The Author the Hero

In all once upon a times and love and treasured pages… to old leather bond books to hard canvas covers and flimsy paperbacks a hero emerges for those in need of assistance.

The hero is part of what we can see on the page and part of the one who types out the page. For the one who creates often can’t help but put him or her self into the beloved story they have written.

And God who passed these creative talents to his choice creation is no different. He knew what would cause a character to fall and one to rise to a place of honor. He knew they all had to love even if that love was manipulated and transformed into something hideous by their own minds.

They would either love darkness or love light but what would cause them to choose? What factors would cause them to love darkness or light? What would cause them to turn from darkness to light? How would they manage to stand even if they were seemingly alone?

God would have to call to them and be a part of their lives- of course some would hear his calling and some would not. For God made his chosen creation to have a mind of choice. They were to be masters on earth but would have a choice on who mastered them while they lived on earth. Would it be Satan or God? Of course those who decided to ignore God and continued to walk in stubborn disobedience would not make it to the lasting pages of eternity in heaven.

God knew many would look at his creations, see and read about his historic examples of ruin and success and the lay the bible in front many people’s fingertips. He knew people would betray the itched words inside each example by believing the ignorant wisdom of man and the forked tongue lies of demons. He knew they would pick and choose his qualities like they were some food buffet. He knew they would even foolishly denying his existence in hopes they would not have to answer for the things they had done in this life and allowed to live in their hearts.

His chosen creation have flaws… even the ones who trust in Him- so how would God, a righteous God who weights murder and lies as equals make it so those who stand in the dusty faults of humanity be consider worthy of the only entrance into heaven? Would it be by deed? No. Then how?

Here is where the true hero emerges … God himself would become human. He would put himself deeper within the story. He would be called Jesus, the Son of God. He would endure all the testing and temptations of life and darkness and come out victorious over every one and then he, innocent of any wrongdoing, would lay his life down for all of humanity. He would become a human sacrifice – the atonement/ amends for the sins of humanity.

God himself would reconcile his chosen creation on a wooden cross, for there was no other blood purer then his own blood to cleanse humanity for all their wrong doings. On the third day He would take up his crucified flesh again and rise from the tomb and those who believed in faith of this act would be saved from eternity in hell.

In faith of Jesus Christ and according to God’s will, a person then receives the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches the followers of Jesus the ways of God as they continue to submit their life to Him. Through God’s Spirit ones eyes are opened their heart is softened. They are born again spiritually, they do not practice the ways of sin and they are assured a place in heaven as they continue to live in the faith of Jesus Christ knowing he is God the author and hero who saves them.

The Right Door

Exhausted every avenue in prayer and action then you will see when the right door opens.

Attending Church- Your Important Role

A person, who I love dearly, had conversation with me this week about going to church. She didn’t think it was all that big a deal about not attending church. She figured that as long as she believes Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, she is fine. The problem with that kind of thinking is it based on our own perception of life and as long as we are in our own way of thinking we are never going to be enlightened and see how God can use us as a member of his body.

Ever see a foot or hand all by itself? Some of you may have on a battlefield or a real bad car accident. A hand and foot cannot function without the rest of the body. To be a part of Christ’s body you have to be a participant in Christ’s body. Just as blood flows all throughout the body; a person must be ministered to and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, which flows through the gathering of believers.

I used to spend hours in front of my parents fireplace on cold wet Puget Sound days. In front of the fire I would do homework, eat, and watch television. The logs would become this bright hot orange lava color and occasionally an amber would pop out of the fire and land on the black slate hearth. Where it’s glowing beauty would fade and become as cold and dark as the hearth itself.

If an individual chooses not to gather with their church, they can become like a amber that has popped out of a hot fireplace.

Our own perception of life can make us blind to our Christian calling within the church. Consider the words of Jesus to the Laodicea Church. “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, I will spit you out of my mouth! ‘You say, I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and power and blind and naked. I advice you to buy gold from me- gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. And also buy white garments so you will not be ashamed by your nakedness. And buy ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I am the one who corrects and disciplines everyone I love. Be diligent and turn from your indifference. Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in and we will share a meal as friends. I will invite everyone who is victorious to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” Revelation 3:15-22

Roles are very important in the body of Christ. We may think the church only consists of a Pastor, Sunday school teachers, and a congregation but if you believe that then your robbing yourself of the role God has for you.

The body of Christ is a city on a hill (Matt. 5:14) and just like a city it needs people for God appointed roles to fill so it can be growing and healthy.

Romans 13:4-8 says: “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with the Christ’s body. We are all parts of one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others. God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have the faith that God is speaking through you. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have the a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”

1 Corinthians 12:28-13 says: “Here is a list of some of the members that God has placed in the body of Christ. First are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who can get other to work together, those who speak in unknown languages. Is everyone an apostle? Of course not. Is everyone a prophet? No. Are all teachers? Does everyone have the power to do miracles? Does everyone have the gift of healing? Of course not. Does God give all of us the ability to speak in unknown languages? No! And in any event, you should desire the most helpful gifts.”

Ephesians: 4:9-13 says: “He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.

Abram called out 318 trained men in his household and went in pursuit of those who took his nephew Lot and their possessions - they recovered everything the Kedorlaomer army took from them.

Abraham took trained men, men who knew their individual roles and took them seriously. It takes people filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit to stand against, battle and get back what the enemy has taken from the church family – not just physical but spiritual needs. It takes people disciplined in the faith to stand against what is evil and provide assistance when needed.

