TO INHERIT THE GLORY

Why do people become addicted? I find this answer to be quite simple. Because the weight of our humanity is a burden not easily bore. For Christians, it's heavier than for most. For, we know where we will go when we die which makes the knowledge of what we endure of greater weight. The stories abound of this place called "Paradise," stories told by people who have died and lived to return with assurance of a wonderful release waiting for those who believe in the Son of God. Thus, the flesh and it's reality is a heavy weight to be drug around like a body-sized millstone.

When we are in this flesh, it's a coffin. We are encased in this tiny capsule of anguish. The bones begin to creak, the teeth begin to decay, the sight and hearing begins to dim. We struggle against the impending doom. It's a slow decline and we feel all of it taking place. It doesn't come suddenly. Although life is but a blink of an eye and a withering grass of the field, it takes it's own path and time to wither.

Addiction brings relief of sorts. It's a way of escape. If one has struggled with heartache all their life, then they're the ones who drink, or find another drug to lift the spirits or hide the pain. If it's a physical disadvantage, then one seeks out the things that will take that physical discomfort away. What ensues, upon the initial discovery of relief, is the desire to continue chasing this new found bliss. Oh, to escape just once more.

It took me 22 long years to stand face to face with both of my struggles. Both depression and a deteriorating spinal deficiency that brings excruciating pain and suffering. I fought to drive it off with substance for years. What I finally came to realize is that nothing will ever really fix me except death. The blessed release. I will be free then. But until then, I must put one foot in front of the other as best I can and forget about trying to live without pain and suffering, for I am convinced that it is not God's will that we should sit back and relax and enjoy full bliss on this side of eternity.

This is the time to work, sweat, lament, struggle, and to suffer with our Lord and Savior. We are not, despite those false doctrines taught, to live the good life in this flesh. We are not meant to enjoy those things we are yet to inherit. "The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together." Romans 8:16-17

                      HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH!!!!!


I've often heard southern Baptist preachers say, "if you're a Christian, you should be the happiest person in the world." That's the least Christian thing we can do. If you see with the eyes to see , all the suffering around you, then how can you be happy? If you live in the same flesh I do, then the only way you're going to feel complete joy and bliss is if you spend your entire life serving yourself and pouring all you have into yourself. Even then, it's not true joy or bliss but just a kind of it. A false representation of the real thing waiting for us in our "rest."

I will not be told by one more false prophet that I'm meant to never suffer in this flesh nor experience the heartache of anothers downtrodden life. I have heard many television evangelists tell people that it's God's will that everyone be healed and that every affliction be healed and that none should ever be sick and it's of the devil and we have the power to cast it out and be well. Perhaps that's true and I believe in some of this. But I think there's too much of man in the scriptures and it's stealing the light of truth. 

We were meant to suffer now and rest then. We were meant to give up all of the those comforts that make us feel so good. Our cushy lives, perfect furnishings that "make life easier." Remote control everything, or push button this and that. But that serves only oneself and diminishes what Christ did and what His life meant as pertaining to the pouring out of oneself for the benefit of another. "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself..." St. Luke 9:23-25.

To me, the scriptures speak of us giving up those things which please us and make our lives so "worth living." I say to you, I wish for my life to come to it's full end. I don't want to stay here forever. I don't want to keep going and going, withering further. I want to be for my Father in this life and be used by Him. But that's the thing that makes my life worth living. 

Can you feel love coming from me? Do you feel a warmth or a sincerity in my presence? Do you believe me when I say, "I love you?" That's what it's all about. It's not about seeking out ways to make me feel better or to give myself that which is greater. It's about the outpouring. It's about the love for others so much so that I hurt. 

I am tired. I hurt. What would it be like to not be aware of this flesh? I do not know that answer anymore. I did once. I knew what it felt like to be free of it for just awhile and though my face smiled and my personality was quirky and fun, my spirit was dark and my heart was cold. I saved myself and lost my own life. When I gave it all up and took up my cross, that's when the physical pain began, however, the light began to shine within me and my smile came from the inside out instead of the outside in.

