Time to wake up! Time to wake up!!!

Apathy is the stuff of failure.  It is a brother to laziness and indifference.  It aids in the destruction of empires and destroys families.  It kills in so many ways.  And this picture is the perfect representation of its nature.  Do nothing, care for nothing and nothing will happen, right?  No, not on your life!!!  What happens is that what you have slowly disintegrates. Slowly, inexorably, what is important to you wears away.  Then, something happens and BANG, you have nothing at all.  I wonder, could this happen to Christianity?  Read on and see...

WEB: Revelation of John Chapter 3:14-22

[14] “To the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write:

“The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Head of God’s creation, says these things:

[15] “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. [16] So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth. [17] Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; [18] I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. [19] As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent. [20] Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me. [21] He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne. [22] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.”"

In spite of the impression the media gives, The United States of America is a great nation.  People who work hard will eventually do well in life.  Doubt that, then read about Herman Cain.  But, something HAS changed in our country and that is our ability to be responsible for ourselves.  The current mindset is that the government will care for us; that it knows best and we don't have to be concerned about anything at all.  Big brother is always there, right?  Maybe and maybe NOT!!! When the money runs out, then what?  In fact, some say that it already has!!!  This isn't pie in the sky; its real world stuff and unless something drastic happens, 2012 really may be a year of disaster.  If this is true in the physical realm, what about the spiritual?  We hear every day about the inroads the godless are making.  How, God is being systematically, deliberately removed from every aspect of our culture and yet where are the protests, where are the demonstrators in FAVOR of Christianity?  Where are those who will fight the good SPIRITUAL FIGHT?  Apathy rules.  Jesus speaks to those who were "well off" in Laodicea and warns them to repent (change).  The truth is America needs to listen to this and I mean REALLY LISTEN!!!!  Think you can do nothing?  Wrong, you can pray and pray and pray some more.  God will listen; I know, HE has answered prayers in ways that I can not even begin to describe.  What to do AFTER prayer?  The answer is; what ever is before you.  Consider Nehemiah...

WEB: Nehemiah Chapter 2:1-5
[1] It happened in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, when wine was before him, that I took up the wine, and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad before in his presence. [2] The king said to me, “Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing else but sorrow of heart.”

Then I was very much afraid. [3] I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why shouldn’t my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies waste, and its gates have been consumed with fire?”

[4] Then the king said to me, “For what do you make request?”

So I prayed to the God of heaven. [5] I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you would send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may build it.”

Prayer and action; the cure for apathy.  Think it won't work?  Reread Nehemiah 2:1-5.  Think you can't do something, then you haven't prayed enough.  Feel like your are too timid or afraid?  Consider Timothy; a young man who didn't seem aggressive, yet one who died leading a protest against idols when he was old.  God has a way of changing people, of helping them do something to change not only themselves, but the whole world.  And that change begins with you; ask yourself, Have I prayed today; if not, why not?  Remember, prayer and action are the cure and God is the power.  Believe it!!!!

A Rose of a different color...

Recently, one of my granddaughters called me with some questions about her genealogy.  As I am the family historian (or at least the one who has the most interest in it) I told her what I could remember so that she could complete her college term paper.  I was amazed at what she did not know, but was glad I could help.  Not just so that she would get a good grade, but also that she could learn something about herself!!!  Within obvious limitations, we are who we come from.  So, in a way, if you know your ancestors, you begin to understand things about your own makeup.  I chose this picture of a Rose because not only is it beautiful, but it bears my last name as well.  Naturally, when I think of Jesus, I think of his lineage as well and the gospel of Luke gives one account of his origins.

Luke 3:23-38 (WEB)
23) Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,
24) the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
25) the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,
26) the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah,
27) the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,
28) the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er,
29) the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,
30) the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim,
31) the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,
32) the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
33) the son of Amminadab, the son of Aram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,
34) the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
35) the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,
36) the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
37) the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,
38) the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

