over it, then try to discipline ourselves not to do it, then memorize scriptures pertaining to it, then pray and agonize over it and remind ourselves that it is sinning against God to do it, and it grieves Him to do it...and then on and on and on it goes. 

 

 

 

But, as usual, God's way is opposed to human nature's way...typically the direct opposite! God's way is to put it to death! Not talk about it over and over again! No, but giving the sin NO attention, and instead giving your full attention to the things of God whereby starving the sinful nature!  Gal. 5: 16 "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature."

 

 

 

 

The following verse in Romans is a good example. Romans 13:14 "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires." 

 

 

 

 

It says to make no provision for the flesh's survival...so, I turn from it and give the sin none of my attention...I starve it! OK! Good! But now what do I do?? "Put on' the Lord Jesus! Yes, put Him on! Think about His great love, Talk about Him, talk to Him, serve Him, imitate Him, rest in Him, think about Him, enjoy Him, learn from Him, think about the things that come from Him, talk to others about Him...and love others as unto Him!  The following verse is telling us to give these things our full attention (instead of giving it to sin).  

 

Phil. 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

 

 

 

 

 Can you name some other things of God to give your full attention to?  How about what comes from the Holy Spirit? 

 

Gal. 5: 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh (given no attention to the flesh - starved it!)  with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit (given full attention to the fruits of the Spirit!).

 

 

1 Tim. 6: "11But you, man of God, (give no attention to) flee from all, and (give all your attention to) pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12*Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

 

 

 

When God tells you and I not to do something, He is telling us to not give those things ANY of our attention ~~ then to turn and give your full attention to those things He wants you to do! Yes!? THIS is the primary way we deal with sin now, by not dealing with it! Please consider keeping this in mind when reading scripture. :)

 

 

 

 

17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

 

 

 

18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."

 

 

I would encourage you to keep these things in mind when reading and deciphering scripture...so you will "take hold of the life that is truly life." 

 

 

 

*Fighting the good fight is still not paying any attention to sin....but to God - because we are fighting a spiritual warfare, where all our attention is still on the things of God.

 

 

What Defines You?

 

 

Do you overeat on a regular basis? Do you have a tendency to talk about other's oddities or faults? Then according to many Christians today you are a glutton or a gossip. Not a fallen person JUST like they are. No. You are the sin you do! Your besetting sin defines you.

 

 

 

But this is what we do, don't we?  The homosexual is nothing else but a homosexual. Have we have put a big scarlet letter on them so everyone knows that they are seperate from others? That some sinners are less sinful then others? So, I wonder; does this make us feel more spiritual or something? Because one thing it does do...is it lessens the power of God's grace and wisdom ~ as it says that God is not capable of redeeming some people as much as others. 

 

 

Please take a moment and read the following short article by J.S. Park~ 

 

http://jsparkblog.com/2013/03/27/question-10-thoughts-about-god-and-homosexuality/

 

 

Pull Up A Chair For Storytime!

 

 

Once upon a time...

An atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.

'You're a Christian, aren't you, son?'

'Yes sir,' the student says.

'So you believe in God?'

'Absolutely. '

'Is God good?'

'Sure! God's good.'

'Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?'

'Yes'

'Are you good or evil?'

'The Bible says I'm evil.'

 

The professor grins knowingly. 'Aha! The Bible! He considers for a moment. 'Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?'

 

 

'Yes sir, I would.'

'So you're good...!'

'I wouldn't say that.'

 

 

'But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't.'

 

 

The student does not answer, so the professor continues. 'He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Can you answer that one?'

 

 

The student remains silent. 'No, you can't, can you?' the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax. 'Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?'

 

 

'Er..yes,' the student says.

'Is Satan good?'

The student doesn't hesitate on this one. 'No.'

'Then where does Satan come from?'

The student falters. 'From God'

'That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?'

'Yes, sir..'

'Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?'

'Yes'

'So who created evil?' The professor continued, 'If God created everything, then God created evil, since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.'

 

 

Again, the student has no answer. 'Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?'