There's no need to seek out those things that I once sought. I wouldn't water down my love or quench the Spirit within me. I wouldn't disgrace the name of my God by using this mouth to curse and to bless, as if a fountain can bring forth both bitter and sweet water at the same time.

I will hurt until the day I die. But the release that comes at the end will make it seem as if it never was. "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Romans 8:18 

THE BATTLE RAGES ON

It's late and I'm still up with my clinical depression. I usually don't blog about my most personal stuff but, hey, things change.

Speaking of change, I sure wish there was more of that going around this country. I get so discouraged when I go to the local news website's comment page and read what people have to say. Not so much about the articles, but to one another. Wow! Don't misspell a word because the other guy that misspelled more than you, will tell you what an idiot you are. Don't talk about the issues that affect our Christian nation the most, because the guy who hates all things holy will tell you the nearest hole you should be climbing back in.

Why so much hate? Where did Christ's love and Spirit go? Why aren't people friendly anymore? Whatever happened to a good old fashioned exchange of ideas that end with everyone agreeing to disagree? I see it slipping away. This makes me sad. I feel like my grandchildren will be growing up in a controversial environment where the laws have to change constantly to accommodate everyone's hate.

There was an incident recently in Knoxville that makes no sense to me. I can make sense of it only if I agree to let Satan have his way with my thoughts. There was a phone call made to an organization called, "Freedom from Religion." That phone call was placed by a "concerned citizen" that the local sheriff's department was pushing religious agendas by displaying the word "religion" on the arm patch of their uniforms. So, because this one individual in the entire town was offended by that one tiny word (which is only noticeable if you lean in and study the tiny words on that patch), this organization launched an all out war to get that one word removed from the patch. The reason? Violation of civil rights, public offense, pushing their religious beliefs on the people of that county. Those are the grounds for the litigation to remove the word. Let me be sad for a moment and perhaps cry.

There's the new bill on the floor that has to do with protecting teachers from reprimand if they mention religion during teaching of evolution. And I quote our city officials, "as long as they stick to the curriculum that teaches only on the basis of evidence founded on science, this law will protect them." What does that mean exactly? A teacher is teaching their students that we evolved from monkeys. She mentions perhaps that some other religions believe in God as our creator. This law says, she can say that "legally" as long as she sticks to teaching the school board approved curriculum that states, there's scientific evidence that there's no God and we're all monkeys. (Sarcasm expressed and author proud.)

When you read the comments people leave involving this subject, it's heated. Not against the scientific teaching, but against those who don't agree with it. That would be Christians. What's being said? Things like, "Christians are constantly trying to push their own agenda," "Christians think their way is the only way," "Christians think they run this country," "Christians think they're above the rest of us." These are some of the things I read but I read them a lot and from many different names. This seems to be the general consensus.

The next impulse I had was to type out the words, "what could we be doing differently Christian brothers and sisters?" You know what? I don't think anyone would listen. (Well, not like I have too many readers anyway). I just had the distinct knowledge that the face of Christianity is changing and it's not for the good. What used to be an outpouring of love for one another has turned into an "every Christian for himself," attitude.

Preachers don't preach the truth anymore. They're like a certain preacher with the initials Joel Osteen...oops..did I say that out loud?...who preach only comfortable words and the evidence of it is the size of the church he has. How does a church get that big? You tell people only what they want to hear and not the truth.

Don't tell people there's hell fire and damnation because they don't want to hear that, and if you tell them that truth, they'll find another church where they don't have to endure such discomfort. Joel Osteen figured that out.

Because of the preachers refusing to preach the whole truth of the gospel souls are lost. The whole truth will bring about conviction, and conviction brings about remorse, and remorse brings about repentance, and repentance is unto Salvation. There are so many in their sins right now and some preachers are failing miserably, but they're making boocoos of money so that's what matters to them. How many jets does one man need, Mr. Jesse Duplantis, Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, and all your friends?!