No, I am NOT going over each name; that would simply take too long and for some of you, would prove way too boring.  But, just notice two things; first its about Jesus and second, God is involved!!!  There are many people in between, but just hold on to this thought... Jesus is descended from God!!!  This was a living, breathing, thinking, feeling member of the human race who was (is) a direct descendant of the the Almighty creator of the entire universe.  Talk about a lineage!!!!!!  Consider the implications and marvel at the nature of God, that HE would condescend to even do this.  Somehow, mere words aren't enough and our intellect and emotions can't truly fathom the concept.  But, it is true.  It is wonderful.  If we spent a thousand years we would never fully understand all that it means.  So, when I look at this picture of a neon Rose, I think of my own ancestry and extensive as it is, it is nothing compared to the most beautiful Rose; the Rose of Sharon.  One more thing... as a Christian, I am adopted into this same family; I didn't deserve it, I can't earn it, but nonetheless its true.  And that is more wonderful that the most beautiful flower that ever was.  Now, all I have to do is to try to incorporate this into my genealogy program, but that may be a bit difficult!!!  But, I am sure I will have fun trying!!!

Something "NEW"

Redesigning something as simple as an electrical wall plug is one great idea!!!  How many times have you just pulled the cord instead of the wall plug because it was easier.  That someone would continue thinking about things like this is wonderful, but then, that's what humans do, isn't it?  We have a general idea and shape it, refine it, and, if everything works out... make it become reality.  For us, this could take anywhere from a few seconds to decades.  But what about God?  How is HIS way of doing things different than ours?  People have written volumes on the subject, but lets just consider a few verses...

Acts 17:19-21 (WEB)
19) They took hold of him, and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is, which is spoken by you?
20) For you bring certain strange things to our ears. We want to know therefore what these things mean.”
21) Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

Genesis 1:1-31 (WEB)
1) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
2) Now the earth was formless and empty. Darkness was on the surface of the deep. God’s Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters.
3) God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
4) God saw the light, and saw that it was good. God divided the light from the darkness.
5) God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” There was evening and there was morning, one day.
6) God said, “Let there be an expanse in the middle of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.”
7) God made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so.
8) God called the expanse “sky.” There was evening and there was morning, a second day.
9) God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear;” and it was so.
10) God called the dry land “earth,” and the gathering together of the waters he called “seas.” God saw that it was good.
11) God said, “Let the earth yield grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with its seed in it, on the earth;” and it was so.
12) The earth yielded grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with its seed in it, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.
13) There was evening and there was morning, a third day.
14) God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of sky to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years;
15) and let them be for lights in the expanse of sky to give light on the earth;” and it was so.
16) God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He also made the stars.
17) God set them in the expanse of sky to give light to the earth,
18) and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good.
19) There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
20) God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of sky.”
21) God created the large sea creatures, and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind. God saw that it was good.
22) God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”
23) There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
24) God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures after their kind, livestock, creeping things, and animals of the earth after their kind;” and it was so.
25) God made the animals of the earth after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good.
26) God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27) God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.
28) God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
29) God said, “Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food.
30) To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food;” and it was so.
31) God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.
 

2 Corinthians 5:17 (WEB)
17) Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.

Revelation 21:1-4 (WEB)
1) I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more.
2) I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.
3) I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
4) He will wipe away from them every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.”

Greece was a great empire and Athens was an intellectual powerhouse.  Consider how much of our culture today comes from their thoughts and it will astound you.  Yet, they were groping for truth, seeking to understand the world about them.  God, in contrast, created and created.  Everything we see comes from HIM!!!  Our creations pale in comparison to the formation of the Heavens and the Earth and all that it contains.  And it contains US!!!  When we realize that we are more than mere intellect and understand that we spiritual beings created like HIM, somehow everything around us seems unimportant.  When we find HIM spiritually and OBEY HIS COMMANDS, we become truly alive the way we were meant to be.  Someday, God will wipe away ALL imperfection and we will see everything in yet a new way.  What a day that will be, what a revelation!!!  Better than any wall plug we can imagine, or for that matter, anything at all.  I can't wait!!!!

Not in my book...

I have to ask myself the question: What sort of person would have such a license plate?  Whether Atheist, Cynic, Skeptic or Satanist, the plate is in bad taste.  Personally, I find it offensive and whoever owns it is insensitive to say to the least.  Where does this number come from?  From the most misused book of the Bible, of course... Revelation.  Here is the passage...