 

 

The student squirms on his feet. 'Yes.'

'So who created them?'

The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. 'Who created them?' There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized. 'Tell me,' he continues onto another student. 'Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?'

 

 

The student's voice betrays him and cracks. 'Yes, professor, I do.'

The old man stops pacing. 'Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?'

'No sir. I've never seen Him.'

'Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?'

'No, sir, I have not..'

'Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter?'

'No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't.'

'Yet you still believe in him?'

'Yes'

'According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist... What do you say to that, son?'

'Nothing,' the student replies.. 'I only have my faith.'

 

 

'Yes, faith,' the professor repeats. 'And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith.'

The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of His own. 'Professor, is there such thing as heat? '

' Yes.

'And is there such a thing as cold?'

'Yes, son, there's cold too.'

'No sir, there isn't.'

The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly become s very quiet. The student begins to explain. 'You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, unlimited heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit down to 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that.

 

 

 

There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than the lowest -458 degrees. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy.

 

 

 

Absolute zero (-458 F) is the total absence of heat. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.'

 

 

Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.

'What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?'

'Yes,' the professor replies without hesitation.. 'What is night if it isn't darkness?'

'You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light, but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?'

 

 

1 John 1: 5 'This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all'. In darkness there is (in Gal. 5:20) 'the worship of idols, witchcraft, anger of man, hateds, contention, rivalry, rage, insolence, man instigated conflict, divisions and quarrels'.

 

 

The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. 'So what point are you making, young man?'

'Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with, and so your conclusion must also be flawed.'

The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. 'Flawed? Can you explain how?'

'You are working on the premise of duality,' the student explains.. 'You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought.'

 

 

 

'It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it.' 'Now tell me, professor.. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?'

 

 

'If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do.'

'Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?'

 

The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester, indeed.

 

'Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?'

 

The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided. 'To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, let me give you an example of what I mean.' The student looks around the room. 'Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?' The class breaks out into laughter.

 

 

 

 'Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir.' 'So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?'

 

 

Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable. Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers. 'I Guess you'll have to take them on faith.'

 

 

'Now, you accept that there is faith, and, in fact, faith exists with life,' the student continues. 'Now, sir, is there such a thing as evil?'

Now uncertain, the professor responds, 'Of course, there is. We see it Everyday. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in The multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil.'

 

 

To this the student replied, 'Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.'

 

 

The professor sat down.

The student was Albert Einstein

 

Albert Einstein wrote a book titled God vs. Science in 1921.

 

 

Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted. (Law -vs- Law of Love)
Albert Einstein

God's Character I

 

 

I've learned that God's love has some amazing attributes. Everything God does stems from His love. God's pure love softens hearts and gives sacrificially. Because He has no darkness in Him, His intentions are never-ever evil...or never even near it for that matter. He would not inspire anything that is not of the light. 

 

 

 

 

 God's love has no darkness, yet He can still be with, and love people in darkness  - because love will set the limit of not participating in the things of darkness. In fact, His love has the profound capability to loosen the hold darkness has on sinners...because light expels darkness just by it's mere presence.

 

 

 

 

 

 He would rather never have to dole out judgment...however, because He has no darkness in Him at all, He wants the same for His children. The things that reside in darkness are destructive, which is why He rejects them, and wants us to do the same.

 

 

 

 

Everything God does has strong intentions and purposes behind them...so when looking into God's written word this is the reason to never intentionally cut corners, but to take every word, every verse and every chapter in scripture seriously...and be diligent to understand what God is truly saying by making sure you know who is speaking to who, and about what, and why, so that your study and outcome can be approved by God.

 

 

 



 

Also, when He inspired the writers of scripture He would never have had them write something that would be out of His character. Therefore, we first must make sure we keep in mind that the actual author was not human, but God Himself. So when we are looking for answers it is important to realize they  may not sound logical to what our human brain is used to!