These men are false prophets. They come bearing falsities and lies and those who follow these blind men will fall into the ditch as well. Christ is the poorest and yet these men are the richest. Christ is the most meek and humble and yet these men are haughty and pompous. Christ was sacrificial and yet these men continue to gain wealth unto themselves. Christ fed 5,000 from His own supply of food and yet these men give nothing. I suppose they might send out some money to keep up their appearances but they don't get their hands dirty.

I say to those out there who exploit our children for your gain, God sees what you do. I say to those out there who hide behind the Bible and call themselves "of God," He knows who is His because He has called us by name. I say to all of those out there who twist the scriptures into something given for pleasure, "you're hurting more than one person, but instead, you're hurting the generations to come." And finally, to all preachers out there who have been given a platform by which to preach the gospel, "use it wisely for you will be held accountable for every word misspoken, and make sure there is no blood on your hands."

The heartache I feel is that we seem to be losing the battle. I've always maintained that God's church will stand, and I still believe that! But where it will stand is the question.

GOD'S PHARMACY

Here's some interesting tidbits of information that some of the less believing folks out there might find interesting and helpful in helping you decide if God is truly the Creator. I think one of the misconceptions is that God simply waved a hand and said, "let there be light," and light showed up and that's all we know. But the fact is, not only did light appear, but it appeared with a magnitude of uses. Solar power is an awesome thing. But what about the fruits and veggies He gave us? Let me enlighten you.

It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish...all before making a human. He made and provided what we needed before we were born. All fruits and vegetables which are good for nourishment. These are best and more powerful when eaten raw. We're such slow learners that God left us a great clue as to what each food helps with in regards to the human body.

Take a carrot and slice it into discs. Notice anything? It looks just like the pupil and iris of the human eye. Scientific studies have proven that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to the eyes as well as in aiding it's ability to function.

A tomato has four chambers and is red. Hm, like a human heart perhaps? Research shows that tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of a heart but it's each grape that resembles blood cells. Research shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

Walnuts look like a little brain with their left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles and folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

Kidney beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones. Hence, these foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.


Avocados, eggplant, and pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of a woman and look just like these organs. Research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods. Modern science has only named and studied 141.


Figs are full of seeds and hang in pairs when they grow. Naturally, these increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of sperm as well to overcome male sterility.


Sweet potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.


Oranges, grapefruit, and other citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist  the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.


Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste material from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes.


I hope you see through just this little bit of information (which can easily be substantiated so don't just take my word for it) that our God is an awesome God and He knows exactly what we need and even gives us signs to point us in the direction of getting there.

THE VALUE OF TRAGEDY

Why do we suffer? What's the point in tragedy? Why the Holocaust? Why the Tsunami? Why the Haitian earthquake? How can God let this happen? Why isn't everything peaches and cream?

This post is my view on all of it. Why do we suffer? I have come to believe that suffering has the most powerful meaning and ability to teach than anything else on this earth. No religion, no textbook, no Yale professor can teach like tragedy.

The Holocaust. A most atrocious, tragic, horrid loss of lives. No words can truly express it with the dignity and love it deserves. Every adult, as well as most school aged children on the earth, knows it happened. We all feel something when we think of it (or at least should feel something). How many have asked, "why did God let this happen?" I used to think God didn't allow such things and it was all the devil's work and God just picked up the pieces. But after studying scripture for the last decade, I see clearly God gives and takes away, blesses and curses. Whether it was at God's hand or with God's knowledge really isn't the point. The point is, what did mankind gain from it?

Today, the Holocaust is an event we embrace as another piece in the puzzle of our history. We use it as a tool to teach our children what the face of evil looks like. We use it to teach them compassion for their fellow man. We use it to help them understand what hate does; how hate manifests; how hate consumes. We use it to teach our nations what to look for in our leaders. We use it to learn what to avoid when joining ourselves to others in corporate belief. We use it to remember others and keep our hearts warm. We use it to teach ourselves how to forgive and go on. We use it to learn how to overcome tragedy and move past the memories and into a greater life existence. We use it to stomp out prejudice and to teach the value of embracing diversity in all people.