Jesus said in Matthew 18:18 “I tell you this: Whatever you prohibit on earth is prohibited in heaven, and whatever you allow on earth is allowed in heaven.”

If man does nothing to stop evil, heaven can do nothing about it. If man stands against what is evil then heaven will bound it but if no man does his role that God intended than the church that supports a community will fall apart. What is your role in your church?

Accountability

I was thinking about the founding fathers of the United States. Why did they set up under the constitution the three branches government (legislative, executive, and judicial branches)? They do so because they saw first hand the tyrannies and power a monarch had over its people. They wanted to ensure no single branch would have supreme reign. They wanted a system of accountability or checks and balances. The next thought was how did they come up with such an idea and after considering many of the founding fathers of the United States held degrees in seminary and Christian theology and published the first bible and required it’s teachings in public school I came down to this conclusion- our accountability to God and our fellow man.

Keeping others accountability has been a problem in the United States. Just make a list for yourselves and you will see the following: government officials, law makers, stock brokers, car and truck manufacturers-dealerships -and mechanics, doctors, lawyers, insurance companies, utility companies, contractors, those in public office all the way down to parents not making their children accountable for their own actions and children blaming their dog or sibling for eating their homework.

We see more finger pointing, shrugged shoulders of “I could care less”, denial, lies, debt, bailouts and people just accepting things as just the way things are then people holding others accountable. I think part of reason of finding it hard to make people accountable is the process of finding ways in which to make people accountable.

I should draw a cartoon of a bank robber holding up the U.S. treasury and a government official telling the bank robber to hold on- they have to warm up printer. It is an embarrassment to a have government that is so ignorant of its own nation’s history and what it “is” founded upon. It’s an embarrassment to have government consider abortion as health care and a way to not hinder one’s successes. Since when were children not considered a blessing of many successes in life? It’s a shame I can’t take a politicians’, lawyers’, or mechanics’ word as truth without checking their information with other sources. It’s a shame I rather buy a Toyota or a Mazda over any new American car/truck such as Ford, Chevy, Jeep, Dodge/ Chrysler product. (I could go on but why… you already know this.)

God makes us accountable for our actions. He has made immoveable laws of nature that no one can move such as: you reap what you sow Gal 6:7, the consequences of sin are disease and death Gal 6:8 , our words and actions are a very powerful Pro 18:4 .

Every person, no matter if they to believe or not, will have to answer to God. They will be held accountable for their actions.

I will be responsible for what kind of fruit I bear and produced while I was on earth. The fruit I produced will be dependent on who I trusted when I spoke or acted. Did I trust God or myself Gal 5:22.

An ignorant soul would tell you there is no God and there is no accountability. An ignorant soul will tell you there is a God but he has a hands off approach to his creation. An ignorant soul does not see the importance of Jesus Christ- why he came from heaven to take our punishment for our sins and raised to life on the third day so all who believe in him and trust in him have eternal life. (That was I once.)

A Christian soul, however, knows he/she will be held accountable for their poor actions just as those who don’t believe but the difference will be this:

Romans 3:22-31 We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done. For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins. For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God's anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us. God was being entirely fair and just when he did not punish those who sinned in former times. And he is entirely fair and just in this present time when he declares sinners to be right in his sight because they believe in Jesus. Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds. It is based on our faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law. After all, God is not the God of the Jews only, is he? Isn't he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. There is only one God, and there is only one way of being accepted by him. He makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law.

A believer in Christ Jesus is accountable in their actions. You know it is cold- you dress in warm clothes. You know Jesus Christ is Lord – you live accordingly to how the Lord would want you to live. We don’t make a practice of sinning but when we do make a mistake we must try to make it right with the person we have hurt or offended and ask God for his forgiveness as well.

God disciplines all he loves so we will turn from our sinful ways and not spend eternity in hell. When no one holds you accountable then there is no maturity and heavenly virtues being instilled in you. When you are not held accountable you act and do as a spoiled uncorrected child does disrupting and affecting others around you. No accountability encourages a problem and does nothing to stop it. Uncorrected problems spread like a flame to straw.

A nation, a church, an individual can burn all way to it’s foundation and if that foundation is God, it can be rebuilt again but if a nation, a church or individual builds on something other then God- that nation is forever cursed and doomed for failure. Think of the nations of history that have come and gone- Be grateful God holds you accountable for a God who keeps you accountable is a real God.

A god that doesn’t keep you accountable is a false god and those who take a liking to them - do so they can continue to live in sin.

Those who want to deny accountability to God and to their peers will only try to cover it up or disguise it as something it is not. They will disguise it and say it is some form of love, freedom, pursuit of happiness, justice, democracy, normalcy, etc so you don’t smell their dark motives. Think how some Americans first perceived the Nazi’s when they were coming to power. Think how a person disguises and covers their sin? Why do they try to cover it up?

Why does the devil disguise himself as an angel of light probably because if you saw his real appearance you would shutter.

Is a half-truth the truth? You buy a cup of coffee only get a half of cup- are you going to settle for that? You ask for a 12-inch sub and only receive a 6-inch sub, are you going to settle for that?

A person who isn’t accountable is a slave to sin.

It is sad you have watch your back, you have to do the research to know what others is saying is actually true, you actually have to say, “That is not right” when it is obvious it is not right.

The world is becoming a very dark place but thank God I don’t have to live in fear because I know who my God is and I am accountable to Him.