 

 

 

-Click on images to enlarge-

 

 

 

 

God has high ideals, so we are to humbly study, seek and learn to be good at hearing from God, so that we are never allowing our human nature to be in charge so as to try and bring God down to our level...but instead we are always reaching upward...higher and higher...to His!

 

 

 

 

 

God showed us His character when He came down and dwelt among us in bodily form. Jesus was the exact representation of the Father. He walked among sinners and ate with them...in fact He went out of His way to be with those who were hated, and His love softened their hearts and disarmed them.

 

 

 

 

So any rebuking of sinners was either after they had rejected Christ's determined show of God's love for them...or because they were abusers, who were in the way of people coming to know God's love and plan for them. Time after time after time Christ showed God's amazing love....which was why people followed Him in droves. Then later on, St. Paul explained in words what Christ had already exemplified...so that we can walk as He walked.

                  

 

                  

Yes, He rebuked others. He rebuked those that tried to keep children away from Him. He rebuked demons and the devil when he tried to tempt Him. He also rebuked His disciples for their lack of faith, or if they said things that those who actually spent as much time with Jesus as they did should never say, then He would.

 

 

 

 

God wants so much for everyone to be saved. Therefore He wants us to learn to live in the world without being of it...therefore to be as patient as we can with unbelievers before we decide to brush the dust off our feet. To treat them the way we would have wanted to be treated if we were in their shoes. They do not have the new nature and the power of the Holy Spirit to help them deal with sin.  Please click on this URL to read 1 Cor. 5 -http://niv.scripturetext.com/1_corinthians/5.htm

 

 

 

I just recently wrote a post about walking with Christ...becoming yoked with Him. When we decide to do this, we also have to be willing to walk in the light. SO, what is IN the light anyway?

More to come....

Is It Ok, Some Of The Time??

As I have spent time in my thoughts ( looking out at snow however, not the ocean:)...and in prayer and scripture, there is something I have wondered. Is it OK at least some of the time to operate from the corrupt or carnal nature? In other words, is it OK sometimes to argue, be lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to authority, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, making enemies, treacherous, rash, having a form of godliness while denying it's power, provokes, conceited, lovers of pleasure, hatred, rivalry, arrogance, angry outbursts, selfish ambition, conflict, and factions? (These came from various versions)

 

 

I am perplexed I guess, because as I am sharing and getting more involved with other Christian-run blogs, I continue to see many of the above feelings and attitudes toward specific segments of society and government...and many of these feelings are in big bold print on their front pages! So, am I missing something?

 

 

As I search the scriptures I do not see anywhere where it either says or infers that it is OK to participate in any part of our old nature, no matter what the situation. My understanding is that our corrupt nature has been crucified, therefore not to be a part of us any longer...so now we are to be living in the light. Yes, I do slip...of course. However, I am aware of it and I am praying that you are also. I am also aware that there is no darkness in God at all, so how can we say it is OK to deliberately operate from the carnal nature when doing God's work, or anytime for that matter?

 

 

Gal. 5 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their corrupt nature along with its passions and desires.  25If we live by our spiritual nature, then our lives need to conform to our spiritual nature.(vs 22-23)  26We can't allow ourselves to act arrogantly and to provoke or envy each other.

 

 

 

When I have gotten in a conversation with those who believe it is their calling to deal with those elements in society or government that are evil, I respond with basically this same puzzlement. As it is OK to get angry, but then we must do so without sinning. However, I don't see how we can hate without sinning...and I do not see in scripture where we can either? Or deliberately be involved in factions or conflict without sinning or stepping out of the light? Yes, we find our selves in conflict and etc. at times for sure...however, God intends that we are working our way out of the conflict we find ourselves in, not the other way around!

 

 

Please also see URL about how we are to relate to government officials --  http://bible.cc/titus/3-1.htm

 

Another argument I hear is that (2 Tim. 3: 16-17)  "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness", therefore it is my job to tell sinners that the way they are living is against God! Yet, this is being read out of context, as this is for Christians, "so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work".