What's the value of a tragedy like the Japanese Tsunami? It has taught a nation of people that they can rebuild. It taught them the value of the family members they have, still surviving. It's often true that we don't realize what we have until it's gone. It taught the rest of the nations how to respect the Japanese people for their hope, strength, and will to survive. It taught us to pray for them, to send help, to hope with them. It taught us to see past their obvious external difference to ourselves, and into their human hearts. It taught us to value what we have. It gave many of us a new found respect for their culture and their ways. I, personally, was touched by the loving way in which they cleaned and displayed every picture found under the mud and debris. There is hope displayed with every photograph (the hope that someone's loved one would be recognized and located).

What could we have learned from the Haitian earthquake? To me, this one was the easiest to see. We, as a nation, learned to rise up and begin helping. Many flew to Haiti immediately, in order to help with healthcare and housing. Many came to rebuild; help with the cleanup;  administer healthcare and sustenance. Many went to adopt, or to be with those who's mother's arms were present but unable to embrace their child. We became surrogate comforters in place of the parents who weren't able. Again, it taught us that we can push past prejudice (which we all know still exists today) and go to the heart of love and give of ourselves until we're empty. When we do, we allow the Lord to fill us up again. We have used it to teach our nation where our infrastructure is failing and needs repair. We used it to show our children that being a parent means loving a child that isn't our own. Many found within themselves a love and compassion they didn't know they possessed.

The lessons in all of these major tragedies that we can learn is that we have love one towards another. As we go through our lives we don't think about this. We don't ask, "do I love other races or cultures?" But when a tragedy happens on the other side of the world (or closer to home), we can choose to look away or turn our eyes towards them in their hour of need. These tragedies are often used by God to do just that. We are forced to look outside of our world and see that people are hurting and in desperate need. He uses it to prick our hearts and warm us to their plight. He uses it to bring something out of us that lies dormant and unused.

God is in the middle of all of this. These things must needs be. This will not win me any new fans or gain me the admiration of my readers, but I believe that one of the factors governing these mass losses of life is the over-population factor. I believe that either God or God's plan is that the "thinning of the herd" needs to take place for mankind to exist on this planet without over running every square inch of dry land. How would this planet be right now if we had no death? Or we had only those handfuls of loss that really don't tip the scales in any way? There's a value and a purpose for it all. We have to realize it and embrace it. We have to trust God with all of it. It will behoove us to see value and life after these deaths.

TO REMEMBER...

You're standing on a dry and dusty hill. There are people everywhere. All of which have come out to see the latest crucifixion. People are milling about simply waiting for the 3 prisoners to arrive. Off in the distance you can hear the crowd coming. People are rejoicing and laughing as if this is a great day for the city. A day wherein the riff-raff is being done away with. Every one is so glad their city will be purged of these 3 criminals.

Two of the criminals are petty criminals, thieves. The city is full of thieves so no body pays much attention to them. But the 3rd, a Jew, He's different. He's being crucified for the pleasure of the Pharisees. They've lodged these charges against Him. Calling Him a false prophet, a liar, a deceiver. They incited the people against Him. The people, for lack of knowledge, have joined the Pharisees in their cries of, "crucify Him."

The crowd of people surround the 3 criminals as they make their way up Golgotha, "The Place of a Skull." It's time to hang each criminal on their respected cross and let them languish unto their death. It's been a cruel death for the One who is different. The Roman guards have beat Him mercilessly. They've whipped Him until the flesh rips from His bones. They plaited a crown of thorns and not only laid it on His head, but pushed the mighty needles into His flesh until the blood runs down His face. They've ripped His beard from His face. They've showed no mercy.