Revelation 13:11-18 (WEB)
11) I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon.
12) He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.
13) He performs great signs, even making fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the sight of people.
14) He deceives my own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived.
15) It was given to him to give breath to it, to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as wouldn’t worship the image of the beast to be killed.
16) He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands, or on their foreheads;
17) and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name.
18) Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six.

The Roman Empire persecuted Christians; killed them every chance it had because they dared to refuse to acknowledge the emperor as God.  The number is, in each of its digits, one less than the perfect number for God, 7.  Therefore, 666 is the unholiest number of all; an ungodly trinity of evil arrogance.  Because of persecution, code numbers were used to represent names and this one referred to the emperor Nero.  The picture above makes me a little unsettled, as it could in fact be a harbinger of the future... a time when one world government would demand allegiance to the king of planet Earth.  I hope I don't live to see such a thing, but I know from the past that it can't endure, entities like 666 have been beaten before and will be again, no matter what form they take. Its just that I know the cost that had to be paid to defeat this sort of evil and that was the sacrifice of many, many Christians lives!!!

Something Amazing!!!

I was intrigued by this today when I saw it on the net.  This is the very first time I have ever seen a waterfall even partially enclosed in rock.  Very beautiful indeed!!!  It reminded me of our country; how that even for all the rancor over politics and economics, there is still much that is very good about The United States Of America.  Many of us still believe in freedom and liberty and just as the founding fathers fought to establish our republic, so we should consider ourselves "Defending Fathers" (as Herman Cain would say).  It would seem that those who think this way are few and far between, but I think there are probably a lot more than anyone could imagine.  All this reminds me of a passage in Paul's letter to the Romans...

Romans 11:1-6 (WEB)
1) I ask then, did God reject his people? May it never be! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2) God didn’t reject his people, which he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:
3) “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have broken down your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.”
4) But how does God answer him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
5) Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
6) And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

In all the world, who knows how many people are the genuine "true believers"; those who have kept a pure and unadulterated conscience before the Almighty?  At times, we may ask a question like Elijah, but have faith, God is working everything out.  It may seem like our country as well as Christianity is doomed to extinction, but if we only knew what God is really doing, I believe we would be amazed!!!  Today is the first one where I saw a really unusual waterfall and I wonder what tomorrow will bring?  Can God surprise me again tomorrow?  I think we all know the answer to that one!!!!

Contrast

Yesterday it was actually cool when I left for church in the morning!  What a feeling!!!  And the news gets better; the forecast says that there will be noteven ONE day this week where the temperature will get into the 90's!!!  Wow, what a hot summer we had!!!  Then I saw this picture and I was reminded of what "cool" weather is all about.  That crisp, clean feeling when the temperature is in the 20's, the frost on the grass and view of the exhaust of a power plant in a clear, clear sky.  The contrast is undeniable and downright memorable.  Life can be like that too, because one who has turned from a life of sin to a life in pursuit of Godliness can't help but see the difference.  Look at the descriptions the apostle Paul uses in his letter to the Galatians.

Galatians 5:19-23 (WEB)
19) Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness,
20) idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies,
21) envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,
23) gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Just for a moment, compare verses 19 and 21 with 22 and 23.  Who in their right mind would want a life filled with the first list when they could have the second?  Sometimes, we just have to take a moment and consider what we really have to appreciate it.  Its like the difference between a heat wave and a cold front.  Remember and rejoice!!!

Oh, to be a butterfly!!!

I wonder what it would be like to be a butterfly?  To live such a short life, to accomplish little and then perish?  Yet, this butterfly is unusual; you can see right through it!!!  In a way, Jesus was like this butterfly; when you saw him, you saw the father and that was a beautiful sight to see.  Which reminds me of this passage from the book of John...

John 14:6-11 (WEB)
6) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
7) If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on, you know him, and have seen him.”
8) Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”
9) Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father?’
10) Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I tell you, I speak not from myself; but the Father who lives in me does his works.
11) Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

God revealed himself through Jesus.  Want to know something about God...look to Jesus.  Jesus' words were those of the Father, his actions pleased HIS Father and his sacrifice was the will of the Father.  Which leads me also to the followers of Jesus.  Question: when someone looks at you do they see Jesus?  Are my thoughts, actions and will like his?  If not, why not?  Maybe we should all be more like the butterfly in the picture, in that when people see us they can see right through us and see God.  Maybe being a butterfly isn't such a bad idea after all...