 

 

 

It is also apparent in scripture that it is never right or of God to retaliate when either wronged or persecuted. In fact if we are living for Christ, to please Him, we have to expect to be persecuted. Therefore we are not to rally the people around us who would back up any participation in carnality of any kind. We also have to consider that someone who has been called to ministry must walk as someone who belongs to God so no one can accuse them of doing any wrong (hate, slander, and etc) 

 

 

2 Tim. 4 1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their (passions, fancies, desires and) itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

 

 

2 Cor. 6 3We don't give people any opportunity to find fault with how we serve. 4Instead, our lives demonstrate that we are God's servants. We have endured many things: suffering, distress, anxiety, 5beatings, imprisonments, riots, hard work, sleepless nights, and lack of food. 6 People can see  our purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit's presence (Gal. 5:22-23) in our lives, our sincere love, 7truthfulness, and the presence of God's power. We demonstrate that we are God's servants 8as we are praised and dishonored, as we are slandered and honored, and as we use what is right to attack what is wrong and to defend the truth. We are treated as dishonest although we are honest, 9as unknown although we are well-known, as dying although, as you see, we go on living. We are punished, but we are not killed. 10People think we are sad although we're always glad, that we're beggars although we make many people spiritually rich, that we have nothing although we possess everything.

 

 

No matter how sinful someone is, Jesus wants them saved too...so we are to be patient with them. The laws in society see sinners as such and deals with them as such. However, we as Christians are not to see them in a worldly point of view, but to see them as people that Christ died for.

 

 

As you read through the following verses please consider what Paul is trying to express and expound on. Some being - that there is a distinct difference between how we see and treat believers vs how we see and treat non-believers...even if they are considered the worst of sinners, of which he considered himself to be chief! 

 

 

 

1 Timothy 1  8We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. 9We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

 

12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

 

 

15Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

 

 

 

2 Cor. 5: 14For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21God made him who had no sin to be sina for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

 

 

Blessings and God's grace to you!!

 

 

 

 

 

There Is No In Between II

To understand the brightness of God's light, I think it is also important to understand how utterly dark is the darkness of the fall.

 

 

 

When Adam and Eve walked and talked with God it was complete light, with no darkness at all. None. Then when the fall happened, it was indeed a long fall. It wasn't a partial fall, where it only affected the behaviors of some, and then to others they were able to avoid much of it's influence. No. It was a complete fall, where there became a wall separating us from God...and where there is no God, there is pitch black darkness. Then when Christ died, the curtain of separation was rent in two...so that all people would have access to salvation. All people.

  

 

Matthew 27:51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.

 

Many people say that they could NEVER, ever be a homosexual for instance...or as far as the most extreme behaviors a murderer, or NO WAY a Hitler! BUT, with the same circumstances as what befell them, you and I could have very well become just like them or any other person...or they just like us for that matter!

 

 

We live in a world that is trying very hard to make it's way in utter darkness. A condition that has permeated everything, the entire creation down to the cellular level. However, we are so used to living in it that we don't pay much attention to what had actually happened to us when Adam and Eve made that fatal choice. We treat others as though they could do better...but the fact is, that without Christ we only have the carnal nature, and many of us a seared conscience, to guide us, and so all we can hope for is that the world just do the best they can with what they have. 

 

 

 

 

Romans 8:18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us. 19For the creation is eagerly awaiting the revelation of God’s children, 20because the creation has become subject to futility, though not by anything it did. The one who subjected it did so in the certainty  21that the creation itself would also be set free from corrupting bondage in order to share the glorious freedom of God’s children. 22For we know that all the rest of creation has been groaning with the pains of childbirth up to the present time. 23However, not only the creation, but we who have the first fruits of the Spirit also groan inwardly as we eagerly await our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24For we were saved with this hope in mind.n Now a hope that can be observed is not really hope, for who hopes for what can be seen? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet observe, we eagerly wait for it with patience.

