Sometimes I forget why I’m here

Hebrews 1: But about the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;

    a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.

⁹ You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;

    therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions

    by anointing you with the oil of joy.”

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Waking up with aches and pains immediately put me in the mindset of need. My prayers immediately went towards my comfort. Another time I sat at my desk feeling pressured. My prayer immediately went towards my relief. Yet another time I felt alone even though I sat in the midst of a crowd. My prayer immediately went towards finding human companionship.

Yes, I need GOD but do I only need HIM in crisis?

• Many times I forget I am GOD’s human.
• Sometimes I forget to focus my attention on GOD the SON.
• There are other times when I just simply focus on my needs and I never marvel at who the SON really is.

The FATHER says JESUS’ throne will last forever. This is not reserved for any other human. JESUS will rule with a scepter of justice. HE will love those who accept HIS position as GOD and HIS gift of self-sacrifice. There is no-one above HIM and all has been given to HIM.

My anxieties, worries, desires and doubts can all be cast aside when I focus on how bright the future will be with the SON as my guide. Many will fall away but my focus has to remain on the SON.

• Are you anxious about something?
• Is your mind racing because of some situation?
• Can you focus on the SON and know HE is in control?
• Won’t you stop trying to steer GOD and allow HIM to guide you?

I find myself overthinking GOD

Romans 10: ⁴ Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

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Confusing isn’t it? I mean one preacher says if I just give my money I will be closer to GOD. Another says when I sin I’m far away from GOD. Another says I’m not doing enough for GOD and yet another is saying I’m trying to “work” my way into heaven.

And this “belief” thing… what’s that all about? One group rang my bell and said only a certain number would be saved yet they do not believe there is a Hell. Saved from what? Another told me all roads lead to GOD and GOD would never punish humans. Another said GOD has nothing to do with it is my inner peace that counts. What should I follow?

• A tactic Satan uses is confusion about GOD.
• A plan the enemy uses is really an attack on humans to keep them from following GOD.
• A strategy sin uses is to take my mind off of a very easy relationship and to make it very complicated and difficult to follow.

When GOD said “I will be your GOD and you will be MY people” HE took care of everything. GOD saw every sin I would ever commit and still wanted a relationship with me but HIS own decree separated me from HIM forever. HE decided to do something about it so HE volunteered to take the consequence of HIS own decree.

HE became a human and walked the earth without committing a sin. HE was murdered because of jealousy, envy and political power desires of the religious people. Sin thought it had won but it lost. When GOD died on the cross, HE said “It is finished!” meaning nothing else has to be done.

Wait, you mean JESUS don’t you? Yes, JESUS is GOD along with the FATHER and HOLY SPIRIT who are equal and never fight for power or top billing.

• My belief is that everything in “the Law” or GOD’s Bible is true.
• My belief is that all words in the Bible must apply to everyone who ever lived.
• My belief is that the entire Bible is written to reveal JESUS being GOD which gives me a relationship with the FATHER and the HOLY SPIRIT.
• My belief is that the more I “sincerely do” for HIM the more HE rewards me but HE has already “done” enough for me.

GOD said “take MY yoke upon you and learn of me for I am gentle and humble at heart and you will find rest for your souls. For MY yoke is easy and my burden is light.” In other words ease up, believe, do and I will always be with you.

• Are you making GOD too complicated?
• Are you confused about how HE works in your life?
• Do you think HE is ignoring you?
• Can you stop guessing about GOD and stop assuming how HE “works” and just follow HIM?

Someone needs your words

Acts 8: ²⁹ The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

 ³⁰ Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

 ³¹ “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

 ³² This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:

   “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,

   and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,

   so he did not open his mouth.

³³ In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.

   Who can speak of his descendants?

   For his life was taken from the earth.”

 ³⁴ The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” ³⁵ Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

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Disastrous is the best word I could use the first time I went out to “street witness.”  I talked “at” people flinging scriptures over their heads and all but stared them down demanding them to accept CHRIST right then and there. Thoroughly ineffective!

• GOD wants me to relate to people in order to draw them to HIM.
• GOD wants me to share my sins with people to let them know HIS power to save anyone.
• GOD wants me to stop trying to be a know it all and get out there and really help people.

People accept the words I tell them at their own pace. GOD delivers people who are seeking HIM directly to me or HE sends me to places where they are seeking HIM.  HE actually makes it easy for me all I have to do is be ready and obedient.

• Are you ready to tell people about the GREAT News about JESUS?
• When is the last time you opened your mouth and told someone about CHRIST?
• Do you realize you don’t have to know the Bible backwards and forwards to tell someone about CHRIST?
• Have you said the words “I don’t know, but all I can tell you is JESUS saved me?”
• Won’t you tell someone about GOD’s greatness today?