There's something so different about the One's behavior. He seems resigned to this merciless abuse. The thieves are begging incessantly for mercy, crying out against what is coming for them. One insists he is innocent. The other assuring if he can have another chance, he'll steal no more. But the 3rd one, the One they call Jesus, He says nothing. He is struggling with the bulk and weight of the mighty tree He has to bear up the hill. There's a man helping Him to bear His cross but it's been forced upon him by the guards in order to speed things up. From the beginning of their journey the man protests saying, "what have I to do with this deceiver? Find another to help him!!" However, along the way, the more he looks at the face of the Man he is helping, the more he begins to feel a need to help Him, and he resigns himself to this task and even wants to bear this weight with this Jesus.

As they finally come to the place where each will hang on their cross, the guards have but to lay the cross on the ground. They force the thieves onto their crosses for hanging, but the man Jesus, needs no urging. He goes in compliance. Almost willing Himself freely to climb upon the tree and allow the next phase of His suffering. They will drive nails...great rusty nails, into His hands and feet to secure His body as He will begin to slouch under His own weight of death. Death will drag His body to the ground. The nails will secure Him there for all to see.

The nails are driven in, again, mercilessly. But He doesn't say anything or cry out in pain or protest. He endures. It's beyond anything any man can endure in silence but this Jesus, this "man," He endures this immense immeasurable suffering with resolve and stamina not to be matched by any human, ever. For, what kind of man doesn't cry out?

The crowd of people who have come on His behalf consists of simply His mother and His brother. There are perhaps some who followed Him and His sayings during His life but many have abandoned Him now in the face of this evil. Fearful that they too will suffer such a fate as His. But, rest assured that they are watching these proceedings from within the crowd. Drawn by His spirit of Deity. They cannot understand themselves as to why, but they are drawn nonetheless.

He hangs now. He hangs in the sun, the heat bearing down on Him. Until darkness came. A different kind of darkness. A daylight darkness. The end is soon. But He hangs in waiting. The thief He is dying with looks over to Him and sees with perfect clarity who he is hanging unto death with. The thief begs for the mercy he feels in his soul is receivable. He acknowledges with his mouth that he is a thief and worthy of this death. He tells the people that he deserves his punishment, but this "man" has done nothing to deserve the injustice and unrighteous acts perpetrated against Him. He looks over at Jesus and says, "Remember me when you go to your Kingdom." Jesus looks over to this wanton soul and says, "you will be with me in paradise." The man had only to believe in Him, and was saved. The other thief doubts this Jesus to his end. Saying, "if He is a deity, if He is God, let Him come down off of His cross and save us three!" His doubt would steal His soul in it's moment of evil and unrest. He would graduate from this world to find no rest for all of his eternity.

In one last act of humanity, Jesus says, "I thirst." Words that declare Him a man but also that were a fulfillment of prophesy in their right, for King David the Psalmist prophesied of His thirst. It must needs be said for the prophecy to be fulfilled in Psalm 69:20 that "...in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink."

Suddenly, the One they called Jesus, cries out. He cried out only once in agony. It wasn't when they were driving the nails in or whipping Him mercilessly. He cried out when the sins He bore for all mankind separated Him from God. When the darkness fell on the earth for those 3 hours, the Son of God was apart from His father, for the Father is pure and Holy and cannot look upon sin. He cried out, "E' -li, E' -li, la' -ma sa-bach'-tha-ni?" "Father, Father, why have you forsaken me?" The pain of His flesh didn't compare to the pain of His separation from God.

There's no suffering in our lives that compares to being separated from God by our chosen sins. There's nothing you can do on this side of eternity that will hurt you that deeply. The pain and suffering of separation and the falling from Grace will bring a pain that has a depth incomparable to anything your body can endure. Think about this with quiet reverence and realize that confessing and repenting of such sins will bring you back to Him and reconcile you to your Father. Thereby returning you to the "peace that surpasses understanding." It's a perfect peace.