 

 

 

But to most, the world around them just seems 'dim', and then when they do think of real  'darkness' it only pertains to the ones their Pastor preached about on Sunday....you know, 'those' homosexuals over there....now THEY are IN darkness! This attitude that the church (in general) has today is what is keeping many from coming to Christ...as Paul speaks about in 1 Cor. 9-11. They have created for many an obstacle to coming to Christ...as homosexuality has been chosen out of the long list of sins to point out and preach loudly against. Partiality stems from not understanding or accepting our own utter sinfulness, as well as our common vulnerability to the effects of the fall.

 

 

Take for instance Romans chapter 1. Spend a few minutes and read through Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome. It starts out greeting the believers there and then in about the middle of the chapter it begins sounding as though God seems pretty angry about all the sin that's in this world! Yea, those sinners!! It keeps on going too from verse 18 all the way to 32!  

 

 

But then He seems to do a switcheroo. While I am busy reading and thinking about all those sinners God is talking about, then He suddenly begins talking about me before I can say WOE!! 

 

 

He immediately begins telling me in the next chapter without warning that while I am pointing my fingers at those sinners over there, that I am just as guilty as they are! They may be engaged in sexual sin, but God sees my gossip, hate, pride, heartlessness, causing fights and so on just as much...and so I had better get myself right because in verse 11 He says that He does not show favoritism!  

 

 

Partiality/favoritism...or choosing this sin over all others...also stems from fear. A fear that keeps me from wanting to discuss it...because if there are gender issues that do have some genetic origin, then that would shake my core beliefs to the ground! What would I do then?? How would I handle this new information??

 

 

If I show disrespect for a ruling authority that I believe is making wrong decisions, then wouldn't I be doing right? Or are my actions to be ruled and regulated by the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5: 22-23) in any given circumstance? There is no in between.

 

 

 

To deal with partiality and fear one has to come to realize that nothing gets past God. This is something I've learned the hard way. I've also learned that God's written word has an answer to everything. This is why I've learned not to jump to conclusions or be afraid of discussing any topic, because I know that God has the answers...even if I am not aware of them yet.

 

 

Ok, but don't I have authority to judge sin? In the following- Jude is writing to a church that is being led by their carnal nature...by whim and human instinct! They have allowed some people to worm their way in who are saying they have been given the right (through their dreams) to scoff at authority as well as mock and talk about things they know nothing about!

 

 

 

Then Jude makes a comparison to remind them about what authority and rights are really for...as they are not for using to one's own advantage or just according to how one feels. I may have the right to do this or that, but it does not mean I use this advantage. 

 

 

 

He reminds them about the angels that fell from heaven that are now chained in darkness because of their behavior, thinking they could take advantage of their authority. And even tho the Archangel Micheal himself had authority over Satan, he was still very careful not to take advantage even to the point of not directly rebuking the devil himself when he fought him. 

 

 

 

Jude 1:8-11

"8In the same way, these people—who claim authority from their dreams—live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings. 9But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body.)

 

 

 

10But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts (carnal nature) tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction. 11What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion."

 

 

 

 

I can not find anywhere in scripture where it says it is OK at times to step into the parameters of the carnal nature (Gal. 5:16-26) and operate from there. Even if I thought I had the right or authority to do so, God is still telling me I am not to use my authority to please my carnal nature...to slander, or scoff, or mock, or desire to cause harm to someone...to anyone! 

 

 

 

The following are two URLs that explicitly show many of the extreme conditions that the fall has created. The 1st URL is important to understand so that when this subject comes up we  WILL know at least a little bit about it...as well as understand that many of these people are judged as sinners, when it was the fall and medical science that made a mess of their lives. These people (well, actually all people - John 3:16) need compassion so they come to Christ to be saved and healed.  

 

 

 

The 2nd URL shows what the fall is capable of doing...of  course there are images that were mixed in that are not real, but most of them are...please open this URL with caution. I volunteered at a hospital with my HS youth group that housed and cared for extremely deformed children, and so I can tell you that a majority of these images are real.

 

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2004/06/the_cutting_edge.html

 

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?_adv_prop=image&fr=yfp-t-701-21-s&va=human+anomalies