Am I missing something?

John 17: ¹ After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

  

 “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.

 

² For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. ³ Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. ⁴ I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.

 

⁵ And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

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After reading this, I could not find a situation in my life that would do these words justice. All I know is that there must be something really big that I am missing. A flood of questions came to mind.

• You mean to tell me GOD is greater than science or the human will?
• Can’t I just be good? Yes I sin but compared to “those” people over there I’m doing pretty good. 
• Why can’t GOD just accept the way I want to worship HIM and make everything good the way I want it?

 

Then I realized, all of my questions are coming from a sinful position. With my questions, I am trying to make GOD bow down to me while attempting to justify my ways. It’s a difficult thing to say “I need you to save me LORD” if I think nothing is wrong with me.

 

• What I am missing is a full understanding of what sin is.
• What I am missing is why I have to go through a sometimes difficult life to get to a place I have never seen or touched.
• What I am missing is why I have to be the one who serves or sacrifices my money or gives in to arguments to keep peace.

 

I mean science says life was created by two mega planets colliding, so what if I’m wrong about this “GOD” thing?

 

Faith was the one word that came to mind as I asked “what am I missing?”

 

• It’s actually harder for me to reject the “fact” that GOD always existed rather than two objects always existing.
• It’s harder to believe I can ever be good enough to deserve GOD’s love rather than GOD showing “pure” love by dying for me.
• It’s harder for me to believe everything will be fine on earth when I have seen it deteriorating rather than believing JESUS is building a perfect eternal spot just for me!

 

Do you believe?

 

Is JESUS “the Word?”

John 1:  ¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

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Promises are a bind that requires the future task to be fulfilled. Many times I have said “I will do ” and it may not seem credible.  But when I tack on a very important expression it adds credibility. “I give you my word.” This means I will do everything in my power to accomplish the task.

Well… I only have so much power and my word is quite different than “The Word.” What is “the Word?”

• The Word is the final say nothing else can change it.
• The Word is the truth anything that opposes it is false.
• The Word is the light which shines bright and no darkness can overcome it.

In my opinion JESUS is “the Word.” I need to be careful when I do this illustration because I do not want to rewrite the Bible.

Read the first verse inserting JESUS.  In the beginning was JESUS, and JESUS was with GOD and JESUS was GOD. Now read the rest of the verses. Wow! What a discovery. JESUS is GOD who made everything, who has life in HIM and was with the FATHER and the HOLY SPIRIT from the beginning.

How did I come to that conclusion just by these verses? Well it wasn’t just by these verses that I draw my conclusion but when I did this exercise, something clicked and the Bible made sense. JESUS is the final say, the truth and the light. HIS way is the only way and when I argue with HIS way, I am against HIM who made me.

• Is JESUS GOD to you?
• What makes HIS death and resurrection so special?
• How do you know GOD can keep any of HIS promises?
• Will you stop thinking GOD doesn’t know everything about you and every situation?

Denial of GOD only makes it worse.

Luke 22: ⁵⁹ About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.”

 ⁶⁰ Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. ⁶¹ The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” ⁶² And he went outside and wept bitterly.

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“Come on let’s go out to the bar” was the beginning of a weekend of bad decisions. I would just have a few drinks, flirt a little, dance a little and release some of the cares I had from the week.

That phone number along with my pounding head would once again keep me from going to church. I mean GOD will understand the need to release my anxiety by having a little fun right?

• It’s amazing how much I deny GOD’s words on a daily basis.
• Many times I don’t believe GOD would do anything to any human.
• Sometimes I think it’s crazy to believe in demons.
• Other times I question the existence of Hell and the possibility of me going there.
• Still other times I dare GOD to sequester consequences on the sin I’ve just committed.

Invisible, inaudible and only words and feelings describing HIM make GOD look like a fable to me sometimes. Then that thing would happen. A difficult situation that requires HIS mighty power would somehow pop into my life at the wrong time. “GOD I need YOU” I would cry out!

• You would think GOD would say, “But you sinned when you knew better”, but HE doesn’t.
• You would think GOD would say, “You should have thought of that before you got yourself in this mess”, but HE doesn’t.
• You would think GOD would say, “You flat out denied me and chose sin to solve your problems”, But HE doesn’t.

Why doesn’t HE say these things about me? It’s GOD’s loving nature that pursues me even when I try to go my own way. I deny HIM, HE pursues me trying to get me to see that my sinful plan won’t work. Only HIS plans have a future so I can’t deny HIS words, existence or JESUS’ position as GOD the SON.

• Are you denying GOD by the sin you are planning?
• Did you deny GOD last night?
• Which part of the Bible don’t you believe?
• Are some of the miracles far-fetched to you?
• Won’t you stop trying to figure GOD out with your mind and add faith to your heart?